Story by Lajien
Compiled by Julia Miller

List of Characters

The Houston Family (the central family of this story)

Jeff – 37 yrs. father, married for 16 years to Heather

Heather -37 yrs. mother

Ryan Allen/ Erinna Clover (aka. Rin) - 10 yrs. Boy, then GCS girl – wants to be close friends with Oliver

George - 15 yrs. older brother, wants Nancy to be his girlfriend and treats Oliver like a little brother

Rex – the family dog, a Great Dane Puppy

Howard Houston – Jeff’s father

Margret Houston – Jeff’s mother and grandmother to Erinna, George, and Alex

Robert Allen Houston (deceased) – Jeff’s younger brother and FBI agent

Alex Houston – 11 yrs. orphan, Robert’s son, and Erinna’s cousin. Never knew his mom, and considers Heather as his mom.

Charlie Houston – Jeff’s brother

Maddison (Maddie) Houston, Jeff’s sister former archaeologist now teacher at Erinna's school

The Gavin Family (Heather’s side of the family)

Grandpa Tyler Gavin – Heather’s father

Grandma Anne Gavin– Heather’s mother

Dr. Lynn/ Aunt Lynn – Heather’s older sister

Mark – Lynn’s husband

Maria – 10 yrs. girl, Lynn’s daughter, looks amazingly like Erinna; they could be twins

Frank -18 yrs. Maria’s brother

Joe – 16 yrs. Maria’s brother. A feminine-looking boy. Looks like an older version of Maria and Erinna. Used to be mistaken for a girl.

Aunt Leslie – Heather’s sister, presently married second time

Jack – Leslie’s 2nd husband, father to Dennis/Destiny (and Emma)

Amy – 16 yrs. Leslie’s oldest The orphaned, stepsister to Destiny

Olivia – 14 yrs. Leslie’s daughter, stepsister to Destiny

Emma – 12 yrs. Leslie’s daughter, half-sister to Destiny since Jack is their father

Dennis/Destiny - 12 yrs. GCS girl, half-sister to Emma, mother died, (Claire) but Jack is her father

Uncle Liam Gavin – Heather’s brother

Hattie Gavin– Liam’s wife

Angelo Sheldon Gavin – 3 yrs. Liam’s son

The Collins Family (Neighbors and friends of the Houston family)

Erwin - father

Carole - mother

Oliver - 11 yrs. Orphan, a GCS boy lives with his aunt and uncle. George treats him like his little brother

Nancy - 14 yrs. GCS girl wants to be George’s girlfriend and treats Erinna like her little sister. She also plays on George’s football team

Brandon/Brandi - 12 yrs. GCS girl - cousin of Oliver and Nancy

Albert and Candy Collins (deceased), Oliver’s parents

Ryan/Erinna’s friends

Oliver - 11 yrs. GCS boy

Dakota - 10 yrs, GCS boy.

Shelby - 10 yrs. stepsister to Connor, sister to Oscar

Connor/Hazel - 10 yrs, GCS girl. Stepbrother to Shelby and Oscar

Steven/Stacy – 10 yrs, GCS girl. Brother to Jessica

Ronald Henderson – 10 yrs. ‘the twins’ with Walter – they speak in unison

Walter Bain – 10 yrs. ‘the twins’ with Ronald – they finish each other’s sentences

External Characters (in order of appearance)

Coach Damian – Ryan/Erinna’s private swim coach and mentor

Coach Vince – Ryan’s school boy’s swim coach

Coach Monica – Erinna’s school girl’s swim coach

Coach Miller – George’s football coach

Ms. Mackenzie – teacher/principal at Ryan/Erinna’s school

Jacob – George’s friend and on his football team

Oscar – 15 yrs. Stepbrother to Connor, brother to Shelby, tried to bully Ryan, acts differently towards Erinna?

Jessica – 16 yrs. Steven's sister – she has a crush on George, and works at the family cafe

Ava – Dr. Lynn’s receptionist

Lillian Grace – the owner of NY clothing store

Carla – 13 yrs. GCS girl and Lillian’s daughter, a teen model

Johnny – 18-19 yrs. Carla’s older brother

Rachel – mother of Connor, stepmother to Oscar and Shelby

Joshua – a teen boy who had a partial illegal gender change MtF, works in aunt’s shoe store, may also be adopted by his aunt

Betty – She owns Betty’s Beauty world and is mother to Jessica and Steven

Officer Louis – police officer

Officer Garrett – police officer

Lt. Tyler Jung – Police supervisor

Martin – an old friend of the Houstons, originally a rancher from Texas, he now breeds dogs, horses, and cows near the Houstons again.

Mr. Butler - FBI Director State Field Office – Robert Huston’s boss

Sam Houston – US and Texas historical figure and ancestor of the Houston family

Information about GCS (Formerly TSS) by Lajien

Hello everyone, Lajien here.

Any writer who would like to write about GCS (Gender Change Syndrome) please go ahead and send me a copy of your story because I would like to read it.

I will provide you with some information about the disorder so you can write about it whenever you want.

1) GCS can go two ways, a child can be born a male and become a female due to this disorder and vice-versa.

2) GCS has severe psychological effects. It can cause depression and drive a person to suicide.

3) Because of its severe psychological effect on children, many governments worldwide created harsh laws to protect children with GCS. E.g., Calling a GCS child a freak is punishable by law. It can be a huge fine that can reach $50,000. The person may even be charged with child abuse and verbal abuse is treated the same way.

4) Public testing for GCS is mandatory for children when they reach the age of 10 years old. If positive for GCS, they will be properly treated.

5) The gene responsible for GCS is known as the S gene. The percentage of the S gene determines how quickly the child will change into the opposite gender. If the percentage is 50% or less, the child will go through a program to help them live and deal with their new gender. If it is higher than 50%, the child will usually change very quickly (usually at 10 years old) and is immediately treated as the opposite gender.

6) GCS girls are usually mistaken for girls before birth, though they are born as boys.

7) The changes start in the child from conception.

8) Sometimes the mental transformation starts before the physical transformation, and the child is could be mistaken for a transgender child.

9) GCS children tend to develop sexually more quickly than non GCS children. Girls will go into puberty sooner and are very feminine and pretty. Boys also start puberty sooner and are more muscular and handsome.

10) GCS children often have poor immunity when they are small children until they transform.

11) GCS children often display high intelligence and mental capacity though research hasn’t shown any relationship between the two.

12) Some GCS children can fall into a deep coma which could take three weeks to three months before they recover.

13) GCS changes the child’s chromosomes, which become entirely male or female after their transformation. Science has yet to explain how or why this happens.

14) GCS girls resemble their mothers, and GCS boys resemble their fathers.

15) After the transformation, the child has a stronger body with improved immunity.

16) GCS-Y gender transformations occur in Youths between the age of 10 to 14.

17) GCS-T occurs in Teens between the ages of 15-19

18) GCS-A occurs in Adults aged 20 and over.

19) Research has shown that the ratio of GCS females to GCS males is 5:1

20) Every year the percentage of GCS children is slowly increasing. Now it’s over 20% of children 10-14 years old. Research has not found a cause.

21) GCS teens and adults have a similar percentage at 20%

22) Sexually, GCS youths usually are straight. Boys like girls, girls like boys.

23) GCS teens and adults usually retain the sexuality they formerly had before their transformation, but can also become bisexual in nature.

The Houstons are a family of four. The parents have two sons. Heather is the mom who works as a lawyer, and her golden blonde hair was a mess as she just woke up around 6:00 am. She needed to wake her sons and make them ready for school. First, she walked to her youngest’s room, 10-year-old Ryan Allen Houston.

While she had no favorites among her children, Ryan was her baby. He was the baby of the family. Not only was Ryan the youngest, but his 15-year-old brother George and his dad treated him as a baby. Ryan knew he was the family’s baby and learned to accept it even though he didn’t like it.

Walking to Ryan’s room, Heather opened the door and stepped in. Heather shook her head, thinking how cute her baby looked while sleeping. She chuckled at Ryan sleeping with his thumb in his mouth.

After walking over to the bed, Heather kissed his cheek before gently shaking him awake.
“Ryan, wake up, time to get up,” Heather said in a sing-song tone.

Heather looked at her child’s messy hair. She ran her fingers through it, pushing the shoulder-length locks out of his eyes.
At first, she was surprised that Ryan wanted to keep his hair long. However, she was glad because he looked so cute with long hair. She was happy that Ryan had decided to let his hair grow.

Stirring in his sleep, Ryan opened his eyes for a moment before burying his head in the pillow.
“Ten more minutes, please,” Ryan pleaded, his voice muffled by the pillow.

“Oh, but we can’t have that now,” Heather said as she smirked.

Immediately, Heather sat on the bed, flipped Ryan on his back, and tickled him. She knew the best way to wake Ryan was by tickling him. She knew that Ryan was extremely sensitive to tickling and would do anything to stop the torture.
She earned a loud squeal and giggles from Ryan as he struggled to escape. It didn’t take more than a couple of seconds for him to tap out.

“I’m up, I’m up,” he pleaded. “No more tickling, please.” He was out of breath.

“I can see that,” Heather replied with a smile. She couldn’t blame Ryan for not wanting to wake up, though.

Last week, Heather received an urgent call from Ryan’s school. The school nurse asked her to come and pick him up. She said he had a high fever and was sick.
Of course, Heather immediately left her office and headed to the school. The rest of that day, Ryan lay in the bed with his momma by his side.

He was still a bit sleepy, but he had to go to school today. All students around the country between the ages of 8 and 14 were taking a blood test. It was a test for some new kind of genetic disorder. His school will perform the test today. Heather would have kept Ryan home today if it weren’t for the blood test.

“Go take a quick shower and get dressed,” Heather told Ryan.

Ryan nodded and slipped out of bed before walking to his bathroom. It was good that everyone had their bathroom, which saved a lot of time—especially with her children, seeing that both George and Ryan loved to take their time showering.

Unlike many boys, her boys were relatively clean and neat. After all, it was something she and Jeff drilled into the children’s minds. Cleanliness was not the only thing the children took from their parents.

George is the star of the first-year football team and the captain. He was a great defender, fast, flexible, lightning-quick, and stood at 5’10” with broad shoulders and solid muscle mass. His teammates nicknamed him ‘Rock Solid’ because of how hard it was for anyone to slip past him. He was taking after Jeff with the potential to be even taller than his dad.

A fact known very well to Heather since she was a swimmer was that Ryan was a great swimmer. In the water, there was no match for him. Kids his age could barely keep up with him. It seemed unfair in a competition where he always earned first place.

Walking out of Ryan’s room, Heather headed to George’s room. Opening the door after knocking, she saw that George was already up and in the shower. Nothing seemed messy in George’s room, not even a pair of socks on the floor.

While George was very popular in school, he didn’t have a girlfriend. It was something that confused Heather. She knew her son was a much better catch than most other boys in that school. He was obviously into girls, which made Heather more confused. She did discuss the matter with his dad, who just chuckled and assured her that there was no problem with George.

Heather decided to head downstairs to enjoy a cup of coffee with Jeff because she didn’t need to wake George up. In the kitchen, Jeff was enjoying a cup of coffee and reading the news on his phone. Pouring herself a cup, Heather sat down beside Jeff.

“How was the case yesterday?” Jeff asked, looking at Heather.

Heather had been working on a case where a father had abused his son several times, beating him till he almost died. The boy’s uncle hired her to ensure the boy’s dad would not get away with it. She ended up opposing an excellent lawyer in court. Still, the man was charged with child abuse and sent to jail.

At the beginning of her career, Heather slowly immersed herself in the world of law, but as she grew in confidence, her persuasive arguments in the courtroom were enough to make it hard for anyone to win against her. She loved seeing the doomed face of criminals when they were confident they would get away with their crimes, only to receive the harshest punishments from the Judge.

She also knew the right people everywhere to get cases in the right hands. Being very successful, Heather earned her own office in her firm.
“How do you think it went?” Heather asked with a playful smirk plastered over her face.

“How many years?” Jeff asked. He knew that no criminal could get out of the clutches of his wife. Criminals were scared of her more than she was scared of them. Heather had an iron will, and she was never an easy lady to defeat in court. Her iron will and her robust and imposing look made it clear she was not someone to be messed with in court.

“Life with no chance of parole,” Heather said proudly. She was happy about putting these guys behind bars. “They had charged the defendant with child abuse, six counts of attempted murder, and infringement of private ownership,” Heather bragged, making Jeff chuckle.

Jeff was rather happy about it since getting rid of someone like that made the world better. In his eyes, the people his wife put behind bars were the scum of the earth. Getting rid of them made the world a much safer place.

“Jeff,” Heather called, looking a bit sad. Jeff just hummed, knowing exactly where this conversation was going. “I know we talked about this, but can’t we try to have a daughter?” It was a dream for Heather always to want a daughter. Heather felt blessed with two wonderful sons she loved with all her heart. Still, Heather wanted a daughter.

She always felt jealous whenever she dropped Ryan off at school and saw other mothers arriving with their daughters. She would feel jealous when she saw mothers shopping for clothes with their daughters.

“Babe, we talked about this,” Jeff said, holding her hand. “Even if we try, we may not get a girl. Let’s assume we had a girl. What would happen if you or she died while giving birth? You know how hard it was on you when Ryan was born, not to mention we almost lost him,” Jeff said, stating the facts.

The idea that Ryan may not be with them now made him shudder.
The first couple of months of Ryan’s life were terrifying times. They almost lost Ryan; most doctors were sure that Ryan would die. Heather was first to ignore what the doctors said; she couldn’t accept the fact that Ryan would die. She was right to ignore them, Ryan lived, and he’s now a healthy, happy 10-year-old boy.

“How about adopting a girl? We don’t lack money. We can afford to adopt a girl,” Jeff suggested trying to find a middle solution for the problem. It’s not like Heather is the only one who wants to have a daughter. Jeff also wanted to have a daughter, a little princess, to spoil and protect.
Shaking her head, Heather replied, “No, I want to have a daughter I have given birth to.”

With a sigh, Jeff started rubbing the back of his head with frustration. That’s when Jeff had a suspicion. It was a mere possibility, but it could happen. And if it happens, then they would have their daughter, a biological daughter just like Heather wanted. “Let’s wait and see what happens,” Jeff announced, making Heather look at him with curiosity.
•••••••••
In his bathrobe, Ryan walked to his closet to get dressed. After emerging from the shower, Ryan dried and walked back into his room. There’s one mirror in his bedroom hanging on his closet door.

Stopping in front of his mirror, Ryan looked at his reflection, becoming confused.
His shoulder-length honey blonde hair made him look like a girl more than a boy. He didn’t even know why he insisted on keeping his hair long, but he liked it. Of course, he didn’t enjoy being mistaken for a girl at a restaurant while having dinner with his family.

Ignoring his thoughts, Ryan opened his closet and retrieved his uniform, a pair of boxer briefs, and a cotton undershirt tank top. Putting on his boxers and undershirt, Ryan started to get dressed in his school uniform. It consisted of a white button-down shirt, black slacks for the winter or shorts for the summer, a black necktie, and a blazer jacket.

While Heather says he looks cute in his uniform, Ryan doesn’t like it much. The school he attends is relatively new in their area. The school is known for its program that only takes brilliant, gifted students. With their uniforms, students from Ryan’s school stand out since other private schools in their area don’t have that uniform. Some of them don’t even have a uniform.

Heather and Jeff wanted to enroll George at the same school. However, since Ryan’s school doesn’t have a football team, George stayed in his private school after finishing middle school. They saw that the school had offered Ryan a personal coach. While Ryan was grateful, he still didn’t like to stand out. They only cared about the future of their children.

Getting dressed in his uniform, Ryan grabbed his black easy-fasten boots. He then grabbed an orange wrist rubber band. Walking downstairs into the kitchen, Ryan took his seat.

For a moment, Heather looked at Ryan when a thought came to her, and she immediately shook her head, dismissing the idea as fast as it crossed her mind. She didn’t even want to think about it or the possibility of it happening. But Ryan looked so cute in his uniform.

“Morning, mom,” Ryan said, kissing his mom as she put a plate of eggs and bacon in front of him.
“Enjoy,” Heather said, kissing Ryan’s cheek. She loved seeing him wearing his uniform even though he didn’t like it.

“Coach Damien called yesterday,” Jeff said, catching Ryan’s attention. Coach Damien was the name of Ryan’s private coach the school hired. Ryan can tell the coach was displeased since Ryan didn’t attend school most of last week, thus missing more than one training day. However, the coach was a good person who only called to check on Ryan’s health, and not once did he mention the training. “He’s wondering if you’re ready for the upcoming tournament or not.”
Coach Damien checked on Ryan’s health daily since they all knew Ryan would take first place if he competed. Those poor kids never stood a chance against him if he swam.

“Come on. Dad, is that even a question? Of course, he’s ready,” George said, coming into the kitchen. Ruffling Ryan’s hair, George took a seat beside him. “He’s always ready, right bud?” George said, making Ryan grin and nod. Even with five years between them, George and Ryan were always close. George was always the protective big brother; he would never allow anyone to mess with his little brother.
When Heather was pregnant with Ryan, they asked George if he wanted to have a sister or a brother; his answer was both.
A
s a child, George was obedient and well-behaved; he, however, was very energetic. Very energetic that he couldn’t stay in one place for an hour.

When Ryan was born, things became a bit different. He was so obsessed with Ryan that he would remain beside his crib, not moving from his place for hours. As they grew up, Ryan started to look up to George and admire him, and George always wanted to impress his little brother.

“Well, that’s good to hear,” Jeff said, smiling widely. “We should go to dinner tonight to celebrate George winning his football game today.”

It was a habit for the family to go out to dinner after every football game George won. It was after every game since his team hadn’t lost one in a long time.

“Of course, it’s a good idea. For now, why don’t you boys finish your breakfast? You don’t want to be late for school,” Heather said as both George and Ryan started to eat her heavenly-tasting food.

Ryan sat in the backseat of his mom’s black SUV while listening to music on his tablet. George sat in the front seat beside Heather; seeing that his school was on the way between Ryan’s and their home, they dropped George off at his high school first.

Ryan was glad that his mom and dad agreed to let him sit in the car without a car seat. He didn’t lack in height when it came to kids his age. Being 4’ 6” and with George’s help, he convinced his parents to let him ride without a car seat.

Being the baby of the family and the fact that he almost died when he was a baby made them very overprotective in a way that Ryan didn’t like sometimes.

Reaching George’s school, Heather pulled over in front. Just as George was getting out of the car, a girl his age approached. “Good morning Miss Heather,” the girl said, smiling.
“Good morning Nancy. How are you today, honey?” Heather asked the girl.

Heather loved Nancy and considered her the daughter she never had. Both her and George were friends, and both families were close. Close enough to frequently go out for dinner together or have dinner in one of their homes.

“I am fine,” Nancy said, looking at the backseat where she saw Ryan. He was so busy doing something on his tablet that he didn’t notice her.
Walking over to the back of the car just as Heather lowered the window beside Ryan, Nancy leaned in and kissed Ryan on his cheek. “Hi, cutie,” Nancy said, smiling at him.

She was always an only child; before her cousin came to live with her, she lived alone with her parents. She spent a lot of time with Ryan at his house or hers. Ryan was the cute little brother she had always wanted to have for her.

Surprised by the kiss Ryan looked up to see Nancy smiling at him, and he smiled back at her. “Hi, Nancy,” Ryan replied. He always enjoyed being around Nancy; she played video games with him and George.

Across from them, Nancy’s mom seemed to have trouble starting her car. “Honey, why don’t you tell your mom to ride with us? We can drop Ryan and Oli at their school, and then we can go home,” Heather suggested.

With a smile, Nancy nodded and headed over to her mom. Oliver, a shy 10-year-old boy who was Ryan’s classmate and friend, was Nancy’s cousin. After his parents died in an accident, he went to live with his uncle and Nancy. Nancy was happy with the idea, and so was her mom.

Nancy told her mom what Heather suggested, and she was more than happy to accept the offer. “Thank you, Heather, you saved us,” Nancy’s mom said, getting into the front seat. Oliver had just got in the backseat beside Ryan.

“Not at all. We’re heading to the same place,” Heather said, smiling and pulled out of the parking lot of the school.

“It’s nice to see you again, Oli. How are you?” Heather asked while looking in the mirror to see Oliver, who had already become hooked on an online game he was playing with Ryan.

“I’m fine, Mrs. Houston,” Oliver replied shyly. Oliver had always been a shy boy before he moved to live with Nancy and didn’t have any friends. It was a different story in his new school because Ryan introduced Oliver to his friends, and he could now hang out with Ryan’s group. While Oliver doesn’t understand it yet, he has developed a deep crush on Ryan.

Arriving at school, Ryan and Oliver left the car and headed inside. They could brag about having lockers even if they were in an elementary school, though they were lockers without locks. Talented Youth Academy or T. Y. A. is a school for all grades, starting from kindergarten and ending at high school.

Getting accepted to the school can be tricky since they only consider students who passed their rigorous entrance exam. Once the students were enrolled, the school’s main focus was on uncovering the children’s talents and helping them reach their potential.

The school is one large building with four entrances: one for primary school, one for middle school, one for high school, and one for school administration and kindergarten. Each part was separate from the other.

Entering the building, both Ryan and Oliver headed straight to their lockers. Ryan took off his backpack and his long leather coat, putting them in his locker. Closing the locker door, Ryan was surprised when a girl came up from behind and blew in his ear.

This action startled Ryan and made him jump. It took him a second to calm down. He turned around to look at the person that almost gave him a heart attack.

“Seriously, Dakota? You nearly gave me a heart attack.” Ryan said to the red-haired girl. Since kindergarten, she has been one of Ryan’s best friends and liked to play pranks, especially on Ryan. Dakota was a tomboy, very fond of Ryan, and enjoyed his company.

If Ryan didn’t like his uniform, he would say girls had it worse. The girl’s uniform was a white ruffle bib button-up blouse, a high waist black flared knee-length skirt, and a black blazer jacket with a ribbon wrapped neatly around the blouse’s collar.

Girls must always wear tights as a form of modesty, and they can choose between white, black, or beige-colored ones. They are also required to wear low heels and black Mary Jean shoes with ankle straps bought with the uniform.

The parents liked the uniform for boys and girls, and there was never any objection from the adults. Ryan felt terrible for all the girls and couldn’t imagine being in their place.

“You whine like a girl,” Dakota teased Ryan with a giggle. Ryan was her best friend, and she knew he wouldn’t get mad at her. She likes to take every chance to call him a girl to tease him. One time she even told him he would look better than her in the girl’s uniform. Ryan just stuck out his tongue.

While Ryan sees her as his best friend, Dakota gets weird feelings around him. She doesn’t understand her emotions, but she knows she’s always happier when close to Ryan. More content than when she’s with any other friend.

Oliver just watched the whole situation while laughing. He was glad that Ryan refused to leave him alone, as every moment he spent with Ryan and his friends was always fun. In his last school, he was always alone, doing everything by himself, but now, he’s got many friends because of Ryan.

Dakota turned to Oliver with a grin on her face. It worried Oliver a bit; he never knew what Dakota might try to do. While her pranks were usually harmless, they were always unexpected.

“Ok, what are you planning now?” Oliver asked quizzically.

Dakota grabbed Oliver’s arm, sliding a green rubber band over his wrist. Dakota caught Oliver off guard as he stared at the rubber band.

“Now you have one too,” Dakota said, showing him her blue-colored rubber band. At the same time, Ryan showed him his orange rubber band.

“Shelby has a purple one, and Connor has a black one,” Ryan chirped happily. Ryan, Dakota, Shelby, Connor, and Oliver were close friends, and the whole primary school knew their group. The rubber wristband was like a symbol of their group. While Oliver didn’t have many other friends, that was not the case for the other four, especially Ryan.

“Now that I think about it, where’s Shelby and Connor?” Ryan asked, looking around and not seeing them anywhere.

“Late as always,” Dakota answered.

The three of them walked to their classroom. Oliver and Dakota took their seats while Ryan went to a group of boys showing them something on his tablet. The boys were so focused on what they were looking at that they didn’t see the teacher coming into the class.

“Alright, everyone, please, take your seats,” the teacher said, catching Ryan’s attention, and he returned to his desk. “First of all, glad to have you back, Ryan,” the teacher said as Ryan smiled, nodding. While all the kids in the school are brilliant, Ryan proved to be exceptionally smarter than other kids. Coming up with questions that needed his attention in tests was challenging for his teachers.

Regular quizzes are made weekly in every subject, challenging students’ abilities to help them identify their weak points. That’s why every student got a different test. Creating a test for Ryan proved to be a difficult challenge for his teachers. However, that’s why his teachers liked him so much and missed him when he was absent. They had never seen a child as bright and as smart as Ryan.

“I will be handing the grades of the last quiz, and then we will go to the gym where you will all take a blood test, a brief lecture after that, then the rest of the day will be a free day.”

Just as the teacher was taking out a stack of papers, there was a knock at the door.

“I bet it’s Shelby and Connor. Dakota leaned to whisper in Ryan’s ear. Ryan just smiled, shaking his head.

“I am not taking that bet; we all know it’s them. Seriously, Dakota, you need to find a better idea to get me to exchange uniforms with you,” Ryan said with a smirk teasing Dakota. He knew Dakota had tried more than once to get him to try on her uniform. It was a harmless joke from Dakota, but she was serious; she wanted to see Ryan wearing her uniform once.

Just as Ryan guessed, the teacher opened the door to find Shelby and Connor standing in front of her. She gave them a stern look. “Shelby and Connor, you’re late again. Care to explain yourselves?” the teacher asked sternly, eyeing the two of them.

“Sorry, Ms. Mackenzie, we were late getting out of our house,” both said simultaneously. Arriving late is like a habit for both of them as they rarely come in on time.

With a sigh, Ms. Mackenzie stepped aside for them. “Just take your seats and try not to be late again,” Ms. Mackenzie demanded.

Ms. Mackenzie returned to her desk and started again organizing the stack of papers. “Alright, let’s start with the highest score, Ryan. Please come and take your paper.”

As Ryan left his seat and went to Ms. Mackenzie’s desk, he could hear whispers. There were whispers like, “Perfect score again. I heard he doesn’t do anything else but study. How does he do it?”

It made Ryan blush as he walked to get his paper. “Good job Ryan, I made it harder, but you got the full mark again,” Ms. Mackenzie said, making Ryan blush even more.

Ryan took his seat as Ms. Mackenzie started to call other students. Oliver was the second, Shelby was fourth, Dakota was the fifth, and Conner was the sixth. They all got very high scores because they studied with Ryan in a group, and he was always a great help.

The third name was a boy named Steven, and he was the only one that didn’t study with Ryan and still got a high score. He was one of Ryan’s friends even if they weren’t very close, and Ryan made sure to invite him to his birthday as Steven did the same.

Once the teacher finished giving papers to everyone and telling them her observations, she instructed them to follow her to the gym. Everyone left their seat and headed out of the classroom.

Oliver, however, stayed inside the classroom. He already took the test a year ago. Ryan knew this fact but kept it a secret.

Following their teachers, all the students entered the gym. They were all handed a tag with a number on it. Ryan’s tag read 5/22. In the middle of the gym were tables and chairs with doctors taking blood samples from all the students.

“Where’s Oliver?” Connor asked as they all sat down. Connor was a boy with jet black hair and hazel eyes. He was a bit shorter than Ryan, standing at 4’ 4”. Shelby was his stepsister, so it wasn’t surprising that they would look completely different with her silky brown hair and emerald green eyes.

“He said he’s not feeling well,” Ryan said, covering up for Oliver since Oliver entrusted him with that secret, he wouldn’t tell anyone.

All four of them chatted and made jokes until their turn came. The first one was Connor, followed by Dakota, then Ryan, and the last one was Shelby. They all returned to class, and Oliver was absent from the room. Ryan and Oliver had planned this two days ago, Oliver would pretend not to feel good, and Ryan will cover for him. He just had to tell his friends since their homeroom teacher already knew that Oliver previously had this test.

The class watched a brief video lecture about the blood test and the genetic disorder it tested. The teacher told them their parents would receive their results after Christmas, and they left school for the day. They all had the rest of the day to spend on whatever they wanted. That was how the school worked the day before winter break.
“So, what should we do? We have got the rest of the day free,” Dakota said as they left the class.

“Well, I have one hour of free time, and then I will meet coach Damien since I can’t miss any more training days,” Ryan said with a shrug. While it may sound harsh, he didn’t mind at all. He loved the water and enjoyed swimming more than anything else.

“I’m hungry. I need to go to the cafeteria. Does anyone want to get some snacks?” Connor said as everyone started to laugh.

“You’re always hungry, Connor,” Shelby said as Connor stuck out his tongue at her. After calling Oliver to wait for them, they all decided to go to the cafeteria to have a snack. Everyone ordered a snack and gathered around a table to eat.

“So, how are you feeling now, Oliver?” Shelby asked worriedly. Since Ryan introduced Oliver, they have been getting along very well.

Oliver looked at Ryan; his expression showed his gratitude for Ryan. “I am feeling much better now,” Oliver said softly.

“Oh, yeah, your brother is playing today, right?” Connor asked a bit excitedly. He sees Ryan’s brother as someone he wants to be. George is strong and famous in his school and their school as well. Yet, he is very caring to Ryan and treats him well. That was the opposite of Connor’s stepbrother, who couldn’t even treat his sister nicely. Both he and Shelby hate him so much.

“Yup, they have a game today,” Ryan said proudly. He was and is forever proud of his older brother. They have a lot in common, like video games and favorite movies, just like their dads. Both loved cars so much. He’s someone every boy looks up to, and he couldn’t blame them.

“I wish my brother were like yours. George is pretty cool, and Oscar is an A-hole,” Shelby said with a sigh. She didn’t even understand why Conner, her stepbrother, was much nicer than her brother. Even Dakota’s older brother, who wasn’t super cool like George, was very nice to Dakota.

“Is he that bad?” Oliver asked. He knows they complain a lot about their brother, but he doesn’t know how bad it was. He had never seen Oscar, not even once.

“Yes, it’s that bad,” Connor replied. He couldn’t understand why Oscar was such an asshole to everyone in his family. Connor had no problem with his stepdad and got along with him great. He had noticed that he was constantly introduced as his only son as if Oscar didn’t exist.

“You guys can talk about that A-hole as much as you want. I have a training schedule to catch up with,” Ryan said, getting up from his chair.

“Will you be, ok? Weren’t you still sick two days ago?” Dakota asked worriedly. Ryan’s biggest problem was that he was always sick in the winter. He spent most of last week in bed, not even leaving his bed for any reason.

If no one was home and Nancy’s mom was busy, which was rare since she worked online, they could hire a babysitter. If they couldn’t even hire a babysitter by luck, then one of the ladies in the neighborhood who adores Ryan would be glad to take care of him. That didn’t happen because his mom would rather stay beside her sick child than go to work.

“I will be fine,” Ryan answered rather confidently.

Ryan walked through the hallway heading directly to Coach Damien’s office. Seeing that Ryan was so successful under his coaching, the school had decided to make an office just for coach Damien.

Reaching the coach’s office, Ryan started knocking on the door. “Come in,” the sound of coach Damien came from behind the door.

As Ryan entered, he saw coach Damien, a well-built, 6’5” man in his early thirties, sitting at his desk.

“Ryan, just in time, I was about to call for you, my boy,” coach Damien said, opening a drawer where he keeps Ryan’s favorite chocolate.

Coach Damien was someone who coached the best swimmers. Swimmers who had the potential to join the Olympic Team. When the school offered him a job, his first thought was to refuse their offer immediately. He, however, was interested. Why would a school offer him all this money to supervise and train a single student?

He was glad that he decided to take a look. When he first saw Ryan swimming, he told himself he would take that boy to the Olympics, no matter what.

“Your parents will be picking you up in two hours, so we will need to get started with today’s training immediately,” coach Damien said, tossing a chocolate bar to Ryan, who caught it.

Even though he’s Ryan’s private coach, Ryan still trains with the swimming team too. If it were up to Coach Damien, he would take Ryan to his sports complex instead. There Ryan can be taught better and join a better team. The kids on the school swimming team were not the problem. No, that was their coach.

Coach Vince was responsible for the school’s swimming team and always got on Coach Damien’s nerves. Seeing him wasting the kids’ potential, especially Ryan, he can’t hold it when he sees someone wasting Ryan’s gifts.

“Will there be team training today?” Ryan asked, not looking forward to any confrontation between coach Vince and Coach Damien. They don’t get along well at all.

“Fortunately, not today. That lazy ass of a coach didn’t come in today; besides, we need you more in the individual races. Now hurry up; your parents want you before your brother’s game,” coach Damien said, leading Ryan out of his office.

He led Ryan to the pool’s changing room. “Alright, quickly change so we can get started,” coach Damien said before walking to the pool.

It didn’t take Ryan a lot of time to start changing. At first, he took out his uniform, folding it neatly before putting it in his locker. He then pulled out his competition swim trunks, goggles, and swim cap; he took his underwear off before pulling his swim trunks on. Ryan then pulled his swim cap on and took the required shower before entering the pool with his goggles in his hand.

Walking out of the locker room, Ryan saw that the girls were still training. He could also see that coaches Damien and Monica, responsible for the girls’ team, were having a friendly conversation.

He wondered what they were talking about when he approached them.

“Why don’t you start warming up, then we will start the training for today?” coach Damien suggested as Ryan approached.

“Yes, sir,” Ryan replied before starting to warm up.

The moment Ryan walked away, coach Monica turned to coach Damien. “So, as I was saying, I will enjoy taking Ryan away from Vince. After the test results come out, I would love to see his face,” coach Monica said with a smirk. It was a known fact that she never liked Coach Vince. He doesn’t know his job, is always lazy, and he’s a womanizer as well, who tries to flirt with every woman he sees, even moms.

“You know the test results will not come out until after Christmas. The boy does look feminine, so let’s assume he tests positive. You’re not trying to fight me over Ryan, are you? You can’t win that, you know?” Coach Damien said teasingly.

While they hadn’t told anyone yet, they both had started dating and planned their marriage. Talking casually with Monica was now typical for Damian.

“Well, I stole your heart. I’m pretty sure I can steal your golden boy as well,” coach Monica said with a wink blowing a kiss towards coach Damien. Eventually, the girls finished training, and Ryan got into the water. His training was like it usually was, and he enjoyed every moment he spent in the water. He just shook his head and focused his gaze on Ryan, who was warming up.

Overall, Ryan had 90 minutes of training, leaving him around 30 minutes to shower and get dressed again. “Alright, my boy, that’s it for today. Go shower and get dressed,” Coach Damien instructed Ryan, who complied immediately.

Within a half hour, Ryan was done with the shower and put on his uniform in the locker room. As he finished dressing, someone entered the locker room. Ryan looked up to see who it was and saw Oliver, who then signaled Ms. Mackenzie to enter the room. “Ryan, your mom is waiting for you outside,” Ms. Mackenzie declared to which Ryan nodded.

Putting on his shirt and tie, Ryan slipped on his shoes before walking out of the room with Ms. Mackenzie and Oliver.

“Your hair is damp. You will catch a cold like this,” Ms. Mackenzie stated, looking at his wet hair.

“I didn’t have the time to dry it,” Ryan said, playing with the edge of his wet hair.

At home, he usually blow-dried his hair. He certainly couldn’t do that here, and he didn’t have the time to dry it. Ms. Mackenzie walked Ryan and Oliver to the front gate, where Ryan saw his mom’s car. After saying goodbye to their teacher, Ryan and Oliver walked to the car.

“Hi sweetie, how was your day?” Heather asked as Ryan and Oliver climbed into the back seat. Since Oliver’s mom couldn’t come because of her broken car, Heather took Oliver with them.

“It was good,” Ryan said, reaching over the front seat and kissing his mom before sitting back and fastening his seatbelt.

“Your hair is wet. Why didn’t you dry it?” Heather commented, feeling his wet hair as he kissed her. Heather didn’t mind him growing his hair, she liked it, but she had only one condition. If Ryan wanted longer hair, he should take care of it, which meant brushing his hair daily and washing it with shampoo and conditioner.

“Sorry, Mom, I didn’t have the time to dry it,” Ryan replied. He knew that Heather was always at him for not drying his hair properly after training or showering. He tried to do it, but using the hand dryers to dry his hair at school was difficult, especially when he didn’t have time for it.

Heather shook her head and let out a sigh. She’s glad that she came prepared. It wasn’t just about his hair being long; seeing how cold the weather is, Ryan might catch a cold. The last thing Heather planned was for one of her sons to get sick, so Heather always came prepared. Heather grabbed a clean towel from the glove compartment and handed it over to Ryan. “Dry your hair before you catch a cold,” Heather instructed before she started to drive. She turned up the fan on the vents and the temp to high heat to warm the car, so Ryan’s hair would dry quicker.

After a 20-minute drive, Heather pulled in front of New Heritage Academy. While the school education level was not as good as Talented Youth Academy, it was a good private school with a great environment. The school also served as an excellent tool for securing George’s future.

“Alright, boys, we’re here,” Heather enthusiastically said as she stopped the car. She always felt excited about watching her son playing football. She was always behind her boys and always supporting them. Opening the door, Heather exited the SUV, followed closely by Ryan and Oliver. Entering the school, the three of them headed directly to the football field.

“If it’s you or Dakota, who would run faster?” Oliver asked as they both headed to the football field. It was a question that kept playing on his mind for the past month. He had seen Dakota winning short-distance races many times, and he also had seen Ryan reaching almost the same distance in the pool in no time. It took Ryan a second to think about it before he answered Oliver.

“If it’s on the ground, I would say she would win, I am sure of it. But if it’s in the water, I would win,” Ryan replied. The funny thing was the way he and Dakota became friends. When they started school, Ryan and Dakota were the fastest kids in kindergarten. Whenever they were racing with other kids, Dakota would be the first, and Ryan would come in second, leaving the other kids in the dust. Since the races were just for fun, Ryan and Dakota quickly became friends. They have been friends ever since.

Heather did hear Oliver’s question as well as Ryan’s answer. She was happy that Ryan was not over-confident and thought about the facts first. Heather, however, had another explanation. “That’s a good answer, sweetie, but there are facts that you need to consider first,” Heather was about to explain when they entered the football field.

“Like what?” Ryan asked with curiosity. Heather took them to sit down on the benches before she started to explain.

“Dakota is indeed faster, that’s for sure. But swimmers have better endurance, and swimmers learn to control their breathing. In a long-distance race, Dakota will get tired while you as a swimmer can keep running faster for a longer time,” Heather explained carefully about the difference between Ryan and Dakota while Oliver and Ryan listened carefully.

While Ryan mainly relies on coach Damien, his mom’s advice always worked. Heather used to be a great swimmer and even made it to the Olympics once. In high school, she was both a swimmer and a cheerleader. She started dating Jeff in high school when he was playing football. They had known each other for a very long time though. While Heather was a law student, Jeff was a computer engineering major. Jeff’s major was one of the reasons Heather’s dad approved of Jeff. After all, her parents owned a computer software and hardware design company.

“Alright, you two stay here for a bit. George will come and get you. I will go check on the girls to see if everything is ok,” Heather said, walking away, leaving Ryan and Oliver. Since Heather doesn’t need to go to the law firm, she only handles complex cases, so she volunteered to be the Cheer Coach. The former Cheer Coach had to take time off due to health issues. That’s why Heather had stepped in.

Once Heather left, Ryan took out his tablet and started a quiz game to spend time with Oliver. A couple of minutes passed when two boys approached them. Both of them looked to be the same age as George. “Hi, Luke check this out, two fags sitting together,” one of the boys said. He had green eyes and brown hair. The other boy had dark brown hair and brown eyes.

With a sigh, Ryan handed the tablet to Oliver and stood up to face the boy. “What do you want, Oscar?” Ryan asked, annoyed. He understood clearly why Shelby and Connor hated Oscar so much.

“Dude, we shouldn’t do this. If George sees us, he’ll beat the crap out of us.” the other boy whispered to Oscar. They knew George wouldn’t allow anyone to mess with his little brother. Especially Oscar. George had warned him many times to stay away from Ryan.

“Well, I don’t see George here,” Oscar said with a smirk. He always felt jealous of George. He wanted to take this chance to satisfy his ego. Unlike his dad, George’s dad was never ashamed of him, it also didn’t help that he was kicked out of the team for bad behavior.

While George wouldn’t allow anyone to mess with him, Ryan was by no means an easy target himself. He was in no way scared of Oscar. He wanted to teach him a lesson for being mean to his friends. “Leave us alone, or you will wish George was here,” Ryan threatened Oscar.

Ryan was not scared, and that made Oscar mad. He reached and grabbed Ryan’s collar while Ryan still showed no sign of fear at all. Before Oscar could even say another word, Ryan kicked him right between his legs, making Oscar groan, fall over, and hold his crotch in pain.

George came out of the locker room to get Ryan and Oliver. Ryan always helped the team before every game. He would analyze every team they played against by watching their games repeatedly. Standing beside George was one of his best friends and teammate, Jacob. He had dark skin and strikingly bright green eyes.

George played both as an Offensive Guard and as a Defensive End. He’s one of the best utility players in high school. He plays wherever he’s needed. Jacob is mainly a Defensive Tackle and likes to focus on one position. They saw an unpleasant sight as they walked to the benches where Ryan and Oliver were sitting. It looked like Oscar was trying to bully them.

Jacob’s first reaction was to run and stop Oscar, but George stopped him. “Wait, Ryan can handle him. Let’s walk slowly in case Oscar tries anything,” George stated confidently. He knew Ryan well enough that he would not back down in front of Oscar.

“Dude, that’s Oscar, he’s 15, and your brother is 10,” Jacob said worriedly. He knows that Oscar would do anything to get attention, even if that means bullying 10-year-old kids.

“Relax, my little bro can handle himself,” George said, making Jacob sigh and give up. It seems George was very confident in Ryan. Knowing that George would never put his little brother in danger, he decided to trust him.

It became clear that it was the right decision since, a second later, Ryan kicked Oscar in the balls, making him groan, fall over, and hold his crotch in pain. George turned to Jacob with a smirk. “See? I told you my little bro can handle himself just fine.” George smirked as Jacob only nodded, his mind blown.

At that moment, the other boy with Oscar turned around to see George and Jacob approaching. “Dude, George is coming. Let’s get out of here,” the other boy said, helping Oscar stand up. Clearly, Ryan’s kick was still painful, seeing that Oscar couldn’t walk properly.

“You better get out of here before I catch you,” George yelled as Oscar, and his friend walked away. George walked to Ryan, giving him a side hug and ruffling his hair. “That was a nice kick, back there, bro,” George said, ruffling Ryan’s hair again.

“Thanks,” Ryan said, smiling. He had wanted to do this so badly that he was delighted in kicking Oscar.

“The coach told us to come and get you. We need a plan for today’s game,” George said, and Ryan nodded. He had already watched more than ten games from the football team that his brother would be playing. Ryan wasn’t a typical 10-year-old kid, and the team used it to their advantage. Seeing that they had already listened to Ryan’s advice and he wasn’t wrong once, in his analysis of the other teams, the coach decided to take his opinion before every game.

It was around 4:30 in the afternoon. Ryan sat down with his mom in the stands; his dad was on his way. Jeff could never miss his son’s football game. Beside them were Oliver and Nancy’s parents, the Collins. Since Oliver’s parents died, his Uncle Erwin, Nancy’s dad, had adopted him. He was taking good care of him and always ensured Oliver felt at home.

Nancy’s mom was also happy to have Oliver, as he was a good and sweet boy, and she loved him. Nancy always wanted a little sibling, a brother or a sister. That didn’t matter. Her parent’s financial situation didn’t allow them to have another child until a year ago when they moved into the neighborhood. Her dad got a job as a manager for a new branch in his corporation after his previous boss recommended him for the job.

“Hi, kiddo,” Jeff said, sitting down between Ryan and Heather. “How’s your day at school?” he asked with a smile.

Ryan shrugged, “It was normal.” Even if he didn’t like the uniform, he enjoyed school, had many friends, and appreciated his teachers and coach.

“Your day was normal, but you are anything but normal, my boy,” came a familiar sound from beside him.

Turning his head the other way, Ryan saw coach Damien sitting beside him. He was not wearing the usual tracksuit that Ryan always saw him wearing. He was wearing a white sweater with a black leather jacket.

“Coach Damien!” Ryan exclaimed, surprised. He didn’t expect to see his coach here. “What are you doing here?”

Coach Miller was the football team’s coach. He met coach Damien a month ago when Jeff invited them for a barbecue at their house. From then on, both coaches became friends. “I came to see your brother playing; besides, coach Miller invited me,” coach Damien explained.

“I almost forgot,” coach Damien said, taking out a box wrapped in gift paper from a plastic bag he had with him. The package was big, which made Ryan wonder what was in there. “Mrs. Houston, this is Ryan’s Christmas gift. Please don’t let him open it before Christmas.”

Ryan kept staring at the box with curiosity as coach Damien handed it to his mom. “What’s in there?” Ryan couldn’t help but ask, as curiosity would kill him.

“You will know on Christmas day,” Coach Damien commented with a chuckle.
Ryan crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. “Not fair,” Ryan said as his mom took the gift from coach Damien.

“Don’t worry, Coach, I will keep it safe till Christmas,” Heather said, chuckling a bit. She knew how curious Ryan could be. She also knew he was a good boy who listened to his parents.

“Look, they are coming out,” Oliver shouted.

Everyone looked to see the two teams entering the field. George’s team uniform was white, while the other team’s uniform was green. George’s team had been on a winning streak having a pretty solid defense and great attack.

Nancy was the wide receiver on the attack, and George was the offensive tackle. It may sound strange that Nancy was able to play on the boy’s football team, but she was a big girl for her age and was stronger and taller than many of the boys. The school had given her a special exemption to play on the boy’s team since there was no girl’s football team in their school.

On the other end of the offensive line, they had another two good players: Charley, a wide receiver, and Walter, an offensive tackle. While Nancy was faster, Charley was also very quick. This made it hard, sometimes impossible for their opponents to know or even guess who will receive the ball.

“Ryan, what do you think?” Nancy’s dad, Erwin Collins, asked. It was a known fact that Ryan had analyzed the opponent’s team. He was brilliant, and his brain was way ahead of kids his age. As Oliver’s uncle and guardian, Erwin felt grateful for Ryan. It was, thanks to him, that Oliver had adjusted quickly to his new life. He was timid, and it was difficult for him to make friends. Ryan also knew about Oliver’s secret and helped guard it, which made Erwin more grateful than ever.

“We will win, that’s for sure, but -,” Ryan stopped mid-sentence. Scenarios were still playing in his head. He was still thinking this through, and some outcomes weren’t to his liking.

“But?” Jeff asked, a bit surprised. He knew his son was only ten, but unless he were 100% sure, Ryan wouldn’t say a thing. He was very rational and never opened his mouth without thinking, just like his mom. Unlike his slightly impulsive personality, his children had inherited their rational temperament from Heather.

“Yes, number 6, Randy, is the problem. His main position is cornerback, but he plays everywhere. If we start on the defense, there will be no problem. They will make sure to take Randy out. If, however, we start on offense, that will be a problem,” Ryan explained while everyone listened to him.

If they never listened to Ryan, none would suspect that he is more than a mere 10-year-old boy. He gave a detailed explanation that showed how knowledgeable Ryan was, compared to a kid his age.

“You’re not thinking about playing football in the future instead? I would be pretty disappointed, you know; I am planning to take you to the Olympics,” coach Damien said with a smile. He was already talking with the school’s principal to get Ryan into the Olympics. He was very confident in Ryan and knew that he could make it.

He also wanted to take Ryan to the sports complex he owns, so he could prepare him for the summer swim meets.

“It seems you have very high hopes for Ryan, Coach. Would he be ok in the Olympics?” Heather asked. As much as she was happy her son was making outstanding achievements and his coach thought so highly of him, she didn’t want to pressure or push Ryan. She knew that Ryan loved swimming; otherwise, she wouldn’t have encouraged him in this direction.

Heather made it once to the Olympics and ended up with a silver medal. Her parents were proud of her. She understood how much pressure it could have on Ryan, so she was hesitant. She didn’t want anyone to pressure Ryan and wouldn’t allow it.

“Ma’am, I am sure you know this more than anyone else, but your son is a swimming prodigy. He’s already breaking records held by famous swimmers.”

Of course, Heather knew that. She just wanted to ensure that this was what Ryan wanted to do, not what anyone else wanted from him. “I appreciate your confidence in Ryan, coach Damien. If Ryan wants this, we won’t stand in his way,” Heather said, looking at Ryan. She wanted Ryan to know that it’s all up to him and not anyone else.

“Why don’t we talk about this later? We will need to hear Ryan’s opinion before we agree. For now, let’s focus on the game,” Jeff said, knowing they won’t reach a decision right now. While he would love to see his son in the Olympics, he also knew that Heather was right.

As the game started, everyone shifted their attention to the field. George’s team would start the offense in the first quarter, which worried Ryan. He had told them that this might happen. Still, the game started like usual. As the teams lined up, Ryan noted that Randy would defend against Nancy. The first play began, and the quarterback threw the ball to Nancy, who immediately ran towards the goal line.

Directly behind her was George as he was handling all the defenders trying to catch Nancy. George was probably the only one who could keep up with Nancy’s speed. That’s why he took a position as an offensive tackle. As fast as Nancy was, with George handling almost all the defense chasing her, Nancy ran in for a touchdown.

Immediately after Nancy scored the touchdown, the ref blew his whistle, and Randy tackled Nancy on the goal line. “Girls shouldn’t play football,” Randy said, standing up. He had wanted to stop Nancy from scoring and thought he had succeeded, but it seemed the referee had another opinion.

Throwing a yellow flag, the referee gave Randy and his team a penalty, “Personal foul – number 6 defense, unnecessary roughness - late tackle.” forcing them to retreat fifteen yards after the kick return. The referee also decided that Nancy scored six points. Randy was not happy hearing about this, seeing that he ultimately failed to stop Nancy and even cost his team fifteen yards after the kick return.

Randy decided to take on Nancy because he couldn’t take his anger at the referee. “You bitch!” Randy shouted angrily at her. He, however, soon found himself face to face with George. While George was not much taller than Randy, he was heavier with broader shoulders and more muscular. Randy couldn’t mess with George and get away with it, so he backed down.

“What! Randy, if you want to say something, say it!” George shouted mockingly. He would’ve loved to beat the crap out of Randy for pulling such a dirty move. He was, however, aware of the situation. George wanted to play on Randy’s nerves so his team would earn another penalty, it was one of Ryan’s mind games, and George liked to use it.

Back in the stands, everyone was wondering what George was doing. Only Ryan knew what was going on. Taunting Randy will result in his team losing much easier. Knowing that Randy was so easy to anger and easily teased, Ryan made it part of the game plan. He also knew that Randy would use such a dirty move, as it generally worked. It would have worked if Nancy wasn’t one of the fastest players on the field.

“What’s going on? What’s George doing?” asked Jeff. While Randy’s late tackle was getting on everyone’s nerves, George remained calm in these situations. He knew his son would never start a fight, especially during a football game.

“He’s taunting Randy, he can be dangerous, so I told George to make him angry. If he’s taunted, he will make mistakes. If he makes mistakes, his team will lose much easier,” Ryan explained to everyone’s surprise. No one would expect such a plan from a ten-year-old. Everyone had accepted the idea that Ryan was not a normal kid.

They watched as George returned to his position with Nancy, and so did Randy. However, Randy hadn’t fallen for Ryan’s devious plan yet. He would fall sooner or later, and once he does, they will capitalize on his mistake.

As the game started again, Randy and his team retreated fifteen yards. Randy was furious because of George. He, however, couldn’t take out his anger on George. Seeing him handle more than one player alone easily, Randy knew George could beat the crap out of him if he wanted to. So Randy decided to focus his anger and frustration on an easier target.

Taking their position to kick the ball, George called out to one of his teammates. “Quintin, you got the ball,” George said as his teammate stepped up to kick the ball. As the team captain, George had the right to decide who would kick the ball, and the coach trusted him to make the right decision.

Quintin used to play soccer and was a great striker. George had seen that in him, so he always chose him to kick a field goal or the extra point. Quintin never missed the uprights, and he didn’t this time, scoring another point for the team. Randy had run in to block his kick and tackled Quintin late.

The referee threw another flag and shouted, “Personal foul – number 6 defense, roughing the kicker, 15-yard penalty. This penalty will be assessed after the return.”

The game continued smoothly. George took every chance to mock Randy, eventually driving him livid with anger until his coach pulled him from the game. The opposing team was only able to score three points. George and his team scored fourteen points, decisively winning the game.

After the game, Ryan went home in Heather’s car, while George decided to go with his dad. Ryan was what some people call a mommy’s boy. He was very close to his dad but much closer to his mom.

Heather didn’t discriminate between her boys, but Ryan looked like her. They shared a similar face, the same honey blonde hair, and gray-blue eyes. Ryan followed in her footsteps as a champion swimmer and was closest to the daughter she always wanted to have.

Add to the fact that she almost lost him after he was born. She became very overprotective regarding Ryan. Ryan had to follow the rules set up in their household. Ryan wasn’t allowed to answer the door by himself, and when they were out of the house, he must hold her or Jeff’s hand.

Heather had always thought that Ryan would make a beautiful girl. Whenever the idea crossed her mind, she always dismissed it, while she dreamed of a day when Ryan would come and tell her that he wanted to be a girl.

Of course, Heather knew that Ryan loved being a boy. All she could do was think about her dream of Ryan becoming the daughter she always wanted to have. Jeff did agree with her, but they were not going to push Ryan. There was a slight possibility for Ryan to become the daughter she wanted without them interfering. This mere possibility, however, gave her hope.

“Mom,” Ryan said as they pulled in front of their house with Jeff’s car behind them.

“Yes, sweetie?” Heather replied while parking the car and turning towards her son. Whenever she looked at him, she couldn’t help but think how cute he was. When he started to grow his hair longer, she couldn’t help but notice how much he looked like a girl.

“Where are we going to eat dinner? I’m hungry,” Ryan said, pouting
.
His question made Heather laugh a bit. Ryan and George were gluttons for food as they were always hungry. Of course, Heather was strict regarding their eating, as she would never allow them to eat junk food.

“Well, honey, you will have to ask your dad. Let’s get in first, shall we?” Heather said, opening the car door before turning to Ryan again. “By the way, when we’re alone, you’d better call me Mommy, or I will tickle you,” Heather said half-jokingly.

She didn’t like it when Ryan stopped calling her mommy. He was her baby, and she liked to keep it that way. She didn’t want to embarrass her child, but she would rather hear him calling her mommy.

Ryan just gulped, blushing a bit, while Heather just laughed. “I was just kidding, sweetie,” Heather said, kissing his forehead as they entered the house.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

Please leave a comment telling me what you think.

The Houstons entered their home together as a family.

“Boys, please change out of your uniforms and wear something casual,” said Jeff once they were all inside.

Heather followed Ryan to his room as he still hadn’t the privilege of choosing his clothes. Entering his room, Heather went straight towards his closet, chose a white sweater with skinny grey jeans, and left the bedroom so Ryan could change.

Ryan didn’t mind that much with mom choosing his clothes. The only problem was that everyone constantly mistook him for a girl. If he’s going to be mistaken for a girl, he may as well do what he likes. Ever since he was five, that was the reason he decided to let his hair grow.

He had always liked his mom’s hair. Silky and flowing with a beautiful golden shine. He was happy to have the same hair as his mom and wanted to have it long, just like his mom. That’s why Ryan didn’t mind being mistaken for a girl and decided to let it grow.

Short hair caused him more problems. People would give him weird looks. Some people at the salon where his mom goes, especially some older ladies, always asked Heather why she had kept her daughter’s hair so short. Of course, Heather couldn’t answer them. She wouldn’t even tell them that Ryan was a boy.

No stranger had the right to make decisions for her son. She always made it clear that Ryan could have his hair as short as he wanted to, and they should mind their own business. Heather, however, didn’t tell them he was a boy as she considered it off-topic and wanted nothing to do with strangers interfering in her child’s life.

Ryan got dressed before putting on a pair of black sneakers. When he left his room, his long hair blocked his view and caused him to walk into the door frame. When his chest hit the door frame, Ryan felt like electricity ran through his body. His chest had been sore lately, but he hadn’t paid attention to it. But this time, he had never felt like that before.

With a sigh, Ryan brushed the hair away from his face and walked through the door. He decided to tell his mom about this; maybe she could help him. Ryan also wanted to ask his mom to help him with his hair. Walking to his parent’s room, Ryan knocked on the door.

After Heather opened the door, Ryan saw his mom wearing a white sweater and gray skirt. She was wearing her outfit to match Ryan, only that Ryan’s clothes were obviously for boys. Heather knew that Ryan hated when people mistook him for a girl, so she thought maybe if his clothes were somewhat boyish, people would stop mistaking him for a girl. It never worked, but Ryan never complained.

“Is something wrong, sweetie?” Heather asked.

Ryan nodded. “My chest hurts a bit, and Mom, can you tie my hair back like you did last week?”

After listening to what Ryan said, Heather got a little worried. She used to love winter in the past, but now she hated it. Watching Ryan sick in bed while the other kids were playing or going to school was never a good thing to see. Ryan would spend most of the winter in bed. Sometimes he would even spend Christmas in bed. He seemed to have such a weak immune system.

Heather placed her hand on Ryan’s forehead to see if he had a fever, but he seemed okay. “You don’t have a fever; do you feel sick?” Heather asked.

Ryan shook his head as several hair strands fell in front of his eyes. Heather couldn’t help but chuckle as Ryan adjusted his hair to stop blocking his vision.

“Not fair,” Ryan pouted as Heather laughed.

“Okay, come inside. Let me look at your chest, and then I will fix your hair,” Heather said.

“Alright, let me take a look,” Heather said as Ryan took off his sweater and undershirt tank top. After closely observing Ryan’s chest, Heather immediately spotted the problem. His breasts seemed to be swelling, and his nipples were getting larger.

Heather’s worst fears seem to be coming true. However, she couldn’t show her emotions as there was still a possibility of it being something else, and she couldn’t risk Ryan seeing her freaking out. Thinking quickly, Heather calmed down so Ryan wouldn’t feel anything unusual.

“I might have the right thing for your sore chest. Can you bear it until we return from the restaurant”?

Ryan nodded, telling his mom he could wait. Although his chest started to feel weird around a week ago, it had never felt that strange. After putting his clothes back again, Heather helped Ryan pull his hair and tie it in a ponytail.

“You need a haircut, sweetheart,” Heather said.

“But I like it long,” Ryan pouted in protest. It had taken him weeks to convince his parents to let him grow his hair. And it took him a year more to get it to this length; he wasn’t about to cut it short again.

“I don’t remember saying anything about a short haircut, did I?”

Ryan smiled. If someone liked his hair long more than he, it would be Heather. While as a mother, in her eyes, no one looked better than her sons. She could see girls checking George everywhere he went; he had become handsome, just like his dad.

On the other hand, Ryan kept getting prettier. Heather would say he was the most adorable girl in the world if he was a girl. This development, however, made things complicated for Ryan.

The issue was an insurmountable problem, as Heather had no solution. Every time Ryan had to run to the restroom in a restaurant or a place where no one knew him, he would receive weird looks from all the men and boys in the men’s room, thinking he was a girl. Ryan would look like a girl even if she did her best to make him look like a boy. Growing his hair out didn’t help, but she wouldn’t tell him to cut it short since it was what he loved the most.

“I’m sure you’re hungry by now. Shall we go?” Heather asked, walking out of the bedroom with Ryan.

Heading downstairs, they saw George and Jeff already waiting for them. Before they left, Heather told them she needed to call her sister Lynn first.

Upon hearing this, Jeff couldn’t help but suspect something. He, however, knew that Heather would talk to him about it later, so he just let it go and decided to take the boys and wait in the car so that Heather could call her sister without anyone hearing.

When everyone was out of the house, Heather called her sister Lynn. Lynn was one of her two elder sisters. Heather also had two big brothers who were the oldest twins, followed by two sisters who were also twins, and she was the youngest. Her sister Lynn was a doctor and specialized in gender-related genetic disorders.

Once Heather dialed her sister, she answered almost immediately. “Heather, how are you?” Lynn asked, surprised that Heather had called her this late in the day.

Heather would usually call her in the morning. Seeing George had a football game today, she should be going to a restaurant to have a nice family dinner. By now, she should be having dinner with Jeff and the kids.

“Yes, I am fine. How are you? And how are Maria, Daniel, and the boys?” Maria was Heather’s niece and Lynn’s only daughter. She has two boys; one is 18, the other is 16, and Maria is 10, just like Ryan.

“Oh, we’re fine; how’s Jeff, George, and our favorite “Rye-Rye”? That was the nickname given to Ryan by his aunt and uncle. However, he didn’t like it that much.

“You know he hates that name,” Heather said with a nervous chuckle.

“Like or not, he’s stuck with it, anyway. Usually, you don’t call at this hour,” Lynn was getting to the point. “Did anything happen”?

“Well, you see,” Heather explained carefully everything she saw to Lynn.

On the other side of the line, Lynn listened carefully to what Heather was saying and could sense that she was freaking out for some reason.

“Heather, I would expect Leslie to freak out but not you. You are more experienced when raising boys,” Lynn said calmly. Heather and Lynn were the only sisters in their family who had given birth to sons.

Their sister Leslie had three daughters and a stepson, who was more like a girl. One of their brothers also has a four-year-old little boy. Leslie always supported her stepson Dennis and defended him against her husband, and her husband always listened to her, so he didn’t give Dennis a hard time.

Dennis was very slender and skinny, with average height for his age. He looked almost identical to his half-sister Emma who surprisingly is only two days younger than Dennis.

“I know, Lynn, but I can’t help it; you know that’s Ryan we’re talking about,” Heather said, biting her nails.

“Yes, I understand; I know people in the lab, and I can get the lab result from Ryan’s blood test by tomorrow. I need you to bring Ryan to my clinic tomorrow as I want to confirm something; Ultrasound can help us there,” Lynn told Heather what she needed to do for Ryan tonight. After the call ended, Heather felt a lot more relaxed. She took her jacket, locked the door, and walked to their car.

As she entered the waiting car, she heard Ryan whining about his hunger. All doctors showed great interest in George and Ryan; their fatigue levels were low, and it seemed as if they both had the bodies of an athlete. While her sons ate much more than other kids their age, their body metabolism was higher than average. The doctors explained that it was genetic.

“Sorry for being late, let’s go. We shouldn’t keep the Collins waiting for us,” Heather said, taking her seat beside Jeff while Ryan and George sat in the back. Jeff started driving to the restaurant.

“I heard you cracked someone’s nuts today. Ryan, is that true?” Jeff asked jokingly.

George told his dad everything; his boys would never bow down to bullies; No, they would always put a bully in their place.

While telling the story, George couldn’t help but burst into laughter before ruffling Ryan’s hair. Remembering Oscar’s face was hilarious. No one messes with his little bro and gets away with it.

“Indeed, he did kick Oscar, which he will remember for the rest of his life; he might even see it in nightmares,” George said, joking, and Ryan smiled.

Ryan never got into fights; George got involved in a couple of rows, but nothing serious. It was always because of Oscar. Fortunately for George, he had a good reputation at school between his classmates and teachers. Everyone witnessed Oscar starting the fight.

Heather stated angrily, “It’s Oscar again? We have seen enough of Oscar. He had a big mouth. I had enough of that boy; I am calling Rachel and Martin today once -”.

Ryan worriedly interrupted his mom, “No, mom. If you do, he will only bully Conner and Shelby even more,”

He was worried about his friends, knowing that Oscar was such an asshole and would do anything. He constantly bullied Conner and Shelby every chance he got.

“I know, honey, but we all must work to end his bullying. It’s been long enough; maybe his parents will send Oscar away to a military school for good,” Heather said with a sigh. She hated doing this, but she couldn’t bear him anymore.

The argument didn’t go further than that. No one wanted to argue with Heather in that state. She wasn’t going to let Oscar get away with it. Especially after trying to mess with her baby. She didn’t need to hear any details; she knew that Ryan would never misbehave, but he wouldn’t hesitate to defend himself.

Jeff parked in front of an unfamiliar restaurant. It looked new, and the sign said Middle Eastern Cuisine. They also saw the Collins pulling up in front of the restaurant.

While George was outside the car, he saw Nancy and her mom. George immediately rushed to hold the door. That made Ryan smirk as he walked toward the restaurant entrance. Seeing Oliver walking out of the car, Ryan waved to him, and Oliver waved back.

Soon afterward, the two families were sharing a table and examining the menu with confusion. They didn’t know anything on the menu—names like Stuffed Grape Leaves, Kofta, Kebab, Fattah, Shawarma, and Koushari.

“What is this? I never heard of any of these dishes,” George said, looking at the menu again. He sat across from Nancy while Ryan sat beside her with Oliver sitting across from him.

Jeff sat there with a smile on his face. “Why don’t you let me handle this?”

While he hadn’t told anyone about this, he had been here a few times. One of his clients loved to treat him to dinner here. He was also confused at first, but then he enjoyed the food and decided to bring his family over.

Seeing that no one understood anything from the menu, they all decided to leave the ordering to Jeff.

As Ryan sat there, he couldn’t help but realize how George couldn’t keep his eyes off Nancy. He knew George liked Nancy; he couldn’t blame him. While Nancy was like a big sister, he could tell she was beautiful. However, Ryan failed to realize that Oliver was giving him the same kind of look that George was giving Nancy. Oliver didn’t understand what he felt, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off Ryan.

Nancy had reddish-blonde hair and ice-like blue eyes. Just one look into her eyes was enough to make George her hostage. Nancy used that to her advantage; she did everything to make George hers and would never let any girl snatch him from her. Little did Nancy realize; that George couldn’t see anyone but her.

Nancy was always fashionable, but today, George found her even more attractive. She wore black knee-high boots with three-inch heels, a pair of white tights, a short, slim, black skirt, and a white knitted sweater. While her clothes were simple, she looked beautiful, and George couldn’t help but stare.

Sitting across from each other, Heather and Nancy’s mom, Carol, looked at each other with a smile before shaking their heads. They could tell what Nancy was doing, and Heather was okay with it; she trusted Nancy and considered her a daughter.

Deciding to save her son, Heather took out her phone from her handbag and texted Nancy.

Go easy on my boy. Will you do this for me, sweetheart?

When she heard it chime, Nancy took out her phone from her white clutch. Turning on the phone, she saw Heather’s message. She smiled widely and giggled.

Looking at Heather, who just smiled, Nancy quickly replied.

Yes, ma’am.
•••••••••••••
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“Mrs Houston,” Nancy called to Heather while waiting for their food to arrive. Oliver wanted to ask something but was too shy to ask himself, so Nancy had to help him.

“Oliver wanted to ask if Ryan could stay over at our house tomorrow, we have already asked Conor’s mom, and she agreed,” Nancy said, looking at Ryan, who looked at his mom with his big blue eyes.

Looking into Ryan’s eyes, Heather was sure that if she was going to refuse (which was not the case here), she couldn’t say no now. How could she say no to these big cute blue, begging puppy eyes? “Of course, he can. I don’t see why not,” Heather said, much to Ryan’s joy.

Heather was comfortable with Ryan staying at the Collins’ house. The Collins’ house is just a 5-minute walk from their house, and she knew the Collins very well. She knew that the Collins would take good care of her, Ryan.
They talked for a bit while waiting for the food. Nancy’s mom talked about the plan for tomorrow with Heather. Erwin and Jeff spoke about sports while the kids mainly talked about cars.

Ryan was a speed demon, and the essential requirement in a car was how fast it would go. George wanted a motorcycle but knew his mom wouldn’t be on board with that idea. On the other hand, Nancy said she imagined herself riding as a passenger, with her arms wrapped around George. Her statement made Oliver laugh, and Nancy tried to swat him.

The waiter came with the food placing two plates in front of everyone. On one plate was something very long and thin. It seemed to Ryan that some kind of meat was on the plate. Besides this, was something that looked like small pieces of meat with some parsley sprinkled around the plate. The other plate had what looked like green leaves stuffed with something, with a lemon wedge on the side of the plate. The waiter placed two big salad bowls in the middle of the table. In front of everyone, they set a small bowl with a strange-looking bright brown sauce. He then placed a few small baskets full of bread and left.

Ryan just stared at the food, not knowing what was in front of him or how he should eat it.
Jeff began to explain to everyone how to eat dinner. He had ordered three dishes for everyone, Kofta, Kebab, and Stuffed Grape Leaves. There was also salad and bread, but that needed no explanation. All eyes were on Jeff since he was the only one who knew how to eat this food.

Jeff took his knife and fork, cutting a piece of what Ryan now knew as Kofta before dipping it in what Jeff called Tahini sauce. Seeing this, everyone started copying Jeff. Ryan moaned as the piece of Kofta entered his mouth. It tasted exquisite. Enjoying the taste, Ryan and the others started eating the food, amazed that they had never tasted anything like this before. Jeff also told them to take the lemon wedge and squeeze it over the stuffed grape leaves. Everyone enjoyed this new experience in food, and everything tasted delicious.

When they had finished eating, in Middle Eastern tradition, the waiter came and asked them if they wanted any drinks. The waiter was a boy who looked to be around 16 or 17. George couldn’t help but see that the waiter was checking Nancy out and didn’t like that. George, however, tried not to glare at him. Ryan didn’t miss this. For a 10-year-old, he didn’t miss anything.

By the time the waiter left, Ryan had begun to feel cramps in his stomach. He hated it when this happened. It started around a year ago, but it’s almost routine when his sensitive stomach wakes him up at night. He told himself that as much as he loved the food, he won’t be able to eat here a lot. He knew that tonight would be a restless night. “Mom, I am going to the restroom,” Ryan said.

The uneasy expression on her baby’s face was evident to her. She felt bad for Ryan, but there was nothing she could do as his stomach had been very sensitive for a while. It also didn’t help him to have such an extreme appetite for food. That’s why her children had more energy to use while playing sports.

When Ryan walked behind George, he stopped for a second while leaning over to whisper to him. “Ask her out, don’t be such a douche,” before walking away in a hurry.

Finding the men’s room was easy, but entering the men’s room was the issue. Men didn’t seem to like Ryan entering the men’s restroom. He just hoped he wouldn’t receive glares from anyone, especially from any older people.
“Excuse me, miss, the lady’s room is to the right,” a waiter told Ryan as he was about to enter the men’s room. He didn’t like this, but there was nothing he could do.

“I am a boy,” Ryan mumbled loud enough so the waiter could hear him. Of course, he could cut his hair short, but it still wouldn’t help. He used to earn far more weird stares when he had short hair—turning around with a blush on his face.
The unconvinced look on the waiter said he didn’t believe Ryan. The restaurant didn’t pay him to judge people. He, however, just let it go.

“I am sorry, I didn’t know,” the waiter said, leaving Ryan alone and going on with his work.

At that moment, Ryan couldn’t hold it anymore and rushed into the nearest empty stall. Ryan was having a tough time because of his stomach; he didn’t even realize how long he stayed inside until he heard George.

“Are you in there, kiddo?” George asked, knocking on the only closed stall door. It had been more than 10 minutes, and everyone was worried about Ryan, especially George.

In George’s mind, he wanted to be Ryan’s best friend; someone Ryan could talk to about anything when he became a teenager in a couple of years.

He wanted Ryan to trust him enough to share his deepest secrets with him. After all, George worried about Ryan, just like his parents. When he left Ryan to deal with Oscar, he wanted Ryan to prove himself and show Oscar not to mess with him.

“Just a second,” Ryan called out before finishing his business and coming out of the stall. Ryan washed his hands while George waited for him.

Unfortunately for Ryan, what he feared most was about to happen.

While Ryan was drying his hands, an older man entered the restroom. He looked in his sixties, giving Ryan a quizzical look before sighing.

“At least try to look like a boy if you want to be one,” the old man said before walking to one of the urinals.

Using urinals was something Ryan could never do, or it would be a total mess. That’s something Ryan had been hiding from everyone as he was too embarrassed to talk about it. Ryan walked out of the restroom with beet-red cheeks, with George beside him. George would have put the guy in his proper place if he wasn’t an older man, telling him to mind his own business.

While these comments were always embarrassing for Ryan, this time, he felt his eyes starting to tear up. He didn’t understand why he felt so emotional, wanting to cry this time. Ryan, however, held his tears back as he returned to the table.

As Ryan took his seat, Heather’s eyes were on him, and she could immediately tell something was wrong. She knew her baby well enough to suggest that he was distraught. While Heather knew something was wrong, she would wait when they were in the privacy of their home to ask him about it. There Heather would be able to talk to Ryan alone.
When the check arrived, Ryan finished his glass of what looked like lemonade with mint leaves, and a small argument started between Jeff and Erwin.

“I am paying for half of the food,” Erwin said, looking at the check. He knew Jeff wanted the meal to be on him, but they hadn’t discussed it beforehand, so there wasn’t any agreement about who would pay.

Jeff stared at him blankly for a second with a disbelief look in his eyes. “No, man, this one’s on me. I told everyone I was taking you all out for dinner, so it’s on me. Besides, I let you pay last time, so it’s my turn to pay, and that’s it,” Jeff said matter-of-factly. It was apparent he wouldn’t change his mind.

Seeing this and not wanting to argue with his best friend, Erwin just agreed to let Jeff pay this time.
“Alright, fine.” Erwin sighed, shaking his head. “But the next meal is on me.”

He and Jeff were now best friends, even if they had only known each other for a year. They pretty much didn’t hang out with anyone else. They would go drinking, watch football games on TV, and sometimes play golf together.
Jeff paid and was about to leave when a waiter asked them to wait. “If you can wait for a moment, the chef would like to meet you,” the waiter said before he left.

Both families looked at each other, wondering why the chef asked to meet them.

They were about to find out soon, seeing the chef approaching their table with a big smile. “Good evening, I am chef Hassan. I hope you enjoyed the food,” the chef said in a thick accent. His hair was black, with dark brown eyes, and his skin had a natural tan.

“The food was very delicious,” Ryan said to the chef before turning to his dad. “Can we come here again?”
Jeff just smiled and nodded.

“I am delighted that the beautiful young lady liked the food. You’re the first large family group outside our community to come here. I would be honored if you came again,” the chef spoke with happiness evident in his tone.

Ryan blushed again as the chef called him a young lady. He didn’t understand why everyone now thought he was a girl. Ryan was starting to believe that he may no longer be a boy. Lately, no one seemed to think he was a boy anymore, and he was beginning to wonder if they were right.

After the small talk with the chef, he insisted that both families must come back again, saying that he would give them a special entrée and VIP service if they came back.

Both families agreed that they would come back and happily left the restaurant heading home.

“Ryan,” Jeff said as they entered the car. Ryan looked at him from the back seat. “We have to talk tomorrow about what coach Damien said, alright?”

Ryan nodded with a smile; he thought this discussion was closed. He would love to go to the Olympics, he loved the competition, and there would be other top swimmers with whom he could compete.

“What’s that?” George asked, not knowing about this discussion.

“Coach Damien wants to take Ryan to the Olympics,” Jeff announced, making George grin and hold Ryan’s head with one arm using his hand to ruffle his hair.

“That’s great, buddy. You’re going to the Olympics,” George said happily, making Ryan smile.

Meanwhile, Heather’s mind was elsewhere. She couldn’t stop thinking about her baby. She was worried about him and trying to figure a way to take him to his aunt’s clinic. The appointment was at 10 am. They should be back before noon so that Ryan can watch a movie with Oliver and Connor.

The only problem was taking him to the clinic. But what if Heather’s worst fear (and greatest dream) came true? How would she explain this to Ryan? By the time they reached home, Heather had thought up a solution to take Ryan to the clinic tomorrow without raising his suspicion.

She decided that telling Ryan the truth, but not the entire truth, would be the best course of action. She, however, didn’t know what to say to him if her worst fears came true. If that happened, then Ryan would have his life changed forever. She still hoped this wouldn’t be the case.

They entered the house, and Ryan went to change his clothes to get ready for bed. He knew he couldn’t stay up after 8:30, but sometimes there were exceptions. Ryan would do his homework that was more in-depth than average kids would do. Still, Ryan would quickly finish it. After completing his homework, he would be allowed to play video games. Usually, he was allowed two hours of playing video games. He also was required to read at least ten pages from a book Heather would choose, and then he would be allowed to do whatever he wanted. He would usually watch his favorite cartoons.

Before he could do anything today, he headed to his parent’s room since Heather had promised to help him with his tender nipples. Walking to his parents’ room in his pyjamas, Ryan stood in front of the door before knocking. Heather immediately opened the door and looked down to see Ryan standing there. She looked like she had been crying, and Jeff was standing behind her. He didn’t look too happy either.

“You need something, sweetie?” Heather asked sweetly, trying to hide her sad expression.

“You said you would help me with my chest when we came back,” Ryan said, studying her face and trying to find out if she had indeed been crying or not.

Ryan’s mom was brilliant and very good at hiding her expressions. His dad was also brilliant but couldn’t hide his expressions as well as his mom. Ryan noted that his dad had a firm expression that wasn’t easy to read either.

“Oh, right, come in,” Heather said, letting Ryan into the room. She walked to her nightstand and pulled a tube of cream that she used for her nipples sometimes. “Alright, pull up your top, this cream will feel a bit cold, but it will help you,” Heather said, getting in front of Ryan. As Ryan started to pull up his shirt, his chest became exposed. It took Jeff one glance before turning his face to the other side with embarrassment.

Heather found it amusing watching Jeff; she could only imagine that if Ryan were a girl, she would be daddy’s girl, and Jeff would do anything for his baby girl. She also knew that if Ryan were a girl, it wouldn’t be very long before discovering the power she had over her dad. Heather knew her child very well. Ryan was a good boy, well-mannered, very smart, and careful. If there ever was a perfect child, it was him, and she knew it would also be the same if he were a girl. At least she liked to think so.

Slowly and carefully, Heather applied the cream to Ryan’s nipples. Every time she touched his nipples, he yelped from the pain. It felt as if a jolt of electricity suddenly ran through his body. Ryan’s reaction made Heather more concerned, but she just decided to ignore it for now. Tomorrow she would find out if she should be worried or not.

“Alright, this will do for now. You can watch TV if you want, but don’t stay up after bedtime, ok?” Heather explained while closing the cream tube.

Ryan nodded, and she kissed his forehead before he walked out of the room and headed downstairs.
When Ryan walked out of the room, Heather stood up and turned to Jeff, who had a worried expression.

“What are we going to do now? Are you going to tell Ryan?” Jeff asked worriedly.

“I am taking him to see Lynn tomorrow for an examination. Hopefully, everything will be ok,” Heather said.
Deep down, however, she felt like she was deceiving herself. She couldn’t help as her tears rose, and Jeff reached out to embrace her in his arms.

“I’m scared, Jeff. What if something happens? What if I lost my baby boy?” Heather cried in Jeff’s arms as the mere thought of losing Ryan terrified her to the core.

Jeff understood what Heather was feeling; he couldn’t live life without one of his sons, especially Ryan, their baby. It was an unacceptable fact. “Let’s just hope for the best, ok? We will deal with whatever comes in our way together, like a family,” Jeff said while comforting Heather.

Luckily, Ryan didn’t hear anything they said or hear Heather crying. As he entered the living room, he saw George sitting in his favorite spot on the couch, going through the TV channels. “Are you watching something?” Ryan asked, taking a seat on the sofa next to George.

“Not really,” George answered with a shrug flipping through the channels. “Would you like to watch something, bud?” George asked, looking toward Ryan.

While Ryan loved watching cartoons, he knew George didn’t watch cartoons anymore. He knew that George would leave the TV for him if Ryan wanted to watch anything. Besides, George had a big screen in his room. Still, for Ryan, George was here first.

Thinking fast, Ryan decided on a series of movies that he and George liked. Ryan hadn’t yet watched the latest film in a series. “Maybe Ultimate Street Racer 3?” Ryan asked, making George smile.

“Sure thing. Should I get some popcorn?” George suggested. He liked this series, and so did Ryan. Neither of them had watched the third movie, so it was a good suggestion.

“No, I will make it,” Ryan said, jumping from his seat and heading toward the kitchen. Ryan was familiar with the kitchen since he usually helped his mom cook. While George helped Heather around the house, he didn’t know anything about cooking. George helped move furniture and cut the grass but stayed away from the kitchen since he could burn water.
On the other hand, Ryan always helped his mom around the kitchen. Heather never allowed Ryan to use the stove or knives unless she was present, but Ryan was always a great help to her.

Quickly, Ryan retrieved the popcorn maker and started to make popcorn for him and George. He took a couple of drinks into the living room while the popcorn was popping. Ryan returned to the kitchen and filled two bowls with popcorn, returning to the living room with them. George had already cued the movie and had paused it.

Ryan handed George a popcorn-filled bowl and took a seat on the couch beside George. “Thanks, buddy,” George said, starting the movie.

A short while later, Jeff came downstairs, walking directly to the living room. He saw George sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn beside him. Ryan had his head on George’s lap and was lying on his back with a popcorn bowl on his stomach. It was a familiar sight for Jeff, yet he dreaded what might come.

George was such a great role model for Ryan. He knew how much Ryan admired George. Besides, George was like a local hero in their neighborhood. After saving a girl two years younger than him from being raped by a group of delinquent boys (and all ended up in the hospital after George was through with them). Everyone living around them had heard the story and showed respect for George. The girl’s parents came to thank him personally for saving their daughter.

More importantly, George was able to earn the respect of Nancy’s dad. At first, Erwin wasn’t very comfortable about how close his daughter was with a boy, but he didn’t say anything, as George seemed to be a good boy. Then after he heard what George did, he knew that his daughter was safe with him, and he could trust George to keep his daughter safe.

Jeff feared Ryan would never become the image of a son that he wanted in the future. He wasn’t sure how Ryan would take such news. How would it affect him, knowing that the fate awaiting him wasn’t what he expected?

“What are you boys watching?” Jeff asked, approaching his sons.
George turned his head to look beside him.

“Oh, we’re watching Ultimate Street Racer 3,” George said before turning back to look at the screen. “You can join us, but I am afraid there is no more popcorn, and I don’t feel like sharing today,” George joked before looking at Ryan. “What about you, bud?”

“Not really,” Ryan said before grabbing a handful of popcorn and stuffing his mouth with it.

“Ultimate Street Racer? Isn’t that just a cheap copy of Fast and Furious?” Jeff asked.

Immediately George paused the movie and looked at Jeff as if he had three heads. Ryan placed the popcorn beside him and sat up, giving Jeff the same look as George. “Dad, seriously? It’s not a copy. They are not even close,” George said, defending the movie.

“Whatever you say, boss, you boys enjoy,” Jeff said. Turning to the TV stand, he opened a drawer where he kept his multiple-screen laptop. It was a custom-made laptop for programmers. It was also his company’s product, one he had helped design.

“Go straight to bed after the movie. We are going jogging early tomorrow,” Jeff said before walking out of the living room to his office.

They were a family of athletes that enjoyed staying in shape. Being an active family, they always went out for a morning run if the weather was good. In the summer, they took their mountain bikes for a good ride.

As the movie came to an end, Ryan was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. He was already tired and needed a day or two to restore his usual energy level. Despite this, Ryan could still walk the stairs up to his bathroom to brush his teeth. After brushing his teeth, he gave his mom a good-night kiss.

Walking to the room, Ryan saw the door open but still knocked before entering. Heather was sitting on the bed with Jeff beside her. It seemed he had already finished the work he wanted, and both were watching TV.

Ryan walked over to his mom, kissing her. “Goodnight, Mom,” Ryan said as Heather gave him a small hug.

“Did you take your medicine?” Heather inquired. Ryan simply shook his head. “Ok, let’s go,” Heather said, standing up and walking with Ryan to his room.

After ensuring that Ryan took his medicine, Heather tucked him in bed, pulling the covers over him. “Good night, sweetheart,” Heather said, planting another kiss on Ryan’s forehead before walking out of the room and closing the door behind her.

•••••••••••••

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It was precisely eight in the morning when Heather’s alarm went off. The calm classical music was relaxing in the morning. She sat on her bed and stretched her arms before heading to the bathroom for a quick shower. In the shower, she couldn’t help but think about today. Deep down, she felt that their life was about to change dramatically. She knew that it would affect Ryan the most, but whatever happens, she can’t afford to lose her baby.

Whatever happens, they will see it through as a family. Emerging from the shower, Heather saw Jeff was reading something on his phone. “Good morning,” Heather said, walking over to Jeff, both sharing a passionate good morning kiss.

“Good morning, babe,” Jeff replied, breaking the kiss. “I will never tire of kissing you, my love. Are you taking Ryan to see Lynn?” Heather nodded sadly. She dreaded this visit but couldn’t do anything but go through with it. She had to do this.

Sensing her fear, Jeff reached out and squeezed her hand. “Whatever happens, it will be ok. We are a family, and we will go through whatever happens together,” Jeff said, reassuring Heather. He was worried himself. He loved his sons more than anything in the world and would hate to see one of them suffering for any reason. “Anyway, I am going to shower quickly and get ready for the run,” Jeff said, heading toward the bathroom to shower.

Heather walked over to George’s room to wake him up. With half his covers tossed off, George was asleep, and most of his stomach was left uncovered. Heather could see a glimpse of his abs; he was indeed highly fit. The hours George spent many hours working out, lifting weights, and punching that bag had brought him to this point.

George, however, didn’t like to show off that much, especially in front of the cheer squad. These girls were ready to chase after him to the ends of the earth. Seeing he didn’t have a steady girlfriend, all the girls thought they had a good chance. They had been begging Heather to give them George’s number, but they never succeeded. Heather shook her head, considering how many girls would be drooling while seeing this sight in front of them.

Leaning down, Heather brushed some of George’s short curly locks from his forehead and kissed him softly. “George, it’s time to wake up,” Heather said, shaking him softly. George didn’t wake up. Instead, he just rolled to the other side of the bed. “If you don’t get up, I will post your cell number in the cheerleading chat group. I have to say they are dying to have it,” Heather said teasingly.

George’s eyes suddenly opened as he immediately sat upright on the bed. “No, mom, anything but that,” pleaded George. He had been trying his best to avoid the cheer squad girls. George couldn’t let his mom share his number with them. If she did, he would never hear the end of it, and he was not into any of those girls since the only girl he wanted was Nancy.

“That’s more like it,” Heather said with a smirk. “Take a shower and get dressed. I am going to wake up Ryan,” Heather instructed before leaving the room with a smile on her face. She couldn’t help but see how much George looked like his father. She felt terrible for Nancy since she knew that Nancy was into her son, and she couldn’t blame her. This same impossibly handsome look made her fall in love with Jeff.
She just hoped George would gather up his courage and ask Nancy out. She hoped that George would realize that he and Nancy could be a great couple. Heather only hoped that George wouldn’t break the poor girl’s heart. Knowing her son, however, she knew he wouldn’t, but something seemed to be holding him back from asking Nancy out.

Heather always felt grateful for having two magnificent kids that she loved from all her heart. Even though she always wanted to have a girl, she was happy with her sons. On the way to Ryan’s room, she passed a large glass display case made solely for trophies that both Ryan and George earned. Heather and Jeff quickly discovered that the shelves in the boys’ room were not large enough for their awards, so they had a display case made for them.

Looking in the display case, she saw the first-place medal with Ryan’s name. She remembered this medal very well. After all, Ryan won it this year. Two months ago, to be precise, she remembered how the school’s swim team almost lost the relay race, trailing badly, but Ryan swam from behind to win it all on his own. With a sigh, Heather walked to Ryan’s room. As Heather opened the door, a pretty sight greeted her. Ryan was hugging a pillow while sucking on his thumb.

Heather wondered if Ryan knew what he was doing while asleep. She couldn’t help but return to her room to retrieve her phone. Heather returned to his room and was glad that Ryan was in the same position.

With a smile on her face, she started taking pictures of him. Feeling satisfied with the number of photos she had taken, Heather put down her phone and woke Ryan up.

Leaning down over her sleeping angel, Heather kissed his cheek before starting to shake him awake. Unlike yesterday Ryan woke up immediately. He already felt better than two days ago.
“Good morning, sweetie,” Heather said, giving Ryan a hug which he returned. Heather had utterly forgotten that she wanted to speak to Ryan yesterday. Something was bothering him, unfortunately, but she had so many things on her mind that she had forgotten to ask him.

“Honey,” Heather said as Ryan broke the hug. Ryan’s cute grey-blue eyes met hers. He had a quizzical look on his face. “Yesterday at the restaurant, did anything happen? Was there something that bothered you?” Heather’s question was direct. She was used to Ryan telling her about anything that bothered him. She didn’t want this to change; if Ryan can’t trust his parents, who will he trust?

Ryan looked down, remembering the events of yesterday in the restroom. “Mom?” Ryan looked up as his eyes met his mom’s.

“Yes, baby?”

“Am I still a boy?” It was a question; Ryan wanted to know the answer. He could tell that some neighbors thought he was a tomboy instead of a boy, if not all of them. The neighbors just minded their own business, and Ryan was already a well-behaved and well-mannered kid. Besides, they figured his parents allowed their child to make their own choices.

This question surprised Heather. It made her wonder if Ryan heard anything yesterday? If so, how much did he hear? Ryan certainly didn’t show it. Heather wanted to answer yes but couldn’t bring herself to do so. Ryan took after her in many ways. Being brave and never one to back down if Ryan thought he was right were two of them. Ryan would only make a statement if he were sure of himself. Heather knew that, but she didn’t know that Ryan had given up correcting everyone when they thought he was a girl. He doubted if he was still a boy. His question also stopped Heather from giving him a confident answer.
“Why? Don’t you feel that you are a boy?” Heather asked, not giving Ryan the answer that he was still a boy. She wanted to answer him with a confident yes. Heather couldn’t bring herself to do so. It broke her heart, knowing how much Ryan wanted to be a boy, and she couldn’t give him the answer he so desperately wanted to hear.

“Recently, I don’t feel like I am still a boy. I don’t look like a boy anymore. Last week in the locker room, coach Monica thought I was a girl when I was changing for the first swimming class this year,” Ryan said as tears started to leave his eyes. It was the first time he felt like crying, except yesterday.

“Sweetheart, sometimes girls are born and get mistaken for a boy. Once they reach their teens, they will start to grow up like girls….” Heather was about to complete her sentence, but Ryan interrupted her. What his mom said scared him, but it made sense.

“Does that mean I am a girl?” Ryan let his imagination run wild, picturing himself as a girl. Wearing dresses, skirts, and pretty shoes with heels, he saw himself wearing a girl’s school uniform. He hated that uniform more than his own. Thinking about school made him imagine himself now changing in the girl’s locker room. This thought made him shudder.

“Hold on there, sweetheart, don’t jump to any conclusions. Besides, I haven’t finished talking yet,” Heather said, tickling Ryan slightly to make him move away, giggling. Smiling a bit, Heather decided to finish talking. “Look, sweetheart, sometimes as boys start puberty, they start to look a bit like girls, but as they grow up, they start to look more like boys again. There are boys whose bodies keep growing like girls, and eventually, they have to choose which gender they would live as for the rest of their lives. There’s also the transsexual syndrome. They told you about it in school yesterday, right?”
Ryan nodded, answering her last question. “Then what am I? Am I a girl or a boy? If I were a boy, would this problem be fixed? Or would I still look like a girl until I have to choose?” Ryan asked, looking at Heather for an answer.

At that moment, Heather thought that having an intelligent kid also has its downside. Ryan understood that there was an issue with his body and looks. Though he still didn’t get the answer, he was hoping for, and Heather didn’t have it either. “I will be honest with you, sweetie, I don’t know, but your aunt Lynn will be able to help you. We will see her today after we return home from the run. Whatever happens in the clinic and Lynn finds, it stays in the clinic. I want you to stop thinking about it and enjoy your day with Oli and Connor,” Heather explained, hoping that Ryan would do as she said.

Her mother’s intuition was never wrong and warned her that an enormous change was coming. She hoped she would be wrong just this once, but she had never been wrong in 15 years. Even when Ryan was born and the doctors said he would die, her intuition told her that Ryan would live. When George was ten, and they falsely accused him of stealing, her instinct told her that her son was innocent. She stood by his side and proved that he was innocent, even if no one believed him. She just prayed she was wrong this time.

A couple of minutes later, Heather left the room and went to get ready for today’s run. They all wore a similar style outfit for their running. They liked to show that they were a family. Everyone had a favorite color, probably the only way George and Ryan differed from their parents. Yet all wore blue, which wasn’t anyone’s favorite color.

In less than 20 minutes, the family was in front of their home and ready to go running. They took their usual route running through the nearby park. Then they kept going until they reached their favorite coffee shop, where they usually had breakfast after the run. Entering the coffee shop, a beautiful 16-year-old brown-haired girl immediately greeted them.

“Good morning, it’s nice to see you again,” the girl said, not taking her eyes off George, who tried to ignore her stares. “You didn’t come last week. I was wondering what happened,” said the girl as she guided them to a table.

“Thank you for your concern, Jessi, honey. Ryan was sick the whole week,” Heather replied, noticing Jessica was checking out her son. She couldn’t blame her; George was just too good-looking for the girls not to be checking him out. Heather, however, knew that Jessica, like many other girls, didn’t stand a chance. George only had Nancy on his mind.

“Aww, cutie, are you ok now?” Jessica said in a baby tone that made Ryan blush a bit. While they came to this coffee shop regularly, Jessica already knew Ryan since she was a high school student in Ryan’s school; she was also Steven’s big sister. She liked Ryan; he was intelligent, funny, and happy to see her brother being a friend with someone, especially Ryan.

Her dad owned the coffee shop, and since there were few customers during the early weekend morning, she and her dad ran the coffee shop for the morning shift. While the coffee shop had more than one branch, her dad would instead manage this coffee shop on his own. He also made breakfast, which everyone liked.

“Yes, I am ok now,” Ryan said, looking around the empty coffee shop. “Is Steven not here?” Ryan asked, not seeing Steven. Like the rest of his friends, Ryan liked Steven, even if they weren’t very close. Mainly it was because Steven was the quiet type. Even at school during the breaks, he was mostly alone. He knew that Steven sometimes helped around a bit, even if they didn’t let him do any real work.

“Oh, Steven is helping mom a bit at the salon today. He will be here tomorrow, though,” Jessica said.

Ryan was disappointed they would leave tomorrow to spend Christmas at his grandparent’s house. Besides, he was worried about tomorrow; for the first time, Ryan realized that it might be his last day as a boy.

“So, the regular breakfast or something else today?” Jessica asked.

“The regular for Ryan and me, but instead of orange juice can you get him a white mocha, like mine,” Heather said as everyone looked at her in shock. Heather never allowed Ryan to drink coffee, saying he was too young. He loved drinking coffee, especially a white mocha. While Ryan had inherited Heather’s love for coffee, she still strictly forbade him from drinking coffee. She, however, felt that today could be an exception; who knew what this day would bring. Besides, one cup of coffee won’t hurt.

Jessica left after taking their orders. Heather and Ryan always ordered the same breakfast, bacon, and eggs, with French toast on the side and a fruit cocktail drizzled with strands of chocolate. Jeff surmised that Ryan was a smaller version of Heather, perhaps a petite version of her.

Jeff was afraid of what might come, but he was also excited about having a daughter. He always told himself that he would treat her like a princess if he had a daughter. Heather was not the only one who dreamt about having a baby girl. Sitting there, Jeff let his imagination run wild. Imagining Ryan as his daughter, the prettiest and sweetest girl a father had ever seen. Then his mind wandered as he started to imagine his daughter beginning to date.

Jeff immediately shook his head. If he ever had a daughter, he wouldn’t let any boy even think about dating her because he would chase them away. She would be his daughter, his baby girl, and she’s not for other boys.

••••••••••••••••••••••
If you like my story and would like to support me, please donate to my Pay Pal account.
Thank you all.
Lajien.

After eating breakfast at the coffee shop and returning home, Ryan took a quick shower before walking back into his room to get dressed. Afterwards, he walked downstairs. His mom was waiting for him.
They walked to her SUV, which was in the garage, and Ryan walked to the front door, but Heather shook her head.

“Back seat, mister,” Heather said, smiling a bit. Ryan just huffed and walked to the back seat. After getting in, Ryan fastened his seat belt before Heather started the car.

It was finally the moment of truth for Ryan, and Heather was very nervous. She was known as a strong and fearless woman. Heather had stunning beauty, high intelligence, and courage that no one could match. Above all, she was a distinguished lawyer in front of a Judge. Anyone who had ever seen her working as a lawyer would never believe that Heather could ever get nervous. They would laugh at the thought, as she was the Iron Lady in court.

Yet, there she was. Not just nervous, but scared; scared for her baby. She remembered the doctors telling her that Ryan wouldn’t live more than two weeks. He was so weak when he was born. But Heather never gave up hope. She couldn’t lose her baby, no matter what happened, and she wasn’t about to lose him now.

Looking up in the mirror, Heather couldn’t help but smile at the little angel sitting in the back seat. As brave, fearless, and intelligent as Ryan, he was as innocent and pure as an angel. He was the cutest child she had ever seen, and she loved him with all her heart.

Arriving in front of the clinic, Heather parked her SUV and got out, followed by Ryan. Ryan was used to frequently visiting Lynn’s clinic. After all, his aunt was more than happy to do his regular check-ups instead of letting Ryan go to another doctor. She would rather keep her cute nephew as her patient than allow some stranger to examine him.

When Ryan was born, Lynn was one of the few doctors who encouraged Heather and Jeff not to give up. She was right. After all, seeing her cute little nephew in front of her eyes proved just that. She loved the fact that she was right. After all, Lynn was sure that her sister wouldn’t have made it without her baby.

Entering the eight-story building, Heather and Ryan took the elevator to Lynn’s clinic on the fifth floor. As they entered the clinic, Ryan held his mom tightly. “Mommy, I’m scared,” Ryan said, shaking a bit.

It had been four years since Heather had seen Ryan act this way. It was an old habit of Ryan when he was scared. He would hold her tightly and stay as close to her as possible. While Heather found it cute, it also tore her heart apart, knowing that her child was fearless and it wasn’t easy to scare him. She knew how hard all this was on him.

“It’s alright, baby, don’t be afraid,” Heather said, leaning down to kiss his head. “No matter what, I will be there for you,” Heather comforted Ryan as they walked towards the reception counter.

Heather walked up to the reception counter, and a college girl greeted them. Her name was Ava, and she worked part-time in the clinic. She was also doctor Lynn’s only trainee. “Mrs. Houston, it’s been a while,” the girl immediately left her desk to greet them.

“Good morning, Ava. I hope my sister isn’t overworking you,” Heather joked, slightly raising an eyebrow to make it look serious.

“No, not at all, ma’am. I am learning more here from doctor Lynn than any other trainee I know off,” Ava said as she cast her eyes on Ryan. Something was different about him. He was always lively, outgoing, very talkative, and had a great sense of humor that she guessed he took from Heather. Ava laughed a bit; she knew Heather’s friendly attitude, which confirmed that she was doctor Lynn’s sister.

Today he was different. He was holding onto Heather very tightly, which was unusual for him. “Hi, Ryan, what’s wrong?” She liked Ryan, even if he was ten years younger than she. It felt like he was only two or three years younger than her. He was way too bright for a kid his age and had a lot of knowledge about many things, including the legal system, which wasn’t surprising.

“Nothing,” Ryan mumbled while looking down, which confused Ava even more. Ryan wasn’t acting normally at all. He looked scared, while it seemed as if nothing could scare him in the past.

“He’s not feeling good, that’s all, is my sister in her office? We have an appointment right now,” Heather said, wanting to save Ryan from Ava’s questions. She knew that the girl meant no harm and was worried about the sudden change in Ryan’s behavior. Still, she knew that Ryan was going through a lot, and the last thing he needed was someone interrogating him, even if it wasn’t on purpose.

“Yes, ma’am, doctor Lynn is waiting for you,” Ava said, returning to her desk.
Heather walked towards Lynn’s office while Ryan followed closely behind her. She knocked on the door and opened it. Sitting behind her desk was Heather’s sister Lynn. She was only one year older than Heather and looked so much like her that people used to think that Heather, Lynn, and Leslie were triplets.

“Heather, Ryan come in,” she stood up from behind her desk and walked over to hug Heather, who returned the hug. As always, Lynn looked very professional, even in her outfit. She was wearing a grey long sleeve knee-length bodycon dress. Combined with sheer black pantyhose and black stiletto heels.

“Rye-Rye, you’re so cute, just like your mom,” said Lynn, even though she knew that Ryan hated this nickname. She started kissing Ryan all over his face making him whine.

“Aunty, please, stop it,” Ryan said, trying his best to avoid all the kisses from his aunt.

“Alright, Ryan,” Lynn said, smiling at Ryan while he wiped his face from all her kisses.

Lynn then put on a lab coat and looked at Ryan.

“Sweetie, would you mind getting up on the examination table?” Lynn asked, to which Ryan nodded.

Ryan got on the examination table while his aunt removed her heels and slipped on a pair of fuzzy slippers. She then pulled medical gloves on her hands before walking back to Ryan.

“Alright, do you know why you’re here, Ryan?” Lynn asked, and Ryan nodded his head.

“Did you confirm what I asked you to do yesterday?” Lynn said, looking back at Heather.
“Yea, it’s just like you expected,” Heather replied with visible concern on her face.

“Ryan, can you please remove your top? I want to look at your chest.”

Ryan nodded before pulling his sweater and undershirt up. Lynn stared at his chest for a couple of seconds. “Your nipples hurt when you touch them, right?”

“Yes, Aunty,” Ryan said, confirming what Heather had told Lynn yesterday.

“Okay, I want you to lay down and pull down your pants and underwear, okay?”

Blushing slightly, Ryan nodded before laying down on the table and removing his pants and underwear. Lynn moved to examine Ryan’s penis. At first, she held it between her two fingers. It completely disappeared between her fingers because of how small it was. She then held his scrotum and took her time examining it. She finally walked away and returned with a squeeze bottle labelled Ultrasound Gel.

“Alright, Ryan, we will now make an ultrasound test. I am going to spread some gel before we do it,” Lynn said as she spread it around his abdomen.

The gel was cold, and Ryan shivered as his aunt spread it. She gave him an apologetic look and then held up an ultrasound wand. “Alright, Ryan, do you know what this device does?” Lynn asked, not expecting Ryan to know about it.

“Yes, it uses high-frequency sound waves to show what’s inside my body,” Ryan explained, making Lynn smile.
“Yes, you are correct. Now I will move this wand around your abdomen, and then we will discuss what we saw, okay?” Lynn asked as Ryan nodded.

Starting the device, Lynn moved the wand slowly around Ryan’s abdomen.
“Aunty, that tickles,” Ryan said, making Lynn smile slightly.

But, once Lynn’s face turned toward the screen, she frowned at what she saw. She kept slowly moving the wand left and right as if she was looking for something before shutting it off. She cleaned the wand before wiping Ryan’s abdomen with a tissue.

“You can get dressed and sit beside your mom,” Lynn said before walking to her desk and taking her seat. She wanted Ryan to get dressed and take his seat before she started to speak.

“Let’s talk about what I saw and didn’t see,” Lynn said, making Heather look more concerned.

“I will start with what Ryan doesn’t have; I examined Ryan’s scrotum and didn’t find any testicles. I tried to find them with the ultrasound, but again, I couldn’t find them. That brings us to what I found. Ryan has a uterus, ovaries, a complete reproductive system,” Lynn explained, but Ryan didn’t understand what his aunt was saying.

“What does that mean, Aunty?” Ryan asked, not understanding anything other than the fact he didn’t have any testicles.

Heather, on the other hand, completely understood the implications, and her heart sank upon hearing this. She had always wanted a daughter but never asked for this to happen to one of her sons.
“Ryan, these are all things that girls have, not boys. I know this is hard to believe, but this proves that you’re a girl,” Lynn explained, while suddenly, the color drained from Ryan’s face.

Lynn had explained it to many children before, but until recently, not to her beloved nephews. She had to explain the whole situation to Dennis a week ago. Leslie asked to keep it a secret. It was difficult for Lynn to tell her nephews the news. After all, she didn’t have a personal relationship with her patients. It was different for her nephews.

“I believe Ryan will have his first period very soon,” Lynn said, looking towards Heather, who was now barely holding her tears back. Heather kept convincing herself that it wouldn’t happen to Ryan, that everything would be okay. Yet, her worst fears came true. She doesn’t know how to face it. She wants to understand how Ryan feels. She used to know that from one look in his eyes. Now, she’s looking into her child’s eyes; all she can see is emptiness.

“Mom? Why is the room spinning?” Ryan suddenly stood up from his seat and wobbled with shaky legs. Heather looked with fear at her baby as he fell to the floor.

“RYAN!” Heather screamed and rushed to hold her baby with Lynn directly behind her.

“Let me take a look,” Lynn said worriedly, and Heather made way for her. Lynn carefully examined Ryan before letting out a sigh of relief. “He’s just unconscious, thank goodness.”

“Why? What happened?” Heather asked nervously, with tears running down her eyes. She couldn’t hold it anymore, and it felt worse than being stabbed in the heart. She loved her children with all her heart and never hesitated to show her love to them.
It didn’t matter if Heather now had the daughter she always wanted. She hated anything that hurt her children. If it was going to mess up her child’s life, it was not worth it.

“Heather, he just received life-changing news. No matter how smart and strong he is, he’s still a 10-year-old. It was just too much for him,” Lynn said, lifting Ryan. He was a bit heavy, but she lifted him and laid him on the examination table. She brought over a medical oxygen tank, pulled a mask over Ryan’s face, and started the flow.

“When will he wake up?” Heather asked, terrified.

“From 20 minutes to one or two hours at most. We have to let Ryan rest, and there is nothing else we can do.”

For the first time, Heather felt helpless. Not being able to help her child was tearing her apart, and she didn’t like it one bit.

Ryan woke up with a severe headache and was a bit tired. Everything was still spinning around him, and he didn’t know where he was. Ryan pulled off the mask and looked at his mother. “Mom,” Ryan used all the power he could muster to call his mom.

He felt a soft touch in his hand, and when he looked up, he saw Heather standing there as his sight began to clear. It was clear she had been crying, but when she saw him, she smiled.

“How are you feeling now, honey?”

“My head hurts, and I feel a bit dizzy,” Ryan said, still not realizing where he was. “Mom, you won’t believe it. I had the weirdest dream. We were in Aunt Lynn’s clinic and…, and…, and,” Ryan said, looking around, realizing where he was. “Mom, why are we in Aunt Lynn’s clinic?” Ryan said, sitting up. “It was a dream. Right, mom?” Ryan said while his tears started well up.

Heather wanted nothing more than to tell him that it was all just a dream and none of this had happened. Yet, she couldn’t lie to Ryan. Hiding her concerns and worry is one thing but lying to her child is something else.

Heather and Jeff had built their relationship with their children on trust; they never lied to them. Heather couldn’t lie now and risk her relationship with her child, especially when she now needs her the most.

“No, baby, it was real. It wasn’t a dream, although I wish it were,” Heather sighed. She didn’t like this one bit. She wished Ryan was born a girl, or none of this had happened to begin with, and Ryan would just grow up to be an ordinary boy.

“This means that I…, uh, I am, what?” Ryan didn’t know what to say, as it was too much. They taught him all about TSS in school yesterday. How the gender of boys and girls changes to the other gender. He also knew that once the blood test results were positive, he would legally become a girl, and there was more.

Parents tend to dress their children as girly or as boyish as possible. It was the best-known way to help the children cope with their new gender identity, and the law prohibited them from living as their former gender, or their parents will get into trouble. It could go as far as parents losing custody of their children.

The worst part was TSS children tended not just to accept but embrace and love their new gender. Ryan didn’t want that. And he didn’t like it one bit. Ryan just wanted to be a boy and loved being a boy. Ryan quickly realized the option to remain a boy was closing in front of him, with no choice but to become a girl.

The door opened, and Lynn entered the room. She saw that Ryan had finally awakened. It had been almost an hour, and she was glad he was up. Some children fell into a deep coma. While all of them eventually came to, and none died, there was a chance.

“Ryan, I see you are awake, and I still have a few things to talk to you about.” Lynn walked over to her desk with some papers in her hand.
“I was sure that Ryan has TransSexual-Syndrome, (aka. TSS). And now that the lab results have returned, I am 100% sure of it. Ryan internally, biologically, and genetically is a girl. Other characteristics had started to appear like the growth of breasts and the retreating of the scrotum, to create a natural-looking vagina.”

Lynn finally let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. Dealing with patients, she didn’t know, was one thing, but dealing with her nephew, or now her niece was utterly different. Her emotions were interfering with her job, and she couldn’t do anything about that.

“Do I have to become a girl?” Ryan said, looking at his aunt with begging puppy eyes. He wanted anyone to give him hope, even though he knew his life as a boy was already over.

“I know it’s hard on you, but you will have to now live as a girl, sweetheart. The lab will send the results to the school, which will make it official. The school will send the results to your home probably after Christmas. If you don’t return to school as a girl, there could be serious repercussions. Just give it some time, and you will begin to love being a girl, and to date, every TSS patient does,” Lynn said, trying to say something positive to comfort her niece. Unfortunately, it failed, as Ryan just lowered his head.
That’s what scared Ryan the most. That he was going to love it, he didn’t want to love it. He didn’t even want to think about becoming a girl, let alone loving it. It seemed that his body rebelled and had decided for him, and he didn’t have any choice but to become a girl.

“I will provide you with booster pills to make things go smoother. Your vagina will be completely formed and open before your first period starts,” Lynn explained, causing Ryan to shudder, imagining himself having a vagina. He didn’t know much about it; all he knew was that girls had one instead of a penis.

“The penis will not change into a clitoris without surgery. I don’t recommend surgery now; we must wait for at least a year. Now, the urethra position has changed to where it should be for girls. Your penis will still be present, but it will no longer be functional...” Lynn kept explaining things, but Ryan wasn’t listening anymore. His eyes started to tear up, and his sight became blurry.

A couple of minutes later, Heather and Ryan walked back to the SUV. Ryan got into the back seat, but Heather embraced him with a deep, long hug before he could close the door, providing him with what he needed the most: motherly love. “Sweetheart, you’re my baby and will always be mine. It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or a girl. I will always love you,” Heather said, comforting Ryan. She would do anything to help her child in his crisis.

Heather kissed Ryan’s forehead and walked to the front seat. “Mom,” Ryan called the moment Heather entered the car. Heather looked back at her beautiful child. “Do you think I was supposed to be born a girl?” Ryan asked, surprising Heather.

When Ryan was born, Heather ensured he didn’t feel bad because he wasn’t the girl they expected. She even made sure Ryan didn’t know they were expecting a girl. “Sweetheart, why would you say that?”

“I heard Grandma Ann say that you were expecting a girl before I was born,” Ryan said with a shrug.

Heather groaned loudly; her mom had no business in saying that. “Well, your grandma said something that she should never have said. I love you no matter what sex you are, you are my baby, and I will always love you,” Heather said, making it straightforward for Ryan that she still loves him and will always love him.

“So, it’s true what grandma said?” Ryan asked, dying for an answer. He knew that his mom would never lie to him.

“Yes, Sweetie, we were expecting a girl, but only because the lab tests said so. I loved you from the first moment I knew I was pregnant with you, and I will repeat it, I will always love you, no matter what,” Heather said, tears starting to form in her eyes.

“What name did you choose for me before you knew I was a boy?” Ryan inquired, digging for more information. If he had to live as a girl, he needed to know this information.

“We chose the name Erinna,” Heather answered with a sigh. She didn’t like this one bit. Of course, Heather always wanted to have a daughter and could do things with her daughter she couldn’t do with her son, but Heather now knew the price of having a daughter. She also knew that her child was paying a heavy price.

“Mom, I think uh…. Maybe we should stop using the name, Ryan. Instead, umm, we should use the name Erinna,” Ryan said, trying to force a smile that broke Heather’s heart.

Heather couldn’t help but smile softly. Even though Ryan had just received the most crushing news in his life and was heartbroken, he was still trying to make others happy.

“If Erinna is the name you want, then I understand…, Erinna,” Heather said, using the name for the first time.

••••••••••••••••

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Thank you all.
Lajien.

“Rye..., ah, Erinna, I thought before we go home, maybe we should get you measured. That way, you can spend the day with Oliver and Conner while I buy everything you need,” Heather asked, looking in the mirror while driving. She couldn’t deny that she would enjoy shopping for her daughter. She would prefer to take it easy on her new daughter and encourage her to love the shopping experience rather than force it on her. If Erinna would come to love being a girl anyway, there was no reason to force her.

“I can still go out with Oliver and Connor?” Erinna asked, a bit surprised by her mom’s decision. She didn’t expect her mom to still allow her to go out with Connor and Oliver today. Erinna didn’t know if she was ready for this or not. While Erinna would love to go, she had too many thoughts running around inside her head.

“I don’t see any problem. I know your dad may be against you staying over with boys, but I think I have a solution for that,” Heather assured Erinna. Heather knew that Erinna had been looking forward to seeing the new movie. Even if there were fights in the film, Heather knew it wouldn’t affect her daughter. Also, the movie’s central theme was good against evil, so Heather saw no harm in it.

“Thank you, mom,” Erinna said, making Heather smile widely. She finally could go shopping with her daughter. While they didn’t have much time for shopping today, they would go shopping together soon. She had kept some old clothes in the hope of handing them to her daughter when she got one. Now that she had a daughter, she would give all her old clothes to Erinna. However, she would ensure that her daughter also received new clothes.

“Ok, first thing, you will need underwear, then we will see what else you need. Just enjoy your day and don’t busy your mind with it, ok?” Erinna nodded in the back, making Heather smile a bit. That was Erinna’s intention when Heather said they would only go to get her measurements. But now, she wasn’t sure if this was what her mom was planning. She looked far too excited for just taking some measurements.

Heather drove to a nearby shopping mall and parked the SUV. “Let’s go, sweetheart,” Heather said, looking back at her beautiful child, who was now her daughter. She had always thought of how pretty her child was, too cute to be a boy. That’s what she thought the moment Ryan was born.

“Mom,” Erinna called as they were walking in the mall. Erinna left the SUV, following her mom inside the mall. No one who saw them would ever say they were mother and son—just a pretty mother with her equally beautiful daughter.

“Yes, baby?” Heather replied, looking at her daughter. She had many emotions running inside her. Heather felt sad and scared for her baby, but at the same time, Heather felt excited and happy that she finally had the daughter she had always wanted to have. Heather had given birth to her too. A daughter that shared everything with her, even her looks. But she was feeling guilty because she shouldn’t feel this happy. After all, she had just lost her son, which messed up his life.

“Now that I am a girl, I can let my hair grow even longer, right?” Erinna asked. No one would question why Erinna let her hair grow so long now that she’s a girl. Erinna had always wanted to have her hair the same length as her mom’s. It was probably the only positive thing she could see about becoming a girl.

“Honey, you know that I didn’t mind your hair even as a boy. Your dad was also ok with it. I will say this. If you want to have it longer, you must take care of it. But yes, it will be easier for you to grow your hair longer now that you’re a girl.” Heather couldn’t wait to see Erinna’s hair longer. She loved Erinna’s hair. While Erinna may not believe it, Heather would say Erinna’s hair is prettier than hers. While they looked alike, Heather felt, no, she knew that Erinna was more adorable than she was at her age, and she was happy about that.

Heather walked past many stores until they started to approach her destination. The two big letters N Y stood out as the store logo, and the store itself was much larger than other stores around it. The store was famous, and there were rumors that they were about to open a branch in London. Erinna, however, knew the store for a different reason since Erinna knew the owner of the store because she was one of their neighbors. She also had a 13-year-old daughter that Erinna knew well.

“Mom, I can’t go in there, Mrs. Grace will see me, and Carla is there as well,” Erinna complained as she grew apprehensive.

“Now, calm down, Erinna. I came to this store because they will understand your condition. The last thing I want is to see you embarrassed in front of anyone,” Heather explained. Heather didn’t want to see her daughter forced to explain her condition to a stranger. She didn’t want to expose her daughter even if TSS children enjoyed high acceptance in society.

“You trust me, don’t you, sweetie?” Heather would never put her children in an embarrassing situation. She knew that Erinna trusted her, and she would never do anything to betray this trust.
Hearing the word trust, Erinna had no choice but to put her faith in her mom. After all, she knew that her mom never wanted anything but the best for her. She knew her mom would never let her down.

“Ok, Mom, if you say so,” Erinna gave in with a sigh. They walked to the store while Erinna was becoming more and more nervous.

Upon entering the store, Heather spotted the store owner immediately. She was standing with her daughter checking shelves when Heather walked up to them.

“Lillian, good morning,” Heather said, catching her attention.

“Oh, Heather, good morning,” Lilian said, turning to Heather. “Are you looking for something for Ryan?” Lilian asked. It was usual for Heather to come to look for Ryan’s clothes here. Ryan was taller than kids his age, so finding the clothes he needed without looking in the teen shop was a bit difficult. This store had everything they needed, kids, teens, and adult clothing.

“Well, you see...” Heather said before lowering her voice a bit. “We confirmed that Ryan has TSS, and she’s now Erinna.” Both Lilian and her daughter’s eyes grew wide upon hearing this.

“Oh, Sweetheart, that must have been very hard for you,” said Lilian. She felt bad for Ryan, or now Erinna. She had personal experience dealing with this transsexual syndrome. After all, she knew how hard it could be on children and parents. “I am sure, just like my Carla, you will be ok,” Lilian admitted pulling Carla closer and kissing her forehead.
Heather was astounded when she heard this revelation. She knew Carla was a pretty girl who came to live with her mom. Heather never realized that Carla used to be a boy. She was just way too adorable. “You mean Carla used to be a boy? I would never have guessed if you hadn’t told me,” Heather admitted feeling surprised or choked up when hearing the news.

“Yes, ma’am, I used to be Carl before I moved here. For the first week, I was still Carl. “Carla said that “Ryan, George, and Nancy knew about it,” surprising Heather even more. Carla is now a teen fashion model. She knew that her sister, Leslie depended heavily on Carla to sell her designs. Carla looked like her mom, with bright emerald green eyes and dirty blonde hair. She had a great figure that made the other girls green with envy.

“But, you’re too pretty... Too pretty to be a...” Heather stopped, not knowing how to complete her sentence from the surprise. To think that she knew a girl like her daughter all along but never guessed the truth.

“Too pretty to be a boy, right?” Lillian asked with a confident smile. She looked at Erinna and smiled softly. “We all think that way, and I am sure you also thought that Erinna was too pretty to be a boy, right? I mean, look at her. She’s a real beauty,” Lilian said, praising Erinna and making her blush.

“I will admit it, I always thought that Erinna was too pretty to be a boy,” Heather admitted with a sigh. She had always thought that Ryan would be better off as a girl, but she never wanted to force him. As Ryan, Erinna was having so much fun living as a boy that Heather couldn’t even bring herself to admit her thoughts.

“Really?” Erinna asked, hearing this, for the first time in her life. She loved her parents, and she would do anything to make them happy. Even if they had asked her to be a girl, she might have struggled, but she would have accepted it to make them happy.
“Yes, Sweetie, I didn’t want to tell you. You were already going through so much.” Heather wiped a tear from her eye before kissing Erinna’s forehead.

“I think that’s enough talking. I understand why you brought Erinna here.” Heather looked intently at Lilian. She was sure there was a misunderstanding since she brought Erinna to get her measured and buy her some underwear. It didn’t seem that this was what Lilian had in mind.

Heather was about to say something, but Lilian pulled Erinna’s hand gently towards her. “Let’s get going now, shall we?” Lilian pulled Erinna towards the dressing rooms. “Carla, why don’t you help Mrs. Huston choose some cute things for Erinna?” With that, Lilian and Erinna disappeared into the dressing rooms.

Lilian looked at Erinna. “Ok, I know how embarrassing this is, but I need you to take off everything except your underwear, ok?” she asked softly, taking a measuring tape once they were in the dressing room. Blushing profusely, Erinna looked at the floor and didn’t move. “Look at me, sweetheart, I know it’s hard, but I can’t take your measurements if you don’t take off your clothes,” she explained as Erinna gulped and began to remove them.

Grabbing the tape, Lilian started measuring Erinna’s breasts, waist, and hips, jotting down her size. Once Erinna was standing only in her boxer briefs, Lilian smiled. “You have a great figure, still developing of course, but you’re the best-looking 10-year-old girl I have ever seen,” Lilian informed Erinna, making her blush even more.

“All done, I will go help your mom look for clothes. In the meantime, you can either wait here and try things on or get dressed and help out your mom if you want,” Lilian said, leaving the blushing Erinna in the dressing room, covering her breasts like any girl would do when feeling exposed.

Things were not going according to her mom’s plan, which certainly wasn’t her plan. However, knowing how much her mom loved shopping and how much she always wanted a daughter, Erinna thought maybe she should let her mom have some fun with the daughter she always wanted to have.

••••••••••

An hour later, Erinna and Heather walked out of the store, each carrying seven bags full of clothes for Erinna. They walked out of the store with bags full of underwear, bras, skirts, blouses, various tops, skinny jeans (though Erinna wasn’t convinced it was her size,) tights, thigh-high and knee-high socks, a couple of patent leather shoes, pink running shoes, Maryjane shoes, a pair of flat black ankle boots, and a long wool coat. They even brought two dresses, one was denim and the other was a dark blue velvet dress with long sleeves.

What was supposed to have been a quick visit to get Erinna measured and get her some underwear and bras turned into a buying spree.
Erinna couldn’t protest, seeing how happy her mom was. She had never seen her mom this happy before. From the look on her mom’s face, shopping for girls’ clothes was worth it. Also, she wouldn’t admit this, but it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. Reaching the SUV, they loaded all the bags in the back and then got in.

“Sweetheart, I knew we pushed you a little too hard, and I am sorry. It won’t happen again. But, Lillian gave us a 40% discount on everything,” Heather apologized, kissing Erinna’s head. She was having such a great time shopping for Erinna’s clothes that she completely forgot why they came here in the first place. For the very first time, Heather was shopping with her daughter and not just watching other moms shopping for their daughters. She wouldn’t forget that Erinna used to be a boy only a couple of hours ago.

“It’s ok, mom, no big deal. You looked so happy; I didn’t want to stop you,” Erinna admitted. She felt terrible for not noticing this before. Her parents were the best a girl could ask for, so Erinna wanted to make them happy. Yes, she may not want to be a girl, but being a girl for one day could make them very happy. Now, she didn’t have a choice but to be a girl. She was now obligated to make her parents happy by being the daughter they always wanted to have.

Heather couldn’t help but smile. As always, Erinna seemed to care more about the people around her than herself. “You’re one magnificent girl, do you know that?” Heather said, hugging Erinna and smiling as she could slightly feel the bra. “Thank you for keeping up with me. I love you, sweetheart.”

They broke their hug and got into the SUV, while Erinna couldn’t help but notice that the bra was so comfortable. The bra was perfect. It was the right size for her and held her small but growing breasts in place. It was way better than her undershirt tank top, which usually rubbed against her nipples in a very uncomfortable way.

“I will tell Carol once we get home. Is that ok with you, sweetheart?” Heather asked, looking in the mirror back at Erinna. Heather didn’t know that she was in for a couple of surprises. She knew that everyone would have to learn eventually.

“I guess so,” Erinna replied with a shrug. They will eventually know anyway, so it’s not like Mom could do anything. “Mom, do I have to tell Oliver and Conner?” Erinna asked with a concerned look. She didn’t look forward to telling her friends her secret, but all of her friends were nice, and she was sure they would be supportive. But still, she wasn’t looking forward to it.

“Sweetheart, I know Connor is a good boy, and Oliver may be the opposite of you, but I know he will understand you the most. You have good friends. I am sure they will understand.” While Heather was saying this, she couldn’t help but worry. She knew that people accepted children like Erinna in society. After all, they didn’t have any choice. Still, Heather was worried about Erinna. She could understand why some TSS children wanted to hide their past identities after their gender changed.

“Mom, how are we going to tell dad and George?” Erinna asked, terrified, realizing they would have to tell her dad and George. Telling George would be worse for her than telling her dad; she looked up to George and always admired him. Yes, Erinna looked up to her dad, but she idolized George. Now, Erinna knew she would never be like him. It was also clear that she was far more like her mom than anything close to George or her dad.

“They already know, honey. When we were late, your dad called me because he was worried about you. I had to tell him, baby, and I am sure he has already told George.” Since Erinna had been unconscious for almost an hour, Jeff called Heather, worried sick about Erinna. Heather had to tell him everything. It was shocking news for Jeff to hear at first, but what mattered more to him was the well-being of his child. Deep down, he was excited about having a little princess but didn’t want to show it.

“What did dad say? Is he mad at me?” Erinna said, dreading what her dad might think. She loved him and didn’t want him to hate her in any way. Little did Erinna know, this was the farthest from the truth.
“What? No, honey, your dad will never get mad at you since you didn’t do anything wrong,” Heather replied a bit defensively. It was Jeff they were talking about; she wouldn’t have married him if he was nothing other than a caring father. They had been married for almost 18 years, and Heather knew Jeff very well. She did not doubt that Jeff would put his life on the line to keep his family safe.

Erinna hadn’t yet seen Jeff’s daddy’s side, and their relationship would undoubtedly change. Jeff would be far more protective of her now and will spoil her to no end. It may make her feel a little weird at first, but eventually, she would understand how much her daddy loves her. Good dads love their daughters and sons the same way but they also tend to treat their daughters differently. Erinna was in for a treat.

“Dad won’t hate me?” Erinna asked, still a bit worried. Her dad had never shown her anything but love and support, but she was scared that this might change.

“No, sweetheart. Your dad loves you more than you can ever imagine. It doesn’t matter to him if you are his daughter or son. I doubt that he cares about any of that. And regarding George, I am sure you know how much he loves you. He will always be your big brother, care about you, and be your biggest protector. Sweetheart, we all love you, and we’re all here for you,” Heather said confidently. She knew their family well. Heather was very confident that Jeff and George wouldn’t have a change of heart towards Erinna. Erinna still had no idea how much her relationship would become better with them.
••••••••••••
If you like my story and would like to help me, you can donate to my Pay Pal account.

Thank you all.
Lajien.

Jeff was nervously waiting inside the house for Heather to return with Erinna. He kept pacing back and forth in the front hallway. Jeff had finished the call with Heather more than an hour ago when she had told him the news. He was scared and worried as his son was now his daughter. Jeff was unsure what this change would bring to their family.
He finally had his baby girl, and he couldn’t lose her. Being her dad, he had to protect her, as shielding her was his responsibility. Jeff vowed to show his baby girl all the love and care in the world so he wouldn’t lose her.

“Dad, calm down. You’re making me nervous,” George said with a sigh as he approached his father. He had been in their home gym working out when his dad told him the news. George was startled and had almost dropped the weight he was raising. Jeff quickly spotted his son, saving him from being injured.

“You don’t understand. Most of all people, Ryan looks up to you,” Jeff said while rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. It was his habit whenever he got nervous. This time Jeff wasn’t nervous; he was freaking out. “He..., I mean, she wanted to be like you. It will never happen now, and I should have known. She always looked just like your mother. I am sure she will continue to look more like her.”

George was surprised to hear this. He didn’t know he had left that impression on his little brother or sister. George wanted to set an excellent example as a big brother, so his brother would look up to him. George felt he was successful as a big brother, for which he was happy but was still disappointed in himself. George would continue to love his younger sibling even if she was a girl. But now, he wasn’t sure how to support her. George wanted to help his little sister but didn’t know how. He was very disappointed in himself since he didn’t know the first thing about treating his sister.

George was preoccupied with finding a way to help his sister when an idea struck him. “I have to tell Nancy. She can help,” George said, turning to get his phone from his room.

“Hold on, son, what can Nancy do? Besides, you can’t just tell anyone,” Jeff said worriedly. He knew his son was only trying to help, but he didn’t think telling Nancy was a good idea. She had been like a sister to Ryan. If her treatment of Erinna changed in any way, his daughter might not be able to handle it.

“Dad, you don’t understand. Nancy is just like Ryan. She used to be a boy,” George said before running up the stairs leaving his dad in shock. Jeff couldn’t believe it, and such a pretty girl used to be a boy? He was advising his son to go and ask her out just before he got the call from Heather.

Upstairs in his room, George quickly retrieved his phone. He then texted Nancy and told her all the details. If someone could help his sister, he was sure it would be Nancy. Nancy received the message from George. It took her a moment to read it and understand the situation. Once she had read the text, however, she texted back immediately. “I am coming over right away.”

George sighed with relief at her answer, then waited for Nancy to arrive. Nancy always saw Ryan as her little brother. She wanted to be there for him. Maybe she could show me how to help my new sister? God, he hated this, his sister was suffering, and he wasn’t sure what he could do to help her. He didn’t like this at all.

A couple of minutes later, there was a knock on the door. George ran to the door and opened it. Standing on the porch were Nancy and Oliver. George completely ignored Oliver and didn’t even see him standing there. At first, he could only see Nancy. “Hi Nancy, oh, you too, hi Oliver,” he greeted them both as he stepped aside to let them in.

“Thanks. Where is Ryan?” Nancy asked while entering the house with Oliver. Nancy had been diagnosed with TSS, the same as Ryan. It started three years ago before she moved to this neighborhood. Her name used to be Nathan Thompson Collins, but now she’s completely removed from the boy she used to be. Now she’s Nancy Kayli Collins and was preparing to remove the last remaining male vestige from herself in a couple of months.

“He…, She’s not here yet. She’s still out with mom,” George informed them. He was having a hard time changing his pronouns. He was used to having a little brother and never needed to use the word she before. “They’re supposed to be on their way home now.” George closed the door behind them before taking Nancy’s coat from her. He also took Oliver’s coat as an afterthought and hung them in the closet.

Nancy was always fashionable; she looked like a supermodel but didn’t like the cameras. She also couldn’t imagine herself having the same mental ability as Carla, playing sports, modeling, and still obtaining high grades at school. Carla also played girls’ basketball on the team in Ryan’s school. They trained well, but they didn’t work Carla nearly as hard as Nancy’s team worked her.

Nancy was a very stunning 14-year-old girl. Her legs were long, and her beautiful reddish-blonde hair dropped to a good couple of inches above her hips with a natural wave. Her skin was milky white and had long lost its tan. Her icy blue eyes were enough to make her stand out in any crowd. She was very flexible and agile, and her running speed made it difficult for anyone to catch or tackle her. She would jump above players, take a sharp turn to the left or right, or duck down. And that was before you could take her incredible speed into account.

Two years ago, in the third year of middle school, she first played against George. He was on the opposing football team, and of all the players, only George could keep up with her. Although it was hard to stop Nancy, he could prevent his team from losing. Nancy was mad since she lost because of George. After her parents had decided to move, she found herself in the same school as George. At first, Nancy avoided him, but then she realized how nice he was. Before Nancy realized it, George had become her closest friend ever. Nancy even revealed her secret to George. Since she was a girl when she first faced him, he was surprised by her secret.

Nancy revealed to George how she had used to be a boy. She told him her story as Nathan, how she was a boy and loved being a boy. Nancy continued telling him how she was diagnosed with TSS and how she became a girl. When her body started to change, Nancy was like a tornado of emotions, especially when she began to check boys out. She told George all that and more. At first, George was surprised and taken aback, but he wasn’t disgusted or weirded out as Nancy feared and expected.

Nancy had thought he might avoid her, hate her, bully her, or even worse, tell the whole school her secret. Yet, what happened next revealed George’s true character. George grew closer to her and was more protective of her. He was supportive and caring and helped to erase her old self to become the most feminine girl the world had ever seen. She started to feel protected and shielded when George was around. He made her feel the same way she had only felt when around her father. She vowed to make George her man and never wanted to lose him. Her goal was to make him squirm with desire every time he saw her.

So far, her plan was working just fine, and George never looked at any other girls. She knew a boy like George would have a line of girls waiting for him to ask them out. Nancy didn’t want to stand in that line. George was hers alone, and she would never allow any other girl to take him from her. Oh, she would love to see the look on the other girls’ faces when she showed them all that George was hers and only hers.

Now, however, Nancy couldn’t think about that. She was here to help Ryan get through his transformation. There was a reason Nancy brought Oliver with her. She knew from their looks at each other that both Ryan and Oliver exchanged. Sure, they may not understand their feelings now, but she knew these two people belonged to each other. Like George had helped her, Nancy wanted Oliver to help Ryan now. Even though he may not look like much now, Oliver already packed a hard muscular body for a 10-year-old boy.

After all, TSS boys start with beautiful and feminine faces. Of course, they usually develop sharp, chiseled jawlines and facial hair, making their looks more masculine and giving them a hot, handsome look. What made them look more masculine was their muscular body. They tended to develop more muscles than other boys at a younger age. Oliver may not look like it now, but he can and wants to help Ryan.

Heather pulled into her garage as Erinna sat in the back seat. Heather left the SUV, and Erinna did the same. Like she always does, Erinna walked to the back of the SUV to retrieve the bags when Heather stopped her.

“Now, sweetheart, ladies, don’t carry the bags into the house. We let the gentlemen do it,” Heather said, smiling softly. Erinna had a lot to learn about life as a girl, and Heather will love to teach her.

Erinna cringed upon hearing this, and it was clear she was no longer one of those gentlemen, and she won’t ever be one. She wanted to protest, but she felt the bra holding her breasts, reminding her that she was now a girl. Even if they were only an A-cup, her boobs were almost a B-cup now. That is another thing I have to learn. I know nearly nothing about girls’ underwear, but now I’m wearing panties and a bra with a camisole under my clothes.

The panties, bra, and camisole were all soft against her skin. They were all smooth and silky, unlike her boy clothes. They felt quite comfortable, and Erinna hated to admit it. She could already feel like a girl even if she didn’t like it. The bra was a bit of a struggle for her to do on her own. Fastening it behind her back was difficult, but Heather said she would learn.

Something else for me to learn, Erinna thought, grimacing. Erinna always liked new challenges and wanted to overcome these challenges even more. Maybe, just maybe, if I thought of this as a challenge, it may be easier to adjust. Erinna entered the house behind her mom, feeling very nervous. She was apprehensive about her dad and George’s reaction to her new gender. Erinna could already feel her stomach turning into knots, and she even felt like throwing up.

“I completely forgot to buy you a swimsuit,” Heather said as they entered the house. Erinna now needed a one-piece swimsuit for her swimming team. Heather doubted that Erinna would want to stop swimming just because she was now a girl.

“Mom, seriously? Why would I need a bikini in the winter?” While it seemed to be a question, Heather knew it was not. She was glad it was not the summer. Heather knew Erinna was too self-conscious to wear a bikini right now. She also knew that Erinna loved swimming more than anything and would never say no to swimming. She wouldn’t dress half-naked in a bikini, showing off her breasts. But this was a topic for a future time.

“Hold on, sweetheart, I said nothing about a bikini. You still require a good one-piece swimsuit for your swimming classes. You heard Lynn, your breasts will only continue to grow, so you have to cover them now,” Heather explained while looking Erinna in the eyes and seeing the defeated look on her face. Erinna didn’t like this at all, but while she hated to admit it, her mom made sense.

“I guess you’re right, mom. I still want to take swimming classes even as a girl,” Erinna admitted. Her thoughts started to wander to her swimming class. And how things will change from now on.

That’s when it became clear to her. Erinna would have to join the girls’ swimming team and use the girls’ locker room. She didn’t want to use the girls’ locker room, but she knew she no longer had a choice. Some boys would do anything to get in there, while Erinna just wanted to stay away as long as possible.

As they walked further into the house, Erinna saw Jeff nervously pacing in the hallway. When he saw her, his face lit up, and he smiled while walking toward her. His smile almost made all her worries melt away. Surprising Erinna, he did something he hadn’t done for a couple of years now. He lifted Erinna in his arms, squeezing her with a hug.

“Thank goodness, I thought I would lose you,” Jeff said, revealing his fears. He had never felt so scared in his life as he felt today. He didn’t want to lose his child; he felt even more afraid for her since she was now his baby girl. “How are you feeling now?” Jeff asked, kissing Erinna’s forehead.

“You’re not mad at me?” Erinna asked, feeling relief because of her dad’s reaction. Being in his arms felt warm and comforting. She felt secure, protected, shielded, and loved. It felt like she had nothing to worry about, and all her problems had vanished.

“Mad? Why would I be mad at you, Sweetie?” Jeff asked in a sweet baby tone.

It was clear to Erinna how her dad was now talking to her differently. To make matters worse, she enjoyed it, which finally made her break down. She hadn’t shed a tear since this morning, but now she felt like crying. She had wanted to cry for a while, but now she just let everything out and cried while tightly hugging her father. She felt safe crying in Jeff’s arms.

Jeff was upset when his child started crying. He thought he had done something wrong to make his daughter cry. Jeff looked to Heather for answers, clearly worried about his daughter. Heather looked him in the eyes, and her look told him that everything was ok, and he was doing a great job.

Something about how their parents could communicate with only a look always amazed Erinna and George. They had reached a point where they didn’t have to talk anymore, and a look would be enough. Knowing that he hadn’t done anything wrong seemed to calm Jeff down, and he wasn’t panicking anymore. He put his hand on Erinna’s back and started to massage her.

“It’s alright, Ryan. You have been through a lot today,” Jeff whispered soothing words while slowly rubbing Erinna’s back. Erinna seemed to melt in Jeff’s arms. It felt so good and comforting to be held so lovingly by her father. It felt like her mom, but different. Both were comforting, but her dad’s muscular arms felt much safer. It was as if he was shielding her from the whole world.

Jeff held Erinna for a few minutes until she wasn’t crying anymore. “Are you ok now, Ryan?” Jeff asked worriedly. Heather watched with a satisfied smile on her face. She never doubted Jeff for once, or she wouldn’t have had two kids with him. He may look intimidating and scary with his 6’4” frame, though he had a very tender heart, especially with his kids. But if he had to protect his family, he could be as tough as nails.

Erinna nodded a bit, wiping her eyes. Jeff was still holding her; honestly, she didn’t want him to put her down. It was such a nice feeling that she wanted to stay in her dad’s arms forever. It felt like the safest place on earth for her.

“My name is Erinna,” Erinna whispered in her father’s ear. She knew she couldn’t be Ryan anymore, so she didn’t want to be called Ryan. She didn’t want to be reminded of the boy she once was, which made it harder for her to accept her new gender.

Jeff was about to say something when George approached them.

“Mom, where’s Ryan?” George asked with concern in his tone. It made Erinna feel comfortable seeing how her brother was worried sick about her. She knew it had always been that way and was happy, hoping things would stay the same.

“Please call her Erinna from now on. As you can see, she needs a private moment with her father,” Heather said, taking George’s hand and pulling him away towards the living room. She knew Erinna needed to talk with Jeff, and Heather would make sure no one interrupted them.
Jeff walked towards the kitchen, holding Erinna in his arms. He filled a glass with water and handed it to Erinna.

“Erinna, that’s such a beautiful name. You know that would have been your name had you been born a girl. Would you like me to put you down?” Jeff asked, knowing he hadn’t held her in his arms since Ryan was six. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to; instead, it was about Ryan no longer wanting Jeff to hold him. Jeff didn’t want to stop carrying Erinna around and worried she might not like it.

Erinna shook her head, tightly wrapping her arms around Jeff’s neck. “I like it this way Daddy,” she said. The moment the word left her mouth, Erinna choked; she hadn’t called Jeff her daddy for a long time. It just came out of her mouth without her realizing it. It just felt so natural. The way Jeff was handling the situation had erased all her fears.

“Sweetie, I miss carrying you like this,” Jeff said, removing a couple of hair strands behind her ear and kissing her forehead. “I also miss that you called me daddy, although your mom will be jealous if you do,” Jeff joked, making Erinna smile. “Nothing is worse than seeing you cry, Sweetheart; you have the cutest smile in the world, just like your mom.”

Erinna blushed a bit at her dad’s compliment, and she couldn’t help but smile even more. “You’re not mad I can’t be a boy anymore?” Erinna asked the question even though it didn’t seem so important to her now. She was just emotional and wanted daddy to reassure her. She needed to hear it from his mouth.

“Why would I ever be mad at you, Dear? Even if you wanted to become a girl and it wasn’t something your body chose for you, I would still support and love you,” Jeff announced with a confident tone. Just hearing Erinna’s question broke his heart. His one and only daughter doubted him? He didn’t like that at all.

“I love you, Daddy,” Erinna said, laying her head on Jeff’s shoulder. All her doubts were gone, and she felt comfortable calling Jeff her daddy. It also made him happy, so why wouldn’t she do it?

“I love you too, Princess,” Jeff whispered in Erinna’s ear before kissing her forehead. Transitioning to a girl will be hard on Erinna, but he will be sure to love and support his new daughter at all times.
••••••••••••
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“Princess,” Jeff softly spoke while Erinna was still in his arms. Having his daughter was a significant change from having his son. He still loved Erinna like before, but he couldn’t treat her like he did before. Things will be different now.

Listening to her father call her Princess, Erinna hummed in response. Ryan would have hated Jeff calling him princess, but Erinna felt comfortable in her daddy’s arms and didn’t feel the need to protest.

“Nancy and Oli are here, and Nancy says she needs to talk to you,” Jeff told Erinna, not wanting to leave the Collins children waiting any longer. He was surprised when Nancy told him her secret, he had a hard time believing it, but he knew Nancy. As George said, he also thought that Nancy could help his daughter.

“Do they know?” Erinna asked, suddenly frightened. She knew they would eventually find out but was scared of their reaction. Erinna was more worried about Nancy’s response. After all, Oliver was in the same boat as her. She loved Nancy and always saw her as a big sister. She also knew how much her brother liked Nancy and didn’t want to mess up their potential relationship.

“Yes, Sweetie,” Jeff answered, then added. “Nancy wants to talk to you alone. Don’t worry, Sweetheart; no one can understand you better than Nancy.” While Jeff was a bit shocked, he wished his daughter the best. Of course, the shock was still there since it’s not every day that your son suddenly becomes your baby girl.

“What do you mean?” Erinna looked quizzically at her dad for an answer. There was no way it could be true, and I’m pretty sure of that. Only one thing was on her mind, but she couldn’t believe it.

“I think Nancy should tell you herself,” Jeff said, putting Erinna down. Erinna pouted a bit since she rediscovered how great her daddy’s arms felt around her. It made Erinna feel much better about everything, and she didn’t want to lose such a feeling.

Jeff saw this and smiled softly at his daughter. “Don’t worry, princess. Your daddy will always be there for you.” Jeff chuckled, kissing Erinna’s forehead and making her blush a bit.

They walked to the front door, where Jeff took Erinna’s coat and hung it in the closet. They then walked back to the living room. The moment they set foot in the living room, Erinna was surprised by the hug she got from Nancy. She was squeezed tightly by Nancy, and she loved it. She had been worried about everyone’s reaction, but so far, everyone had reacted in a good way.

With a worried look, Nancy pulled away from the hug looking into Erinna’s eyes. “How are you feeling?” Nancy didn’t know how to ask this question. She, however, knew how Erinna felt. She had been there already.

Erinna just shrugged. She was bewildered. She liked how her dad treated her and how her bra and panties felt, but she didn’t want to be a girl. She promised herself to take this as a challenge and make the best out of it, yet, she still didn’t want to accept it. “I don’t know,” Erinna said in a hushed tone, almost like a whisper.

Just then, George and Oliver appeared, carrying all the shopping bags from the earlier shopping trip. With the two bold letters N Y on the bags, one in pink and one in blue, it was clear where they got the clothes. Seeing the bags, Nancy giggled. “Carla got very excited and got carried away, right?” Nancy asked the question, but she already knew the answer.

Erinna just nodded, blushing a bit since the process of being measured was so embarrassing. As embarrassing as it was, she couldn’t bring herself to hate it. Then again, seeing how excited her mom was, made her happy. She couldn’t say no and had to accept all these girly clothes and also try them on.

Jeff saw all the bags of clothes. He looked over at Heather without saying a word.

Heather smiled and said, “Forty percent off.”

Jeff laughed and smiled back, as it was a great mother-daughter bonding time.

George took one look at his sister, and it felt painful. It was clear that Erinna had been crying. As her big brother, he would never let her cry without knowing why and trying to comfort her. It didn’t feel right to him, and not being able to do anything was killing him. George took the bags upstairs to Erinna’s room, followed by Oliver carrying the rest of the bags.

“Well done, buddy, let’s go down before Nancy claims ownership of my sister,” George joked, making Oliver laugh.

“I am not sure anyone can do that, even if it’s Nancy,” Oliver joined in the joke reassuring George. He couldn’t blame Erinna though, he knew how cool George was. Oliver knew how much Erinna talked about her cool big brother. George helped Oliver adjust to his new life. He was also like a personal coach to Oliver, helping him train at their home gym.

They walked back downstairs, which led directly to the living room. Once Nancy saw both of them, she beamed, and a smile spread on her face.

“Oh, here comes the big boy,” Nancy teased, making George raise an eyebrow in confusion while Erinna did the same. Only Oliver was blushing, his face turning a new shade of red.

“What do you mean?” George inquired, looking toward Nancy. He couldn’t help but smile, seeing that Erinna looked much better. George felt a faint tug on his sleeve, making him look behind him. He saw Oliver blushing hard and understood that Nancy was teasing him.

“Oli is a big boy now, isn’t that right?” Nancy announced, giggling.
George shook his head; he wanted to know what was happening but wasn’t about to ask Nancy. George tried to spare Oliver since he liked the little fellow. George treated him just like he used to treat Ryan. Of course, he couldn’t treat Erinna the same way anymore.

“May I please have my sister back for a bit,” George said, making Nancy and Erinna giggle. Erinna felt relief seeing the way George was talking. She could tell he won’t have a problem with her.

Nancy pulled Erinna closer to her. “No, you can have her later. She’s mine for now,” Nancy declared, pulling Erinna closer. Erinna just giggled. She was happy that Nancy and George didn’t hate her for her change and found this conversation funny.

Erinna saw Oliver looking at her with a faint smile; Erinna just smiled back, making Oliver blush even more and look away. Nancy didn’t miss that out. She was going to tease Oliver about it later but not now.

“Fine, I am taking Oliver hostage until you let go of my sister,” George replied, making Nancy pout. He had other reasons to take Oliver with him and wanted to save him from Nancy’s teasing.

“Nooooo, that’s not fair,” Nancy pouted in protest, but Oliver and George were already running up the stairs heading to George’s room. “He stole my Oli,” Nancy faked a sniffle causing Erinna to giggle even more.

Nancy smiled a bit and decided to put the drama aside. “Now, let’s have a small chat, shall we? Let’s go to your room, and we can talk privately together. So that you know, I am only worried about you.” Nancy’s tone turned to a serious one. She loved Erinna and worried about her, being a sister or a brother Erinna was like a younger sibling to Nancy. Still, it was soft, kind, and loving. The pair entered Erinna’s bedroom and closed the door. And they both sat on the bed.

“I know how you feel, more than anyone, though Carla probably knows too. The reason is simple since I used to be a boy. That was three years ago when I was diagnosed with TSS,” declared Nancy. Erinna just stared at her, not believing it. There was no way she used to be a boy. I don’t believe her.

Nancy could see the disbelief in Erinna’s eyes, and she expected it. It didn’t take her long to figure out that no one would think of her as a boy in a girl’s clothes. Just like Erinna, no one would say she’s a boy now. However, when Nancy was still Nathan, he suffered physically at times. No one like George was present to protect her from bullies in his grade school.
The bullies forced Nathan to defend himself fearlessly. Nonetheless, when he was in middle school, most of the bullies feared him. It didn’t help the rest of them when he made it into the football team, and they accepted him. Even when Nathan became a girl, none of her teammates seemed to mind. They were happy to have Nancy on their team. After all, she was their star player.

“You don’t believe me? Right?” Nancy asked, even though she knew the answer. It was apparent from Erinna’s expression. Nancy was not surprised at all. No one would believe she was ever a boy. Even though Erinna was in the same situation, she still couldn’t believe it either.
Nancy’s guess was confirmed when Erinna nodded. Nancy just smiled before standing up in front of Erinna.

“I will prove to you that I used to be a boy,” Nancy reached with her hands and started to pull down her tights and panties at the same time. With a gentle hand, Nancy pulled Erinna’s face to look at her but Erinna shut her eyes immediately. Erinna just looked away, blushing. She didn’t want to see Nancy’s genitals.

“Come on, we are both girls, so don’t be embarrassed,” Nancy said, holding Erinna’s hand gently. “Besides, I am your big sister, right?” Nancy softly kissed Erinna’s forehead as Erinna opened her eyes slowly and looked at Nancy’s crotch.

•••••••••••••

“So, what was that all about between you and Nancy? Would you like to tell me?” George asked, throwing an energy bar to Oliver. Oliver looked at it, confused while blushing from George’s question.

“Well, you don’t think I will let you skip training today? You know that will never happen,” George stated to Oliver.
Oliver just let out a sigh. The training will be much more fun with George supervising him. It will also help him forget about his embarrassing confrontation with Nancy this morning. He just wanted to forget about it. That’s when Oliver remembered he was not dressed for his training today—wearing gray skinny jeans, a hoodie, and a button-down shirt under it with a pair of black sneakers.

Aunt Carol always made sure Oliver was well dressed. She didn’t see him as her husband’s nephew. No, she only saw Oliver as her son and ensured that she always took good care of Oliver.

“I can’t train in these clothes since mom insisted I wear a shirt coming here,” Oliver said, pouting a bit. He didn’t realize when he started to call Aunt Carol his mom; it just became very natural and Carol seemed very happy about it.

George looked at Oliver’s disappointed face for a second. He knew he could tell Oliver to get his clothes or get dressed and return. But he knew since it was freezing out there, Carol wouldn’t be sending him out again. Thinking fast, George had a brilliant idea. Looking at Oliver, he guessed he was the same size when he was Oliver’s age.

“I have just the right thing. Come with me,” George said before walking to his closet.

He opened the door to his walk-in closet. He barely used a quarter of his closet; it was the same for Erinna. To begin with, he didn’t understand why a guy would need the use of a walk-in closet. George quickly moved to a shelf full of boxes and looked around for a bit before pulling out some of them. He opened a box and smiled at what he saw. The smile quickly turned into a frown while he stared at the clothes in the box.
George started to feel conflicted; he would give these clothes to his little brother. But now, he doesn’t have a little brother. Instead, she’s now his little sister. Shaking his head, George grabbed a black T-shirt with Bumble-bee printed on it and a pair of blue shorts with another picture of Bumble-bee on the right leg.

“Here,” George said, handing Oliver the clothes. “Try them on, and I’ll wait for you outside.” With that, George walked out of the closet, giving Oliver some privacy.

He didn’t mind handing the clothes to Oliver, and it was just that he had been looking forward to his little brother wearing his old clothes. It meant something to him, and it was hard for him to accept that his little sister was no longer his little brother. George still loved her the way he did when she was a boy, but for now, he had conflicting feelings that he could never show in front of Erinna.

A couple of minutes later, Oliver walked out of the closet wearing the clothes George handed him. “These clothes are good, although I am a bigger fan of Optimist Prime,” Oliver said cheekily walking out of the closet with his clothes folded neatly in his hands. He had a smirk on his face as he thought about something funny.

George never thought about it before, but he was utterly obsessed with Transformers when he was younger. Upon hearing this, George couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Well, as your coach, I must teach you how cool Bumblebee is,” George said, bursting into another round of laughter with Oliver.

“Alright, let’s start with your workout for today,” George said, walking to their gym. Oliver was always surprised at how comfortable he felt around George. He wasn’t his usual shy self around George; he always felt safe around him and the same way around Nancy. Both were always kind to Oliver and never hesitated to show their protective side toward him.

Oliver had known Nancy for a long time. Even as Nathan, she was always lovely to him. She would always become hostile towards their cousins when they tried to bully Oliver. George, he knew for less than a year, yet George treated Oliver as if he was his brother. It made him feel safe around George and look up to him, and he felt like George was his older brother.

In George’s home gym, George trained Oliver for two days a week. Once every Saturday and Sunday, he would show him how to do things. Oliver wanted to try weight lifting, but George didn’t allow it, saying he wouldn’t let him lift weights until he was at least 13. Still, Oliver managed to build quite the physique because of the training George gave him.

••••••••••••••••

While George and Oliver were in the home gym, Erinna and Nancy were in Erinna’s room. Nancy was looking through the shopping bags trying to choose an outfit from the many cute clothes Carla had chosen. She was able to combine an outfit that matched hers in color.

Nancy was wearing a black and white striped straight skirt. A pair of beige tights covered her legs and brown leather ankle boots with chunky three-inch heels—a white cropped sweater with a black long-sleeved T-shirt underneath it. While simple in color, the outfit looked great on Nancy, so she looked for a similar combination in color for Erinna.

Finally, from the shopping bags, Nancy found a black and white striped flared skirt and a white sweater. She found a pair of flat leather black ankle boots and then turned to Erinna, who looked reluctant. “Come on, you will look cute in these,” Nancy said, giving Erinna a pleading look.

Erinna couldn’t help but sigh and nod, and she couldn’t say no to Nancy. Besides, she would have to wear skirts anyway, so why not start right now while being surrounded by the people she loves.

“Perfect,” Nancy gushed. She turned to the bags and took out a package of white tights for Erinna. “Ok, first the sweater, hands up,” Nancy instructed Erinna, who just followed her lead.
•••••••••••
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Buckling the straps of her ankle-flat boots, Erinna stood up. She saw Nancy beaming at her. Nancy could see their outfits matching, not an identical match but very close. She was sure that anyone who saw them would think they were sisters; this was what Nancy intended precisely.

“Look at you, you look...,” Nancy paused for a moment looking for the right word. “Terrific! Come and see yourself in the mirror.”

Erinna hesitated for a second before walking to the mirror on the door of her walk-in closet. If Erinna wasn’t sure that she was a girl the last time she saw herself in this mirror, now Erinna was 100% sure that the person looking back at her from the mirror was a girl and nothing like the boy Erinna thought she was.

Her new image eventually led to tears welling in her eyes while she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her thoughts didn’t make Erinna feel happy. She didn’t want to look girly and cute. That was not what Erinna had envisioned when she thought of her future.

Nancy noticed Erinna’s reaction right away. She immediately went to Erinna, hugging her from behind.

“It’s all right now. There’s no need to cry. Trust me, and everything will be ok,” Nancy reassured her. She knew completely understood how Erinna felt right now. Confusion was a small word to describe what Erinna was feeling. However, there weren’t enough words to describe it.

“Let’s go show your mom. I am sure she will love how you look,” Nancy suggested, and Erinna, the selfless child she always was, nodded.

She knew that her mom would be happy seeing her looking like this. She wanted to make her mom happy. After all, her mom deserved the daughter she had always wanted. She gave Nancy a genuine smile, and they both headed out of the room.

•••••••••••

Back in their room, Heather and Jeff were having a calm discussion. Heather had told Jeff everything that had happened and how Erinna had been acting so far. They both agreed that even if they were not happy with the situation, they had no choice but to make Erinna live as a girl. They always surprised everyone around them because they never fought or had a heated argument, not once in their life.

They didn’t want to lose their child or for their child to be taken away and put into someone else’s custody. That would tear their family apart, and they would never allow this to happen.

Unfortunately, what Heather had predicted, did happen. Jeff was not ok with the idea of Erinna staying overnight at the Collins.

“I don’t mean anything, and I don’t think it will be ok for her to stay overnight right now. I also don’t want her staying overnight with boys,” said Jeff, finally admitting his real reason.

“What if she sleeps with Nancy in her room instead?” Heather suggested. She had already made this part of her plan, as she knew it was important for Erinna not to feel a difference. “If you don’t let her go, Erinna might feel that we are punishing her for what happened,” explained Heather seeing she hadn’t yet convinced Jeff. Heather knew he only wanted to protect his daughter, but this might hurt Erinna. She didn’t want that to happen, and Heather knew Jeff didn’t want that either.

With a sigh, Jeff nodded; Heather was right. He wanted only to protect his baby girl, but he might end up hurting her. He couldn’t do that, especially now, since Erinna was going through a crucial period.

“I am ok with it, but only if she sleeps with Nancy in her room. I don’t mean anything by it, but I want Erinna to know that she is now a girl and can’t be sleeping with boys in the same room anymore,” admitted Jeff.

Heather just smiled and nodded in agreement, and she wanted to keep her daughter away from the boys’ attention for as long as possible. “So, let’s go with the rule she can’t date until she’s 21,” Heather asked in amusement. She knew she said it as a joke, but she would make sure to put a much lighter rule for Erinna.

“No, at least 31,” Jeff replied as Heather and Jeff laughed. Hearing a knock on the door while still laughing, Jeff opened the door but wasn’t ready to see what was behind the door. Jeff could see a very nervous Erinna with Nancy standing behind her. What caught his attention the most was what Erinna was wearing. She looked adorable in her outfit, and Jeff had to admit it confused him a bit. “Erinna?... Wow! You look amazing,” Jeff said, quickly picking Erinna up and spinning her around, making her giggle.

This sight warmed Heather’s heart. She knew Jeff would accept Erinna immediately and wouldn’t give her a hard time, but he had done far better than she expected. Heather saw what Erinna was wearing and couldn’t help but smile even more. She finally had the daughter she wanted so much.
A daughter, not just a daughter that she had given birth to, but a beautiful, intelligent, outgoing, always helping others and caring for them. She was the best daughter any mother could wish she had. It was time for Erinna to receive the help and support she had always given everyone around her.

“Sweetheart, did you choose these clothes yourself? You look super adorable in them,” Heather excitedly exclaimed. She could tell that her daughter was already taking after her. The only part she didn’t like was that Erinna looked older than her actual age. Erinna was taller than most boys and girls her age, and her body already looked more mature and would develop faster than girls her age. It meant that Erinna would get much more attention from the older teen boys. And this was what worried Heather and Jeff.

Erinna blushed a bit at her mom calling her adorable. She couldn’t help but smile and look back at Nancy, who beamed at her. “Nancy chose them for me,” Erinna replied, pleased with her parents’ reaction. She wanted to make her parents happy when she agreed to put on the clothes. She also couldn’t deny that she liked the tights since she didn’t feel too exposed while wearing a skirt.

“Thank you, Nancy. That was so nice of you, honey,” Heather said, walking to hug Nancy. She could tell that Nancy was putting in a great effort to help her daughter and her presence made Erinna feel at ease. She was very grateful for that. “You have a good eye for fashion, and I guess you took it from your mom.”

Nancy smiled at what Heather said, as she knew her dad couldn’t match two pairs of socks if his life depended on it. That’s what her mom always said. Even if she exaggerated, Nancy knew it was close to the truth. “I wanted to match my little sister,” Nancy exclaimed, smiling widely. “I couldn’t find a handbag that will go with the outfit, but I might have some that I don’t use anymore. Can I bring them, Mrs. Houston?” Nancy asked, looking toward Heather for agreement.

Heather beamed and could tell that Nancy loved her daughter and cared for her like a sister. “Sweetheart, please call me Heather. There is no need to call me Mrs. Houston,” Heather said, but Nancy didn’t look convinced. She could see Erinna’s eyes look at her with curiosity.

“I think Heather is right,” Jeff stepped into the conversation, still holding Erinna into his arms. He didn’t carry her in his arms as a boy only because she was embarrassed because of it. Now, he wanted to hold her forever. “Besides, this cheeky monkey already sees you as part of our family,” Jeff said, starting to tickle Erinna causing her to giggle and wiggle in his arms.

“Daddy, please! Stop, daddy.” That was all Erinna could say between the giggles. No matter what changed, being tickled was still her weak point.

“Daddy! When did you start calling him daddy?” Heather asked with a bit of obvious jealousy in her tone. “That’s not fair. Why does she get to call you daddy when she’s not calling me mommy?” Heather protested, making Nancy giggle as Erinna blushed. It was a rare sight for Erinna, but she knew that her mom always felt jealous of other moms because they have daughters, which Heather never had.

Jeff just laughed nervously and looked at Erinna to say something. She started to call him daddy on her own, and of course, he liked it. Jeff didn’t expect Heather to be jealous because of this.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Erinna’s head. Mustering her best puppy eyes that she used to use even as a boy, she looked at her dad and then tilted her head to look at her mom. While this situation was funny, she didn’t want to leave her mom feeling jealous. She felt a bit silly about what she was going to do, but she had to do it.

“I called dad daddy because he’s the best daddy in the world just like you’re the best mom in the world, mommy,” Erinna said in the girliest voice she could muster.

She was new to all this, but she was a natural. Her girly voice was so convincing that no one would even suspect she was anything but a girl and a girly one at that. A girl who had both of her parents wrapped around her little finger, which was something that Erinna was only beginning to realize.

“Thank you, Sweetheart,” Heather said, smiling as she walked to hug Erinna, who was still in Jeff’s arms. “Are you sure you want to go out wearing a skirt?” Heather asked, concerned. She was worried that Erinna might be pushing herself too hard.

Erinna just nodded, making Heather a bit confused about how Erinna was so confident wearing a skirt right after the shocking news. She had bought a few pairs of skinny jeans for this specific reason.

“I wanted to get used to wearing a skirt before I had to wear it at school, mommy,” Erinna explained, making Heather smile a bit. As always, Erinna thought two steps ahead of everyone else.

“That’s so smart of you, honey. Why don’t you go downstairs? Your favourite show is about to start,” Heather said, reminding Erinna of her favourite show. It was a mecha anime that George used to watch when he was younger and passed the habit down to Erinna.

Erinna immediately wiggled out of her daddy’s arms and ran out of the room. “No running on the stairs,” Heather reminded. She felt satisfied when she heard her footsteps slow down as Erinna walked down the stairs.

“Come here, Nancy. I need your help for a bit,” Heather said as she pointed to the walk-in closet. Nancy looked confused but followed Heather inside her walk-in closet anyway. Inside, Heather walked to the far end of the closet, where she had stored a lot of clothes. They were all cute but weren’t in Heather’s size, looking suitable for a teen girl. If Nancy didn’t know better, she would say that Heather saved these clothes for Erinna.

“All these cute clothes are for who?” Nancy asked the question she had in her mind. There were many dresses, skirts, blouses, and various tops. There were also matching shoes to fit each outfit in the collection.

“Well, I was saving these clothes for my daughter if I ever had one. I almost gave up and thought of giving them all to charity, but now, I have a daughter to give them to,” Heather smiled as she said that.

She knew that once Erinna accepted her new gender, she would be able to do everything she had always wanted to do with her daughter. For now, she needed to be careful, though. Taking things too fast could overwhelm and hurt Erinna, which was something she never wanted to do.

“Is it always the same thing for TSS girls like us? Once our transformation starts, all these old clothes hidden away came to light,” Nancy explained, musing at how her mom had been hiding all her old clothes for her daughter. Carla had also told Nancy the same thing had happened to her.

“What do you mean? TSS girls like us?” Heather asked, utterly oblivious to Nancy’s secret. She also couldn’t even imagine that such a pretty girl like Nancy used to be a boy. Heather would have never expected this to be true in her wildest imagination. After all, she only knew Nancy as a pretty girly and sporty girl. She barely saw Nancy wearing pants or shorts. Most of her clothes were skirts and dresses.

Nancy just smirked, knowing that Heather would not believe her at all.
“I am just like Erinna. I was born a boy. My body started to change into a girl’s body when I was 11, but we only knew for sure when I was 12, and I was diagnosed with TSS,” explained Nancy.

Heather’s jaw dropped; she couldn’t believe it. Not just one pretty girl, but now she knew two others that turned out to be born boys. She was beginning to understand how strangers looked at Erinna. There was no way anyone would believe that Erinna was a boy or even used to be a boy.

“I don’t know what to say, to think that I never knew you or Carla were boys. You both look so stunningly beautiful that I would never think you were born boys,” Heather shockingly explained. She now knew why Nancy understood how to keep Erinna at ease, she had been there before, and God knows what she had gone through.

“We need to find a purse that fits Erinna’s outfit. We have a surprise prepared for her, with everything that happened. However, we couldn’t just show her the surprise,” Heather announced, pulling a large box down from one of the shelves. Inside that box was a neatly arranged treasure trove of purses.

“Now, since you chose her outfit, I think it’s only fair that you choose her purse,” Heather said, beaming widely while handing the box to Nancy.

It didn’t take Nancy long to start searching through the box. She slowly examined every purse, noticing many of them were not cheap at all.

Heather’s parents were not wealthy but rich enough to get their daughters what they needed. Add to it Heather’s and her sisters’ careers as models. They received many expensive clothes as gifts. Most were high quality, and some were expensive designer dresses, even by today’s standards.

Running through the box, Nancy finally found what she wanted. A brown leather clutch with thin shoulder straps. She knew it would look cute with Erinna’s outfit and match her brown boots.“That one,” Nancy beamed, holding the brown clutch for Heather to see. She knew that it would work perfectly well with Erinna’s outfit.

“Good choice, I don’t think it would fit with any of her coats, but I have just the right thing,” Heather said, walking to the hanging clothes again. In a matter of seconds, Heather returned with a brown wool coat that would be Erinna’s size. “This used to be one of my favourites when I was Erinna’s age,” Heather said with a smile, and a tear left her eye. She was happy beyond belief. “Now it’s time to hand it over to my daughter.”

“So, you were the same size as Erinna when you were 10?” Nancy inquired. She wondered how she had never seen it all this time. Erinna looked identical to her mom. While Nancy’s mom was not a football player, she was an athletic woman who was a star gymnast, and it’s clear where Nancy got her flexibility.

“I will be honest; Erinna is an inch taller than I was at 10,” Heather joked, making Nancy giggle a bit. “I can’t thank you enough, sweetheart. You being here for Erinna means a lot to her. She adores you.” Heather knew how much Erinna loved and adored Nancy. Also, Nancy loved Erinna as if she was her sister. They were now inseparable.

“I will do anything for my little sister. I am with her till the end. From my experience, I know she will go through some hard times, and I will do my best to support her,” Nancy stated with an air of confidence that she would never leave Erinna’s side. Especially at times like these when Erinna needed all the support, she could get.

“Still, thank you, sweetheart,” Heather said, walking to hug Nancy again. “Would you mind helping me pick a couple of outfits for Erinna from here? I would appreciate it.” Hearing this, Nancy smiled excitedly, and she didn’t need to answer because Heather’s question was rhetorical, and she already knew Nancy’s answer.

•••••••••••

Downstairs Erinna sat down on the couch watching anime. Even with the tights on, she still felt a bit exposed. She didn’t like that feeling and started to think about what to do for a moment. That’s when it hit her. There was a reason why all girls sat down with their legs close together, crossing their ankles.

Bringing her knees together, Erinna felt unnatural and weird. If she wore skirts and dresses, which was inevitable, she would have to get used to this alien feeling. After all, Erinna will have to wear a skirt to school as part of her uniform. In the summer, she will have to wear the black short sleeve dress as the uniform. She feared tights would still be part of the uniform, but they won’t help that much.

While sitting there, she didn’t hear George walking up to her from behind. “Are you still watching this?” George said, startling Erinna and making her jump from her place as George laughed a bit.

“Not funny,” Erinna pouted, sticking her tongue out to George, who laughed even more, and Erinna joined in the laughter. “Just so you know, this is a new season,” Erinna announced as George looked at her, a little surprised.

“Really? I had been watching that series and waiting for at least eight years for a new season until I finally gave up, and only now they made a new season?” George exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief, making Erinna giggle. “Anyway, would you mind if I sat down and watched it with you?” George said, already moving to sit down on the sofa. Erinna sat back down beside him.

“So, how are you feeling right now?” George asked, stroking Erinna’s hair softly. She couldn’t help but snuggle closer to George, as he was great at making her feel comfortable.

“Weird, I always thought I was a boy until today. Now I know I’m not a boy,” Erinna said, shaking a bit. She still hadn’t come to terms with being a girl. “Do you think that becoming a girl will make me like boys when I grow up, or will I like girls?”

George looked at Erinna, sliding his arm around her to calm her shaking body. “Well, one thing is for sure, you won’t ever have a boyfriend,” George said confidently. Erinna looked up at him, wondering where George had gained all his confidence.

“And why is that?” Erinna inquired, looking at George for an answer. It was weird that he gave her an answer immediately, without even thinking.
“Because I will chase them all away,” George said, puffing his chest a bit.

“That’s not fair,” Erinna exclaimed, a bit amused. George had a great sense of humor, and Erinna loved it.

“Big brothers are not fair,” George replied. Erinna and George stayed silent for a while before they burst out laughing.
•••••••••••••••••••••
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In front of their home, George saw the Collins’ new full-sized 12-passenger van turn into their driveway. George wondered what he was doing here. Somehow, Nancy had managed to convince him to come with them. Carol pulled up in their driveway while George and Nancy sat together in the front yard watching NFL news on George’s phone. Carol tooted the horn to signal everyone else to come outside. Oliver and Erinna were still unaware that Connor was not the only one coming with them.

Ronald Henderson, who Erinna called Ron for short, and Walter Bain, were very close friends to Erinna, and they also talked to Oliver from time to time. Heather had confirmed that they were good kids before Carol invited them. Carol had also asked Shelby, Dakota, Steven, and another two boys from Oliver’s class.

The plan was for Heather and Carol to go shopping for Erinna; meanwhile, Nancy and George would look after all the kids and take them to the movie. They were responsible enough to look after a group of 10-year-olds.

George and Nancy sat just behind the front seats while Oliver sat behind them, waiting for Erinna. For some reason, Heather wanted to give something to Erinna before they left. The whole house knew, but Erinna didn’t. Erinna emerged from the house with a massive grin on her face.

She walked over to George, who just smiled when he saw her. She rushed over to George, giving him a hug and a kiss on his cheek. “I love you, thank you,” Erinna said, getting into the van and sitting beside Oliver. Oliver looked at her, confused and jealous at the same time. He wished it was he who received this kiss, not George.

Looking at Erinna in her cute outfit, Oliver felt warm in his stomach; he was beginning to understand why he had this feeling and why he had that weird dream about Erinna last night. Erinna was now a girl, and he was becoming attracted to her.

“Ryan, you look charming, honey,” Carol said from the front seat, making Erinna blush a bit. Carol didn’t know Erinna had chosen a new name, so she just called her Ryan by habit. She, however, could tell that Ryan’s name didn’t fit with such a pretty and feminine young lady sitting in the back seat of her minivan.

“Thank you, Mrs. Collins, but my name is Erinna now. I’m not Ryan anymore,” Erinna replied, a bit hurt. Carol looked at her apologetically and gave her a reassuring smile. She thought Oliver and Erinna looked cute together, even though they were just friends. Carol knew he had feelings for Erinna, and she could feel that Erinna was happy with Oliver around.

“Well, such a cute name suits you perfectly,” Carol started making Erinna blush a bit. “While George may be the best brother in the world, I am sure there is another reason behind that kiss,” Carol teased Erinna, making her blush.

“I got an early Christmas gift; it was from mommy and daddy,” Erinna replied, blushing a bit. She opened her clutch and took out a brand-new iPhone. Carol knew iPhones were expensive, and she wondered if a 10-year-old should have such a pricey phone. Carol couldn’t say she agreed with the decision, but it wasn’t her business.
They waited for a couple of minutes until Heather came outside and sat beside Carol. “Let’s get going then, shall we? ” Carol said, starting the engine, “Conner will be waiting for us.”

“This van is much larger than your old minivan,” noted Heather.

Carol replied, “It seemed we never had enough room for the kids and their friends, so we traded it in for this model to fit everyone inside.
On the way to Connor’s house, the van was noisy with all the chatting. Nancy and George were busy chatting while watching NFL news on their phones. Heather and Carol talked about the many things they would do today. Erinna and Oliver started to speak, but Erinna was nervous and used the conversation with Oliver as a distraction. In the middle of her conversation with Heather, Carol mentioned Erinna’s phone, and she questioned giving Erinna such an expensive phone since she didn’t want Oliver to feel jealous.

“Oh, no worries, the iPhone has strict rules, and Erinna understands that. I won’t let my daughter wander the Internet without me knowing what she is watching and doing all the time. I have placed a parental lock on the phone, and it has tracking, so I always know where she is. Heather explained to Carol that there are also internet restrictions and no social media apps until Erina is 13.”

Carol nodded happily. If she bought Oliver an iPhone, he wouldn’t feel less than his friend; with that setup, she could feel comfortable with her son having such a phone. Besides, they already had brand new tablets, even though they mostly used them for school.

The van stopped in front of the Turner’s house, where Connor and Shelby stood before their mother, Rachel. She was a bit younger than Heather and Carol, being 35 years old. You could tell that Connor was her son, a younger version of her, only with his hair cut shorter.

Oliver and Erinna looked surprised and didn’t expect Shelby to come with them either. Erinna was a bit nervous. Everyone’s reaction was good, but she still worried about Shelby and Connor’s response. After telling them to be on their best behavior, Rachel let Shelby and Connor walk to the van while taking their bags to put them in the back.

Shelby and Connor spotted Erinna simultaneously and looked at her, confused in awkward silence. Shelby was first to break the silence exclaiming how cute Erinna looked in that outfit. Erinna couldn’t help but blush a bit as Shelby continued her praise. Connor didn’t show any adverse reaction, but his face showed surprise and confusion.

“Why are you dressed up like a girl?” Connor asked. He tried not to sound rude to his friend, but he was curious to know why his friend looked like a girl.

Immediately Shelby punched him in the ribs. “Connor,” Shelby scolded as they both looked at Erinna, waiting to see if she would answer or not. “You don’t have to answer that question,” Shelby informed Erinna.

While driving, Carol couldn’t help but look in the mirror, waiting to see how Erinna would respond. By now, the conversation had all of Heather’s attention, while both George and Nancy also looked behind them, trying to see how Erinna would respond.

Feeling all eyes on her, Erinna took a deep breath before letting it out. “I have TSS, and I have to live as a girl from now on,” Erinna answered curtly, making it clear she was not doing this because she wanted to. “My name is now Erinna.”

Sensing her discomfort, Oliver reached and held her hand tightly, trying to comfort her.

“Sorry, I was just curious,” Connor said apologetically. He never wanted to cause discomfort for his friend, especially Erinna. She was an exceptional friend and was very brave in an inspiring way. After all, standing up to his stepbrother Oscar took a lot of courage.

Having a heart bigger than her body, as her mom used to say, Erinna found no need for Connor to apologize. She was thankful that Connor and Shelby had accepted her, and Shelby seemed to like how Erinna had dressed. Now that Erinna’s secret was out, she decided to go into details and was about to tell her friends about what had happened.
To Erinna’s surprise, the van stopped again, but not in front of the mall where the theatre should be. She looked out the window to see Dakota, Steven, Ron, and Walter standing together. She became nervous but couldn’t show it since Oliver was also worried.

Oliver didn’t have any other friends outside their group, and Carol wanted to change that. Not being close friends with the three boys, Oliver was a bit nervous, and Erinna took it upon herself to hold his hand tightly and reassuringly. Everyone climbed into the van at the same time, Dakota was the first to see Erinna, and she first smirked at Erinna and then grinned.

“I knew you would look good in a skirt,” Dakota teased Erinna, who just stuck her tongue at her, making her laugh a bit. Like always, Dakota was wearing a pair of jeans with a button-down shirt under her coat. Seeing Erinna dressed like this made a weird feeling start in her stomach. Dakota was also confused about why she enjoyed seeing Erinna dressed as a girl. Dakota couldn’t deny that Erinna had always looked girly and cute, but now she had a warm feeling seeing Erinna like this. After all, Dakota had never been the girly type and preferred to play with the boys.

Everyone entered the van, and all except Dakota looked surprised at seeing Erinna dressed like a girl. Wanting to save her daughter from embarrassment again, Heather loudly explained the situation, “Listen, kids, Ryan tested positive for TSS. By law, she must now become a girl and now goes by the name Erinna, so please understand.”

“That’s too bad. Are you ok?” Both Ron and Walter asked in unison, making everyone laugh. Ron and Walter were stepbrothers who shared a nickname, ‘the twins.’ Since they were babies, they had been friends; they spoke, ate together, and not surprisingly lived together. They were more like brothers than friends. Even Erinna’s classmates, who were actual twins, never acted like them.

“Do you two always speak in unison?” Carol asked, a bit amused. She thought Erinna and Oliver were exaggerating when they called them the twins but now, she’d started to change her mind.

“Not always,” came the reply in unison from both of them. The twin’s answer caused another round of laughter as everyone settled down. Excited chatter started in the van while Oliver and Steven remained quiet most of the time until Erinna ensured she brought them into the conversation.

The other children asked Erinna many questions, most of which were just curious questions, and no one seemed to ask anything weird. Steven and Connor both asked a question that surprised Erinna.
“How do you feel about now being a girl?”

“It’s still a little weird for me since I’m adjusting to my new gender,” she replied. “Give me some time to get used to this.”

Eventually, the van parked near the mall entrance closest to the movie theatre. They entered the mall and walked toward the theatre, and Heather and Carol bought them their tickets.

“Alright, kids, Nancy and George are in charge. Make sure you listen to them, and we will do some shopping while you watch the movie,” Heather announced as she handed everyone their tickets. “They will buy you popcorn and drinks.” With that, Heather and Carol left George and Nancy in charge of the kids, knowing they were capable of taking care of them.

Erinna could feel eyes staring at her as they entered the theatre, but she just dismissed it. George, however, could see those eyes, and he didn’t like it. George moved behind Erinna, blocking the view of the group of boys who were eyeing his sister. They looked to be 12 or 13 years old, and with Erinna being the same height as them, he was sure she could easily be mistaken for a girl their age. He didn’t like that.

Nancy didn’t miss George’s actions or why he was doing them, and she appreciated him all the more. The way he wanted to protect his little sister, even from the boys’ stares, was adorable. After everyone got popcorn and a drink, they entered the theatre and took their seats, waiting for the movie to start.

•••••••••••••

Heather and Carol walked through the mall, entering various shops. Heather seemed determined to buy a completely new wardrobe for Erinna, not that Carol minded.
“Are you sure she won’t need to try these on?” Carol asked as they carried multiple outfits they had bought for Erinna.

“No, I am sure of her size. We just measured Erinna this morning,” Heather said as she paid for the clothes they bought. “What she needs more than anything is shoes, and I know the perfect place,” Heather excitedly said. Both Carol and Heather walked back to the van, leaving the shopping bags in the back.

Both of them returned to the mall, with Heather leading the way. They walked into a woman’s shoe store. It wasn’t full of customers like many other stores, but there were many lovely shoe styles, and the prices weren’t higher. That’s what Carol observed at first. Of course, that was nothing compared to the flamboyant young clerk who soon approached them. The clerk was a boy probably in his early twenties, but that was not what caught Carol’s attention.

The clerk wore tight-fitting black shorts, black tights, and a pair of 4-inch spike-heeled boots. He wore a white satin blouse as a top. His short brown hair was in a neat cut, with the sides and back shaved closer than the rest of his hair. The young man had covered his face in light makeup. Even with the makeup, Carol could tell he was a man. Carol was surprised that he didn’t try to hide the fact that he was a boy.

“Hi, Mrs. Huston, good afternoon. How are you today, ma’am?” The young clerk said, smiling, surprising Carol even further.

“Joshua, I am fine. You look good today,” Heather complimented Joshua, making him smile. “This is Mrs. Collins. She’s my friend, Carol. Joshua works here, and his aunt owns this store; he’s also a client of mine.” Joshua held his beautifully manicured hand towards Carol, who shook his hand in surprise.
“We have a new collection if you ladies want to see it. I know you will like it, Mrs. Huston,” Joshua spoke in a feminine, soft tone. Even though his Adam’s apple was clearly visible, he didn’t have a deep voice like his peers.

“Thank you, Joshua. Maybe another day; I am here to buy something for my daughter Erinna,” Heather announced.

This statement made Joshua look confused. He didn’t know that Heather had a daughter but remembered seeing one of her sons. The boy looked feminine and was a younger version of Heather. He also had Heather’s eye for fashion. He would look around their store with curiosity, even if the store only carried women’s footwear. Still, he had said he was a boy, so Joshua didn’t ask. He was not someone who would judge after all.

“Oh, I never knew you had a daughter. May I ask what exactly you are looking for?” Joshua asked, feeling a bit disappointed. He would have preferred if Heather had brought her daughter along, so he could help get the proper size that would fit her the best.

“I would like to look at your preteen shoe collection. I am sure you can help us. You have seen my daughter here a couple of times with me,” Heather explained, making Joshua more confused than before. Then his face looked surprised, and a smile spread across his face.

“I see, so that lovely young lady was your daughter. I am glad you decided to try shoes from here,” Joshua said before turning around and hurrying away on his heels.

Heather followed him closely behind, with a smiling Carol walking beside her. Walking over to a shelf, Joshua started pulling out boxes. “If I am correct, she’s size five, right?” Joshua asked Heather rhetorically as he kept removing the shoeboxes from the shelves. Joshua had this exceptional talent; he could tell a customer’s shoe size from one look at their feet and which styles suited them the most. “First things first,” Joshua said, opening one of the boxes.

A pair of Mary Jane black patent girl’s low-heel dress shoes were in the box, complete with a rhinestone strap. They were pretty, and Joshua knew Heather would like them, and he was also sure Erinna would like them. He never once thought he could be wrong. After all, Erinna used to look around the store with a curiosity that Joshua would call passionate.

Heather picked up the shoes and started to scrutinize them. “They look great. Can I see what else you have here?” Heather excitedly asked, met with a smile and a nod from Joshua. He happily opened every shoebox while Heather and Carol would carefully examine the contents.

•••••••••••••

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Heather and Carol walked out of the shoe store with six shopping bags, all of them full of shoes only. Joshua smiled at them as they walked out of the store and turned to do his job. Then, Carol finally realized his feminine waist and hips, which was different from Carol’s first judgment. She was even more confused now and sure she had seen a bra through his blouse.

“So, what’s the story behind Joshua, I mean, his face and body don’t say he’s a male at all, but still, with the short hair and Adam’s apple, I must say he confused me a bit,” Carol explained as they both headed to the van. He was curvy in a way a male shouldn’t be. Also, his voice seemed soft and clear with a feminine pitch; she was now curious about Joshua.

Heather shook her head and sighed, remembering the case where she had represented Joshua. It was painful; Joshua could barely walk at that time.

“It’s a long story, Carol, and I will tell you about it later. Joshua has a female body due to an unlawful gender reassignment surgery conducted on him two years ago. He’s just slowly feminizing gradually,” Heather explained to Carol, who looked slightly apologetic for her question.

She liked the way Joshua dressed. She knew Oliver would never want to wear anything like that, and he was more than happy to avoid any feminine clothes. It was outrageous and unethical that someone had forcibly changed another person’s gender. She knew that Heather must have won the case, and she was glad it was Heather since she had never seen her lose. Heather never lost a court case as a prosecutor or a defense attorney.

They walked to the van and put the bags with all the others.

“We certainly got her a lot of new clothes,” Carol commented as they closed the van’s back doors.

“Yes, and she still needs more clothes,” Heather grinned.

Carol just shook her head and smiled.

“The movie should be over by now; let’s go join the kids in the food court.”

Carol nodded in agreement. Both of them walked to the food court.

••••••••••••

Everyone came out of the theatre excitedly; they all liked the movie. Since Heather didn’t allow her to drink soda, Erinna had consumed two cans of juice. She and Dakota were not allowed to drink soda which their coaches decided. Knowing that Erinna was not allowed to drink soda, Oliver agreed to get juice. Out of habit, Erinna had finished her juice almost immediately and only had popcorn. Oliver, who made sure to take his seat next to Erinna, realized that and handed Erinna his juice.

Erinna regretted not going to the bathroom during the break before the movie resumed. She urgently had to go to the restroom. After informing Nancy, Erinna dashed to the lady’s room. She stopped in front of the bathrooms, almost entered the men’s restroom by mistake, and Erinna entered the lady’s room with a sigh. She was four years old the last time she was in a lady’s room with her mom.

Entering the lady’s room, Erinna was nervous and could hear the sound of two women inside. She was expecting the same look she had received in the men’s restroom. Erinna pushed the door, entered the lady’s room, and two older teen girls were fixing their makeup. They briefly looked at her when she entered but then returned to what they were doing. Erinna’s first impression of the Women’s room was that it was so clean and didn’t smell of urine, like a Men’s room.

Erinna walked into one of the empty stalls, locked the door, and pulled her tights and panties down. She pulled her skirt up as she had no time to unbutton it and lower it. Erinna then sat down to finish her business. Once she finished, Erinna walked out of the stall to see a teen girl fixing her makeup. Erinna let her mind wander for a moment and imagined herself applying her makeup in the teen girl’s place. She immediately shook her head, dismissing the idea. She sighed, walked to the sink, and washed her hands before drying them.

Before she left the restroom, Erinna observed no urinals there, which was why the room smelled so much better, and it was nice not to be reminded of her disability as she saw it. After all, Erinna still thought of herself as Ryan, the 10-year-old boy. While all the other boys her age could pee standing, she couldn’t, so she saw it as a disability.

Walking out of the lady’s room, Erinna didn’t realize the eyes that followed her. She was suddenly aware of the company when a group of boys blocked her way. Erinna just gave them a blank and confused look. The three boys looked like nothing special. She thought Oliver looked way better than any of them since he looked cute. Erinna was shocked; she couldn’t believe that she just thought Oliver was attractive.

“Hi, baby, going somewhere?” said one of the boys. He was tall but very skinny, unlike the boy she was comparing him to. He didn’t measure up and was nowhere near Oliver’s level.

Dismissing her thoughts, Erinna kept walking, ignoring the group of boys. The boys didn’t leave her alone and stood in front as they continued to block her way. Erinna rolled her eyes; she was getting annoyed and was ready to fight them if necessary.

“Come on, baby, don’t be like that; at least give us your number,” another boy said. He was of average height but seemed to have a slightly pudgy belly, he looked normal, but his attitude told Erinna he was an idiot.

Erinna was not ready for what came next. She felt a hand on her butt, and she squealed in surprise. She quickly reacted, punching the boy in the face, making him groan, and holding his bloody nose. Erinna was surprised at her reaction, but the boy deserved it.

“You bitch!” one of the other boys said, grabbing Erinna’s hand. She was new to all of this but was already fearless enough to continue to cause much pain to these boys if need be.

Before Erinna could react, the boy was roughly pushed away. She saw Oliver standing between her and the two boys as the third one was too busy trying to stop his nose from bleeding.

“Leave her alone,” Oliver shouted confidently, surprising Erinna and even him. Oliver was never that confident, but when he saw the boys surrounding Erinna, something inside of him clicked, and he wasn’t about to stand aside.

“I believe he said leave her alone. Maybe I didn’t hear it right,” came the voice of an angry George from behind the boys. He put one hand on each of the boys’ shoulders and squeezed hard, causing the boys to moan in pain. The boys turned their heads and looked upward to see George’s face. He had a smile on his face, but it was not a pleasant smile at all.

“Now, why don’t you boys all piss off and leave my sister alone?” George said, squeezing their shoulders even harder. The boys tried to remove his hands, but George’s grip was far too firm for them to break from it.

“I will release my hands, and you will take your friend and get out of my sight, or you will both have a bloody nose, just like your friend there. I don’t want to see your faces again and stay away from my sister,” George growled in his developing but deeply pitched muscular voice. He was trying so hard not to hurt these boys; he didn’t appreciate someone messing with his sister, and he wouldn’t deal kindly with anyone who did. Both boys nodded, frightened by George. When George released his hands, the boys quickly took their friend and scurried away in a hurry.

George let out a sigh as the boys hurriedly left. He tried so hard not to lose his temper. George could’ve made them scream and easily break their bones, but he didn’t want to cause trouble. However, if they had laid their hands on Erinna, George wouldn’t have been able to hold back and seriously hurt those boys. “Are you both okay?” George asked. Both Erinna and Oliver nodded as George let out a sigh. “Let’s go back then.”

They followed George back to where everyone was sitting. They were all sitting around a table in the food court when Heather and Carol joined them.

Heather could see that Erinna was bothered about something and that George looked slightly angry. She feared that something had happened between them, and her heart broke just from the thought. They were always good together, and she didn’t want to see them fighting for any reason. George was always the protective older brother, and Erinna adored and loved him more than anything. She had to find a way to talk to these two; she couldn’t let them stay like this. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head, and she was glad they gave Erinna a phone. Quickly, Heather pulled her phone out and texted both George and Erinna.

George’s and Erinna’s phones chimed as they took their phones out. They both read the text messages and looked at Heather, who stood up and pointed at them with her eyes. Both George and Erinna were confused; they didn’t know what was happening since they rarely got in trouble, and when they did, it was nothing serious. The three of them made an excuse and walked away. Both of them followed Heather and stopped near the restrooms.

Heather turned; she looked disappointed. “Did you two fight?”

Both George and Erinna looked at each other confused, fighting was out of the question for both of them, and they didn’t understand why Heather reached this assumption. “Mom, why would we fight? Everything is good between us; besides, I would never fight my little sister,” George stated confidently.

Looking into his eyes, Heather could tell George was not lying, but she knew her children very well. She could tell something was not right; something was bothering them. She didn’t know if she would interrogate them for more information or not. In the end, Heather decided to push for information. “Okay, so, what exactly happened?”
Heather saw a flash of anger in George’s eyes for a second; he was usually calm and wouldn’t easily get angered. It told Heather whatever happened was very upsetting for George.

“Some boys were bothering Erinna, and I told them to leave her alone and go away... gently,” George explained as Heather’s eyes grew wide.

Her fears for the second time today came true, but at least George was there. Now, it made sense why he was angry, and she was hoping that the boys were not seriously injured. Knowing George, he wouldn’t have hesitated to protect Erinna. “Are you okay, sweetie?” Heather said, kneeling to face her daughter. She could see the tears forming in her eyes. Heather immediately scooped her into a hug as Erinna started to cry.

Erinna didn’t even understand why she was crying; she was okay a couple of seconds ago. Yes, what the boys did, bothered her, but she didn’t feel like crying a second ago.

“It’s alright. Did those boys do anything?” Heather pulled Erinna to arm’s length, trying to assess if she was okay or not; she could see that Erinna was physically okay. “If anything ever happens, don’t be ashamed to talk to me about it, okay, sweetie?” Heather wanted to teach Erinna a lesson for the future. If she told her mom about incidents like this, she would avoid keeping it locked away. Heather hoped Erinna wouldn’t have to tell her about future happenings. Like any good mom, she only wished the best for her daughter.

Erinna nodded a bit, sniffling. “Th-they. They touched my bum,” Erinna said, sniffling. George’s face started to turn red from anger upon hearing Erinna, and he clenched his fists. Angry was an understatement for what George felt. He was ready to explode and looked around, hoping those assholes were still nearby.

Heather had seen this look before; it wasn’t good. She had known Jeff before college, and Heather didn’t know him that well and babysat his little sister Madison. When Heather was in her second year in high school, an incident occurred where Maddison was attacked and almost raped by a group of boys. She remembered Jeff’s expression that day. It was like he was ready to explode. Afterward, he confronted that gang and ended up fighting against them; it was brutal, and all the boys received severe injuries.

Fortunately, he didn’t start the fight. He was smart enough to make the boys start the fight. Although, all the boys ended up in the hospital, where they had put his sister like Jeff used to say. His mom, who was a very well-known lawyer, bailed him out. Heather used to look up to her. She was the one who inspired Heather to become interested in the field of law and eventually become known as the iron lady.

Heather reached and held George’s hand. She wouldn’t mind doing the same as Jeff’s mom; they were family and took care of each other. While she did appreciate that he was angry for his little sister and ready to help her, she didn’t want him to do anything he might regret. “Calm down; we will solve this rationally,” Heather commented, calming her son down.

Looking back at Erinna, Heather wiped a tear from her eye. “Tell me, what did they do with details? Can you tell me?” Erinna sniffled and nodded. She started to tell her mom about everything that had happened.

Hearing Erinna’s explanation, Heather couldn’t help but laugh when Erinna said she punched one boy in his face and was about to strike a second one when Oliver arrived.

“Not fair,” Erinna whined a bit and huffed. She was suddenly in a much better mood and didn’t understand why.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, it’s just that I did the same thing to the first boy that went too far while hitting on me,” Heather said, making Erinna giggle while George smiled. She couldn’t help but think how Erinna took a lot after her. She was a kind girl, but she wasn’t the girl who would simply stand and let things happen to her. You didn’t mess with this family.

Heather looked up to George with a broad smile. “I am very proud of you, not only because you protected your sister but also because you held your temper and didn’t act rashly.” Heather’s eyes turned again to Erinna, and she kissed her forehead. “Next time, aim for the eyes. It will leave a good mark,” Heather joked, making Erinna giggle. “Now, as an excuse for our absence, we should buy everyone a drink. What do you think?” George and Erinna agreed to their mom’s plan and followed her to the food court.

As they walked back to the food court, a name pulled Erinna’s attention. It was a store showing a goat’s head on a green sign. The store’s name was ‘Kilo Kebab.’ It was the name kebab that attracted her attention. The store displayed Mint Lemonade drinks on a sign at the front of the store.

“Mommy, mommy look,” Erinna said, pointing to the restaurant.

It took Heather one look to understand what made Erinna so excited. “I haven’t seen this store before. Maybe we can buy food and drinks for everyone, you know, and share this experience with the others.” With that, the three of them ordered food and drinks for everyone. They decided on Kofta wraps and a small Tahini salad for everyone and Mint Lemonade for drinks.

Ten minutes later, the three returned with the food and drinks; Carol looked at them quizzically as they approached the table where everyone was sitting. She was confused since they had been gone for so long and was beginning to get worried. “What took you so long?”

“Oh, nothing. Princess spotted a restaurant similar to what we had yesterday, so we decided to bring food and drinks,” Heather announced, showing everyone what they had bought. Erinna blushed a bit as Heather called her Princess, but she couldn’t protest. She was the family Princess, and so far, she was enjoying her new nickname.

•••••••••••••

Thank you for reading my story. I hope you are enjoying it. Please tell me if you like it and how I think I could improve it. Any comments or thoughts on the story are appreciated. I would love to hear from you.

As a typical starving Uni student, I would appreciate any donations made through my Pay Pal account.

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Carol drove the van, stopping first in front of the Huston’s house. George and Jeff removed the shopping bags from the back.

“Alright, I will just help Erinna pack her bag and bring her over,” Heather said, leaving the van followed by Erinna.

When Erinna stepped into the house, Jeff quickly lifted her in the air as she squealed loudly. Jeff held Erinna in his arms and spun her around, making her giggle.

“I’ve caught you now,” Jeff said as he started to tickle Erinna making her giggle even more and try to wiggle out of his grip.

“Daaaaaddy, stop it,” Erinna whined, making Jeff chuckle and put her down.

“Thank you,” Erinna sighed, making Jeff chuckle again. Erinna just huffed and walked up to her room, where her mom was backing a backpack for her.

Heather packed a couple of pairs of underwear, a camisole, and a silky blue nightie with long sleeves. Heather then turned to Erinna and smiled. “You will be having breakfast outside tomorrow. Would you like to have pants or a skirt?” Heather said, taking out a couple of skinny jeans and a couple of skirts with matching tops.

Erinna looked at the skirts and the jeans that Heather had laid out. She started to think for a second; jeans were not a new experience, but skirts were. She didn’t hate the skirts while she didn’t like them either; she wanted to get used to them. With that in mind, Erinna spoke. “I think I will wear a skirt, mommy,” Erinna replied, surprising Heather a bit.

Heather didn’t expect Erinna to choose a skirt again, but she smiled when Erinna did. “Alright then, let’s get a package of tights as well; which skirt would you like to wear then?”

Erinna looked puzzled again but decided on a denim grey skirt with a black sweater. Heather added a package of black tights to the pack and put a sleeping bag next to Erinna’s backpack.

With the backpack ready, they both walked downstairs, where George stood waiting for Erinna. He was to walk her to the Collins’ house since it was already past six and it was getting dark outside. They used to do this with Erinna as a boy and would not stop it with Erinna as a girl. They had even more reason to do this now that they knew Erinna would have the boys’ eyes on her.

Arriving at Collins’s house, Erinna could see Carla getting down from a motorcycle. She took off her helmet and handed it to an older boy, who looked around 18 or 19. George recognized him from the bike; it was Johnny, Carla’s big brother. He was someone that George liked to hang out with, even with the four-year age gap between them. He was cool, and George enjoyed hanging out with older boys.

Johnny took off his helmet and spoke to Carla before they were close enough for Johnny to see them. “Yoh, George, nice game yesterday, man,” Johnny commented. Johnny is a star player on the basketball team at his university, and he played point guard and was the team captain even with being a freshman.

“You saw that? I thought you guys had a game yesterday?” George replied as Johnny parked his motorcycle, and they both walked with Erinna and Carla to the front door.

“I watched it after the match; why did you get so angry when he tackled player number 7?” Johnny said, making both Erinna and Carla giggle while George blushed. Johnny smirked at George’s face; he knew that player number 7 was a girl, although he didn’t realize it was Nancy until he saw George’s reaction.

“Oh, I see.”

Blushing hard, George knocked on Collin’s front door, and Carol immediately opened it. Carol stood looking at them and smiled.

“Carla, Erinna come on in,” Carol said, stepping aside to let the girls walk into the house. “Now, girls, Oliver doesn’t know this yet, but we are celebrating an early birthday party for him,” Carol said, and both girls looked at each other, confused since they didn’t have any gifts.

Although Erinna had bought him a gift, his birthday was still two days away, so she didn’t bring the present. “Mrs. Collins, I left Oliver’s gift at home; I didn’t bring it with me,” Erinna confessed, walking into the house with Carla. She wouldn’t have come to Oliver’s birthday party without a gift, especially how he tried to defend her today; it made her feel warm from the inside.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. Your moms already gave them to me,” Carol said, increasing the girls’ confusion even more. “Oh, by the way, you two should come in as well, no arguments,” Carol said to the boys who were standing outside. Both had nothing to do, so they really couldn’t argue.

All of them hung their coats and settled into the living room. George was worried about not bringing a gift to Oliver, who was like a little brother to him. They walked into the living room, and an unfamiliar face was waiting for them. A boy around 12 years old with brown hair and brown eyes was sitting on a sofa. His eyes immediately settled on Carla and Erinna, and both realized he was staring at them, but they decided to ignore him. However, Johnny and George gave him the best nasty glare they could muster. They didn’t appreciate someone staring at their sisters.

“Carla, thank you for coming,” Nancy said as she entered the room. There were only two years between them, and they were close friends. Leaving that aside, Nancy helped Carla settle down and embrace her new femininity since she had been in the same situation.

“Everyone, this is Brandon, our cousin. He will stay with us for a while until my Aunt and Uncle return from Australia,” Nancy introduced the boy, who smiled.

Nancy could see the mean glares from both Johnny and George, which made her roll her eyes. She knew there was only one thing that would make them both upset. Nancy couldn’t believe that her cousin had just arrived not two hours ago and he was already causing trouble. She hoped he wouldn’t pull any of his stupid stunts in front of these two.

Oliver chose this moment to enter the room with everyone else. They were all laughing, but the moment Oliver saw his cousin, his face dropped. He was not looking forward to this.

“Oliver, can you show us your Avatar in the game? I want to see your new gun,” Ron spoke, and everyone nodded in agreement.

“Sissies, don’t play video games. Why don’t you go play with your dolls or something,” Brandon mocked, making Oliver shift uncomfortably in his place. He hated Brandon for a reason.

Everyone in the room glared at Brandon, but he didn’t seem to care. Nancy sighed and shook her head while Erinna wanted to do nothing more than punch him in the face. George was upset at Brandon. Here was this boy he had just met, who called his adopted little brother a sissy, but then an idea popped into his mind. It was an evil idea, but he would make Brandon pay for his nasty comments.

“If you are going to call someone else a sissy, you have to prove that you’re a man yourself. I am sure everyone here will agree,” George said with a smirk. Everyone in the room agreed with George’s idea. “Since everyone here agrees, you must prove that you’re a man, or else you can’t call someone a sissy when you’re the real sissy here,” George teased, playing on Brandon’s insecurities. He was going to make him pay for what he said.

“I’m not a sissy, and I will do whatever you want to prove it,” Brandon said confidently, not realizing how he was falling right into George’s trap.

“Alright, to prove that you’re a man, you must defeat Dakota, my sister Erinna and Oliver in an arm wrestle, but if you lose against all three, you must stay dressed as a girl until the holidays end. Deal?”

“What do I get when I beat everyone?”

“Oliver will have to dress like a girl.” Oliver’s expression was one of shock, and his face went white.

George had picked the three of them, knowing that Brandon couldn’t refuse to play against a girl and both Erinna and Dakota looked way stronger than Brandon. He also wouldn’t refuse to play against Oliver, and George knew Oliver would easily win.

“Don’t tell me you’re so scared you won’t do it?” George said, adding more fuel to the fire.

“Fine, I will do it,” Brandon replied, leaving his seat. Just as George had predicted, he was overconfident in his ability to defeat the three of them, and not once did he realize the trap George had laid out for him.

“Who’s first?” Brandon asked.

“Let’s pull this table out, and then Dakota will go first,” George said and left his seat to get a small table from the corner of the room, placing it at the center of the room, making sure it was in the full view of everyone. George looked at Dakota, and she was hesitant at first, unsure if she could win against someone two years older, but she just grinned and decided to do it anyway.

Dakota left her seat and approached the table where Brandon had already seated himself, with his hand waiting. Dakota sat on the floor in front of the table, put her arm in position, and the game started. She struggled a bit at first, but then her arm began to push Brandon’s arm down until it touched the table.

“You lost round one. Now you will face my sister, Erinna,” George said, looking at Erinna with a smug smile. She was enjoying this.

Erinna confidently sat in front of the table, placed her arm, and waited for Brandon to recover from his loss. He put up a good fight against Erinna once he was over his initial shock, but he failed miserably. For two or three minutes, Erinna kept her arm locked in place, and no matter how much force Brandon tried to apply, Erinna’s arm didn’t budge. Feeling bad for humiliating Brandon too much, Erinna decided to end it. She slowly put pressure on Brandon’s arm until it was flat on the table.

“So, that’s round two. I am sure Nancy will be able to find a cute skirt for you. Who knows, maybe some other accessories as well,” George mocked, causing Brandon’s face to turn red from embarrassment.

Nancy just smiled and nodded, adding to Brandon’s shame. Oliver was her favorite; he didn’t have a foul mouth as the rest of them did, and he was much nicer and more intelligent than most. When Oliver was still a girl, Brandon and his cousins constantly tried to bully him. They also tried to bully Nancy, but she was a tough target for her cousins, so they gave up quickly.

“Now, Oliver, why don’t you take your place? I want to see how strong Brandon is,” taunted George as he encouraged Oliver.

Oliver was slightly nervous; he wasn’t sure he could win against Brandon. He, however, was not sure about this. Brandon made a big mistake in underestimating Dakota and Erinna, as both were athletic girls. Oliver took his place in front of Brandon, who glared at Oliver as he put up his hand.

Oliver closed his eyes and held Brandon’s hand firmly, causing Brandon to almost yelp. Oliver’s grip almost crushed his hand. Oliver waited for George to say start and gave it everything he had. He kept his eyes closed, and within seconds he heard a thud. Oliver opened his eyes to see Brandon’s arm flat on the table. He was amazed and delighted. The whole room cheered while Brandon was in shock and was unable to speak.

“Be a man enough and hold up your end of the deal,” mocked Johnny adding to Braedon’s shame. “Unless, of course, you want to face someone your age. In that case, I am sure Carla would be more than happy to prove to everyone how much of a sissy you are,” taunted Johnny.

Brandon almost cried; he was utterly humiliated and couldn’t find a way out of his predicament. Brandon always had a big mouth, and usually, no one would bully him, but today it was the other way around. Two ten-year-old girls and Oliver, whom he considered a sissy, had soundly defeated him. Brandon tried to protest, but since both George and Johnny kept the pressure on him, he finally capitulated and followed Nancy upstairs to her room to accept his fate.

“So, Oliver, I believe you were about to show them your avatar in the game, right?” George asked, gaining everyone’s attention.

Oliver just smiled and walked to where the game console was. Oliver had received this expensive game console as a gift from his uncle when he came to live here, and it was the 4th generation VG console. Aside from the large 65” screen, surround sound speakers, and wireless controllers, it had advanced VR headsets, making you feel like you were inside the game.

Turning on the device, Oliver logged into his favorite game, New Total World or NTW, an open-world game with many different weapons and skills. He used two Scimitar swords, each in one hand, and a machine gun hung on his back. Oliver displayed his Avatar on the screen.

“Wow, those are legendary swords with a maximum buff. How did you do that?” Steven asked, observing Oliver’s Avatar.

Everyone looked at Steven, surprised since no one had expected the quiet and usually shy Steven to be a fan of this video game.

“I got help from a pro,” Oliver answered simply with a smirk glancing toward Erinna. Erinna and George had a big VG console, but they usually played the game on their regular console in their bedrooms.

“That’s not fair, you’re not even a general rank, and you have three legendary weapons,” Dakota said with obvious jealousy in her tone. “Who helped you? Come on, tell me, please.”

“She’s sitting with us in this room, and she doesn’t even want to help her big brother with it,” George commented, laughing. Erinna turned and stuck her tongue at him, making everyone laugh.

“Come to think of it; I have never seen Erinna’s Avatar. How come you have never shown it to us?” Dakota quizzed, looking at Erinna, who just gulped.

There was an excellent reason Erinna didn’t want to show her Avatar in the game.

“I can show it to you from my friend list,” said Oliver cheekily, making Erinna glare at him. Before she could protest, however, Oliver was already going through his friend list until he stopped in front of Erinna’s account and brought it up on the screen. Ruby was the character’s name, a female character with a long red riding hood, a white top, a red kilted skirt, a scythe in her hand, and a sniper rifle on her back. The Avatar had the same hair and eye color as Erinna.

“No way,” Dakota said with eyes wide and mouth open. This user, Ruby, was legendary in the game. Ruby was one of the few mythical ranked accounts, and she was quite possibly the highest-ranked Avatar in the NTW game. Many companies interested in holding E-sports tournaments had tried to contact Ruby’s owner for a long time but to no avail.

“You’re Ruby? The Red Riding Hood?” Dakota asked, trying to contain her shock.

Erinna blushed but looked at Dakota with confusion. “Who’s Red Riding Hood? I only have one Avatar and one account named Ruby,” Erinna responded. She played the game for fun, so she permanently blocked everyone who tried to contact her with an offer.

Dakota slapped her forehead as everyone laughed. “Seriously? You don’t even know your nickname? Don’t you realize how famous you, Ruby - The Red Riding Hood, are in NTW? You are legendary in the game.”

Dakota looked at Erinna, trying to tell if she was serious or not. She only groaned when Erinna’s expression showed that she was oblivious to her fame.

“Dakota, why are you groaning like that?” Nancy said, entering the room, with Brandon trying to hide behind her. “Stop trying to hide,” Nancy said, pulling Brandon out in front of her, “You don’t even look bad.”

Brandon was wearing a straight brown skirt with a green blouse. A pair of white tights covered his legs, and a couple of black flats were on his feet. Nancy had brushed Brandon’s long brown hair, and he was wearing a black headband on his head. Brandon looked like a cute teen girl with light makeup on her face. A pretty necklace, clip-on earrings, and bracelets completed the look.

“Well, I didn’t say you had to look that good, but don’t you bully Oliver ever again, or we’ll make you look like a real sissy,” George commented, looking a bit surprised at how good Brandon looked as a cute teen girl. Unlike Oliver, who was already developing a muscular body, Brandon had almost no muscles.

Poor Brandon, his secret was out when Nancy forced him to undress. Now, even Carol knew about his secret, and she would talk about it with Erwin and see what they could do for the boy.

“You look so cute, Brandon. Why are you embarrassed?” said Carol, as she pushed a cart with a cake on it, and Erwin followed behind her. When his eyes fell on Brandon, he looked surprised at first, but then Nancy whispered something to him, and he just smiled and shook his head.

“Why is this cake here?” Oliver asked, looking at the cake, confused. With eleven candles on it, it was clear to everyone that it was a birthday cake.

“So, Oliver, you forgot that your birthday is in two days?” Carol teased, making Oliver blush a bit but smile widely. He celebrated his last birthday alone with his new family, Nancy, Erwin, and Carol. A small party was fun, but Oliver never had many friends. It was his second birthday as a boy, and he hoped he wouldn’t get any more girly gifts that he never liked.

“Now, why don’t we light the candles before opening your gifts,” Erwin said, placing the box he was carrying that was full of gifts on the floor in front of Oliver.

Carol lit the candles, and everyone sang happy birthday to Oliver.

“Make a wish,” said Nancy, as she smiled at Oliver.

Oliver closed his eyes and made a wish. Oliver wished all the people he loved would stay with him forever. One person, in particular, was very special to him, and Oliver wanted to keep close to her. His feelings toward her were strong, and he knew he couldn’t ignore them. “I wish Erinna will be attracted to me as much as I am to her, and I will love everyone in my new family forever,” Oliver silently wished and blew out the candles.

•••••••••••••

Thank you for reading my story. I hope you are enjoying it. Please tell me if you like it and how I think I could improve it. Any comments or thoughts on the story are appreciated. I would love to hear from you.

As a typical starving Uni student, I would appreciate any donations made through my Pay Pal account.

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After blowing out the candles, Erwin brought the box of gifts and put it in front of Oliver. “Before you open anyone else’s gift, this is a special present from me, I have bought you some other gifts as well, but this one is different. You’re a man now, and every man needs at least a dozen of these.” Erwin handed Oliver a small black box.

Oliver looked at the box, then at Erwin, confused, he then opened the box, and his eyes widened at what he saw. In the box was a Baltic Aquascape wristwatch. Oliver knew it was an expensive watch, but he didn’t realize it was over $500. He didn’t expect such a costly gift.

Being called a man made him even happier; he had always felt jealous of boys. As a boy, he only needed a shirt and trousers to look good. Unlike girls, he didn’t need to worry about how well his outfit was a good match or had to wear any makeup.

Opening the gifts, Oliver received a couple of other expensive gifts. He knew Erinna’s present when he saw that it was a pair of Bluetooth headphones, and he knew that Erinna must have spent a lot of her savings to buy him this gift. He turned to Erinna to say thanks, and she winked back at him.

Oliver received another two wristwatches. Though they were not as expensive as the first one, they weren’t cheap either. Oliver looked strangely at Erwin.

“I’m not complaining, but I think you got me way too many wristwatches.”
Erwin laughed, saying, “A man can never have enough watches.”

Both George and Johnny just shook their heads and smiled. Erwin enjoyed having a son again, though he loved Nancy, and his feelings never changed towards her when she became a girl.

Once Oliver opened his gifts, George stood up and looked at Erwin nervously. He needed to do this.

“Mr. and Mrs. Collins, may I please speak to you privately?” George nervously asked, trying his best not to stutter. Although his legs were shaking, he was determined to ask for this. Both Carol and Erwin looked at George inquisitively.

Carol and Erwin agreed to follow George out of the room, where they waited for George to speak to them. For some reason, the ordinarily confident George looked nervous.

“Is something wrong, honey?” Carol asked, sensing George’s nervousness.

“Mr. and Mrs. Collins, I am asking for your permission to ask Nancy out on a date, and I can’t do it without having your permission,” George said, exhaling loudly. Halfway done, he still needed to wait for their answer. While he wasn’t sure of their response, he really couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Carol smiled; her answer was obviously, yes. She couldn’t blame Nancy for having those feelings for George. He was a great boy, unlike those idiot jocks, and he used his head before his muscles. In her opinion, Nancy couldn’t find any boy better than George. She was just about to say yes when Erwin spoke first.

“No,” Erwin answered.

George felt utterly disappointed. He didn’t know how to describe his feelings, but he felt crushed. George could feel tears welling in his eyes. His feelings towards Nancy were not simple, and he loved her.

“Erwin,” Carol scolded. She knew Erwin loved Nancy and wanted to protect her, but George was a rare catch. Carol was also sure that Nancy would be furious if she heard about this, mad enough that she might stop talking to Erwin. Carol also knew that if Erwin said no, then Oliver would have no chance of dating Erinna in the future. Nancy was not the only one who saw how Oliver and Erinna looked at each other, and what was between them was way beyond friendship.

“I am not done yet. George, “No” would have been my answer if it was anyone else but you. I know you well enough to know that you will protect my daughter and keep her safe,” Erwin completed his sentence, surprising both George and Carol. “And I am sure you won’t disappoint me, right?” Erwin raised his eyebrow while asking.

“Yes, sir, I will make every effort not to disappoint you,” George answered confidently. The confident George was back again. The weight on his shoulders disappeared, and now he could take Nancy openly on a date with her parent’s permission. George entered the living room with a smile that wouldn’t leave his face.

“I guess my future grandsons will be Hustons,” Erwin said with a sigh, making Carol laugh.

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Carol stated, earning a weird look from Erwin. “After all, Jeff’s grandsons will be Collins,” Carol remarked with a smirk.
Jeff treated Erinna like Erwin treated Nancy, and they both wanted to keep the bad boys away from their daughters. She was sure that Oliver would be an exception in Jeff’s case. After knowing what Oliver did today when he defended Erinna, Carol knew without a doubt that Jeff would look at Oliver in a different light.

“What do you mean?” Erwin inquired.

Carol didn’t answer immediately but smiled at him and said, “I will let you think about it.”

George took his seat beside Johnny, who gave the smiling George a wondering look that George just ignored. Instead, George took out his phone and began to text Nancy, not to get everyone’s attention, especially a little she-devil who wouldn’t let it go.

“Meet me by the front door in 5 minutes,” George texted. He felt that asking Nancy out by text was not a good idea.

Nancy’s phone chimed, and she picked it up to see the message from George. She had set up a unique ringtone for him. She looked at the text and back at George with some confusion but answered quickly. “K”

In less than five minutes, Nancy met George at the front door. “What is it?” She inquired, looking at his smiling face, confused.

Holding Nancy’s hands, George asked her, “Will you go out with me on a date?”

Nancy stood there for a second, trying to process what had just happened. She couldn’t believe that George had finally asked her out.

“Are you asking me out on a date?” Nancy asked to be sure she was not hallucinating; this was not her imagination. George just nodded, starting to worry again, wondering if she wanted to date him or not. Nancy squealed excitedly and hugged George kissing him on the lips. Nancy caused all the blood in George’s body to rush to a particular place.

Hiding not too far away from them and holding her phone camera around a corner was a little she-devil recording them.

With a smirk, Erinna walked back to where everyone was sitting. Erinna had tried not to giggle and let them know she was there, and she got away with it. This video of them would be great material to tease George and Nancy; besides, she couldn’t just let Nancy tease Oliver and get away with it.

Later that night, after George and Johnny left, Erinna and the girls retreated to Nancy’s room. Once inside, Erinna tried to flee to the bathroom to change her clothes. “Where are you going?” Shelby asked, catching Erinna before she retreated to the bathroom.

“I want to change in the bathroom,” Erinna replied while trying her best not to look at Shelby, Carla, or Nancy while changing. Dakota had already been in the bathroom to change before they could even get into Nancy’s room.

“Why? It’s only us girls in the room, and there are no boys here,” Shelby argued. Erinna tried to argue but couldn’t find a way to win this argument, and she looked up to Nancy for help, who finally stepped in.
“Now, why don’t we just let Erinna change in the bathroom? She’s still not used to this after all,” explained Nancy. Carla agreed to her suggestion since they were in charge of the girls.

With Nancy and Carla on Erinna’s side, Shelby decided to let it go, and she didn’t want to make it hard on her friend. Erinna then walked into Nancy’s bathroom and closed the door behind her. She took off her sweater and skirt, then struggled to unhook the bra. Once she managed to unhook the bra, Erinna put on her nightie, folded her clothes neatly, and walked out of the bathroom. Erinna walked to her bag with the pile of clothes folded neatly in her hands.

Shelby spotted her bra. “Wow, you’re already wearing bras?” Shelby commented, making Erinna blush and hide the bra under the pile of clothes.

“Um, yes, I do,” replied Erinna awkwardly as she hurried to put her clothes in her bag. She turned to Shelby, sitting on Nancy’s bed while Nancy and Carla were out of the room. “Don’t you also wear a bra?” Erinna asked, desperately trying to divert the attention away from her.

Shelby just shook her head, she was a pretty girl, but she didn’t look much older than her age, had average height for girls her age, and was developing at the same pace as any other girl. “No, silly, I only wear a training bra mine are not big enough for a real bra,” Shelby said, now obviously jealous of her friend. “Show me yours. I want to see them, Please,” Shelby said.

Erinna looked at her, confused, not understanding what Shelby meant. That was until Shelby took off her pajama top, exposing her bare chest. Erinna’s immediate reaction was to turn her head away from Shelby.
“Pull your top back down, please,” Erinna begged, continuing to look away from Shelby.

Shelby huffed and pulled her top back in place. “Come on, and it’s ok to look. Like we’re both girls. I never saw you as a boy before, and now you’re just too cute to be a boy,” Shelby admitted telling the truth. Shelby tiptoed to Erinna, who had still turned away from her.

She surprised Erinna by starting to tickle her. Erinna squealed, jumping away from Shelby, who just giggled. “I knew it,” Shelby said, laughing. Knowing Erinna’s weakness, Shelby started to chase her around the room, with both of them squealing and giggling.
They stopped as the bedroom door opened, and Nancy came in with Carla. Beside them were Dakota and Brandon.

Seeing Brandon coming into the room, Shelby protested. “He can’t stay with us; he’s not a girl.”

Erinna, on the other hand, had realized something else. Brandon seemed uneasy, and it looked like he had been crying, yet he seemed to be a little relieved. She could tell from the expression on his face.

“Now, now, Brandi can’t stay with the boys. It turns out that she’s not a boy after all,” Nancy said, pushing Brandi gently into the room. “Due to issues at home, Brandi will be staying with us, and she will be living here as a girl until the end of the holiday.”

Shelby was not happy about this but decided not to pursue the argument. Nancy promised that Brandi would not make any stupid comments and that their girly night wouldn’t be interrupted.

“On the other hand, someone else was trying to sneak into Oliver’s room to stay with the boys,” Carla announced, making Shelby and Erinna giggle while Dakota blushed.

“Typical Dakota,” both Erinna and Shelby responded. Dakota just huffed and put her bag beside the others. Everyone settled down, including Brandi. Though she still looked somewhat worried, she was a little more comfortable at the same time.

“I have clear instructions that you guys can’t stay awake for too long, and Carla will make sure of it,” Nancy explained as she walked towards the flat-screen TV hung on the wall. “We can watch a movie until then, so what do you want to watch?”

The first one to say something was Dakota, and she suggested they watch a Disney movie.

“Which movie from Disney?” Nancy asked, and Dakota shrugged. With a sigh, Nancy looked at Erinna and spoke. “If no one suggests anything, I will let Erinna choose. I will play whatever she likes, and no complaints.”

Nancy looked at everyone, including Brandi, who was quietly sitting in the corner of the room. Nancy then looked at Erinna and asked her what she wanted to watch.

“Maybe Brave or Mulan,” Erinna suggested as Nancy smiled.

“Brave it is then,” Nancy said before scrolling through the movies.

“Does Johnny have a girlfriend?” Asked Shelby, making everyone give her a weird look.
“Yes, he does; why do you ask?” Carla answered, still not understanding the reason behind Shelby’s question. Although Johnny was dating, she doubted he would stay with his current girlfriend much longer. Charlie, Johnny’s current girlfriend, treated him like he was an ATM. Also, she and Carla didn’t get along that well. Although Johnny had always made it clear to Charlie that there was no choice between her and Carla, Johnny would always choose Carla if it came down to it. Charlie didn’t believe that he would dump her for Carla, but she thought Charlie had a big surprise coming.

“That’s a shame,” Shelby replied, not answering Carla’s question. Shelby then turned to Erinna. “What about George? Does he have a girlfriend?”

Shelby’s question earned her more weird looks. Nancy, who understood what was happening, shook her head with a smile. She understood that Shelby had a crush on both Johnny and George, and Nancy found it cute as she never had a chance to live as a little girl. Nancy was 12 when her body started to develop from a boy into a girl.

“George doesn’t have a girlfriend...yet,” Erinna answered, only stopping to look at Nancy with a smirk. “He will have one soon, though, and I have it all on video,” Erinna said with a wink to Nancy.

“You cheeky, little monkey,” Nancy said before jumping on Erinna and starting to tickle her. As Nancy continued, Erinna couldn’t help but squeal and wriggle on the ground. Everyone, even Brandi, was snickering as Erinna squirmed while Nancy kept tickling her sensitive spots.

“Why do you ask anyway?” Carla asked, still not understanding the reasoning behind Shelby’s question.

Shelby answered as Nancy finished tickling Erinna. “Because they are so handsome and cute.” Both Erinna and Carla didn’t agree with the word cute at all.

“Handsome, yes, but cute, now that’s not a word I would use for Johnny,” Carla responded, and Nancy nodded in agreement. He was 6’5”, broad-shouldered with grey eyes and brown hair was handsome but not cute. If Nancy hadn’t already set her sights on George, she might have dreamed about dating Johnny.

“Or, George,” Erinna added, making Nancy giggle. “Yes, or George,” Nancy agreed.

“Sorry, Shelby, but I think these two are out of reach for now, and George is mine,” Nancy told Shelby.

Shelby huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Not fair,” Shelby protested and then turned to Carla. “Do you have any older brothers,” Shelby asked, causing everyone to laugh.

“I have another two HALF-BROTHERS. Unfortunately, unlike Johnny, they are total A-holes,” Carla admitted with a sigh. One of the reasons she came to live with her mom was the fear that her older half-brothers may abuse her.

Nancy sat beside Shelby and held her hand with a smile. “You’re still ten and have many years to think about boys. Your daddy will do a great job scaring any potential boyfriends away. They are all very good at this,” Nancy said, smirking. She knew Jeff was against the idea of his baby girl sleeping with boys in the same room. Jeff was already treating Erinna like a treasure, and Nancy could easily say he was right, as Erinna was indeed precious, and anyone who would say otherwise was an idiot.

“Now, why don’t we start the movie? I gave my word to your moms that you will be in bed on time, especially you,” Nancy said, pointing to Erinna, but she just stuck her tongue out in response. “You can stay up late for a little bit, but not much.” With that, Nancy started the movie and sat down, pulling Erinna closer to her. Erinna didn’t mind and snuggled closer to Nancy.
As the movie ended, Erinna struggled to keep her eyes open, and Shelby was already fast asleep in her sleeping bag.

“Do me a favor and stay awake for just a bit. Your mom wants to make sure you have your medicine before going to sleep,” Nancy said before helping Erinna to her feet. Nancy took Dr. Lynn’s medicine and the booster pills out of Erinna’s bag. Once Erinna had taken them, Nancy walked her over to the bed and helped Erinna climb under the covers. She turned to Carla after tucking Erinna in bed.

“I will check on the boys and make sure they are asleep, and please make sure that Dakota is in her sleeping bag and not on the floor. When I come back, we need to have a conversation with Brandi,” Nancy said, gazing at the bathroom’s closed door, where Brandi had gone a moment earlier.

“Ok!” replied Carla wondering what was up with Brandi.
Nancy pushed a stuffed toy into Erinna’s hands, and the sleeping Erinna cuddled up to it. With a smile, Nancy walked out of the room, heading to Oliver’s room.

•••••••••••••

Thank you for reading my story. I hope you are enjoying it. Please tell me if you like it and how I think I could improve it. Any comments or thoughts on the story are appreciated. I would love to hear from you.

As a typical starving Uni student, I would appreciate any donations made through my Pay Pal account.

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Around 3 am, Erinna woke up with a throbbing pain in her crotch. It shot up to her stomach, making her yelp in pain. Her cry caused Nancy to wake up.

“What happened?” asked Nancy as she was concerned.

“It hurts down there,” Erinna replied in a very uncomfortable tone that caused Nancy to be more concerned.

“Let’s go to the bathroom. We can see what’s going on,” Nancy whispered, not wanting to wake anyone up. If what she had in mind was true, it was better to keep things private. Erinna nodded and walked to the bathroom, following Nancy. She walked in a very awkward way, with pain in her crotch. After entering the bathroom, Nancy helped Erinna sit down at the bathtub’s edge.

“I will pull down your clothes just to look, okay?” Nancy asked as Erinna blushed a bit but nodded. Nancy reached with her hand, pulling Erinna’s tights and then her panties. She pulled the nightie up to Erinna’s, waiting for a clear view.

Nancy inspected Erinna’s crotch and found what she had expected. Erinna’s scrotum was gone entirely. In its place was a natural-looking vagina. Nancy had been through this herself, but it was a painful week for her. The pain was so unbearable that she used painkillers for a week. The only thing left from Erinna’s original genitals was a shrunken penis shaft which had no function other than peeing.
Nancy’s current problem was how to explain this to Erinna. She didn’t want to freak her out, but at the same time, she had to explain it to her.

“Do you remember how I proved to you that I used to be a boy?” Nancy asked, receiving a confused nod from Erinna.

“Well, now you look the same as me down there,” Nancy explained, pointing to Erinna’s crotch.

It took Erinna a second to realize what Nancy was talking about, but she was shocked when she did. She had expected this to happen, but not so quickly. Her aunt’s explanation had been very detailed, and she did inform Erinna that this would happen to her.

Seeing the state of shock Erinna was in, Nancy decided to act. She had experienced this, after all. What kind of big sister would she be if she didn’t help her little sister?

“Look, it’s not that bad. The hardest and the most painful part is over. There weren’t any booster pills when I went through the same thing. It only took you a day to change when it took me a week. It was excruciating,” Nancy explained.

“But I didn’t want to be a girl. I liked being a boy,” Erinna admitted breaking into tears. It was just too much for her. Erinna was a boy for her entire life before this started, and yes, Erinna was always close to her mom, but she was not a girl until recently.

Nancy gave Erinna a polite, understanding smile. She had been there before Erinna. Nancy was the same age when she had gone through the change, so she expected it to be just as challenging for Erinna to understand, but she also believed it would be easier for her to adjust.

“Look, Erinna, I know how you feel,” Nancy said and then thought, “It’s hard to believe that Erinna was ever a boy. I would have never believed her if I didn’t know her personally.”

Nancy continued, “I, too, was once a boy who never wanted to be a girl, But now I feel differently about things. What’s so bad about being a girl? It’s fun, and you can do many different things boys can’t do.”

Just from the look on her face, Nancy could see Erinna wasn’t convinced. But Erinna had no reply. She couldn’t argue with Nancy. After all, Erinna was starting to enjoy wearing her girly clothes, and it had only been a day. She had tried staying away from girly things since, deep down, they scared her, and now, she knew why. She now knew in her heart that she would start loving girly stuff, which would completely change her life forever.

“We will talk again about this later, but for now, I will get you something to relieve the pain,” Nancy announced as she pulled Erinna’s panties and tights up before lowering her nightie back. She helped Erinna walk back to bed as she struggled with the pain between her legs.

Once Erinna was in bed, Nancy padded out of the room. She went straight to the kitchen, where she found a pill bottle containing a few mild painkillers that Oliver used to take. Becoming a TSS boy is more challenging and painful than becoming a girl.

Nancy returned to the room with a pill in one hand and a cup of water in the other. Entering the room, Nancy found Erinna sitting on the bed with her arms around her knees. Nancy walked over and sat on the bed, causing Erinna to look at her with teary eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Nancy inquired, removing a couple of hair strands from Erinna’s face.

Erinna shrugged, unable to explain how she felt. She had always received compliments about being more mature than kids her age. Yet, Erinna couldn’t understand her feelings. She was not afraid of becoming a girl but was worried she would fall in love with being a girl, which was now happening to her. She could feel her self-image as a boy slowly disappearing.

Nancy let out a sigh putting the water and the painkiller aside. She then embraced Erinna in a hug.

“Sweetie, I know it’s hard and confusing. No one can understand you better than Carla or me. Your best option is to stop resisting the changes. If you accept them, it will be far easier on you,” Nancy whispered, rubbing Erinna’s back.

She had always been fond of Erinna, a little sister to her. She knew Erinna felt the same way, and she couldn’t fail her. Nancy had to help her in any way she could.

Both of them lay down on the bed, with Nancy’s arms around Erinna, pulling her closer to her. Nancy stayed beside Erinna, whispering soothing words, rubbing her back, and hugging her until she stopped crying.

Once she was sure Erinna was okay, Nancy gave her the painkiller and the water cup. Eventually, the meds kicked in, and Erinna fell asleep, followed by Nancy, who resisted falling asleep until she was sure that Erinna was finally sleeping.

It was exactly 8 am when Nancy’s alarm sounded. It had taken them a while to sleep last night, so she was unhappy to wake up so early. Nancy was still sleepy with her arms wrapped around Erinna. She groaned and reached to touch the digital clock to stop the alarm. Nancy sat up and looked to see that Erinna was still asleep. She kissed her cheek before heading off to the bathroom.

Nancy quickly removed her tampon before relieving herself, then entered the shower. After she finished her shower, she dried herself off with a towel. She inserted a new tampon and put her bathrobe on. Nancy dried her hair with a blow-dryer and a hairbrush and left the bathroom.

She walked directly to Erinna, who was still asleep on her bed. She kissed her before starting to wake her up.

“Time to wake up if you want to shower before everyone,” Nancy whispered, shaking Erinna awake. It may sound unfair for Nancy to wake Erinna before the rest of the girls, but she didn’t mind giving Erinna special attention.

Erinna’s eyes twitched, and as she started to stretch her arms, Erinna opened her eyes to see Nancy smiling at her.

“Good morning. Get up quickly. I didn’t wake anyone yet so that you can take your time showering,” Nancy explained.

Erinna smiled and nodded before walking to the bathroom. Inside she stripped out of her nightie, tights, and panties. First, she relieved herself and then got into the shower. Erinna only found Nancy’s shampoo and body wash in the bathroom, which both smelled like flowers.

She would have to use them. After all, she can’t stand a day without thoroughly washing her hair. She, however, wanted to ask Nancy’s permission first. With that in mind, Erinna walked to the door and opened it enough to poke her head out. “Nan,” Erinna called, using Nancy’s nickname. It was a nickname only she used for Nancy.

“Yes?” Nancy replied, walking to the door with a hairbrush in her hand. She didn’t allow anyone else to call her ‘Nan.’ She wouldn’t mind if Oliver would do so, but only Erinna could use that name so far.

“Nan, can I use your shampoo and body wash, please?” Erinna requested, looking at Nancy, who was brushing her hair.

“You’re silly. What kind of question is that?” Nancy commented, looking at Erinna as if she was spouting nonsense. “Of course, you can. You don’t even have to ask. By the way, please place your dirty clothes in the hamper. I will ask mom to wash them for you,” she announced before walking to her closet. Nancy took a baby-blue bathrobe from her closet and handed it to Erinna. “Now, hurry up before everyone starts to wake up.”

Erinna smiled and went back to her shower. There was a reason why Nancy wanted Erinna to take a shower before anyone else, as Erinna took a long time to wash her hair and body. She always made sure everything was satisfyingly clean. Erinna finished up and put on the bathrobe Nancy had given her. She was about to leave the bathroom when she heard a door knock. “Are you done?” It was Nancy’s voice.

Erinna opened the door and walked out of the bathroom, smelling like Nancy’s shampoo and body wash
.
“I’ve finished,” Erinna replied, seeing everyone was already up. Dakota was not in the room, and Brandi seemed to be having a girly talk with Carla and Shelby. Erinna was surprised but decided not to pay any attention to it. As long as Brandi wasn’t rude and toxic towards her, Erinna didn’t mind being friends.
“Not yet, Erinna,” Nancy commented as a confused Erinna looked up at her.

“Look at your hair; it’s still wet,” Nancy exclaimed, holding strands of Erinna’s wet hair. “Come over here, and we’ll work on your hair.”
With that, Nancy pulled Erinna’s hand towards her vanity table, where she blow-dried and then started to brush her hair. Nancy then brushed Erinna’s hair into a high ponytail, which she tied in the back with a pink hair scrunchie.

“There you go, now your hair won’t fall on your face anymore. It also looks adorable,” Nancy gushed.

Erinna walked over to her bag while swinging her new ponytail to take her clothes out. Erinna moved her head to the left and then to the right, feeling the ponytail swish every time she moved her head. It looked cute and girly, but she was not about to admit it out loud. Looking in the mirror, Erinna had to agree with Nancy.

First, Erinna could get her black boy short panties up to her waist while still wearing her bathrobe. Then came the challenge, the bra. Erinna could slide the bra under her bathrobe and get her arms in the bra, but she couldn’t hook the bra behind her back. She tried so many times but failed all the time. Frustrated, Erinna decided to ask for help from Nancy.

When Erinna walked to her, Nancy pulled up a pair of black tights under her sweater dress. She could see the impatient and frustrated look on Erinna’s face.

“Did something happen?” Nancy asked while looking at Erinna.

“I couldn’t get this bra hooked; can you help me?” Erinna asked, wanting to get it done. Hooking the bra was such a struggle for her. She wondered how girls have the patience to do it every day.

“Sure thing, let me help you.” With that, Nancy turned Erinna around. Nancy didn’t hook the bra; instead, she lowered the top of the bathrobe and held Erinna’s hands while guiding her to connect the hooks.

“There you go, all done,” Nancy exclaimed with a smile. Hooking a bra was nothing but a routine for her. She could have done it pretty quickly. She, however, wanted to teach Erinna how to do it.

“Thank you, Nan,” Erinna said before hugging Nancy. She was delighted to have Nancy, as she was kind, caring, and a great help. Nan was the best big sister a girl could want.

Erinna walked back to her bag and pulled out the new package of tights before opening it. Taking them out, Erinna started to put them on just like Nancy had shown her yesterday. Erinna then pulled the skirt over her legs and adjusted it around her waist with the tights now on. Erinna put on a camisole and, lastly, a black sweater.

“Is everyone ready?” Nancy asked, scanning the room. Everyone else was ready, including Brandi (who didn’t seem bothered wearing girls’ clothes anymore.) Nancy, however, couldn’t see Dakota anywhere.

“Where’s Dakota?”

“She probably snuck out to chat with the boys,” explained Erinna.
Dakota’s behavior wasn’t a problem with them now, and they had all accepted it.

“She’s a tomboy,” Shelby answered with a shrug.

“Come on, be nice. Not all girls are girly,” Nancy noted as Shelby shrugged. They would rather have everyone think of Dakota as a tomboy than share her secret, which was a secret only known to their group.

“By the way, what is it with you guys and those wristbands? Even Oliver has one now.” Nancy asked as Erinna and Shelby looked at each other and giggled, but neither answered her question.

Knowing that Dakota was probably with the boys, everyone left the room and went downstairs. As they walked down the stairs, they could hear noises from the kitchen. They found Connor and Steven sitting in the kitchen by the open patio door leading to the backyard. They were the only two boys in the kitchen, and everyone else seemed to be outside in the backyard.

“Is everyone else outside?” Erinna asked, looking out the open door by Connor and Steven. Steven was reading a book like always while Connor held a bag of ice to his head.

“What happened to you?” Shelby asked, worried about her brother. He didn’t get hurt that often. Connor didn’t play any sports, but he wasn’t bad at them. He was mainly interested in arts and more into music. It was not a natural sight for Shelby to see.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Carol said as she entered the kitchen.
“Erwin thought it was a good idea to teach Oliver how to tackle, so he called George to help. Dakota and the boys joined them. Connor found himself facing Dakota. I don’t think I need to explain the rest,” Carol explained, checking on Connor.

He didn’t seem to have an injury other than the bump on his head, but Dakota had tackled him hard. Everyone looked at Connor, who just shrugged.

“It’s just Dakota being Dakota,” Connor joked, making everyone laugh.
“Why didn’t you join them?” Nancy asked Steven, who lowered his book and looked at Nancy. His look was saying, “Are you crazy?”

Unlike the rest of the boys, Steven was not into sports. He was short for kids his age, skinny, and physically weak. Steven would always get high marks in all other classes except Phys-Ed, where Steven struggled to get a passing grade. Even so, passing was a reward for him because of all the effort he put into the class. Having asthma wasn’t of any help either.

He was a bookworm, and it was rare to find him sitting down without reading a book. His favorite books were about history, which he always found fascinating and mysterious.

“There’s no way I would join them! I could get killed out there!” Steven complained, making it clear that he would never join them in physical games.

“Well, you don’t have to join them. I didn’t want you to feel left out,” Nancy replied, smiling at him. “Anyway, aren’t we supposed to be leaving by now? Did dad have to teach them how to tackle right now?” Nancy complained, making Carol smile.
“No worries, they are ready, and we will leave in time,” Carol then looked to the girls.

“I am treating you to a manicure and pedicure today. We will be going after breakfast,” Carol announced, making both Shelby and Carla squeal with delight. Erinna was curious and a bit excited, but she wouldn’t show it.

“Would you like to come with us, Brandi?” Carol asked Brandi, who seemed a little unsure of herself.

“May I?” Brandi asked with a bit of hesitation in her voice. She was overly curious about this girly world, but she had her worries since this was all new to her.

“Of course, you can. I don’t see why not?” Carol reassured Brandi, and she smiled widely, which Carol took as a yes.

“Alright, I will go outside and bring the boys back in. You girls go and put your shoes on.”

With that, Carol walked out to the backyard while the girls found their shoes and put them on.

•••••••••••••

Thank you for reading my story. I hope you are enjoying it. Please tell me if you like it and how I think I could improve it. Any comments or thoughts on the story are appreciated. I would love to hear from you.

As a typical starving Uni student, I would appreciate any donations made through my Pay Pal account.

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Everyone filled the van as they were ready to go to breakfast. Again, George found himself stuck with everyone waiting to get into the crowded van. He decided to go in the car with Erwin instead.

“Alright, has everyone buckled their seatbelts?” Carol asked from the front seat while adjusting the mirror.

As Carol hit the road, Nancy leaned over and whispered something that surprised her but made her smile.

“Is that so? Then a special young lady needs special treatment on a special day like this,” Carol replied, looking in the mirror directly at Erinna.

Erinna was a special and unique child who cared for everyone around her before thinking about herself. Carol was impressed by her ability to assess a situation and quickly act accordingly. Erinna was also special because Carol considered her to be her second daughter. She had spent many times caring for her when she was sick, almost as much as Heather.

They reached their destination, the same restaurant and coffee shop the Houstons used for breakfast when they ran in the morning. Carol parked the van, and Erwin parked the car just behind her. For George, it was a nerve-wracking ride. After he had asked for permission to date Nancy yesterday, having to ride beside Erwin was terrifying.

Jessica welcomed everyone when they entered the coffee shop, but her eyes were on George again. Nancy saw this immediately and didn’t like Jessica’s attention to George. Thinking quickly, Nancy took George’s arm in hers, causing him to blush as his arm touched her chest. Jessica was envious of Nancy’s display of affection as she guided everyone to their table. Jessica couldn’t leave without making an embarrassing comment that made her little brother Steven blush.

“So, it seems little Stevie finally has some friends?” Jessica said, giving Steven a big kiss and making him blush to an even deeper shade of red.
“Jessi, please,” Steven whined, causing everyone to laugh. Once she had all the orders except Steven’s, Jessica left as she already knew what her brother loved to eat.

Jessica started bringing everyone their breakfast, including Steven. Jessica could see that Erinna had decided not to say anything about it, as she could ask Steven later. Once everyone had their breakfast, they started to dig in.

“So, George, do you mind if we kidnap Erinna for a bit?” Carol joked as everyone was finishing their food. She knew Heather would be in for a big surprise when Erinna returned. Carol also knew Heather wouldn’t be happy not knowing or seeing her daughter before going home, but it was worth the surprise.

“Well, if you can explain to dad why his baby girl is not back with me, then I can’t say no,” George replied. George smirked at Erinna sitting beside Oliver, not realizing they held hands under the table. He knew that his dad was against the idea of his baby girl staying away from home, even if it was just a few houses and a five-minute walk away. When Erinna was still a boy, Jeff would also be concerned when Ryan was away from home, but now as Erinna, he was overprotective and didn’t want his baby girl ever to leave home.

Blushing a bit, Erinna stuck her tongue out at George. It seemed she would always be the baby of the house, either boy or girl. That wouldn’t change, and she wasn’t sure if it would ever change. “I am not a baby,” Erinna replied with a huff.

“You have to convince dad, not me.” George shrugged and shook his head. He knew how much Erinna hated being the baby in the family, but still, it was fun to tease her from time to time.

After breakfast, everyone walked back to the van. Carol dropped Ron, Walter, and Dakota at their homes, but Steven stayed with her since they went to his mom’s salon anyway. Jeff and Erwin were going to spend some time with the boys, so Connor’s stepdad also decided to come. Oliver went home with Erwin and George and took Connor with them.

Because of her last-minute plan, Carol invited Heather, but she was not coming alone.

Arriving at “Betty’s Beauty World” salon, Carol could see that Heather had already come since she could see Heather’s car parked in front of the salon. It was empty, so Carol assumed she was inside. Carol had wanted to keep Erinna’s new look a surprise for Heather, but she couldn’t complain.

Everyone left the van and went inside the salon, only for Erinna to get a big surprise. Her aunt Leslie was there, sitting beside her mom and chatting.

“Aunt Leslie!” Erinna squealed as she ran to hug her aunt.
“Look at you. You’re so pretty,” Leslie said, breaking the hug. “I was surprised yesterday when your mom told me what happened, but I always knew you would make a pretty girl.”

Erinna blushed a bit before thanking Leslie. Erinna then started to look around curiously. “Where is everyone?” Erinna asked, not seeing any of her cousins.

“Well, Destiny is having her hair styled, and her sisters are looking for some new clothes for her in the nearby mall,” Leslie explained, adding to Erinna’s confusion as none of her cousins were named Destiny.
Meanwhile, Carol spoke to Steven’s mom, Betty, and explained what she wanted for Erinna. Betty happily agreed, admitting that she always wanted to work on Erinna’s hair. Still, she said Erinna would have to wait her turn, as Betty had not yet completed Destiny’s hairstyling.
As everyone walked in, Erinna was just about to ask who Destiny was when Leslie noticed Carla coming her way.

“Carla! It’s been a while since the last time you modeled for me. I assume Linda is giving her star girl the proper attention. If not, call me,” Leslie said, making Carla blush and then smile.

“I am on vacation until next year, Mrs. Dawson, and yes, Linda is the best. I wouldn’t work with any other agency,” Carla replied.
Last summer, she started as a model and modeled Leslie’s fall collection. The agency she now worked for belonged to a friend of her mom, Linda. While her modeling career began as a favor for Leslie, Carla enjoyed the work, and Linda was more than happy to keep Carla busy modeling for her agency.

“Now, girls, let’s get you all ready for a manicure and pedicure,” Betty said, guiding the girls further into the salon.
Erinna noticed a new girl sitting on a chair while one of the salon girls was washing her hair as they walked in. She somehow looked familiar to Erinna, but she couldn’t place her. Every girl got her chair, and one of the attendants started working on their nails.

About a half-hour later, Erinna admired her fingernails with a sparkly baby blue coat and white French tips. While she couldn’t see her toenails, she could only guess they looked the same. Her hands seemed utterly feminine, and much to her dismay, she couldn’t deny that she loved them.

“Now that I have finished Destiny’s hair, it’s time for a certain young lady to have her hair styled,” said Betty as she walked up behind Erinna. “Today, we will also be piercing your ears. It’s time you had it done, young lady.”

Erinna was nervous about getting her ears pierced, but she was still curious about Destiny.

“If you don’t mind me asking, who is Destiny?” asked Erinna.
Betty smiled, “I think you should ask your aunt Leslie that question, Erinna, as she would be better able to answer it, but for now, please follow me over to that empty chair in front of the sink.”

Erinna nervously followed Betty to the chair, where Betty put a smock around her. “Please don’t cut it short. I wanna keep it long,” Erinna begged, unsure of what kind of hairstyle Betty had in mind. It took her such a long time to get her hair this long, and she didn’t want it cut short.

“Don’t worry, Erinna, I definitely won’t do that,” Betty explained as she started to wash Erinna’s long flowing hair, causing her to purr. “Oh, someone likes this,” Betty commented, causing Erinna to blush. “I would have worried if you didn’t like this,” Betty added with a wink.
Erinna had to admit Betty’s hand felt good on her scalp, and she never thought being in a salon would feel this good. Erinna was starting to see things from a different angle. No boy would ever want to experience something like this, except maybe Brandi, but could she still count Brandi as one of the boys? Erinna doubted it and suspected something was up with Brandi.

Once Betty washed Erinna’s hair, she moved Erinna to another chair in front of a large mirror but turned the chair around so that Erinna couldn’t see it.

“Hey, I can’t see,” Erinna complained.

Your mom wanted it to be a surprise,” Betty explained, making Erinna huff. Betty chuckled a bit, took a pair of scissors and comb from the counter, and began to work on Erinna’s hair.

“You are such a pretty girl, with such beautiful hair, it’s only logical that you want to keep it long,” Betty commented, assuring Erinna.

Erinna blushed again upon hearing Betty’s comment. She was not used to being called pretty or cute. It confused her; one part loved everything girly and feminine, but the other tried to convince her that she shouldn’t like it. This side of her was failing miserably.

Betty kept on cutting and combing Erinna’s hair. As Betty continued with her scissors, Erinna began to worry while watching strand after strand of hair falling to the ground. Betty then took a blow-dryer and a brush to dry Erinna’s hair. Betty turned Erinna’s chair around to face the mirror when she finished.
“What do you think?” Betty asked, already knowing the answer from the shocked look on Erinna’s face.

Erinna was speechless and at a loss for words as she continued to stare at her new hairstyle, moving her head from side to side.

Betty had cut Erinna’s hair in a cute shoulder-length bob-cut style with short bangs. Erinna looked in the mirror and saw that her hair was still the same length despite all the cutting. It made her face look more feminine than ever before, and for the first time, she realized how girly she looked since no hair was covering her face.

Erinna saw Heather’s reflection in the mirror. Heather looked very pleased with a big smile plastered on her face. She knew that such a cute and classic hairstyle would suit Erinna, and she was confident that Erinna would love it.

“You look simply adorable, sweetheart. What do you think?” asked Heather.

“I think it looks fine,” Erinna shyly replied. Even though she was excited inside, she didn’t want her mom to see that.

“There’s just one more thing I must do,” said Betty. “Hold still, Erinna,” as she stood in front of the mirror.

There was a click, and Erinna felt a slight pain in her left earlobe, then a second click with a bit of pain in her right earlobe. Betty stood aside as Erinna looked into the mirror seeing two new tiny diamond stud earrings in her newly pierced ears.

“I didn’t think I could look any better. Wow! Those earrings look great!” Erinna gushed. Realizing how excited her reaction appeared, Erinna blushed a bit.

“That’s my beautiful girl. You look great, sweetie,” exclaimed Heather. A tear almost escaped her eyes, seeing the reflection of the pretty young lady in the mirror and realizing that it was her daughter, the daughter she always wished to have.

“If you will excuse me now, ladies, I have another client in dire need of a hairstyle,” Betty exclaimed as Erinna watched her walk towards Brandi.

“Why don’t we go for some coffee until Betty finishes with Brandi? The day had just begun after all,” suggested Leslie as she stood there with her four daughters.

“Hold on,” Erinna thought as she started to count again. “one, two, three, four.” Then it suddenly made sense, and she realized who the fourth girl was. “Dennis?” Erinna asked, making Destiny blush.

“But, she’s not Dennis anymore. She’s now Destiny,” the oldest of the girls said and walked over to Erinna, hugging her. “You look cute, by the way,” she exclaimed, kissing Erinna’s forehead.

“Thank you, Amy,” Erinna replied shyly. She had always liked her cousins, at least from her mom’s side. Boys or girls, they were all fun to be around. Though everyone called her Amy, Amelia, at 16, was the oldest girl in the family, so she was like a big sister except for her older cousins. She was tall and looked just like her mom but had an imposing air and an expression that said, don’t mess with me. Even George would rather listen to her and not argue.
Just younger than her was Olivia, who’s 14, and then Emma and Destiny, who are both 12.

“Maria will want a hairstyle just like yours so that she can match you exactly,” Olivia commented as the girls all giggled. Maria was Aunt Lynn’s daughter. Maria and Erinna act like they are twins, and everyone knows it. Whenever they are together, they spend a great deal of time with each other. Now that they were both girls, everyone was sure they would become closer.

“But Maria has longer hair than me,” Erinna said with apparent envy in her tone. She had always envied Maria for having such long hair and always wished she could have waist-length hair like her.

“I bet she will say it first thing today. As soon as she sees Erinna’s new hairstyle, she will immediately ask Aunt Lynn to get it styled just like Erinna,” Olivia smirked, imagining Maria’s reaction.

“Well, we’ll know later now, shall we go?” Heather suggested.
Everyone left except Carol, who would join them after Betty finished with Brandi. Carla would stay behind, too; since her dad was coming home from New York, Carol would drop her off to spend the winter holiday with him.

Nancy and Shelby joined Erinna and Heather in Heather’s SUV while Leslie took her daughters to her car. With that, they all went to a nearby café. Everyone ordered drinks. Even though Heather usually won’t allow her to drink coffee, she couldn’t resist Erinna’s cute puppy eyes. Erinna once again manipulated Heather to get her coffee and cake.

“So, you’re now attending the same school as George and even playing on the football team with him?” Amy asked as they took their seats. Amy was very interested in Nancy after observing her close relationship with Erinna.

“Yes, I started high school this year, and we are classmates too,” Nancy explained, feeling awkward as she became the center of attention.

Erinna smirked and decided to tease Nancy for a bit. “They are going on a da-mmuph....” Erinna tried to speak, but Nancy cut her off, preventing her from speaking, by placing her hand over Erinna’s mouth.

“School trip, she meant a school trip,” Nancy explained, looking a bit frustrated, as Amy regarded her with a suspicious smirk.

Then, Erinna decided she didn’t like anyone to shut her up, so she came up with an idea to get Nancy’s hand off her mouth and started to lick it.

“Ewww, what was that for?” Nancy glared at Erinna and took a napkin to wipe off her hand. Erinna couldn’t help but giggle, causing Nancy to start tickling her.

“You know, Nancy, if Erinna wasn’t my cousin and I didn’t know her, I would say you’re both sisters, and there’s no way she’s just your boyfriend’s sister,” Amy noted while grinning, making Nancy smile as well.

“That’s because she’s my sister. I had always wanted to have a sister anyway,” Nancy said, poking Erinna in her side and making her stick her tongue out for Nancy.

“Feel free to take Emma if you want to. I still need Destiny, though. Without her, I won’t know what to wear when going out,” Olivia suggested as Emma glared at her. Destiny just smiled and winked at Olivia
“Thanks, but I already have a sister. Erinna is enough for me,” Nancy replied as everyone laughed.

They all chatted for a bit, and Nancy found that Leslie had only recently remarried her new husband, Jack. Her three daughters were from her first marriage, and Destiny was her new daughter from Jack’s previous marriage.

She was astonished to learn that Leslie’s three girls were competitive swimmers, all of whom were on their school’s team. It was a family tradition as the women had been competitive swimmers for generations. She also found that they all attended an art school. Olivia and Amy strived to become actors. Emma wanted to be a novel writer, and Destiny wished to become a fashion designer. Leslie showed great interest in Destiny’s talent and mentored her stepdaughter personally. Nancy found it amusing that Emma wanted to be a novel writer like Destiny’s birth mother, while Destiny wished to be a fashion designer like her stepmother.

“So, to be clear, your family has a long swimming history? I never expected that. I thought that Erinna was the only one into swimming,” Nancy commented, surprised she didn’t expect that Erinna would be from a long family line of competitive women swimmers.

“Well, not everyone in the family is a swimmer, but every girl in the family has to take swimming classes at least. However, none of the boys ever seemed interested in swimming. Erinna used to be the exception but not anymore. I guess,” Olivia explained.

Soon, Carol arrived with Brandi, grinning from ear to ear, showing off her new hairstyle. While Brandon always had a big mouth, Nancy couldn’t ever remember seeing Brandon smiling like that. It made all her suspicions correct; Brandi seemed more comfortable as a girl. Once Brandi took her seat, Leslie’s girls hammered her with questions. Even Destiny asked a couple of questions.

Nancy did her best to support Brandi, and although she could tell that Erinna’s cousins weren’t judging Brandi, she did not mention that Brandi was ever Brandon. The only problem was Amy. She seemed to be wise, intelligent, and difficult to deceive. She could see that Brandi struggled to answer some questions, so Nancy had to jump in.

“Let’s say that Brandi was never the girly type. Until recently, she was more of a tomboy, but she has started to appreciate girly things,” Nancy explained, hoping that she had convinced everyone that Brandi was just a tomboy who’s starting to get into girly things.

Heather, Carol, and Leslie had occupied another table to let the girls have their discussion. Now though, Heather was more thankful they were at a separate table. It seemed she would be working on a new case very soon.

“So, you’re saying that the test result was received but hidden according to her? It’s hard but not impossible. Some people still can’t accept the fact that their children have TSS. I have seen several cases where one or both parents hid the truth but never worked on one before. If that’s true, though, it’s a serious crime,” Heather explained, shocked by the news. She would have never suspected that Brandi was a boy. After all, no one had told her before.

“I have evidence from Brandi’s stepmom. Unfortunately, she can’t do anything since she hasn’t custody of Brandi. I can’t confirm this, but she suspects that Brandi’s father, Kyle, is physically abusing her, but it could be self-harm. I know how hard things are for TSS children. After all, I have experience raising a TSS boy and girl,” Carol explained, much to Leslie’s and Heather’s shock and surprise.

“Even if it’s self-harm, it would be due to parental neglect. I can easily turn it into child abuse in Brandi’s case,” Heather sighed, rubbing her forehead.

She hated dealing with child abuse more than any other case. Her problem, simply put, was she could hardly control herself in court and not explode.

“I need all the evidence she has obtained. Make sure she sends it to me by registered mail. I have to build a case carefully, and once I have a warrant, I can subpoena all the files Kyle has from any electronic device he owns. Jeff is a computer whiz and knows how to retrieve even the most carefully hidden files and documents; even if Kyle deleted files a year ago, he would be able to recover them.”

“How much will you charge, though? She can’t pay much at the moment,” Carol asked worriedly. She knew Heather’s work was anything but cheap. After all, you can’t find a lawyer as good as her inexpensively.

“Look, Carol, normally I wouldn’t talk about charges in a case like this. If I lose this case, I won’t charge her anything. Tell Brandi’s stepmother she shouldn’t worry about it, though. After all, Brandi’s father, Kyle, will pay for everything. Now it’s more of a matter of honor than money,” Heather explained carefully, much to Carol’s relief.

Carol still couldn’t believe that a stepmother would care for her stepchild more than her biological father. Leslie could give her a good example too. Her husband, Jack, would never hurt Destiny. He would never stoop that low.

•••••••••••••

Thank you for reading my story. I hope you are enjoying it. Please tell me if you like it and how I think I could improve it. Any comments or thoughts on the story are appreciated. I would love to hear from you.

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Erinna followed her cousins, Nancy, Brandi, and Shelby, into one store after the other. Her cousins and Nancy had one objective, buy a new wardrobe for the new girls. She felt hard-pressed to keep up with these shopping demons, but she couldn’t deny that she loved it.

“Alright, you three to the changing rooms,” ordered Cousin Amy while pointing to Erinna, Brandi, and Destiny. She acted like the group’s boss, and no one would say otherwise if she told them to do something.

Nancy had a feeling that Amy knew the truth about Brandi. She first took Brandi in for a bra measurement, making Nancy suspect. Of course, Brandi needed bras, and she had done a great job hiding that fact from everyone until now. They didn’t argue at all and entered the changing rooms. Amy handed Erinna, Brandi, and Destiny a pile of clothes to try on.

“You too, little one, Erinna’s friend is our friend,” Amy informed Shelby before handing her a couple of dresses, blouses, skirts, and various other tops and pushing her into the changing room before she could say anything.

“Don’t even try, Shelby. No one argues with Amy,” Erinna said with a giggle from the changing room.

“The little monkey is right. If these clothes fit, you will be going home with them. The same goes for Brandi, no argument,” Amy called from outside the rooms. Nancy had a blast, watching Brandi attempt to argue every time Amy handed her a new pile of clothes, which would only backfire on her.

“Nancy, would you mind if we talked for a bit?” Amy asked in a hushed tone so none of her sisters would hear her.

Nancy looked uncertain but nodded and followed Amy. She was worried about what Amy will ask, but she went ahead anyway.

“What do you want to talk about?” Nancy asked first, not waiting for Amy to start the discussion.

“Is Brandi a GCS girl?” Amy asked, getting straight to the point. She had seen what Brandi’s body looked like; her body had developed naturally. It was one no male would have; her breasts were too large to have been caused by a hormonal imbalance. Hormone pills or hormone blockers did not develop Brandi’s body, for she couldn’t have started taking hormones or hormone blockers long ago. Amy could only make one conclusion, Brandi is a GCS girl. After all, Brandi lacked a lot of basic knowledge about being a girl.

Nancy was astonished that Amy immediately guessed it right. Nancy had her suspicions but never thought that Amy guessed it correctly.

“How did you know?” Nancy was trying hard to hide that Brandi was a GCS girl. Still, Amy figured it out. If it weren’t for Brandon trying to look like a hunk and hiding behind his big mouth, everyone would have seen the real Brandi long ago.

“Oh, please. I have known Destiny for years and have seen her development. I know a new GCS girl when I see one, except for Erinna, of course, but she’s something else. Even like Dennis, Destiny was shy and distant but knowledgeable and artistic. Though Erinna seemed to have a switch that flipped to change her from a boy into girly mode suddenly.” Amy explained.
They made their way back and ensured the girls couldn’t get away without modeling everything they tried on. Hitting one store after another, Erinna was getting tired, and the pain in her feet was starting to grow. Her new white open-toed one-inch kitten-heeled ankle booties looked great, and she loved them, but it was beginning to take an effort walking in them. Her outfit matched her nails, the white knee-length straight dress with a belt around the waist, and a pair of baby-blue opaque tights covered her legs. She wore a long white wool coat and had exchanged her black purse for a baby-blue one.

Noticing that Erinna was getting tired, Nancy suggested they stop for lunch and rest for a bit. Realizing Nancy’s intentions, Amy agreed with her. She could tell that Erinna was more daring than either Destiny or Brandi. After all, neither of them agreed to wear heels, even if they liked them. On the other hand, Erinna was always eager to try something new. Heading over to the food court, everyone took a seat.

“Alright, girls, after lunch, we have two more stops, then we will go home. We don’t want to be late,” Amy announced as everyone looked relieved. While it had been fun shopping, they weren’t looking forward to going into more stores. Everyone was already carrying numerous bags; they could barely carry out more. Also, they were getting tired of going through store after store.

Amy, Nancy, and Olivia left the table to get food for everyone, while they left Emma, Destiny, Brandi, Shelby, and Erinna sitting on the table. Once the older girls had walked away, a group of boys their age approached them. Emma was able to notice it immediately. “Don’t look, but we have company,” Emma announced, giggling.

“What do you....” Brandi tried to ask, but a boy interrupted, cutting her off.
“Hi, girls, would you like to come with us and have some fun?” the boy asked. He was short and had short brown hair in a buzz cut. None of the girls looked impressed with him at all. No one even paid any attention to him. Erinna and Emma had both decided to ignore them just because they didn’t feel like replying, and Shelby, Destiny, and Brandi were too nervous to answer.

After a second of awkward silence, the boy decided to speak again. “I said hi. Are you deaf?” The boy sarcastically said, looking back to his buddies who were laughing.

None of the girls found it amusing. A smile on Emma’s face meant she was ready to strike back.

“Yes, we heard you, so stop barking already. Hold on. I should have a bone for you somewhere in my purse,” Emma opened her purse. “Aw, I don’t have one, sorry, I must have given it to my dog,” added Emma as she smiled sweetly at the boy. The girls struggled to stop laughing as the boy’s face turned red.

Trying to save face, the boy snatched Emma’s purse away and opened it.

“What? Don’t you believe me? See, there’s no bone in there,” stated Emma, making the girls giggle loudly.

Being the fearless child she’s known for and not seeing anyone intimidating, Erinna stood up, facing the boy. “Give it back,” Erinna instructed with no hint of worry or nervousness.

“Or what? You will kiss me?” the boy laughed, making Erinna roll her eyes.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Emma said with a giggle knowing what would be coming next. After all, she knew her cousin, and becoming a girl, changed nothing about Erinna’s bravery.

Erinna sighed and shook her head, thinking, “Why do I always have to end up doing this?” Erinna quickly raised her leg and kicked the boy right in his balls. “Was that a good kiss?” Erinna sarcastically asked as the boy dropped Emma’s purse, sank to his knees, and held his crotch while making weird wheezing noises.

The boy’s group started to laugh as Erinna smiled sweetly, picked up Emma’s purse, and handed it back before returning to her seat as if nothing had happened.

Amy chose this moment to return, not knowing what had happened but hearing the noises. “What’s going on here?” Amy was a very tall, athletic girl and stood at 6’2”, towering over all these boys. She was an intimidating sight, and she knew it.

At the same time, the boys saw a female security guard walking toward them, and she didn’t look pleased. “Shit, she’s coming again. Let’s get out of here,” one of the boys shouted as they all ran, deserting their friend, who hobbled away as he tried to catch up to them.

The security guard arrived at their table and sighed. “Are you ok, girls? Those boys are real troublemakers.” She looked at the girls individually, trying to assess if they were all ok.

“We’re all ok, thanks. They know how to deal with boys like them, so I wouldn’t worry too much,” Amy replied, looking towards Erinna, who shrugged.

“Well, if they ever come around again, come and find me. Have a nice day, everyone, and enjoy your shopping,” she said and turned on her heels, walking away.

Once the guard had left, Amy looked at Erinna with a smirk. “I guess you kicked him, right?” Amy asked, already knowing the answer.

“How did you know it was Erinna?” Shelby asked, as she had only seen Amy come after Erinna had kicked the boy. She found it amusing that Erinna, who was just a bit taller than her, could fearlessly make a boy fall to his knees. She only wished she could be as brave as her friend.

“Well, no one can make a boy whimper like that better than Erinna. I’m afraid he will see her kick in his nightmares,” Amy joked, causing everyone to laugh as Erinna stuck her tongue out at her cousin. “He got what was coming his way, but next time try to aim for other places instead of his balls. It can be serious if you hit a boy too hard there.”

She didn’t mind seeing one of those boys kicked by Erinna. Amy always encouraged Erinna to defend herself, but a kick like that could send a boy to the hospital. It was something she didn’t want to happen.

Soon afterward, everyone enjoyed a chicken wrap sandwich and was back at it again for more shopping. The first store they went to was for sportswear. Amy went to the swimsuits looking for a one-piece suit in Erinna’s size. Once she had found the right size, she collected a blue and a black one. Amy then took it upon herself to find regular sportswear for Erinna and Destiny. She competed with Nancy when picking out sports bras, tops, shorts, and yoga pants for Erinna. It was fun for both of them, but not for Erinna, who had to try on every item they picked and handed to her.
By the time they left the mall, Erinna was utterly exhausted as they met up with Leslie, who volunteered to pick them up after shopping since Amy’s car wasn’t big enough.

“How was your day, Destiny?” Leslie asked as the girls started to put their bags in the trunk.

“It was fun, mom,” she replied with a smile. Destiny felt that becoming a girl was her destiny, and her new name reflected her feelings. Even before Destiny knew she had GCS, her sisters would secretly help her dress in feminine clothes. They doubted that Leslie would oppose it since she would always comment on how beautiful Dennis was, and Jack wouldn’t say anything to upset Leslie.

“Erinna, I love your outfit. It’s simply adorable,” Leslie said as Erinna, Brandi, Shelby, and Emma all got in her car while Nancy and Olivia, along with Destiny, went to Amy’s car. Nancy wanted to get to know Erinna’s cousins better.

“Thank you, aunty.” Erinna blushed a bit as she thanked her aunt. She still wasn’t used to being called beautiful, cute, or adorable. It was all so new to her.

“By the way, if you don’t mind us intruding, we will stay at your house until the new year. Also, Liam and Lucas will be coming over too,” Leslie informed Erinna while looking at her in the car’s mirror. She could already see the excitement in her eyes. It was a family tradition that they gathered together before Christmas until the new year in their mother’s grandparent’s home. Erinna was unaware that this year would be different since her mom’s parents were going on a vacation to Spain and wouldn’t be back until the new year.

“Is Angelo coming?” Erinna asked excitedly. Angelo was her three-year-old cousin Erinna adored, and he was also very attached to Erinna, knowing how much she spoils him. The only problem is that getting him to leave her would be hard. He just won’t let go and stuck to her like glue.

“Duh, if uncle Liam is coming, then Angelo will be coming as well,” Emma noted. She struggled to understand why Angelo was attached to her younger cousins, Erinna and Maria, more than anyone else
Leslie reached Heather’s place and parked the car in front of the house on the street. Amy was just behind her as she parked her car as well.

Everyone went inside the house. Shelby went to find her dad and stepbrother. Erinna went to see her mom and found her in her home office. The door was open, so Erinna entered. Heather was reading something on her laptop when she noticed Erinna come in. She immediately put her computer in sleep mode and looked at Erinna with a big smile.

“Look at you, my dear. You look beautiful,” Heather gushed, leaving her office and walking over to Erinna.

“Thank you, mommy. I also love it. The shoes hurt a bit, though,” Erinna said, hugging her mom. Saying that the shoes hurt slightly was an understatement as Erinna’s feet cried for relief.

“You’re silly,” Heather said, kissing Erinna’s forehead, understanding what Erinna had meant. Still, she was amazed. When she was Erinna’s age, she didn’t ever remember wearing shoes with such high heels. They also took her time to master, and her daughter nailed it in less than a day. “You need to learn how to walk before you can run. Why don’t you change these shoes into something more comfortable?” Heather suggested.
“But these shoes look so cute, mommy,” Erinna pouted in protest.
Heather laughed a bit. Erinna’s reaction showed her that she never really had a son. Although Heather had loved Erinna as Ryan, and her love never changed, she now could see that Erinna had always been a girl. Erinna was like a flower bud that had waited for the perfect conditions to bloom into the most beautiful flower in the world.

Heather couldn’t see anyone prettier than her daughter. “I bought you a couple of cute flats yesterday. Why don’t you try on one of them for me?” Heather suggested knowing how to get Erinna to agree with her.

“Ok, Mommy,” Erinna agreed as she walked up to her room. The moment she entered the room, she was surprised at the changes made to her room. The new vanity table, a completely new addition to her room, was the most notable change. Sitting on the bed was an old friend whom Erinna had almost forgotten. A brown Teddy Bear was wearing a tuxedo jacket and a top hat. It had been very long since she had last seen it.

When she was four years old, Erinna received this teddy bear, a gift from George. Erinna named him Mr. Baloo. Mr. Baloo was like a best friend to Erinna, and she took him with her everywhere she went. She couldn’t remember exactly when or why she put him away, but she was happy to see him back.

Another change was the bedsheets. They were blue satin with flowers printed, not super girly but girly enough for Erinna’s liking. Erinna found a pair of white ballet flats beside the bed, so she sat down and removed her booties, placing them neatly beside the bed, then reached out and picked up the pair of flats and put them on. Once Erinna buckled the straps, she left her purse on the nightstand, left the room, and headed downstairs.

As Erinna entered the hallway, someone knocked her over with a loud squeal and a hug. Erinna looked up to see her mirror image holding onto her. Except for her longer, darker hair and slightly more prominent nose, she could have been her twin sister.

“You look adorable,” Maria giggled, causing Erinna to start laughing.

“You too,” Erinna replied, starting to giggle again. “Can I get up, please?”

Maria stood up, allowing Erinna to stand up as well. Maria was the prettiest girl and the girliest girl Erinna had ever known. Erinna knew that all of Maria’s male classmates were falling over each other to gain her favor, as she had seen before.

Two years ago, Maria chose a sport to play to keep her body healthy and in good shape. She didn’t like rough sports that might get her hair or clothes dirty. Maria chose swimming since most of her cousins were swimmers, and her mom used to be a swimmer. Maria quickly discovered that swimming was in her blood and loved it.

“Erinna, I love your hair. I want my hair styled just like it,” Maria commented, making Erinna giggle even more. Before Erinna could reply, Maria dragged her by the arm, pulling her to the front door where her parents and brother were putting their coats away.
“
“Mommy, look, look,” Maria excitedly called for her mom’s attention.

It took Lynn only one look to smile at seeing her new niece. She could tell from the pictures she received today that Erinna and Destiny were adjusting very well. She thought it would take Erinna more time to change, but she knew, in the end, Erinna would be happy living as a girl. “That hairstyle suits you, sweetheart. Your dress also matches your nails perfectly,” Lynn complimented, making Erinna blush and smile.

“Mommy, I want a hairstyle just like Erinna’s,” Maria informed her mom, pointing to Erinna’s hairstyle. Maria had her hair in a long single braid that reached just above her waist, so it surprised everyone that she wanted a shorter haircut like her cousin.

“Are you sure about this, Princess? It took you a long time to grow your hair that long,” Mark exclaimed. He could never say no to Maria but didn’t want her to regret it later. Maria would sometimes regret a rash decision, and he wouldn’t hear the end of it.

“Yes, daddy, please. Then we can grow out our hair together afterward,” Maria added, looking at her dad with begging puppy eyes, making him sigh. He looked towards Lynn, who just nodded back and shrugged. Mark smiled and nodded ok, causing Maria to squeal and run to hug her dad.

At the end of the hallway stood Amy, with Olivia calmly observing the situation. “Amy, you owe me ten dollars,” smugly said Olivia extending her hand.

Amy just groaned and handed her little sister the money. “Fine, you won fair and square, but you will be cleaning mom’s workshop for the next month,” Amy announced with an evil smirk.

“That’s not fair, and you can’t do that,” Olivia protested. She knew that lately, Leslie had been very busy finishing her spring collection and even enlisted help from Destiny. Amy was now in charge at home, and she decided on the chores.

“Pay up, or suck it up,” Amy chanted while looking at Olivia’s face. “You have to bribe me now,” Amy added as an evil grin appeared on her face, and she held out her hand, palm up. She had her way of getting back her money and more. It was a sight to behold.

“Fine,” Olivia sighed, giving Amy back her ten dollars. Amy just kept her palm open, expecting more. Olivia groaned, handing Amy another ten dollars.

Amy just smiled and walked away. She would later put the money back in Olivia’s purse, but she wasn’t about to let her celebrate her victory.

Later that day, all the kids gathered in the living room while the adults sat in the backyard. Erinna’s friends had gone home with their families and the Collins.

It was a tradition for the family to dress up in formal attire until they had dinner on the first day of their gathering. Everyone in the family complied, including the adults. After dinner, they could change into something more casual if they wanted. The boys wore formal black pants and white shirts, all the girls wore white blouses, black skirts, and white tights, and everyone wore black shoes.

Erinna could get away with wearing another pair of kitten’s heel shoes. They looked exactly like the ones she was wearing before but were black. Surprisingly Amy had bought the same shoes for Maria but one size smaller, knowing that she would match Erinna.

“So, George, who was that cute girl? I noticed you couldn’t keep your eyes off her?” asked Frank. He was Lynn’s oldest son and a senior in high school. Although he had a body fit for sports, he was not that much into it and just stayed in shape.

“His girlfriend,” Erinna stated before George could reply, not taking her eyes off her tablet as she competed against Maria in a puzzle game. Both of them were trying to solve it before the other.

“She’s not my girlfriend, well, not yet,” George replied, mumbling the last part. Upon hearing Erinna, George glared back at her. As much as he would love to say that Nancy was his girlfriend, he didn’t want to say it in front of his cousins, or he wouldn’t hear the end of it. George didn’t like to invite his cousins into his personal life, especially these two. They were like older brothers sometimes, they were good, and he could learn things from them, but they were annoying sometimes.

“What’s her name, by the way? I didn’t ask her. Maybe I should ask her on a date,” Joe said, teasing George, earning himself a punch in the ribs. Joe was like an older version of Maria and Erinna and looked like his mom. Of course, he knows how it feels to be mistaken for a girl. That didn’t mean Joe was not a guy and didn’t act like one. Although he had a gentle nature, he would viciously protect Maria if he had to.

“You don’t have a chance,” Erinna announced with a giggle, still focused on her tablet. “George already asked her out, and she said yes,” she added, earning another glare from George.

“I will also tell Lyla that you’re chasing after George’s girlfriend,” Maria informed Joe.

The other girls couldn’t help but laugh, especially Amy. It was funny how these two little girls could invade and dominate the boys’ conversation. They were unopposed, and the boys didn’t know how to deal with their little sisters.

George, however, knew how to get revenge on Erinna, and he knew just the thing. “But I’m not the only one who’s admiring a girl. Maybe everyone would love to know the name of Erinna’s first admirer?” George said with a sly grin on his face, this was going to be fun, and he knew it. He and Nancy had already witnessed Oliver kissing Erinna a goodbye kiss on the cheek without anyone else seeing it. They vowed to make them remember this moment forever.

Erinna’s eyes left her tablet for the first time, and she looked with surprise at George, noting his sly smile. She realized that this wasn’t good. But Erinna was in luck since Jeff chose this moment to walk into the room. “What admirer?” Jeff asked with a raised eyebrow. He was not ready to allow boys to approach his baby girl since she was his gem, his treasure, and not someone else’s.

“Oh, nothing, dad. If someone had eyes for Erinna, would you allow her to date a boy?” George asked, already knowing the answer. After all, if it were anyone other than Oliver, he wouldn’t allow them within 20 miles of Erinna. George wasn’t sure if Oliver or not would matter to his dad. He doubted it, though.

“Of course not,” Jeff answered immediately without even thinking about it. He didn’t need to think about it. Like any dad, he knew the answer before anyone even asked him. “Listen, Erinna, you’re not allowed to date until you’re 31,” Jeff added, with a big smile, trying to sound strict but not as severe as before.

Erinna stared at Jeff as her jaw dropped. This restriction was new to her. Like Ryan, Jeff would tease her by asking if she had found a girlfriend, but now things were just the opposite. She was still learning what it meant to be Daddy’s girl, so it was natural to be surprised.

“Not until 31? Daddy, that’s not fair,” Erinna protested, pouting. Maria started giggling, not realizing that her dad Mark stood behind Jeff.

“Well, that doesn’t just apply to Erinna alone. The same goes for you too, Maria,” Mark announced. Both dads said this as a joke but were serious about protecting their daughters. This joke didn’t come without consequences, however.

At that moment, everyone was distracted by the sound of the doorbell. Heather rushed to open the door, and behind the door were none other than her brothers, Liam and Lucas, with their wives. When the girls heard the sound of their uncle, Liam, they both rushed to the door to greet their uncles, but they were more interested in seeing someone else.

“Angelo,” both girls squealed, seeing their baby cousin. He ran towards the girls but then stopped in front of them. Angelo looked between the two of them in confusion. He could see that something was different, but he couldn’t understand what had changed.

“It’s his first time seeing you two in matching clothes,” Angelo’s mom, Hattie, explained, smiling. Both girls were a great help to her. She had no issue paying them to babysit Angelo if that’s what it took for them to look after him. After all, it was hard to keep Angelo still in one place, something both girls managed to do wonderfully.

“Just because we don’t have a baby shouldn’t mean you ignore us,” Lucas joked, seeing the girl’s whole focus on Angelo. “Come here,” he said, taking the girls in a bear-crushing hug.

Now that everyone had arrived, Heather could finally start setting dinner. The girls took care of Angelo, giving his mom the freedom to help Heather. Both girls pretended to be angry with their fathers and wouldn’t talk to them throughout the afternoon until it was time for dinner. However, Jeff and Mark couldn’t ignore their daughters and unsuccessfully tried everything they could to get them to talk to them again.

Both Heather and Lynn couldn’t help but laugh at them. It was cute how the big intimidating men would do anything for their girls. “Ok, what’s going on here?” Heather asked as everyone took their seat at the dining table. She could see Jeff trying to sweet-talk Erinna, who rolled her eyes and turned her head the other way.

“Daddy and Uncle Jeff said we can’t date until we’re 31,” Maria answered, causing everyone at the table to laugh, especially uncle Jack, who now has four daughters. He had messed up many things in his life, but he wasn’t willing to mess up his relationship with his daughters. He had only realized how wrong he was for trying to toughen Destiny when he had still thought of her as a boy. Jack finally realized his mistake and treated Destiny as one of his daughters.

“Look, girls, I can tell you’re mad at your fathers, but I know they only want to protect you. Believe me when I say no boy or man can love you more than your father,” Jack spoke sincerely, earning an odd look from Leslie.

She had the right, as these words originated from a conversation with Destiny last night. Jack was worried that after the way he had treated her, Destiny would hate him. So, he asked Leslie to talk with her.

Leslie explained to her daughter how sorry Jack was for mistreating her.
“He loves you, sweetie, and would do anything for you.”

Destiny replied to her stepmom, “I understand how much Daddy loves me. I love Daddy too, and he will always be my first love despite how poorly he treated me.” She continued, “Daddy hadn’t yet realized that I was always his daughter, but he understands me now.”

Since they had a late dinner, it was straight to bed for Erinna and Maria. They were already half-asleep when Mark and Jeff carried them to Erinna’s room. They decided that both girls would share her room, while the other girls shared one of the guest rooms, and the boys would share George’s room.

Jeff carefully helped Erinna out of her shoes, then the blouse and the skirt. He took off her bra and helped her into one of her long-sleeve nighties. Mark emerged from the bathroom with Maria dressed in a similar nightie over his shoulder. They didn’t bother removing their tights as they laid the girls beside each other on the bed. Both girls received a kiss on the forehead before Mark and Jeff walked out of the room.

“Good night, Princesses,” Jeff said before closing the door behind him.

Around 8 am, Erinna woke up with a tiny body bouncing on her bed. That’s what Erinna felt, but the reality was different, as it was Angelo, and he was bouncing on top of Maria’s body. Erinna only realized that when Angelo started to jump up and down on her.

“Oof, you…” Erinna sat up, groaning, holding Angelo down. “How did you even get in here?” Erinna asked, feeling it weird that a three-year-old could leave his parent’s room and walk to her room unnoticed.
Angelo just giggled and pointed to the door making Erinna roll her eyes.
“Rin, cookies, please,” Angelo said, bringing his hands together in an attempt to make Erinna bring him cookies. For a three-year-old, this boy knew his way around, even using Erinna’s new nickname, Rin. Angelo was the one behind the new moniker.

“Not now, you little naughty one, after breakfast,” Erinna said firmly. She felt a kind of responsibility towards Angelo. Even if no one asked her and Maria to watch him, they would look after him. Angelo huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. He hoped to get Erinna to make him cookies, but he failed. He didn’t like the ones his mom made because she always burnt them in the oven.

Erinna was not in the mood to argue with Angelo, her spirit was not that good today, and she could feel pain in her stomach. “Maria,” Erinna called, but Maria didn’t wake up. She was a heavy sleeper. With a sigh, Erinna turned to Angelo. “Wake Maria up gently,” Erinna instructed as Angelo smiled. She knew that if you told Angelo to do one thing, he would probably do the opposite, so Erinna was sure he wouldn’t wake Maria gently.

Erinna walked to the bathroom just as Angelo started bouncing again, aiming to wake Maria. Walking into the bathroom, Erinna sat down to relieve herself, and when she stood up, she was shocked at what she saw in the toilet. Erinna used all her mental power to stop herself from screaming. Trying to act as calmly as possible, Erinna removed her clothes and walked to the door peeking out with her head. “Maria,” Erinna called, hoping Maria would be up already.

“Yeah?” Maria replied as she walked to the bathroom while Angelo held on to her left leg and refused to let go. Erinna would have laughed if she wasn’t in the middle of a panic attack.

“Can you call my mommy, please?” Erinna pleaded as she looked distressed and panicky. She was desperate and needed her mom, and she didn’t know who else she could ask for help.

“Ok! Will you be all right?” Maria asked, genuinely concerned about her cousin. It was her first time seeing Erinna like this, and it only made her worry about Erinna.

“Yes, just call my mommy, please,” Erinna pleaded for the second time before closing the bathroom door behind her.
After taking Angelo off her leg, Maria walked out of the room with Angelo in her hand. She looked around the whole house but couldn’t find Heather, her mom, or Leslie, for that matter. She found her brothers and George sitting in the living room watching TV; she asked them about Heather.

“They all left to go buy g... I mean some stuff for tomorrow,” George informed her. He was about to say gifts but couldn’t say it in front of Angelo, as he still believed that Santa brings presents, and they didn’t want to disappoint him.

“Emma and Destiny are in their rooms, dad is working on something, but everyone else went shopping. Why do you ask anyway?”
Maria explained to them how Erinna entered the bathroom and wouldn’t leave. She asked for Heather specifically. Erinna’s request didn’t bother Frank and Joe much, but it worried George.

Maria walked back to Erinna’s room and knocked on the bathroom door. “Aunt Heather left. Only uncle Jeff, your brother, and mine are here. Emma and Destiny are here too,” Maria announced, hearing a groan from behind the door.

George chose to enter the bedroom this time since he was so worried about Erinna that he couldn’t just sit down and not check on her. “Erinna, it’s me, George. Can you come out?” George asked with concern in his voice. Erinna’s actions weren’t something that would usually happen, so it was fair to worry him.

“No, I can’t,” Erinna cried, locking the bathroom door. The last person she wanted to talk to was George or her dad. “Maria, if Emma is up, can you please bring her?” Maria just shrugged and walked out of the room again. Walking to Emma’s room, Maria knocked on the door, and Destiny opened it.

“Is Emma up?” Maria asked, knowing that Emma didn’t wake up quickly. Even Erinna asked her to bring Emma if she was up.
“No, she’s still asleep. Should I wake her up, even though I doubt she would wake up now,” Destiny said with a giggle.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I think it’s urgent, Erinna locked herself in the bathroom, and she asked if Emma could come, though I don’t know why,” Maria admitted while explaining what was going on to the best of her ability. Maria knew it was hopeless trying to wake Emma up now.

Destiny stood puzzled at first, but then her eyes grew wide as if she had realized something. “Could it be her first period?” Destiny thought loudly, making Maria pout.

“I haven’t had mine yet. That’s not fair,” Maria replied, pouting.
“Well, at least we found something that you both can’t share,” Destiny joked with a giggle, making Maria stick her tongue out at her. “I don’t know how to help, but I can try,” Destiny shrugged as she followed Maria back to Erinna’s room.

By now, both Joe and Frank were in Erinna’s room, and Destiny was glad Jeff was not in the room, too, since what she was about to do couldn’t be done with Jeff around.

“Girl’s stuff, don’t come in until we tell you it’s ok. All right, you three out, and take Angelo with you,” commanded Destiny as everyone looked at her, confused. Before they could say anything, Destiny had herded them out of the room, handed Angelo to them, and then closed the door behind them. With that, Destiny turned back and walked to the bathroom door.

“Erinna, there’s only me and Maria in the room. Can you open the door?” Destiny asked. The only answer that came was a resounding ‘no.’ Destiny sighed. She wanted to help but didn’t know what she could do. Then, an idea came to her. “Should I call Nancy? If you prefer, none of the boys will know why I called her,” Destiny suggested. Eventually, she knew she would be going through the same thing and wanted to help Erinna.

“Yes, but don’t tell anyone else, only Nancy,” Erinna replied from behind the door. She was in the middle of a panic attack and had no idea how to deal with all the blood.

Nancy sat on her bed at the Collins’ house, scrolling through her phone. Brandi sat beside her on the bed in her old jeans and T-shirt, feeling she couldn’t take it any longer.

“Nancy, I can’t do this anymore, I know you guys are worried about me, but I can’t pretend to be a boy any longer,” Brandi said, standing up frustrated. Her abusive cousins will be arriving for dinner today before leaving again. Until they left, she had to be in her old clothes again.
Nancy sat up with a sigh. She didn’t like that either. Nancy and Brandi quickly became the closest cousins, and Brandi was eager to learn everything about being a girl. She was a speedy learner. That, however, meant that Brandi couldn’t return to her old habits. She couldn’t do it again.

“I know, so let me ask mom if we could spend our time at the Houstons’ house until dinner. I am sure Oliver would sooner accompany us too,” Nancy suggested and was about to leave her room when her phone started ringing.

“Good morning, Destiny,” Nancy answered after picking up her phone. As she picked up the phone, she saw that it was Destiny. She had exchanged numbers with all of Erinna’s cousins since they were all awesome, and she understood why Erinna was happy about them coming.

“Hi, Nancy, are you busy, as it’s kinda urgent, and Erinna needs you,” came Destiny’s reply on the other side of the phone. Destiny had no time to waste, and it seemed Nancy was the only available person that Erinna was willing to open the door to see.

“Even if I was, I could always make time for Erinna. Just tell me what’s going on, and I will be on my way,” Nancy replied, now very concerned. Whatever it was, she couldn’t leave her little sister alone if she needed her. Destiny explained to Nancy what was happening and asked her not to tell anyone about it. “I will be there in 10 minutes. Just tell her to calm down and wait for me,” Nancy added with a sense of urgency.
“Brandi put on something cute. We’re going to the Houstons’ house,” Nancy informed Brandi before hurrying to her bathroom. She removed a package of sanitary pads from her bathroom and returned to her room.

Nancy left her room and walked downstairs to find her mom with Oliver in the living room. She sat down with her hand around Oliver’s shoulder while watching a movie.

“Mom, I am stepping out to see Erinna. I am taking Brandi with me, and we will be back before dinner,” Nancy informed her mom while walking into the living room.

Immediately Oliver’s head turned towards her with interest, he hadn’t seen Erinna for a couple of days, and he wanted to see her. He had more friends than ever in his life, but of all his friends, the one he always wanted to see was Erinna. Her image never left his mind, not even for a second.

“Can I go too?” Oliver asked excitedly, looking at his mom.

“Aww, is little Oli missing his girlfriend?” Nancy teased, making Oliver blush. Although she and George were 100% on board and supported these two, Nancy couldn’t help but tease Oliver. He was just too cute when he blushed.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Oliver replied a bit defensively. Although he couldn’t help but imagine himself being Erinna’s boyfriend and taking her on a date, it was embarrassing and frustrating. Even a part of his body responded to the idea in a way he hadn’t experienced before.
“Nancy, stop teasing your brother. You can all go, but be back before dinner,” Carol replied before turning to Oliver, who was looking at her with pleading eyes. She enjoyed her time with her son, but since his annoying cousins will be coming today, she might let him have some fun before facing them.

“Go change your clothes before leaving, and I left a shirt and trousers on your bed. Just make sure not to get them dirty,” Carol instructed.

“Thanks, mom,” Oliver said, hugging Carol and kissing her cheek before running up to his room. With a smile plastered on his face, Oliver started to get dressed. He was used to dressing formally as Carol always wanted him to look his best, and even his curly hair was in a neat haircut.

Downstairs, Carol waited to hear Oliver’s door closing to turn her attention to Nancy. “Is something wrong with Erinna? You seem to be in a hurry. That’s not like you,” Carol inquired.

“Nothing serious, mom but almost everyone went shopping this morning, and Erinna is having her first period with no one there to help her. I am worried she will experience a panic attack,” Nancy explained, letting out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

“Should I come too? I have nothing to do, and dinner only needs to be reheated. I could help, so you don’t have to handle it alone,” Carol suggested, a bit excited and overjoyed at the same time. She was as happy as the day Nancy had her first period. After all, Erinna was like a second daughter to her.

“No, mom, there is no need for you to go. I can handle it by myself,” Nancy immediately responded. She knew that her mom was genuinely worried about Erinna and loved and cared for her, but moms sometimes like to embarrass their children. She remembered Carol’s embarrassing comment back then and didn’t want Erinna to face that.

Soon, Oliver came down, and they both waited for Brandi, who didn’t take much longer. She just had to choose something she liked and brush her hair into her new style from the salon. Nancy then packed the pads into one of her purses, and they put on their coats. They walked the short distance to the Houstons’ house, and Nancy knocked on the door. Destiny immediately opened the door and let them in.

“I am not sure if Erinna will allow anyone but Nancy in,” Destiny commented, looking at Nancy after seeing Brandi and Oliver. She knew they were friends but also that Erinna didn’t want to see anyone else.

“Alright, I got this. Leave it to me,” Nancy said before making her way up the stairs to Erinna’s room, leaving Oliver and Brandi slightly hurt and confused. When Nancy made her way into Erinna’s room, she found Jeff standing in front of the bathroom, looking distressed.

“Nancy, thank goodness, maybe you can help,” Jeff said, feeling relieved after seeing Nancy. The fact that no one would tell him what was happening, his daughter had locked herself in the bathroom and was unwilling to open the door, worried him a lot. He feared things he didn’t want to think about, but his mind was racing, afraid that Erinna might have hurt herself.

“Erinna had locked herself in and won’t open to anyone,” Jeff added.
“No worries, sir, I assure you everything will be alright,” Nancy assured Jeff before walking to the bathroom door and knocking. “Erinna, it’s me, Nancy. Can you open the door?”

There was a short silence before Erinna answered. “Nan! Are you alone?” Erinna asked.

Nancy looked at Jeff, a look he understood immediately, and with a sigh, he left the room, telling himself that he could trust Nancy.

“Yes, I am alone,” replied Nancy. No sound came from the bathroom for a second until Nancy heard the door unlock and felt relieved.

The door opened, Nancy entered the bathroom, and Erinna immediately closed the door behind her.

“I don’t know what to do. Emma is asleep. Amy, Olivia, my aunts, and mommy are out shopping. Destiny and probably Maria doesn’t know what to do either. I didn’t know who else to ask for help, sorry,” Erinna admitted with tears flooding her eyes. She didn’t even know why she was crying.

“Why are you even apologizing? You haven’t done anything wrong. You are experiencing your first period, and all this blood is normal,” Nancy exclaimed, kissing Erinna’s forehead and wiping her tears. “I have everything you might need with me. Just go take a shower and clean yourself off while I pick out clothes for you,” Nancy added before putting down her handbag.

Erinna started the shower and used the new shampoo and body wash her mom had brought. Erinna nodded before walking into the shower holding a towel between her legs, soaked with blood. Meanwhile, Nancy stepped out of the bathroom to get fresh clothes for Erinna. Nancy was surprised when she saw Maria standing there, as the girl looked virtually identical to Erinna. Still, she could see their slight differences after seeing both a couple of days ago.

“I still have a hard time dealing with the fact that you’re not twins,” Nancy admitted with a sigh. Maria giggled and smiled at Nancy as she entered Erinna’s walk-in closet, followed by Maria.

“Is it true that Erinna had her first period?” Maria inquired, following Nancy as she picked fresh underwear for Erinna. Maria had always been close to Erinna, even when she was still Ryan, as they had many common interests. Now that Erinna was a girl, she felt closer to her cousin.

“Yes, that’s right, just don’t tell anyone yet,” Nancy instructed as she returned with a pile of clothes to the bathroom. Erinna was finishing her shower when Nancy entered. “I brought some sanitary pads with me; I will show you how to use them.” After Erinna had dried off, Nancy showed her how to use the pad in her panties and then left her to get dressed.

Once Erinna was dressed and blow-dried her hair, she left the bathroom. When she walked out of her bathroom, Angelo ran and hugged her legs as he couldn’t reach any higher.

“Rin, look, look,” Angelo shouted, pointing at the window.
Looking out the window, Erinna could see that it had started to snow again, as it was snowing last night.

“You wanna go outside?” Erinna asked with a smile as Angelo nodded rabidly. At that moment, Erinna’s stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. “But I need to eat first, ok?”

Angelo agreed to Erinna’s relief, and Erinna walked downstairs to get some breakfast. At the bottom of the stairs, she inhaled a wonderful smell from the kitchen. Erinna observed how Nancy and Destiny had teamed up to make breakfast in the kitchen. These two made waffles, eggs, bacon, and pancakes, which looked delicious.

“And I was going to make some cereal,” Erinna commented while putting Angelo in a high chair.

“Not when I am here. Destiny is a great help and knows her way around a kitchen,” Nancy replied.

Everyone gathered in the kitchen while Nancy and Destiny served breakfast to them all. Nancy could keep all the questions away from Erinna, which was a significant relief for her. Destiny made and covered a breakfast plate for Emma since she was sure that Emma would not be up any time soon. Jeff walked in, and they also made a plate for him.

Once they finished breakfast, Erinna and Maria ensured that Angelo wore his coat and gloves before playing outside in the snow. They played in the snow while Erinna and Oliver sat on the swings in the backyard since it was nice for them to be alone, and they didn’t realize that Nancy had made sure of it.

Eventually, the women arrived from their shopping trip. Heather was first to leave her car in a hurry looking for Erinna. Nancy had told her everything over the phone, and Heather was full of joy and excitement.
“Where’s Erinna?” Heather asked, approaching the front door of the house. She could see the kids playing but surprisingly didn’t see Erinna.
Maria giggled a bit; she knew Erinna was in the backyard with Oliver. “In the backyard with her boyfriend,” Maria replied, causing Emma and Destiny to snicker.

“Boyfriend?” Heather asked, raising an eyebrow. She didn’t realize how close Oliver and Erinna had become. She just assumed that they were just friends.

“Oliver,” Emma replied.

Heather rolled her eyes. Of course, how could she have missed it? “You,” Heather said, pinching Maria’s cheeks. “They are still too young to be in a boyfriend and girlfriend relationship, and so are you.”

Knowing where Erinna was, Heather went into the house and opened the backyard patio door, where she saw Oliver and Erinna sitting on the swing. “Erinna,” Heather called from inside the house.

After smiling at Oliver, Erinna shrugged and walked over to her mom.

“How are you feeling right now?” Heather said, hugging Erinna. Erinna looked up, confused, thinking she wasn’t sick or anything. Heather seemed to be excited, an unusual expression for that question.
“Nancy told me everything. You’re not just a girl anymore. You’re now a woman,” Heather excitedly exclaimed.

“Mommy!” Erinna whined while making Heather smile. Erinna’s cheeks turned red from embarrassment. She now understood what Nancy meant about mom’s embarrassing comments.

It was a special moment for Heather; she wished she had been here two hours ago, but everything was alright, thanks to Nancy’s help.
“Nancy showed you how to use pads?” Heather asked, receiving a nod from Erinna. “Good, you will need to learn how to use tampons too, since pads won’t work with swimming,” Heather informed her. She was glad she was an experienced swimmer and could help Erinna in many ways.

“What’s a tampon?” Erinna asked, making Heather chuckle. Erinna didn’t know what tampons were. Erinna didn’t even know what pads were before Nancy showed her today. How would she know that? Erinna knew these were forbidden topics for a boy, and she hadn’t dared go anywhere near them.

“I will show you later, now go and have fun,” Heather instructed, taking her arms off from around Erinna. “And no kissing,” Heather grinned, making Erinna blush red again.

“Mommy!” Again, Erinna whined before huffing and walking back to where she had left Oliver.

Around one pm in the afternoon, everyone was out in the front yard building a snowman and having fun, and only the adults stayed inside. They were all having so much fun that they didn’t notice a police car stopping outside the house and two officers emerging. They opened the front gate, stepped into the yard, and approached the first person they saw, Erinna.

“Hello, I am Officer Louis, and this is my partner, Officer Garrett. We have a couple of questions we would like to ask you,” the Officer introduced himself, startling Erinna as she didn’t see them approach.

One of them seemed to be in his twenties, while the other looked to be in his thirties. While Erinna knew to respect police officers, she knew she was not obligated to answer their questions. “Can I call my parents first?” Erinna asked politely.

“Sure thing, but don’t take long,” Officer Louis replied unpleasantly. He looked annoyed, and his tone was cold and rude. Erinna didn’t like him.

Not wanting to keep the conversation going any longer, Erinna hurried inside the house to bring her parents. She didn’t see that the officers approached everyone else and questioned them, making Angelo seek shelter behind Maria.

Erinna walked into the house as quickly as possible and informed her parents of what was happening. Immediately all the adults, with Heather and Jeff ahead of them, put on their coats and stepped out front. They came out of the house at the worst possible moment.

“Listen carefully, boy, and if you don’t answer us, we can arrest you and ask you at the police station.” George was standing silently there with Officer Louis attempting to intimidate and forcibly interrogate him. He failed his task miserably, as George just smiled and remained silent.

Heather saw enough to make her blood boil. She knew when police officers crossed their boundaries.

“Excuse me. First, you have no right to arrest my son because he’s not answering your questions. Secondly, you’re trespassing and standing on our private property, and I must ask you to leave,” Heather said, approaching her son. If these two officers were lucky enough, they would get to keep their jobs, but Heather didn’t look very forgiving.

“I am a Police Department Officer, I have the right to go wherever I want, and for your information, one of these kids sabotaged your neighbor, Mrs. Douglas’s car. I have every right to arrest them and you if you are impeding our investigation,” he challenged Heather, which was a big mistake.

“I have had enough of this, I want your names and badge numbers, and I want to call your supervisor,” Heather ordered. “I will deal with that old hag later in court,” Heather added. She knew Mrs. Douglas very well, as she seemed to have a problem, especially with her kids. She’s an old lady who lived alone in the house next to them and had called the police many times on both George and Erinna, falsely accusing them of many things. Every time the police made a quick investigation, they politely apologized for taking the Hustons’ time and left. Sometimes they would even invite the officers in for a cup of tea.

Officer Louis refused to answer Heather or call his supervisor. He didn’t allow his partner, who looked nervous by now, to tell Heather his name and badge number. Heather quickly realized who the senior Officer was and who was in charge.

They argued for almost an hour when a black SUV parked behind the police car. A man in his mid-thirties left the car with a boy who seemed to be 10 to 11 years old. “Stay here, Alex. Let me see what’s going on,” the man instructed the boy, who nodded.

Seeing him approach, Heather and Jeff smirked, knowing this would be much easier than they expected. The man took something from the inner pocket of his coat and walked close to the Officer. “Excuse me, officer, what seems to be the problem here?” The man asked.

“And who are you?” The Officer asked as he held an FBI special agent’s badge in front of the Officer’s face.

“FBI Special Agent Robert Allen Houston. May I ask why you are here?” the agent answered as the Officer started to look worried. He was a person the Officer knew he couldn’t challenge.

Heather decided to answer herself because the Officer would not answer anytime soon. “They refused to leave our property even after I explained that they were trespassing without a warrant. They also wanted to arrest George because he didn’t give them the answer they wanted. And this is all because that old hag next door was harassing us when she falsely called the police again,” Heather explained as her smirk grew wider.

“I see. I am sure it was an honest mistake on the Officer’s part. I am sure they will leave the property before this situation escalates,” Robert explained. He knew that if he let these officers continue down this path, they would end their careers. Robert doubted that Heather would let them go that easily, but it was none of his business. He wanted to get them to leave and stop further disturbing his brother and his family.

“There’s no mistake here,” Officer Louis said, not wanting to admit his mistake. “We have a report to make, and I will carry forward with my investigation,” he added arrogantly.

“No one here will talk to you, and you have no right to arrest any of us or these kids. Now I want your names and badge numbers and both of you to leave our property at once, or I will take this matter to court,” Heather threatened. The Officer didn’t look worried, not knowing that Heather could back up her words.

“It’s your word against mine in court,” Officer Louis challenged while Officer Garrett remained silent. But he seemed to be just following along, and he had already realized their actions were way over the line.

Robert continued, “Officer if I were you, I wouldn’t go near the court in front of a judge. I may not arrest you, but I assure you that we will thoroughly investigate your behavior. Secondly, I will nicely ask you to leave only once. You have two choices: tell Mrs. Houston your name and badge number and exit. Then I can try to convince her not to file a complaint. If you wish to continue down your current path, I am afraid I will need to escalate this situation by informing your superiors, and I can guarantee that you will not like the outcome.”

Robert just wanted to get them to leave the yard, and he didn’t only come to meet his brother. He always brought his son Alex to spend time with his brother and family. Especially on holidays. Robert was often busy with his investigations and would try his best to spend time with his son as much as possible. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have that much time this week since he tracked a drug shipment that would arrive very soon. Robert couldn’t slack off, but at the same time, he wanted his son to experience a good holiday, as things had been hard on him since the death of Alex’s mother.

“That’s my last answer. Like it or not, I have a crime here, and I have to investigate it,” the officer replied.

With a sigh, Robert took out his phone and dialed a number. He spoke on the phone for a couple of minutes, then put it back in his pocket. “Officers, I am detaining you until your supervisor arrives. Until he arrives, I advise you to stay silent and not to make your situation worse,” Robert advised, much to the shock of the officers.

Robert then turned and signaled for Alex to come. “Why don’t we let the kids inside? I am sure they have seen enough,” Robert suggested as Alex approached them.

“No, no one moves from here until....” the Officer objected but was interrupted by Robert, who was beginning to lose his patience.

“Officer, you’re detained. I advised you to stay silent. You have caused enough trouble already,” Robert said, raising his voice while silencing the Officer.

“Kids, get inside, Joe. Make sure everyone is ok,” Heather instructed as everyone watched the kids walk into the house.

It didn’t take long for an unmarked police car to arrive. When the vehicle stopped, a rather angry man in his forties emerged. Heather recognized him as a police Lieutenant.

“Agent Houston, it’s been a while,” the man said, walking up to Robert and shaking his hand.

The Lieutenant apologized and even forced the officers to apologize before ordering them to leave the property. He then turned to everyone else and added, “I am Lieutenant Tyler Jung. I deeply apologize for the inappropriate behavior of my officers. Officer Garrett, badge number 5863, is new, but I expected officer Louis, badge number 2904, to know better. I assure you we will thoroughly investigate their actions, and according to the outcome of our investigation, both will receive the appropriate punishment. I hope you don’t file a complaint, although I can’t blame you if you do.”

Lt. Jung handed his card to Jeff and tipped his hat to everyone. “Please excuse me. I have a pair of officers that I must discipline.”

Alex was surprised to see Erinna inside the house and asked the same question all her friends had asked. “Umm, Ryan, why are you wearing girl’s clothes?” Alex asked, trying his best not to sound rude, but he knew his cousin as a badass boy, and they both looked up to George.

When she heard the name Ryan, it sounded strange to Erinna, as she no longer felt like a boy and couldn’t see herself as Ryan anymore. She could only see herself as Erinna, or Rin as Angelo calls her.

“It’s because I am a girl now and not a boy anymore,” Erinna tried her best to explain. She knew Alex well enough to know he was curious and didn’t mean anything.

“You mean you feel like a girl and not a boy?” Alex replied, surprised to hear this. He never thought that his cousin would have these kinds of feelings.

“I think you’re misunderstanding something, Alex,” George said, his eyes on the screen as he was playing a video game with John. “Ryan has GCS, she physically has changed into a girl, and her name is now Erinna. Watch out, though, since she can still kick as hard as she used to,” George added, joking.

Alex looked sheepishly at Erinna, walked over to her, and hugged her. “You are still my favorite cousin, I will now love you like a sister, and nothing will change that.”

Erinna blushed and said, “And I can now do this,” and then gave him a big kiss.

Alex blushed profusely and smiled back at her.

Everyone stayed inside for the rest of the day, playing card games and many other indoor games. Before they knew it, it was dinnertime. Nancy, Oliver, and Brandi went back home.

After dinner, Robert had to leave, but Heather suggested letting Alex stay for the holidays. It was Christmas eve, after all. While Robert wants to spend time with his son, drug dealers don’t take time off during holidays. Knowing that he would have to leave early in the morning, Robert agreed and was glad he had prepared for this possibility. He returned to his car and took out an overnight bag for Alex and his Christmas gifts. Robert left everything he had brought with Jeff and went home.

The children woke up excitedly on Christmas morning, racing down the stairs. They all had one destination in mind, the Christmas tree in the living room, where they found a big pile of gifts stacked around the tree.

“Erinna, time to wake up, Princess,” Jeff said, shaking Erinna awake. Jeff had already dressed, and Heather had dressed, too, as they had a meeting at the school. Erinna’s blood test results had officially reached the school. And the school notified them about a meeting yesterday. Surprisingly, they called again 10 minutes later, informing them about George’s upcoming transfer to the school.

When Jeff asked what they meant, the school answered that they would explain everything when Jeff and Heather arrived. They had two meetings at 9 am and 10:00 am, and Erinna’s meeting would be first. So, Jeff left the easier task of waking George up for Heather, and he decided to wake up Erinna himself.

“Just ten more minutes, please, daddy,” Erinna grumbled, burying her face in the pillow. She had been up late since Angelo had kept her awake, and Maria had fallen asleep earlier. Erinna’s cousins were going to leave today since school starts the day after tomorrow.

“Well, Princess, I didn’t want to do this, but you left me no choice,” Jeff said as he stood over the bed. Flipping Erinna over, he started to tickle her, making her squeal and giggle as she tried to get away from his hands. “Are you awake yet, Princess?” Jeff asked with amusement. Everyone knew Erinna’s biggest weakness was tickling, and Jeff and Heather used it to their advantage.

“Yes, daddy, I am up,” Erinna pouted as she sat up, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Go take a shower, and um... Do what you need to do. We have a meeting at the school, so your mom will come and put some clothes out for you to wear,” Jeff explained before Erinna got out of bed. Jeff chuckled and reached to kiss her forehead.

Erinna left the bed, and Jeff was about to leave the room when she called him. Jeff turned around to see what she wanted. “Did uncle Robert call yesterday?”

Jeff looked into Erinna’s eyes; those eyes were just like her mom’s. As beautiful as they were, they carried a lot of emotions. Jeff could tell Erinna had a bad feeling about her uncle not calling or answering for a couple of days, and it worried him that, as her mother, her hunch was rarely wrong. “No, Princess, I am sure he’s alright. You know your uncle can get busy sometimes,” Jeff said, using his poker face. He couldn’t show his worry to his daughter since he was the parent.

Erinna saw that Jeff used a neutral expression. She guessed that he was worried as well. Erinna shook her head and hoped for the best. She loved her uncle Robert since he was the only one she saw so much from her father’s side of the family. Her other uncle supervises a project in Canada, while her aunt is in Egypt on an archaeology excavation. She loved them, but she hadn’t seen them for a while.

Erinna walked to the bathroom with a sigh, took off her clothes, and threw them in the hamper; she sat down and relieved herself. She was glad that her period was over by now; she didn’t have to use pads or tampons anymore. Erinna then turned on the water in the shower and got in to wash. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the time for a bath, though she had come to love bubble baths. Once she was out of the shower, she toweled herself dry.

It was also embarrassing that Maria had her first period two days later. Her cousins wouldn’t let them get away without teasing them about their periods. Of course, they wouldn’t kid them in front of their brothers since the three boys already had enough embarrassing material on the girls.

After drying herself and putting on her bathrobe, Erinna walked out of the bathroom. She walked to her vanity table, where she started to blow-dry her hair and then brushed it. She had a small makeup kit on her vanity table that she could use to practice, but Erinna wasn’t allowed to use anything more than lip gloss when she was out of the house. Heather wouldn’t let her use anything else.

When Heather entered the room, Erinna brushed her hair and placed the brush down. She seemed in a hurry, but she stopped to watch Erinna. The sight never failed to warm her heart and make her smile.

“Good morning, Princess,” Heather greeted, walking to her daughter and kissing her head.

“Good morning, mommy,” Erinna greeted back.

“Let’s quickly get you dressed since we’re in a bit of a hurry,” Heather informed her. She led Erinna to her walk-in closet and let her pick out a bra and panties while Heather found what Erinna would be wearing.

Reaching into the first drawer, Erinna picked up a pair of baby-blue bikini-cut panties, and then from another drawer, she picked a matching bra. She quickly slid the panties up to her waist, then put on the bra hooking it behind. Putting on the bra daily helped Erinna do it quickly, and she didn’t struggle anymore.

Heather picked up a dark blue, straight skirt and a white blouse with a ruffled bib. Erinna picked up one of her white tights and started to put them on, pulling them up over her waist. She then put on the skirt and tucked her blouse into it. “Mommy, can I wear a pair of my kitten heels?” Erinna asked with her pleading puppy eyes look.

“Maybe some other time, sweetie,” Heather said, stroking Erinna’s cheek and pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Maybe one of your Mary Janes, ok?” Heather instructed, not comprehending her daughter’s obsession with heels. She would understand if Erinna was short, but she was tall, and even with low heels, she would tower over all the kids her age.

Erinna huffed before buckling the straps and putting on a pair of black Mary Janes. She finished her look with a black headband. Fully dressed, Erinna grabbed her phone, then a small clutch. She placed her things into it and walked downstairs.

Everyone was up, and breakfast was getting ready; Erinna spotted George. He was wearing a suit and a tie which is very unusual for him. “Wow, you’re wearing a suit. Are you feeling ok?” Erinna teased, reaching with her palm to see whether George had a fever.

George rolled his eyes as everyone laughed. It would take a lot of effort to convince George to wear a suit and even more to wear a necktie. Even if he wore a case, he usually wore it without a necktie. “You cheeky little monkey,” George said, pinching Erinna’s cheeks and making her giggle.

“Uncle Jeff,” Alex called across the table while Heather placed his breakfast in front of him. He had been here since Christmas and still hadn’t received a call from his dad. While this was like his second home, Jeff was like a second father, and Heather loved him the same way she loved Erinna and George; Alex was worried that he had not yet heard from his dad. After all, Alex still loved his father. His dad always called him, which was so unlike him that Alex hoped his dad wasn’t in trouble. His dad never talked about his job, but he was an FBI agent, and things could get dangerous. Alex was trying not to fear the worst, but he became more worried with every passing day.

“Yes, Alex,” replied Jeff.

“Have you heard any word from my dad? We haven’t heard from him since Christmas eve, and I am worried about him,” Alex admitted revealing his fear. Even when his dad is on a mission, he always calls him daily. Of course, he isn’t always able to do that, but he still keeps in touch via his office. Of course, all details about his missions are kept tightly secretive.

“No, Alex, we haven’t heard a word from him. I will call his office today to see if they can give me any update on his whereabouts.”

After breakfast, Erinna, George, and their parents walked to their car just as Collins’s car passed in front of their house. Oliver waved to Erinna from the window, who waved back as she smiled.

All of them got in the car heading to Talented Youth Academy. “By the way, why is George coming with us?” Erinna asked, looking at her parents, then looked back at George and cheekily added. “You look good wearing a necktie with that suit.”

Everyone had to hold their laugh while George just rolled his eyes. Seeing the Collins family also leave meant that it wasn’t only him but all of his friends who received a call. They were about to find out whatever it was, as they were already in front of the Academy.

Everyone left the car, and they met with the Collins family. Nancy and George moved beside each other, and so did Erinna and Oliver. However, a cough from Jeff and Erwin caused the four of them to put some distance between each other. Reaching the reception, both families explained why they were there.

“Yes, students from New Heritage Academy will meet in one hour in our auditorium. As for Miss Houston, the principal would like to meet her immediately. You can head to her office directly,” the receptionist explained to Jeff and Heather before turning to the Collins while the Houstons walked directly to the principal’s office.

Walking through the hallway, Erinna spotted Conner, Shelby, and Steven. Oscar sat beside them quietly, looking at his phone. Something seemed different since Conner and Steven looked nervous. A couple of students from the same year but different classes and kids from other years shared the same distressed and worried look, while most of their parents had the same edgy look. Erinna just waved to her friends before walking away.

Upon seeing Oscar, George rolled his eyes and didn’t want to be in the same place as that asshole. He decided to ignore him and walk behind his family.

Reaching the principal’s office, her assistant welcomed them. “Good morning. You must be Mr. and Mrs. Houston. Mrs. Mackenzie is waiting for you inside,” the assistant informed them while giving Erinna a kind smile.

They all entered the office to see four people sitting around a round meeting table. At the head of the table was a lady with red hair and hazel-brown eyes. The swimming coaches, Damian, Monica, and Vince, were on both sides of the table.

“You can’t just take my best swimmer away. The team is nothing without him. These boys are not even close to his level. I can’t accept this decision,” coach Vince argued. Everyone seemed to notice the Houstons walking into the office except him.

“Coach Vince, please calm yourself down, Miss Houston’s parents are here, and we can’t progress with the discussion without their opinion,” Mrs. Mackenzie informed him before turning to the Houstons standing.

She stood up and walked over to them. “Good morning. Sorry for the rude behavior you witnessed from one of our staff. Please have a seat,” Mrs. Mackenzie offered as they all took their seats. Coach Monica whispered something in Coach Damian’s ears, making him shake his head.

“I see Miss Houston is already presenting as a girl. I am sure you have received the Public Health GCS test results. Miss Houston is now obligated to attend school as a girl. She must wear the girl’s school uniform, and she will also be using the girls’ changing room from now on,” Mrs. Mackenzie explained.

Erinna cringed inwardly upon hearing about the girl’s uniform. George smiled and made a coughing sound as Erinna glared at him.

While Erinna didn’t mind wearing skirts, she still didn’t like the girls’ school uniform because she knew it would bring her a lot of unwanted attention. She hadn’t yet realized that she had already caught every boy’s attention no matter where she went.

“We understand and will buy Erinna the required number of uniforms today. No worries, Mrs. Mackenzie,” Heather assured her, looking towards Erinna, who crossed her arms over her chest. She could tell Erinna still didn’t like wearing the girl’s uniform.

“Erinna, huh? Well, that’s a lovely name, Mrs. Houston. We shall change your daughter’s name in the system then. Have you thought about Miss Houston’s middle name?” Mrs. Mackenzie asked, smiling at Erinna, making her blush.

“It’s Clover, ma’am. My new middle name is Clover,” Erinna answered politely. She had had this conversation with her mom since they would get her a new birth certificate and change her gender in official documents. Heather insisted on Erinna choosing her middle name, as she didn’t want to force a name on her child.

Mrs. Mackenzie looked toward both Heather and Jeff, who nodded in confirmation. “Clover, it is then, now for other matters we have right now, first if Erinna would like to stay in the swimming team, the school could only see it appropriate that she transfers to the girls’ team, with coach Monica as her team coach and coach Damien, will remain as her personal swim coach. We need Miss Houston’s and your agreement for this,” stated Mrs. Mackenzie.”

“Hold on. I disagreed with that. I am not handing Ryan over. He’s my best swimmer,” Coach Vince invaded the conversation, refusing to let Erinna leave his team.

“I am not having my daughter changing in the same locker room with boys to stay in the boys’ swimming team. It’s her choice if she still wants to swim, but she’s not going back to the boys’ team, and that’s final,” Jeff stated firmly. There was no room for argument, so Coach Vince stood up and left the room in a rage.

“Mr. Houston, please pay no attention to him. The best he can do is to waste your daughter’s potential. If anything had changed, the country now has a great female swimmer,” coach Damien commented, making Erinna blush a bit.

“I have to apologize for what happened. My school is blessed to have a student like your daughter, and teachers find it hard to bring questions challenging her. Due to a high number of new GCS students this year, our Academy started a support program for GCS students to help them....” Mrs. Mackenzie explained the program while both Heather and Jeff listened carefully.

When Mrs. Mackenzie finished explaining the program, she asked any questions.

“We don’t have questions regarding Erinna, but the school called us regarding our son George’s transfer into this school. We asked what they meant, but they answered by saying you will explain everything here,” Heather replied, pointing to George, who sat in silence.

“Ah, Mrs. Houston, I must admit my school would be happy to have two Houston students. We have an assembly meeting for all the New Heritage Academy students in the auditorium to present all the details at 10 am.”

“But I will explain a few things now,” Mrs. Mackenzie explained. “I would like to talk about what happened.”

“The company that runs our school bought out the company that runs the New Heritage Academy. We will move their students into an expanded wing, shutting down the old campus. We are allowing all their students to transfer to our school.”

“Of course, George, you can attend another school if you prefer, but our school will save you all the trouble. Also, George, you will remain with the football team and still be the first-year team captain.”

“I am sure George will love the new school uniform, Mrs. Mackenzie,” Erinna cheekily commented, making George glare at her.

The comment made everyone, including Mrs. Mackenzie, laugh. She was fond of all of her students, especially Erinna. Some kids were exceptional, even according to the school’s high standards. After all, the school is interested in special students and tries to enroll them and work on their talent. To have Erinna and her older brother as students, they must have hit the jackpot.

“Miss Houston has a point, though. We expect our students to wear a clean and tidy uniform, and we have strict rules,” Mrs. Mackenzie explained.

“I almost forgot about one thing.” Mrs. Mackenzie reached into a drawer and took out a blue and red badge. The badge displayed “Ryan Alan Houston, Primary Student Council President.”

“Miss Houston had been chosen respectively by both students and teachers to be the student council president for the Primary school. We need to get her a new badge with her new name on it,” Mrs. Mackenzie explained as Erinna’s eyes almost popped out of her head.

“How? When?” Erinna was way too surprised that she didn’t know what to say. The President of the student council is always a 6th-grade boy or girl. She had never heard of having a 5th-grader as the President.

“You were absent due to sickness that day, Ms. Houston. Your teachers and classmates believed you to be the most suitable candidate for that position.” Mrs. Mackenzie had given her vote to Erinna too. She knew how much Erinna had contributed to the school.

Whenever the school needed volunteers, she was there. She doesn’t even think twice before jumping to help whoever needs help. She does what no child her age would do most of the time. Even if Erinna thought otherwise, no one was better than her for that position.

A while later, the Houstons emerged out of Mrs. Mackenzie’s office. Since they were in the school, they decided to buy uniforms for Erinna and George at the school’s uniform shop after George’s meeting.

George had no problems moving into this school since he could keep an eye on Erinna and Oliver and easily protect them. He had only one problem, though, the uniform. Now George has to wear a tailored suit jacket, fitted slacks, shirt, and the school necktie in winter. He can’t wear sneakers to school anymore; instead, he must wear leather dress shoes. Even his socks must be formal.

In his previous school, he only needed to wear a dress shirt and slacks, and that was it. This school has a strict dress code and he won’t enjoy that freedom here. The school even has different primary, middle, and high school uniforms. Erinna had cheekily remarked that George would love Nancy’s uniform. He just glared at her.

At 10 am, the Houstons entered the auditorium where all the former New Heritage Academy students were sitting.

“Mrs. Mackenzie made her opening speech and welcomed all the new students to the Talented Youth Academy and gave them all the reasons behind this change. Coach Miller got up and told everyone how the football team would move here as well, and all the current players who chose to attend would retain their spots on the team. He also mentioned that the old school’s sports center would remain open for all students since it was only a short walk down the road. This policy applied to all the other teams in the sports program.

After the welcome meeting concluded, they quickly visited the school’s uniform shop. Both Erinna and George followed their parents back to the car with the bags containing their new school uniforms in their hands. They all got in the car, and Jeff started it up. Instead of returning home, Jeff drove in the other direction. This sudden change confused both Erinna and George.

“Daddy, where are we going?” Erinna asked with curiosity. George looked up at his dad, trying to guess where they were going.

“That’s a surprise, Princess. You will see when we get there,” Jeff announced. They wanted to bring it home as a Christmas gift but could not. Also, he knew how much Erinna had wanted one, so he didn’t see why they couldn’t do it today.

Erinna looked at George, who just shrugged. He didn’t know what was going on either. Knowing that she wouldn’t be getting an answer from her parents, Erinna sighed and laid back in her seat. Eventually, sleep got the best of her, and she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore.

“Wake up, Princess, we’re here,” Jeff announced, lifting Erinna out of the car. It was a mistake as Erinna wrapped her legs around his waist and her hands around Jeff’s neck, burying her head in his shoulder. Jeff couldn’t help but chuckle and would lie if he said he didn’t like this. Erinna was a daddy’s girl, and he enjoyed spoiling his Princess.

“What are we doing in front of a farm?” Asked George making Erinna poke her head over Jeff’s shoulder. She could see the farm in front of her, the vast green land, but she didn’t know what they were doing there.

“They breed dogs here,” Jeff explained, much to Erinna’s excitement. She and George always wanted to have a pet dog, but both Heather and Jeff were hesitant at first.

“We’re getting a puppy!” Erinna excitedly exclaimed with a squeal as Jeff put her down. Heather and Jeff couldn’t help but laugh, and they knew how much Erinna wanted a puppy.

At the same time, a brand new dark blue Dodge truck drove up and stopped beside them. The window opened, and a guy wearing a cowboy hat stuck his head out of the window. “Howdy, Jeff, you finally decided to visit your old pal,” the guy said before opening the door and leaving his truck.

He walked straight to Jeff before they both hugged each other. “You’re getting older, old man,” the guy joked.

“Look who’s talking, Martin? You look like you’re in your eighties, man,” Jeff replied before they laughed and hugged each other again. “Martin, I am sure you remember Heather.” Heather waved to Martin with a smile.

Martin laughed and waved back, saying, “I ain’t but a day over seventy,” but once his gaze settled on George, his eyes almost popped out of his head. “That’s George? No way, man,” Martin said, walking to George and ruffling his hair. “You darn sure sprouted up like a weed, boy, and you look just like your daddy.” George huffed, trying to comb his hair back to its normal state once again. “You sure have changed a lot. I think dad is right for calling you an old man,” George replied sarcastically.

They had known Martin for a long time, and although George hadn’t seen him since he was four, he would never forget him. The last he heard of Martin, he was working on his family ranch in Texas, so it was a surprise that he was again living nearby.

Martin approached Erinna taking off his hat and placing it on Erinna’s head, making her giggle. Martin smiled at Erinna. He recognized her similarity to Heather instantly. “And who’s this sweet little thing? I don’t believe I know you, sweetie pie.”

“Martin, that’s our youngest daughter, Erinna,” Jeff said, stepping in. It confused Martin a bit, but he didn’t mention it. Martin had left for Texas before Erinna was born, of course, but he thought Jeff and Heather had a boy named Ryan.

“You can call me Rin, sir,” Erinna said, sticking her hand out to him.

“Rin, eh, call me Martin everybody does,” Martin exclaimed, shaking Erinna’s hand. “Would Y’all come inside? Whatever you want from the farm is on me,” Martin announced, opening the front gate to his farm.

“We’re looking for a puppy, and I don’t think I can trust anyone more than you for this matter,” Jeff admitted as they all followed Martin inside, with Erinna happy about the cowboy hat Martin had given her.

“Y’all came to the right place. Follow me,” Martin instructed them. They followed Martin, passing a couple of barns on the way. “We breed horses, cattle, and dogs here,” Martin explained before turning to Erinna. “Would you like to learn how to ride a horse? For a purdy little thing like you, there’s no charge,” Martin added, seeing the excited smile on Erinna’s face.

Erinna looked back at her parents excitedly and with an inquiring look. “Can I please, please, please?” Erinna asked, bouncing up and down excitedly.

“We can see when you have time for that, Princess,” Jeff replied with a chuckle. Erinna hugged him, and he hugged her back before resuming their walk.

They finally reached a place where a couple of barns were joined together in one big building. An open yard in the back was full of puppies of all kinds. Erinna squealed and ran to watch them. Many dog toys and water bowls littered the yard. There was also a roof to keep any rain away.

“This is where we let the puppies out to play. Those are three to four months old,” Martin explained, walking behind Erinna. “I suggest you see the adults first before deciding what puppy you would like to take.” With that, they all followed Martin inside the building.

George and Erinna stepped inside the kennel to check out the dogs, and Martin had many different dog species. There were species from almost everywhere: Husky, Akita, Caucasian Shepard, Kangal, greyhounds, Rottweiler, German shepherds, and many other Mastiffs.

“We have exactly 57 dog breeds, and I am planning to expand to at least four times that many,” Martin explained proudly. He had something for animals, and he didn’t hide it.

George was not listening; however, he looked at the large dogs. These dogs were not just large but gigantic, and he stopped just in front of a big dog with thick but short fur. The dog was huge even when it was lying down. The dogs were in something similar to a cage with metal bars between George and the dog. The sign on the wall next to it read Kangal, Anatolian Shepard.

Martin noticed George’s attention on the dog and smiled. “Just like your dad, huh?” Martin said, walking to George. “Your dad also has something for big dogs, but I don’t recommend that dog. For your first dog, the Kangal is not a good choice. It sheds twice a year and is good with children but not with strangers or other animals.”

“How so?” hearing this, George frowned; he had his eyes set on a big dog. He knew that Erinna wouldn’t mind, and she was on his side, for that matter.

“We train these dogs to chase wolves and bears, and it’s hard to train them. If you want a big dog, however....” Martin walked to a nearby cage, where another big dog lay down. “I could recommend this one, a Great Dane, since they are much easier to train, less aggressive, and are still enormous.”

By then, Erinna had caught up to their conversation and walked over to see the dog. At that time, the dog stood up to Erinna’s amazement. “Wow, it’s gigantic,” Erinna commented, making Martin laugh.

“Well, you heard the little lady,” Jeff joked, walking over with Heather. “How long would a puppy take to grow to that size?” Jeff asked, suddenly uncertain after seeing the size of the dog. He watched as the dog walked up to Erinna and started to lick her hand through the bars making her giggle.

“Oh, this one, Pontius, he’s three years old, so to get to this size, a puppy needs around 18 months, and a puppy would still need from two to three years to develop his muscles,” Martin explained happily. For his friend and his family’s friend, he would give them the best service he could provide. After all, Jeff had helped him a lot when they were younger.

“By the way, uncle Martin when did you come back from Texas?” George always had a close relationship with Martin. He didn’t recognize the farm because it was much bigger now. He used to come to this farm every weekend and learn how to ride a horse because Martin started teaching him, and he couldn’t stop the cowboy inside him.

“Hmmm, I came here two years ago but didn’t stay here that much. Now that I have sold the land in Texas, I can fund my project here,” Martin said before explaining why he sold the land in Texas. “I worked my Daddy’s ranch in Texas after he passed away. A couple of years ago, they found oil under the ranch, so I sold out to an oil company, moved back, and built the spread here with all that money. Now I’m a gentleman rancher, raising some of the finest dog and horse breeds in this here state.”

Martin led them through a door to the yard where the puppies were playing. Erinna and George quickly picked a brown Great Dane puppy that Erinna decided to name Rex, king in Latin. So, with Rex in hand, and after a discussion with Martin since he refused to take any money from Jeff, they finally left the farm and walked back to the car, with Rex following happily behind them.

The Houstons made it back to their home while Rex did what any puppy would do. As they neared the house, Jeff and Heather spotted a police car stopping in front of the house.

“I can’t believe that old hag has done it again,” Heather moaned as Jeff parked the car.

Once the police car parked, police Lt. Jung left his vehicle as a man in his forties exited the black SUV behind the police car. He approached them quietly as the Houstons left their vehicle. “Mr. Houston, Mrs. Houston, can I have a word with you, please?” Lt. Jung asked, taking off his hat.

Jeff turned to George immediately. “George, take your sister in the house,” Jeff instructed. Whatever Lt. Jung was going to say, he didn’t want his kids to hear it.

George immediately nodded before gently pushing Erinna towards the house as she held Rex in her arms.

Lt. Jung and the man in the black suit waited until the kids were inside the house, then Lt. Jung started talking. “This is the director of the FBI field office for the state, Clark Butler,” Lt. Jung introduced before the man reached to shake Jeff’s hand.

“It’s an honor to meet the son of Howard Houston,” the man said, shaking Jeff’s hand.

“I don’t want to sound rude, and I would love to welcome you at any time in my house, but what is the purpose of your visit, if you don’t mind?” Jeff already had a bad feeling about the reason for their visit, yet, he wanted to disbelieve his intuition. He didn’t even want to think about the possibility of it happening.

“I would rather if we talk inside, if you don’t mind, Mr. Houston. The matter is serious,” the man announced. It didn’t seem he wanted to talk outside, so Jeff and Heather decided to guide them inside their house.

Erinna and George walked into the house. Once inside, Erinna let Rex down, leaving him to discover the place. Rex remained beside her, so they walked towards the living room. Entering the living room, Erinna saw Angelo running with his mom chasing after him holding a plate in her hand.

“Angelo, come back here,” Hattie called, chasing after him. Angelo ignored her and kept running. She couldn’t find it in her heart to shout at him. After many failed attempts to give birth, he was her only child, and she had grown desperate before Angelo came.

“Angelo Sheldon Gavin, what are you doing?” Erinna scolded sternly. Her scolding immediately affected Angelo. He froze in his place before turning to look at Erinna. “You’re being naughty again?” Erinna raised her eyebrow, making Angelo look down in shame.

“It’s alright, sweetheart. Angelo was full of energy, and it was hard to catch up to him. He didn’t want to finish his breakfast,” Hattie said, trying to catch her breath.

“Is that so?” Erinna watched as George carried Rex and sneaked upstairs. Erinna decided to chase after him once she finished with Angelo. “Should Rin stop talking to Angelo?”

“Noooo,” Angelo protested, running to hug Erinna, although he could only reach her legs. “Rin, talk to Angelo,” Angelo said, sniffling.

“Be a good boy, and I will make your cookies today, ok?” Angelo nodded as Erinna reached down to wipe the tear from his eye. “Go and eat your breakfast, alright?” Angelo nodded again before walking to his mom.

“Thank you, sweetie,” Hattie thanked Erinna before walking away with Angelo to feed him his breakfast.

Erinna walked out of the room with a mission in mind since she couldn’t let George keep Rex to himself. That wasn’t fair. And she wouldn’t let it happen.

While walking upstairs, Erinna saw Alex entering her dad’s office. At first, she didn’t give it much thought and just went upstairs. Erinna noticed the police were with her parents. She hoped that Alex wasn’t in trouble, but she couldn’t think of any other reason they would want to talk to him unless it was about Uncle Robert. No, it couldn’t be, even though she had a bad feeling that something had happened.

Alex entered the office, and he immediately noticed the grim atmosphere. “Uncle, you called for me?” Alex asked. Seeing Jeff’s face, he didn’t look happy; this confused Alex.

“Yes, Alex, have a seat,” Jeff replied, pointing to the chair beside him. Alex took his seat beside Jeff and found that he was sitting between Jeff and Heather as Heather reached to hold his hand immediately. Jeff took a deep breath and started to talk. “Alex, this is Mr. Butler; he’s the director of the FBI state field office, and this is police Lt. Jung,” Jeff introduced both gentlemen sitting in the seat opposite him.

“Nice to meet you, Alex. I am not sure if you remember me, but I worked with your dad and his partner a couple of times,” Lt. Jung spoke, being the one with the most experience on how to break the news to young kids. Alex nodded; although he was confused, he did recognize Lt. Jung. “Alex, what am I about to tell you is hard, but it must be said. Yesterday, your father was shot and taken to the hospital. I am sorry to say, but he didn’t make it.”

Alex was shocked and terrified at once, and the shock was so great that he couldn’t even process what was happening. “But he promised me,” Alex said as tears started to fill his eyes. Heather immediately hugged him, rubbing his back as he exploded crying. “He promised me he will always come back.”

After Alex finally calmed down, Lt. Jung and Mr. Butler decided to leave, and Jeff went to see them off. “I will also visit your father and inform him, Mr. Houston. The man I admired for years, and to think the first time I meet him, I have to inform him of his son’s death,” Mr. Butler said, sighing.

Jeff’s father, Howard Houston, had a remarkable career in the FBI. At first, he led many cases as an FBI agent, and his computer skills helped him immensely in his career. His career saw even more success as a senior agent and later as the one in charge of the state’s FBI field office. He was known for driving organized crime bosses mad when they tried to increase their influence again in the state. He almost wiped them out completely.

Jeff walked back into the house as the two men got into the car and drove off. Jeff faced a tough situation; he had to explain this to the kids, his brother, and his sister. He worried about breaking the news to both George and Erinna since Uncle Robert was close to them.

It would be natural to worry about Erinna more, she was the more delicate and sensitive one, but he worried more about George. He would never let anyone see him cry; with the desire to look strong for his sister and young cousin, Jeff was worried about the burden George may carry on his shoulders. That boy reminded him of himself more and more, and he understood George the most.

Jeff returned to his office with a sigh, where he left Heather, trying to calm Alex. Alex now had become their responsibility, and they will make sure to take good care of him as they had always done. Walking into the office, Jeff could see that Alex was still in Heather’s arms, sniffling a bit.

Since Alex never knew his mom, he looked to Heather as his mom, and her presence meant a lot to him. Right now, she meant even more to him than ever before.

“I will go look for the kids; I will then have to leave for the hospital and prepare for the funeral tomorrow,” Jeff announced before walking out of the office again.

Heather knew that he was devastated by the news of the death of his brother. However, she knew Jeff very well. He would never show weakness in front of his family, and she would need to be with him today and tomorrow as a family. They stand together.

Jeff walked around the house looking for Erinna and George. He found Erinna; first, as the door was open to her room. Maria was on Erinna, tickling her before she managed to flip Maria over and tickle her as an act of revenge. Jeff knocked on the door, making his presence, causing the girls to jump in surprise. “Rin, could you find your brother and come to my office with him? There’s something serious I need to talk with you about.”

Although Jeff used her nickname that everyone seems to use now, he called her princess more than anything. Jeff’s tone surprised Erinna. He didn’t look that good. When Jeff turned and was about to leave, Erinna surprised him with a hug.

“Are you ok, daddy?” Erinna asked with concern.

Jeff couldn’t help but smile as he turned to face Erinna. Just like her mom, she could always lighten his darkest days. “Get your brother and meet me in the office, princess. I will tell you there, alright?” Jeff said, kissing Erinna’s forehead.

Once Erinna found George, they walked to her father’s office. Upon entering, they felt the grim atmosphere in the office. They also noticed how Heather was hugging Alex tightly.

“Take a seat,” Jeff instructed as George and Erinna took their seats. Not wanting to delay things anymore, Jeff went straight to the point. “Last night, your uncle was shot while on a mission. He was taken to a hospital but died during surgery.”

Both George and Erinna were shell-shocked. Erinna was first to move as she ran out of the room, with tears filling her eyes. They could hear Erinna slamming the door to her bedroom a few seconds later. George stood up with a pained expression and eyes that refused to shed tears. “I am going to talk to her, and I will stay with her; you don’t have to worry,” George announced before walking out of the office.

Jeff parked the car in front of the hospital and stopped the engine. He looked in the mirror at Alex sitting in the back seat. Alex was still devastated, but he was not showing it anymore. Jeff sighed, Alex was born a Houston, and he behaved like one, refusing to let anyone see his tears. “Let’s go,” Jeff said before opening the car’s door and walking out.

Jeff entered the hospital while Heather walked behind him, holding Alex’s hand to comfort him. When they entered the hospital, an officer in his suit approached them.

“Mr. Houston?” the officer inquired, to which Jeff nodded. “This way, please. We were worried that someone may try to mess with the agent’s body before the funeral, so officers were assigned to ensure that would not happen.” The officer guided them to the morgue, where two officers stood at the door.

Upon seeing his dad’s body, Alex’s tears flooded his eyes as he couldn’t hold them back. He has faced enough trauma for now. Heather looked to Jeff, who nodded as he led Alex out.

Erinna sat down in the living room in George’s arms at home. George could tell that Erinna was pleased to have a very caring big brother, he knew she was as sad as he was, but George still took care of her without hesitation.

“George, Rin, time for dinner,” Aunt Leslie called from the dining room. They were about to leave, but they all decided to stay when they heard the news. Although Liam had to go since Angelo had an appointment with his doctor, he promised to come to the funeral. They couldn’t just leave the Houstons at a time like this.

“Let’s go; you need to eat something,” George exclaimed softly. Erinna had refused to eat anything since breakfast almost 10 hours ago. He knew how both of their active bodies consumed a lot of food, so their mom always cooked them more than average kids eat, knowing they needed it.

Erinna didn’t feel like eating, but the look in her brother’s eyes made her give in. Her big brother was worried about her, and she couldn’t let him worry even more. She followed George to the dining room, where everyone sat waiting for them.

At the same time, they heard the front door being opened and closed again. Not soon after, Heather entered the dining room with Alex, and he looked devastated.

“Alex, you’re just in time, have a seat, sweetie,” Leslie said, pulling a seat out for him.

Alex looked up at Heather, who nodded, encouraging him to eat something. Never one to refuse Heather’s requests, Alex took a seat as Leslie and Lynn filled his plate with food. They all knew Alex as a sweet and shy boy. Alex had the same eyes as George and Jeff but had much darker brown hair. Alex was tall and strong for a kid his age. If Heather now regards Alex as her son, he can’t be less than a nephew for both of them. Nonetheless, he was a Houston; everyone was sure he was strong enough to get past this and live his life.

“Mommy, where’s daddy?” Erinna asked, looking towards Heather.

Heather smiled and walked to her daughter, kissing her forehead. She could see her daughter’s red puffy eyes, which pained her greatly. “He’s making arrangements for your uncle, sweetie. Dad will be late today,” Heather informed Erinna before taking a seat beside Erinna and taking her into a hug.

Heather knew Robert was a good man and a great father; he died a hero. He was someone Alex could be proud to call his dad. He was also a loving uncle, and her kids enjoyed spending time with him.

After dinner, Erinna tried her best to stay awake. She wanted to see her daddy before going off to bed, and she ended up staying up late until the front door finally opened. Jeff entered, and Erinna almost ran to the door when Jeff spotted her.

“Princess, you’re still up?” Jeff asked, lifting her in his arms.

“She didn’t want to sleep until she saw you,” Heather explained, walking to Jeff. They both shared a kiss before hearing Erinna’s soft snores. “I kept dinner warm for you in the oven. I can put Erinna in her bed and set a plate for you.”

“No, it’s alright, let’s just leave her be,” Jeff disagreed, holding tightly onto his daughter. Heather smiled as Jeff walked to the living room. He sat on the sofa before allowing Erinna to lay on his lap. Jeff stroked her cheek and listened to her soft snores. She was what he needed the most right now, his little angel. After dinner, Jeff carried Erinna to their room before placing her in their bed. “I think we can let her sleep between us tonight,” Jeff suggested, to which Heather agreed. That night they both slept while Erinna slept between them.

Erinna woke up to the sound of the shower running. She sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, hoping that yesterday’s news was a dream. However, seeing her mom emerging from her walk-in closet with her black dress in her hand confirmed her fears.

Seeing that Erinna was awake, Heather laid the dress on the bed and walked to her daughter. She hugged her before kissing her forehead. “Good morning, sweetheart,” Heather greeted but not as cheerful as every other day. “Go take a shower; I laid a black dress for you on the bed and put on black tights as well, ok?”

Erinna nodded before leaving the bed. She was about to leave the room when Heather hugged her again. “I wish you didn’t have to wear that dress.” With a kiss to her temple, Heather released Erinna and walked to her room.

Erinna walked to her room, seeing the dress Heather laid out. It was a modest knee-length dress with long sleeves. Erinna let out a sad sigh before walking into her bathroom. After showering, Erinna walked out of the bathroom in her bathrobe just as Maria walked into the room wearing a similar black dress and black tights. She immediately walked to Erinna, taking her into a hug. “I went looking for you when I didn’t see you this morning; I was worried about you,” Maria admitted, her eyes tearing up.

Erinna bit her lip, feeling guilty. She had closed up yesterday, refusing to talk to anyone. Erinna stayed in George’s arms all day and then in her daddy’s arms when he came home. Maria, her cousins, and her aunts tried to talk to her, but Erinna didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Even Angelo failed to make her speak to him and went home crying. “Sorry, I woke up in mommy and daddy’s bed. I don’t remember how I got there yesterday.

“It’s ok. I was just worried,” Maria exclaimed.

Erinna picked up a bra, matching panties, and a pair of black tights. After putting them on, Erinna walked to put on the dress, and Maria helped her close the zipper in the back. They walked downstairs after Erinna transferred her belongings into a black purse.

They walked downstairs and into the kitchen, where everyone was eating breakfast. Erinna and Maria took their seat as their aunt Leslie placed a plate of fried eggs, bacon, and toast.

“Uncle Jeff,” Alex called, gaining Jeff’s attention. “Can I live with you here? I don’t have anywhere else to go.” Alex asked with concern. He couldn’t handle living anywhere else. His uncle’s house was now his house. Erinna and George were like siblings, not just cousins. He couldn’t even imagine living anywhere else.

“Alex, you are part of our family. As long as you don’t want to leave, no one will dare to take you from here, this is your house now, and if anyone tries to take any of you, they will have to get through me first,” Jeff explained, looking towards both Alex and his kids.

The family finished breakfast and attended the church for the funeral service. Jeff, Erinna’s uncles, and her grandfathers were the pallbearers who carried the casket into the church. Erinna cried as they went through the service, listening to many of Robert’s friends and colleagues give eulogies about what a great man Robert had been.

Howard Houston made his way to the front to give his speech. “I am here as a retired agent; however, I am also here a father—a father of a great man, a hero. My son Robert Alan Huston. We are a family with a long history as old as this country, from Sam Houston to Robert. Robert was not just a good agent who took pride in doing his job; he was also a father and uncle, brother and son. Some of you know me, and some of you have worked under me. Those who worked under me know that my family and your families were always my priority, but I would not stop my son’s heroic action if I could go back in time. While it pains us to lose Robert, we are proud to have known him.” Howard ended his speech, and the FBI director went to the front to give his eulogy.

Later, She stood beside Alex and her family in the graveyard. Erinna stood up, seeing her dad, uncles, grandfathers, and George carry the American flag-covered casket. They carefully placed it over the grave. As the ceremony commenced, Erinna felt a presence behind her. She looked back to see grandpa Howard and grandma Margret standing behind her, along with her dad, mom, and the rest of the family.

She felt her grandpa’s arm around her shoulder as he brought her closer to him. “You look beautiful, just like your mom,” he whispered before kissing Erinna’s forehead. He looked at his wife and nodded. This day was supposed to be different; he and his wife had bought many gifts for their only granddaughter; they were supposed to visit Jeff today with gifts for the kids. They were also very excited to meet Erinna after she became a girl. If those bastards hadn’t killed his son, they would have had a great visit. Once the funeral was over, Howard received the folded flag,

Erinna saw her friends approaching her. They were all feeling bad for Erinna, especially Oliver, who felt his heart torn for her. Something was weird, however. She could see Connor and Steven wearing the same black dresses and tights Shelby was wearing. Dakota was wearing a black shirt and slacks under her coat. Oliver was with them, wearing a black suit and a black necktie.

“Hi,” Oliver greeted Erinna and hugged her, not knowing what else to say.

“Hi,” Erinna said as she hugged him back, faking a smile that Oliver could see through immediately. Her usual smile was different, and her smile was enough to make his heart beat faster. This smile pained him as he looked at her.

They all stood in awkward silence until Nancy came looking for Erinna. “There you are,” Nancy said, walking up to Erinna. She hugged Erinna tightly, and Erinna hugged her back. “I am so sorry. I didn’t know what happened till this morning. I should have been with you yesterday,” Nancy squeezed Erinna into the hug even more.

George’s friends surrounded him, all of them offering their condolences. George was not paying attention when Oscar approached him. Jacob moved to block his way. He wouldn’t allow Oscar to reach George right now, as George was already suffering enough. “What do you want?” Jacob spat angrily.

“I, I am not looking for trouble. I, I only want to speak to George. I will leave after that,” Oscar said, trying to make his way, but the rest of the group blocked his path.

“Stop, all of you,” George said, pushing Jacob and Quintin aside. “Sorry, guys, but now is not the place or the time to cause a ruckus.” George looked apologetically at his friends. He then looked at Oscar, and he didn’t have the energy to be angry at anyone right now. “Sorry about that, Oscar. What did you want to talk about?”

“I just wanted to say that I am sorry for your loss. As I said, I am not here to cause trouble.” With that, Oscar walked away in silence. He no longer felt like making trouble anymore. He was the only son of his father now, and he vowed to make his dad proud of him.

Once the funeral was over, Erinna found herself in the Collins’ car, lying her head on Nancy’s lap. She was exhausted mentally and emotionally. Her friends and Maria would all go to the Collins’ house. Their house would be full of people who would come to offer their condolences. Oliver suggested that Alex go with them; he knew Alex’s pain very well and would like to know Alex more. And the kids were already mentally exhausted.

Once Alex got in the van, Erwin started the engine and hit the road going home. Not three minutes passed before Oliver and Alex were talking with each other. They found many things they had in common; both spoke about cars and sports, and they also liked many other things.

“So let me get this straight, you two are now girls, like me, and you’re a boy?” Erinna asked, looking at her three friends. Dakota, Steven, and Conner nodded. They were all now sitting in the Collins’ lounge. Erinna had asked Conner and Steven if they were now like her or only wanted to wear dresses. To her surprise, she discovered that Connor and Steven were now GCS girls, and Dakota was a GCS boy. “Really, what are the odds of it happening? Two GCS boys and three GCS girls in our group?” Erinna said, unsuccessfully calculating the odds, but decided to give up.

“There’s another GCS boy? Other than Dakota?” Shelby asked.

Looking at Oliver apologetically, Oliver shook his head and smiled at Erinna. Erinna’s eyes grew wide, realizing what she had just done. She had just revealed Oliver’s secret.

“That would be me. I used to be a girl until a year ago. My name used to be Samantha,” Oliver admitted, much to everyone’s shock.

“No way, you were a girl?” Alex asked, shocked, not believing what he had heard. He couldn’t believe that Oliver used to be a girl since they had just become buddies very fast. However, Alex realized Oliver was telling the truth after seeing Oliver nod.

“It must have sucked being a girl,” Alex said, immediately receiving a jab in his arm. “He looked at Maria, who was glaring at him, then saw the same glare from Erinna. “Sorry, girls,” Alex apologized, causing the girls to explode into giggles.

“So, what are your new names?” Erinna asked with curiosity towards her two friends. There was no point in asking Dakota, and she knew it.

“Mine is Stacy; Jessi picked it,” Stacy (Steven) admitted. Erinna could see Stacy fit naturally as a girl with her dark brown hair and honey-brown eyes. She was already a timid girl and didn’t like sports since her body was weak. Stacy had a delicate touch, and music was her most outstanding talent, as Stacy was already skilled in playing the French horn. Erinna could never figure out how she carried such an instrument with her petite body since even a mid-sized French horn looked gigantic compared to her body.

“Mine is Hazel, but I am not going to say who suggested that name,” Hazel (Connor) clarified, making everyone look at her curiously.

“It was Oscar, but I think it’s his parallel universe twin,” Shelby announced as everybody looked at her with surprise. No one expected Oscar to pick a name for his stepsister, which surprised them even more because he chose such a perfect name.

“What’s wrong with him? Isn’t Oscar your brother?” Maria asked. She understood from the conversation that Oscar was their older brother; she only knew of responsible older brothers like her brothers, who were ready to protect and spoil her all the time. She also saw George, her cousin, and how he treasured his little sister, she couldn’t imagine Oscar being any different.

“Oscar is not like George, Frank, or Joe; he’s an A-hole,” Erinna explained as Maria opened her mouth in understanding.

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know what’s going on with Oscar. It’s like aliens must have kidnapped and replaced him with someone who looks like him, but his personality is completely different. He’s now very polite and respectful towards Hazel and me. I don’t know what to make of it.” Shelby explained, making everyone laugh.

Well, everyone laughed except Hazel. The way Oscar treated her felt nice. He seemed protective towards her now that she was a girl. It reminded her of her older brother, though she barely remembered him, and her mom didn’t talk about her dad or older brother. When her parents divorced, she was only four, and her dad took her brother. She vaguely remembers him being nice to her, but that’s all.

“You didn’t ask me my new name,” Dakota said, wearing a smirk. Everything made sense to him, he always thought he was a transgender boy, but he wasn’t. Dakota was, in fact, a GCS boy. He was pleased about it, and his parents were no longer nagging him about wearing pants all the time or always being a tomboy. Also, the feelings he had for Erinna made sense now.

“Why? It’s the same as your old name.”Erinna smiled, shaking her head. She didn’t even need to ask Dakota. “Isn’t it obvious? Dakota will always be Dakota,” she joked, making everyone laugh except Alex and Maria, who didn’t understand what was happening between Dakota and Erinna.

“Well, the name can work for either girl or boy,” Dakota admitted, making Erinna explode laughing. “What’s so funny?” Dakota grimaced.

“I just remembered when we were still in kindergarten,” Erinna explained, earning a grin from Dakota. Both were old friends, and they got to know Hazel and Shelby in the first grade before their parents married. They were just four when Dakota insisted that his name was a boy’s name only and couldn’t be a girl’s name, even though she was a girl at that time.

Dakota couldn’t help but study Erinna, and she looked cute in whatever she wore. Even in her modest knee-length black dress, he couldn’t help but observe Erinna as she brought her small feminine hands up to her mouth while giggling at a joke Stacy had made. She was a wonderful girl, and Dakota had fallen hard for her. He would do anything to be with her.

However, Erinna’s cousin, Maria, looked almost identical to her. Dakota knew that Oliver and Erinna were very close, and he didn’t want to jeopardize his friendship with either of them. Perhaps he could become friends with this girl if he couldn’t have Erinna?

Nancy walked from the Houstons’ house to her home with a bag in one hand and a hyperactive puppy in the other. Neither Jeff nor Heather could pay attention to the puppy today, so they thought to leave Rex to Nancy. Nancy dropped the bag that held Erinna and Maria’s clothes, opened her front door, and walked in. “Oli, I am home,” Nancy shouted, closing the front door behind her.

Leaving his friends and walking to the front door, Oliver was surprised to see the puppy. “Where did you get that from?” Oliver inquired, almost running towards Nancy to see the puppy.

“That’s Rex, Erinna’s pet,” Nancy explained, letting the puppy down. She had just seen what she couldn’t even imagine she would ever witness, the always stolid George break down and cry at his uncle’s funeral. It didn’t last more than a few minutes, but he wept. The essential thing was that it happened in front of her. It didn’t tarnish George’s image. Instead, it made her love him even more.

“What? When did they get a pet?” Oliver asked, scooping the puppy up. The puppy’s reaction was to lick his face causing him to giggle.

“Call Erinna and Maria. I have a change of clothes for them,” Nancy instructed, and Oliver complied.

Oliver informed Erinna and Maria of what Nancy said. That’s when Erinna noticed Rex. “Rex!” Erinna squealed as she ran excitedly to the dog. Oliver just handed the puppy over to her, and she hugged Rex tightly.

A couple of minutes later, Erinna emerged from Nancy’s room as Maria stepped out of the bedroom opposite her. They were wearing a dark blue pinafore dress with a white sweater. Upon seeing each other, both girls giggled after discovering that they were wearing the same outfit. It was funny how Erinna and Maria ended up dressed alike. Whoever sees them will think that they are twins and just matching.

Linking their arms, both girls returned to where their friends sat waiting. Oliver and Dakota’s heads snapped toward them when they were visible, causing Nancy to smirk. She can see that poor Dakota had lost the war before it even began since she was sure Erinna had her eyes on Oliver. But Dakota seemed to be eyeing Maria now. Nancy thought that this could get interesting.

As noon became night and the last sun rays started to disappear on the horizon, Carol and Erwin came back home. Carol immediately went to start dinner while Erwin set up the table. The plan was that Erinna and Alex would stay with them for tonight.

Heather took it upon herself to call Alex’s school and tell them of the situation, and she explained that Alex would not be attending the rest of the week. They also wanted to keep Alex from the nosy press. Not knowing where Alex is, they can’t chase him or ask him all the questions they tried to ask him during the funeral. They would have faced Jeff and Henry if the police didn’t interfere in time.

“Kids, dinner will be ready soon,” Erwin announced before turning to Oliver. “Oli, can you lend Alex something to wear tonight? We forgot to ask about his clothes.” Erwin looked at Alex apologetically while Alex just smiled at him.

“Yes, uncle Erwin,” Oliver said before nodding to Alex to follow him. Alex stood and followed Oliver up to his room.

“This boy, just like his dad.” Erwin sighed and shook his head before walking back to help his daughter and wife make dinner.

Once in his room, Oliver went directly to his closet and started to look for something for Alex to wear. He found a pajama set that was a bit big for him, but he knew it would fit Alex since he was just a bit taller than him. “You can wear those,” Oliver smiled before handing the clothes to Alex.

“Thanks,” Alex took the clothes and watched Oliver walk to his bed, taking his tablet. “Can I ask you something?” Seeing Oliver look at him and nod, Alex smiled. “The Collins, they are not your parents?” Alex asked, remembering that Oliver called Erwin uncle and not dad. He just thought Oliver was his son since they looked very similar.

Oliver frowned but sighed, and there was no point in avoiding this topic. “No, uncle Erwin is my uncle, the only nice one of all my aunts and uncles. He’s the only one who took me in since I was an orphan. If he didn’t, I would have ended up in a foster house, maybe worse,” Oliver said as a tear escaped his eye.

It had been less than a year since Albert and Candy Collins died in a tragic car crash. A crash that only Oliver survived. Oliver always felt like a boy when she was Samantha but never talked about it. Samantha always accepted all the dresses, dolls, and girly things from her parents to show her gratitude. Samantha buried her feelings deep into her heart to not disappoint her parents.

Oliver surprised his parents; they thought their child liked being a girl. After asking him a few questions, they discovered that their child was always a boy and never a girl. Yes, he’s a shy, timid, and organized child, but he was always a boy. When Samantha’s parents explained that she now had to live as a boy because of GCS, he couldn’t help but explode with joy.

Afterward, Oliver never saw any of his feminine things again. Instead, he received nothing girly and a new BMX bike on his tenth birthday. It was Oliver’s happiest birthday. Unfortunately, the accident happened soon afterward.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that question,” Alex said, feeling guilty. He honestly felt like a jerk. Oliver knew more than anyone what it was like to become an orphan and suddenly lose his loving parents. Alex felt sad, realizing he should be the one that understands Oliver’s feelings the most. Oliver moved closer and hugged Alex tightly.

“It’s going to be ok. Look, Alex, it’s not like it was your fault. You should change now, or Mom will kill us if we’re late for dinner,” Oliver said with a smile, making Alex grin, and he left to change in the bathroom.

Erinna was sound asleep even with the sun rays coming through the window. Erinna only groaned when she heard Rex repeatedly barking. For some reason, her room had become his room. She didn’t mind until it came to morning.

Erinna suddenly awoke with a cramp in her stomach, and she knew how it felt to have an upset stomach. This time it was different. Sitting up fast, Erinna lifted the covers to find what she feared. Blood covered her nightie. She should have known better since it was that time of the month.

Reacting fast, Erinna ran to the bathroom, stripping off her nightie and underwear; Erinna threw them in the hamper. She then got in the shower as quickly as she could. She started the shower and waited for the hot water to soothe her mind.

Heather walked up to her daughter’s room to wake her up. She opened the door only to see Rex whining and walking in circles. She couldn’t help but smile since this was Rex’s behavior when Erinna was not giving him enough attention. Heather then looked at the unmade bed and frowned. The messy bed was unusual for her daughter, who won’t leave her bedroom without making her bed.

She was about to look for Erinna when she heard the water running. The way Erinna’s bed was left messy made her feel uneasy. Feeling relief, Heather walked to the bathroom and knocked on the door. “Princess? Are you in there?” Heather called out.

“Yes, mommy,” Erinna cried, tears running down her eyes. She didn’t even know why she was crying. She remembered Heather explaining that the menstrual blood would wash off and that she needed to be careful. Heather did explain that accidents happen, and it’s more natural since Erinna is not used to it yet.

Sensing something weird in her daughter’s tone, Heather had to press on. “Are you ok, sweetie? Do I need to come in?” While she knew it would be embarrassing for Erinna to be in the bathroom with her daughter, she would do it if it would ensure her daughter’s safety.

Taking a second to calm herself down and not cause her mom a panic attack, Erinna replied. “I am ok, mommy,” Erinna answered. The last thing she wanted was for her mom to start panicking.

Heather could tell that Erinna was unharmed, but she was unconvinced that she was ok. Heather spotted a small red stain under the covers on Erinna’s bed. Removing the covers, Heather was shocked to see that the small stain was a much larger bloodstain. Trying to calm herself down and not freak out, Heather took a deep breath before realizing what day it was. “Oh, Princess,” Heather exclaimed softly, “I should have remembered.”

She immediately removed Erinna’s bedsheets, replacing them with a new set. She then moved to Erinna’s closet, taking out a bra and panties before piling up a dark blue long-sleeved velvet dress and white tights. Heather then picked one of Erinna’s kitten heels. She knows how dramatic Erinna can get while choosing her clothes, especially during this month’s time.

She would probably scare kids her age with how tall she is with the two-inch kitten heels, but if Erinna loved them, then nothing else mattered. Picking up the underwear, Heather walked to the bathroom. “Princess, I am coming in with your underwear,” Heather announced before stepping into the bathroom.

Hearing this, Erinna cursed herself for forgetting to lock the door. She just hid in the bathtub, embarrassed. She watched as Heather left her underwear beside the sink. “Do you have your pads in here, or should I bring them?” Heather asked worriedly.

“I have them here….” Erinna started before pausing, realizing what her mom was saying. How did her mom know? She really couldn’t tell. “Wait! How did you know?” Erinna asked, looking at her with confusion.

Heather chuckled a bit before shaking her head. “You’re my daughter, and it’s been a month. Of course, I would know,” Heather exclaimed confidently.

She walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She brought clean bedsheets before placing them on Erinna’s bed. Heather then set the clothes she chose for Erinna on the bed before taking a seat on Erinna’s vanity table. She clapped her hands, and the attention-seeking puppy immediately rushed to her.

Erinna walked out of the bathroom in her panties and bra and had her bathrobe on, just in case. Walking into her room, she saw her mom sitting on the vanity table while playing with Rex.

“Oh, you’re finally out. Someone complained about not receiving enough attention,” Heather commented, letting Rex down and watching as he immediately ran to Erinna.

Scooping Rex up, Erinna grinned and giggled as the dog started licking her face. “I will play with you later, ok?” Erinna said, putting Rex down. “Sit,” Erinna instructed to which the dog listened immediately. “Good boy,” She cooed, patting his head.

Having Rex came with conditions placed by Heather and Jeff. They were clear that Rex was to be the kids’ responsibility, and they should take care of it. Heather and Jeff would only help them if they needed help, but otherwise, Rex was their responsibility. That included training Rex as well. Heather saw that the kids had been doing a great job taking care of Rex.

“Come here, sweetie,” Heather patted the seat beside her on the chair. Erinna looked down a bit before taking a seat beside her mom. “How’s your stomach feeling now?” Heather asked before planting a kiss on Erinna’s forehead.

Erinna could feel the cramps in her stomach, and her stomach was always sensitive. This time, however, was different; it felt much worse. Yet, Erinna just shrugged. If all girls and women can handle it, why can’t she do the same? “It’s not that bad, mommy. But um... My nightie is blood-stained.”

Erinna’s eyes started to tear up again, and she didn’t even know why she was crying. She hated this time of the month, even if it was only her second time. “I guess this is the downside of being a girl,” Erinna sighed.

Heather smiled with sympathy, and she knew that Erinna still had a lot to learn. However, she could tell that her daughter must be one of the toughest girls she had ever seen. Heather hadn’t seen many girls who didn’t freak out after the first time it happened to them. Especially for one who used to be a boy.

“Sweetheart, remember that accidents will happen; we will easily wash your nightie. Just bring it down to the laundry sink, and we will soak it,” Heather comforted her with a kiss on her cheek. “Now, get dressed. Breakfast is almost ready,” Heather announced as she left the room. “And don’t forget to make your bed.”

A few minutes later, Erinna walked downstairs. Rex was following just behind her. She walked to the kitchen with Rex on her tail, and surprisingly the kitchen was empty, so she filled Rex’s bowl with food and water.

The excited dog rushed to his favorite food before Erinna stopped him. “Wait!” Erinna commanded. The puppy stayed in his place, staring at Erinna with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. “Good boy, now go eat.” Rex immediately ran to his bowl and began to eat his food.

With Rex busy with his food, Erinna left the kitchen wondering where everyone was. George and Alex should be going to school soon, so they should be up. She missed school, but the school insisted that she take a week off; even Alex was allowed to get back to school today.

Her parents had been discussing if they should transfer Alex to be with Erinna and George in the same school. It sounded like a good idea, but they wanted to hear what Alex had to say. Erinna did listen to them talk about it; honestly, she would be happy to have her two older brothers at school.

After a quick search, Erinna found everyone in the dining room, an unusual place for breakfast. Her grandma Margaret and grandpa Howard Houston were there, and her grandpa Tyler and grandma Anne Gavin were there. Aside from her grandparents, her uncle Charles and her aunt Maddison were also there. Looking around and seeing the rest of her family, Erinna understood why everyone was in the dining room, not the kitchen.

“Aunt Maddie,” Erinna squealed before she ran to hug her aunt. It had been almost a year since she last saw her aunt in person and not on a screen. Aunt Maddie was an Archaeologist who loved her job. She was part of a team that discovered a new tomb in Egypt and had been working on uncovering it.

“Well, if it’s not my beautiful niece,” aunt Maddison said, returning the hug and watching as Erinna blushed. She was delighted to have a niece, especially if it was a pretty girl like Erinna. She knew that she could enjoy some time with her niece.

Hearing her aunt’s compliment, Erinna blushed a bit but smiled. She turned to her uncle Charlie, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and then to her grandma Margaret and grandpa, Howard Houston. Erinna then turned to her grandma Anne and grandpa, Tyler Gavin. Erinna could sense some tension between her mom and her grandma Anne.

Erinna didn’t know that her mom and grandma had a heated argument before coming down. They didn’t want to hurt Erinna’s feelings, and Heather was unhappy that Erinna heard about it from her mom. Heather and Jeff had asked the family that no one would tell Erinna that they expected a girl when Erinna was born a boy.

“Princess, would you like to help me set the table?” Heather asked. She knew her daughter and knew that Erinna liked helping in the kitchen. Heather loved that all her friends were jealous that she had a daughter who wanted to help and cook in the kitchen.

“Boy, what are you doing?” Tyler Gavin spoke, looking at George.

George was wearing his protective glasses, using the multiple-screen laptop he received for Christmas. His typing was far too fast for him to be playing. Tyler was a computer engineer specializing in cyber security and was curious about what George was doing. He was not alone, however, as George had also caught Howard Houston’s attention.

“Nothing much, grandpa, just some idiot tried to hack into our WIFI. I am just teaching him a lesson,” George said, earning a grin from both of his grandfathers. Hearing George’s explanation, Jeff’s eyes narrowed before standing up and hurrying to his office, needing to check on something.

Alex and George stood at the front door, putting on their shoes. Alex wore a long-sleeve white Polo shirt and black slacks as his uniform. George dressed in his new school uniform with a loose tie; even though it was mandatory, he wouldn’t wear a tight necktie.

“Alright, Alex, I will drop George off first, then drive you to school, and after school, your mom will come and pick you up,” Jeff explained, referring to Heather as Alex’s mom. She was the only mom he knew since he never got to know his mom.

Heather walked over to Alex hugging him. She was not comfortable with sending Alex to school today. Alex wanted to get back to school early even though the school allowed him to stay home for two weeks to get over his loss. “If you need anything, just call me, ok?” Heather explained worriedly.

“Thanks, mom, I will be ok,” Alex said, breaking the hug. He grabbed his coat and followed George and Jeff out to the car.

“Erinna, please follow us up to your bedroom, dear,” said Heather.

Erinna followed her grandma Houston, grandma Gavin, mom, and aunt Maddie up to her bedroom. Each carried bags full of new clothes for Erinna, and she knew what would happen. Erinna tried on dresses, skirts, tops, and pants, more than she could count for the next two hours. Erinna couldn’t get away without modeling every single outfit that she received. It would have gone longer if it wasn’t for Heather getting a phone call.

Erinna only heard her mom’s side of the call and didn’t know who was on the other side of the phone. “Yes, we are his guardians, is he ok? ... He did what? … Why? … Alright, I will be coming immediately,” Heather said, ending the phone call. She then watched as everyone looked at her with curiosity.

“Alex just punched a boy in the face and didn’t stop hitting him until he was on the ground,” Heather announced. There was a reason behind this, and Heather was sure it wasn’t just Alex’s fault. She knew that Alex must have done this for a reason since he was not the kind of boy that would bully other kids or get into fights.

“Why would he do that?” Margaret Houston inquired. She knew her grandchildren well, and they were good kids. Alex had always been a gentle and caring kid, always interested in animals. Of course, like his cousins, he was taller and stronger than most kids his age.

“There’s something behind it, I am sure of it. Anyway, I will have to go and see what’s the matter,” Heather said and turned to leave the room. Whatever happened, she would find the reason behind it. The school didn’t seem to care about the cause, but she would make them care, like it or not.

“Mommy, can I come too?” Erinna inquired, pouting her lips and adjusting her eyes, giving Heather her best puppy eyes.

Erinna’s look caused Heather to chuckle and shake her head as her daughter had become a real manipulator. “That might work with your daddy, but not with me, young lady,” Heather joked, causing Erinna to make a longer face. “But you can come with me,” Heather added, making Erinna smile as she walked to her mom.

Soon, Heather and Erinna put on their coats, followed by Margaret and Maddison. They were going to find out what had caused Alex to act like this.

Heather made her way to Alex’s school with Erinna in the backseat. Margaret and Maddison followed them in Maddison’s car. Alex’s school was about a forty-minute drive from their home, but it was in the other direction from George’s and Erinna’s.

After arriving in front of the school and parking, the four left the cars. Making their way inside, they headed directly to the principal’s office. Heather knocked on the door, then opened it.

Alex was sitting in front of the principal’s desk. She looked to be a woman in her late to mid-thirties. The principal wore a grey suit. She had brown eyes and dark black hair. She wore an evil smile as Alex sat in front of her, blushing profusely.

Heather’s blood started to boil from anger once she saw Alex. He was wearing his white polo shirt, but instead of his slacks and dress shoes, Alex was wearing a mid-length skirt with white tights and black Maryjanes. It was clear he was not enjoying this. That’s what made Heather so angry.

After starting the video app on her phone, Heather immediately handed it to Erinna. With a sigh, Erinna began recording.

“You must be Mrs. Houston. Please have a seat,” the principal said, pointing to a seat in front of her desk.

Heather took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. She looked at the principal’s nameplate on the desk. “Ms. Wilkinson, where’s Alex’s uniform? He doesn’t look comfortable wearing a skirt,” Heather informed the principal, taking a seat in front of Alex. She could tell that Alex was not happy with these clothes. She wasn’t going to allow anyone to humiliate her children.

“This is now his uniform, Mrs. Houston. Alex has been a bad boy starting a fight and using violence. As a punishment, he should be petticoated. Isn’t that right, Alex?”

“Y-yes, ma’am,” Alex replied with a red face as tears started to form in his eyes. He usually wouldn’t get into fights and never started one, but it was all because the boy insulted his father. He couldn’t take it.

“Let me ask you a straight question, why was there a fight in the first place? I assume you would know what caused my grandson to hit the boy in the first place,” Margaret interfered, making her presence known. She had such a strong and imposing presence that the principal looked shaken.

“The other boy had a black eye and a bloody nose. The reason doesn’t matter. I stopped this toxic masculinity before it grew. Boys should learn to behave and how to be gentle and delicate; otherwise, they will grow to be abusive,” the principal explained. She looked at the faces of the three imposing women. They didn’t look convinced.

Heather glared at the principal before turning to Alex. She held his hand in hers before wiping a tear from his eye. “Alex, honey, why don’t you tell us what happened?” Heather asked, completely ignoring the principal.

“You shouldn’t let him make...” the principal started but was quickly cut off by a glare from Heather.

“I am talking to my son, so kindly shut up,” Heather said, causing the principal to fall silent. She felt as if Heather was going to burn her with her glares.

“Freddy kept insulting my dad and taunting me even when I asked him to stop, I told the teachers more than once, but they didn’t do anything. We were in the lunch room when Freddy came over and said the world is better off now that my dad is dead,” Alex explained before breaking down.

“That’s just an excuse. It’s toxic masculinity, and...”

“Look here, I don’t care if someone filled your head with all this nonsense about toxic masculinity, but I will not accept people like you trying to ruin my children’s heads. The last thing I want is for my daughter to grow up and be like you,” Heather spat angrily, losing her temper. She was disgusted by this woman, and she certainly wouldn’t forgive her for her actions. “You can believe in whatever ideology you have, but you should have thought carefully before trying to force it on my 11-year-old son. You and the likes of you are disgraces to womanhood, so why don’t you leave this position to someone more capable and go home and stay alone with your cats for the rest of your life.”

Heather stood up while holding Alex in her arms. “Come on, Alex, let’s go home. You’re not spending another day in this school. You will go to Talented Youth Academy with George and Erinna.” Heather hugged Alex, rubbing his back before turning to the principal. “As for you, Ms. Wilkinson, I would look for a good lawyer because I will be naming you and the school in a lawsuit.” Heather held Alex and Erinna’s hands, walking out of the office with Maddison following them. Margaret left the office after giving the principal some words of her own.

Brandi walked around the house nervously. Hundreds of scenarios played in her head, and most of them were negative. The CPS will be visiting today for a home inspection. After everything came out and the family knew that her father had abused her, she had nowhere else to go.

Her other two uncles were not that welcoming, and her cousins didn’t welcome her as a girl. It was all thanks to Nancy that they couldn’t bully her. Besides, her uncle Erwin was her family’s only welcoming and caring person.

No one knew where her real mom was, and Brandi hadn’t heard from her since she was 5. Her stepmom had a history of alcohol abuse and couldn’t see herself being a mother. She did come to visit her, and Brandi felt happy to have her around. The moment she started taking booster pills, her body changed dramatically. She now wore a B-cup bra instead of the A-cup she used to wear. Her scrotum was now gone, and in its place were the labia of a fully mature and functional vagina.

She was not supposed to stay in the house today, but her new school treated her like any new TSS child. So, she had a week free of school, staying at the Houston family’s house until Carla returned home. Unfortunately, Heather and Erinna had left the house, and Brandi was unsure about being around strangers, even if these strangers were Erinna’s grandparents.

When Brandi heard the doorbell, her nerves skyrocketed. Brandi was the closest person to the door, so she went to see who was there. In the window beside the door, Brandi saw one of their neighbors. She didn’t know much about him except that he was a neighbor and friend of her uncle, Erwin. She also knew that he was an FBI agent. Brandi previously saw him at the Houstons’ house, offering condolences for his dead colleague.

She had talked to him once when he watched a game with her uncle and Erinna’s dad. He was a lovely man, so Brandi opened the door immediately. “Hello, sir,” Brandi greeted, making a path for the kind neighbor to enter.

“Hello, little one, is your uncle home?” the man politely asked, stepping inside. He noted Brandi’s blue dress and whole outfit, giving him a good idea for his daughter’s birthday gift.

“Yes, sir. He’s in the backyard. I will call him for you,” Brandi explained before shutting the door behind the man. She immediately walked to the backyard, where she found her uncle. “Uncle Erwin, Mr. Hale came by, so I let him in.”

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Erwin replied, wiping his hands since he was working on Oliver’s new dirt bike. Walking towards the house through the backdoor, Erwin noticed Brandi’s nervousness. “Don’t worry, honey. Everything will be alright. My stupid brother may not know your value and big heart, but I do,” Erwin reassured her, pulling her aside and kissing her forehead. No one would ever take his niece away from his house. He had already cut ties with his miserable brothers, and so did his parents. They had sided with Brandi’s dad, so they were no longer part of his family. He had never felt better after going no contact with those toxic people.

Erwin walked with Brandi to the door to welcome his neighbor. Erwin greeted, hugging and shaking hands with him. “Wyatt, my man, how are you?”

An hour and a half passed before Brandi heard the doorbell again. In front of the door were two women wearing severe-looking skirt suits. They had to be the CPS. Immediately, Brandi’s heart jumped into her throat as she opened the door.

“Hello, sweetheart,” said one of two ladies who looked like she was in her mid-twenties. She sounded pretty nice and managed to put Brandi at ease.

The other one glared at Brandi and didn’t bother to speak as she walked past her, shoving her to the side. “We’re here for a home inspection for Brandi Collins’s case, so bring me an adult to talk to,” the other lady spat, making Brandi gulp and almost burst into tears.

“Is there a problem, little one?” Wyatt Hale approached from behind Brandi. Immediately, the rude woman looked as if she had seen a ghost. He smirked when he saw her face. This woman was acting suspiciously. Wyatt decided to keep an eye on her but so far had found nothing on her. “Ah, Ms. Smythe, long time no see,” he greeted, giving her a chilling smile.

Carol came rushing in and took the shaken Brandi into a side hug. “Please, come in. We have been expecting you,” Carol welcomed them.

“Thank you, ma’am. You have a good record of handling two GCS cases, a boy and a girl. I think we will finish quickly,” the younger lady spoke after stepping inside the house, holding a tablet containing Brandi’s file.

“I am the senior agent here. That’s up to me to decide,” the rude woman said before grabbing the tablet from her junior partner. “What is he doing here? An FBI agent has no business here and shouldn’t interfere with our work.”

“Wyatt is my friend. We were having coffee together. Please watch your attitude, or I will have to report your actions to Mrs. Williams,” Erwin threatened, making his presence known to the CPS agent. “No one will stop you from doing your job, so watch your attitude.”

Erwin’s threat seemed to affect her as she looked shaken. But they both started their home inspection right away. Carol and Brandi earlier redecorated her bedroom with baby blue walls. She had pink sheets and covers over her bed. A vanity table sat in one corner, and the bed had more stuffed toys than anyone could count.

Brandi’s closet had been filled with many dresses, skirts, and tops. Her drawers were full of tights, ankle socks, knee-high, and tights socks. There were also all these drawers full of lingerie. And besides, the closet was wooden shelves up to the ceiling full of girly shoes.

“You have a nice shoe collection, Brandi,” the Junior agent joked, making Brandi feel at ease. She then turned to Carol with a warm smile. “I think we are finished here. Again you did a great job, Mrs. Collins. I heard you were experts regarding GCS children, but it’s my first time meeting you and Mr. Collins.”

“Thank you, my niece had been worried that you would force her to live in a foster home,” Erwin commented, feeling relief. He had a bad feeling about the other agent in this home inspection. He couldn’t let Brandi live in a foster home when he was her uncle.

Suddenly, they heard a noise coming from downstairs and then the screams and curses of the other agent. They all rushed downstairs to see what was going on. They entered the kitchen to see Wyatt handcuffing the other CPS agent.

“Let me go. You have no right to hold me,” Ms. Smythe screamed at Wyatt. He just ignored her and proceeded to sit her down on a couch.

“Ah, Erwin, you’re right on time. Thank goodness I was here today. I caught Sandy Smythe here, trying to plant drugs in your kitchen. We had opened an investigation into some shady CPS agents, and I have been watching her closely. Today, I caught her in action,” Wyatt explained, showing a small package containing something white.

Brandi couldn’t handle it anymore and burst out crying. Carol immediately pulled her in for a hug. Brandi felt she had escaped by a hair, but Erwin and Carol were relieved more than anyone. They may not have only lost Brandi but also Nancy and Oliver. They were thankful for the FBI and Agent Hale.

Heather parked the car in front of her house, followed by Maddison and Margaret. Once inside, Alex ran to his room, closed the door, and threw himself on the bed, not bothering to change out of the skirt.

The experience was just too much for Alex, and that bitch forced him to wear panties and a training bra. Thankfully, he had Heather and his uncle Jeff by his side, who would have none of this.

It didn’t take Alex any time to fall asleep almost instantly. He was exhausted; this wicked principal had been keen on humiliating him.

A couple of minutes later, Heather walked up to check on Alex. She found him asleep since she could tell from his soft snores. Heather was surprised that Alex didn’t immediately remove the clothes when he got into his room.

She had to admit he looked cute in the skirt and tights, but no one would force her son to wear them because she would be immediately after them. Heather kissed Alex’s forehead and took off his Maryjane shoes, placing them beside his bed. Heather then covered him and walked out of the room, closing the door on her way out.

Downstairs Erinna found her way to her grandpa Houston’s lap while her other grandpa Gavin looked on with envy. They all sat across from each other, waiting for Heather to come down while Margaret explained the earlier events.

Howard Houston was enraged. How could this vile woman try and feminize his grandson, and why? Because he defended his father’s honor?

Eventually, Heather walked down to where everyone was sitting. She could immediately see the rivalry between Erinna’s grandpas to earn her favor. It was funny that her daughter had them wrapped around her finger. Heather smiled as she realized it was so easy for Erinna to do this.

“So, what are you going to do? You’re Alex’s guardians. You decide,” Charlie Houston asked. As Charlie looked at Jeff and Heather, he knew his nephew was safe, but he was still curious about what Jeff and Heather would do.

Heather looked at Jeff before he nodded. She understood what he wanted to say clearly, and they already knew what they both wanted to say. “Firstly, Alex is never returning to that school again. He will be going to school with Erinna and George. We will file a lawsuit against the school and that bitch of a principal for the emotional damage and abuse that Alex had received. George will always look after Alex and Erinna, and I trust the principal at TYA.”

It was mid-afternoon when Alex woke up. He rubbed his eyes as he sat on the bed. Alex slowly left the bed, surprised that he didn’t take off these clothes. Alex didn’t understand why but he didn’t feel like taking them off.

Alex left the bed finding the shoes he was wearing beside the bed. He was a bit confused, but he didn’t put them on. Instead, Alex reached for one of his high tops. For some reason, he didn’t want to take the skirt or the tights off. He still didn’t understand his sudden liking for these clothes.

Alex felt the need to go to the bathroom since his stomach didn’t feel good after today’s events. He walked down the hallway and entered the bathroom.

Downstairs, George and Erinna were in the backyard playing with Rex. George wore his new school’s team sweater over his shirt and slacks. He had taken off his necktie the moment he walked into the house.

George threw the frisbee to Erinna while Rex chased after it. Erinna would then throw it back, and Rex again chased after it.

“You won’t be able to play this game with him when he grows up,” Jeff commented with a chuckle seeing the puppy jump, attempting to catch the frisbee, but he still wasn’t tall enough. Jeff could imagine Rex wouldn’t even have to jump in two months to get the frisbee.

“That’s why we are doing it now,” Erinna giggled. It was fun playing with Rex; they didn’t regret having him. He’s also great as an alarm for Erinna.

“So, are you ready for tomorrow?” George asked, throwing the frisbee back to Erinna. She may not know it yet, but she’s famous in school now. After she demanded the election to be made again, not wanting to be the student council president till grade 7, she only ended up with more votes.

She’s also known for being an official team manager, and the whole school knows that messing with her is not a good idea. Breaking International swimming records also didn’t make her less famous; if anything, it earned her a nickname.

“What do you mean?” In confusion, Erinna tilted her head to the side, throwing the frisbee back to George.

“I am sure all boys will be bringing you flowers tomorrow since it’s Valentine’s Day,” George teased, causing Erinna to blush and stick her tongue out at him. George couldn’t help but laugh, it made his duty of keeping boys away more challenging now, but he didn’t mind.

“Hey, she’s MY baby girl. She doesn’t belong to other boys,” Jeff joined the joke making Erinna blush even more.

“Daddy!” Erinna whined, stomping her feet on the ground in protest. Erinna missed the frisbee as Rex ran to it, catching it in his mouth and then making a run before George could stop him.

Being daddy’s girl had its ups and downs, but Jeff spoils her and shows her affection and care more openly. Erinna didn’t like this double standard, but dad made the rules. She knew he never did this to her when she was Ryan because it would embarrass a boy her age. But with a girl, it was no problem at all.

The downside, however, is that Jeff had become very overprotective of her. Both he and George took it as their responsibility to keep all boys from her. While George favored Oliver, he didn’t mind Oliver being close to Erinna. But Jeff observed them closely every time Oliver got near his daughter.

Alex had just left the bathroom upstairs, still feeling a bit sick in his stomach. That’s when he saw Heather, and she spotted him simultaneously. Alex saw her look him up and down once, seeing him in the same clothes the principal forced him to wear at school.

“I am sorry, mom, I will change right now,” Alex apologized, thinking he was in trouble. Before Alex could go anywhere, he found himself in Heather’s arms as she rubbed the back of his head.

“You’re not in any trouble. We can talk about this if you want,” Heather whispered gently. She was afraid that this vile woman made Alex think he had to wear this or she would punish him. She had opposed women like her in courts before. Due to TSS, the population of males is declining; all they want to do is feminize them.

Seeing Alex nodding, Heather pulled him gently to his room. The moment they were in the room, Heather walked into his closet and returned with a white undershirt tank top and one of Alex’s long-sleeve T-shirts. She knew this training bra must be very uncomfortable by now. Heather walked out of Alex’s closet and saw him sitting nervously at his desk. She walked over to him with a reassuring smile.

“I am sure you want to take off this training bra, right?” Heather suggested, and Alex nodded shyly.

The training bra was uncomfortable, and the straps dug into his skin. It was also very itchy, and the padded cups gave the illusion that he had small breasts.

“Ok, let me help you out of this bra.” With that, Alex took off his T-shirt, allowing Heather to help him with the training bra. Upon seeing the training bra, Heather shook her head. It was far too tight, and the bra was cheaply made.

“I would never buy something this bad and cheap for Rin. What a cruel woman,” Heather stated before helping Alex out of the bra. She could already see the marks the bra had left on his skin.

Alex put on his undershirt, tank top, and then his T-shirt. The excellent cotton felt good on his skin, unlike the training bra’s cheap materials. He felt comfortable again as the undershirt didn’t dig into his skin as the bra did.

“Alex, I want you to understand something. Yes, it would be best if you hadn’t hit that boy, but I am sure detention would have been more than enough. That principal had no right to do what she did, and the other boy should be punished too. Now I want to know if you’re wearing these clothes because you were too tired to change them or do you like them? Do you think that woman is right? Because I am not carrying on her punishment,” Heather inquired while at the same time explaining to Alex what she believed.

“I don’t like them… well, not all of them. The tights feel nice, and so does the skirt, but it’s too short. I might like it if it was a bit longer, but I like the tights. The panties also feel nice, but they are too tight. I don’t like them.” Alex explained, blushing hard. He couldn’t believe what he was saying, but he couldn’t deny it.

“I see. Would you like me to buy you some tights and maybe some longer skirts? I am sure I can get your size,” Heather explained as Alex blushed again. Heather only cared that no one forced Alex into dressing like this. She knew that men’s clothing norms were changing. It’s not weird to see boys wearing skirts and tights anymore, it’s more of a new fashion trend.

Alex looked down shyly for a second before he looked and nodded. He was still a bit reluctant about this, but he was not worried if Heather stood beside him. She had always been there for him. He felt he owed her a lot and could never repay her or uncle Jeff.

“Mom, do I have to change?” Alex asked a bit hesitantly.

“If you want to stay in the skirt, I don’t see a problem. Just let me tell your uncle Jeff first, ok?” Heather suggested smiling when she saw Alex nodding.

Heather left Alex’s room, and he immediately heard his phone buzzing. He looked at his phone and saw a message from one of his friends Andrei. “You’re lucky you got out.”

As he read the message, Alex was confused and sent two question marks. The answer came immediately with a picture and under it another message. “Our new boy’s uniform.”

The picture showed a skirt like the one he was wearing, a pink polo shirt, white tights, and a pair of Maryjane with chunky three inches heels. There was also a pair of panties like the one he has now and a training bra. “WDYM?” Alex replied in confusion. There’s no way the school would try to do this to all the students.

“We must wear this uniform to school starting tomorrow, even the underwear. Mom says to suck it up,” Andrei sent back. Alex immediately felt terrible for his friends. Andrei was attending the school with a scholarship, and his mom couldn’t afford to send him to another private school.

It didn’t help that Andrei had three older sisters, and he wasn’t a priority, often wearing hand-me-down girls’ clothes that his sisters grew out of and no longer needed. Alex knew Andrei thought he was positive for TSS, even though he wasn’t sure that he wanted to become a girl, but the results hadn’t yet arrived.

At the Collins house, Oliver sat at his desk doing his homework. As always, he hadn’t bothered to change out of his uniform yet. Oliver was doing his law homework and was struggling with it. He didn’t get it. How could Rin finish it in five minutes or less? He always thought about Rin. She occupied his mind all the time.

Thinking about Rin, Oliver suddenly remembered that tomorrow was Valentine’s day. He immediately rushed downstairs to look for Carol. He found her in the living room with Brandi and Nancy, and they were discussing something while looking at a picture of a dress.

“Well, Nancy, if you’re sure she will like this dress, then let’s get it, but doesn’t she already have a big collection? Would another dress be what she wants?” Carol inquired, looking at a baby blue mid-length dress with three-quarter sleeves. The skirt looked simple but still looked beautiful.

“Come on, mom, this is Rin. She knew Erinna very well, probably better than anyone. She didn’t like flashy clothes, and she didn’t feel comfortable in them. “Besides, that dress is exactly what she likes, nothing flashy,” Nancy explained, very confident about her choice. “Rin would always be happy to get a new dress.”

Hearing them talk about Erinna, Oliver started to get curious, although he didn’t want to interrupt their conversation. Oliver did see the dress and wanted to see Erinna in that dress since she would look cute in almost anything. If only he could muster the courage to ask her out.

Oliver, however, was scared of Jeff. Although he was friendly, he didn’t seem to appreciate the idea of a boy getting too close to his daughter. Jeff’s attitude hurt Oliver as he had been best friends with Erinna since he met her as Ryan. Why were things so different now?

“Mom, I need to buy flowers and chocolate for tomorrow.” Oliver inquired, looking at Carol with puppy begging eyes.

“Awwww, little Oli wants to give his girlfriend flowers,” Nancy teased, making Oliver blush. She always enjoys teasing these two, and they look cute when blushing like that. Besides, it’s her job as an older sister.

“Stop teasing your brother,” Carol scolded while Nancy just shrugged. Carol then turned to Oliver and smiled. “I am sure we can. I know just the place. We can go after you finish your homework,” Carol explained, making Oliver hug her.

Heather walked downstairs; the talk with Alex was successful. She was able to get to the bottom of the problem almost immediately. Walking into the living room, Heather saw Jeff flipping through the channels on the TV. “Jeff, where’s Rin?”

“In the backyard playing with Rex,” Jeff explained, turning to look at Heather. “Did you check on Alex?”

“I did. We had a pretty good talk. Alex is in his room if you want to talk to him. Anyway, I am taking the cheerleaders’ squad shopping. We will meet them in the mall. I am going to take Rin with me,” Heather explained. Since the school never had a cheerleading squad, they had no cheer coach, so they decided to ask for Heather’s help until they could get another coach.

“Did you say shopping?” Erinna squealed, entering through the backdoor and into the living room. “Are we going shopping?” Erinna asked excitedly.

Heather couldn’t help but chuckle. She still can’t believe that she has a daughter. As Ryan, her daughter didn’t hate shopping but tried to avoid it. The way she would always look, longing for girls’ clothes in general and dresses in particular. It felt like she was trying to prevent a compulsion. It enforced her idea of why her daughter embraced her femininity almost immediately.

“Heather, what have you done to my daughter?” Jeff joked. He must admit that he had difficulty dealing with having a daughter. Not that Jeff hated it or anything since it was fantastic having a daughter. The only problem was he felt he was taking a crash course on how to treat his daughter. Jeff wanted to protect her but didn’t want to restrict her freedom. It was sudden for Jeff, his former son was now his daughter, and he was still learning how to treat her.

“Who? Me? I haven’t done anything.” Heather answered, giving Jeff an innocent look. “That just proves that she’s my daughter,” Heather added, making Erinna giggle.

Jeff shook his head, leaving his seat, and hugged Erinna before kissing her forehead. “Have fun, Princess, and show me what you bought, ok?” Jeff said as Erinna nodded.

Erinna walked alongside Heather as they entered the mall and headed directly to the agreed store. In front of the store stood 13 girls chatting and pointing at clothes. Heather walked to them with Erinna beside her feeling a bit nervous. “Hello, girls,” Heather greeted the girls, who welcomed her back.

“Look who’s here, the star of our school,” one of the girls joked, making Erinna blush a bit. She was a tall girl with olive skin and green eyes. Her name was Kailey, and she was one of the friendliest girls in the group, so Erinna took her words as a compliment.

“Erinna teaches the boys a lesson. Even some girls can do better at sports,” another girl adds.

Heather smiled, shaking her head. Her daughter was something else. “Well, not every girl can be like Rin and Nancy. Shall we start with our shopping?” Heather suggested as she walked with the girls to their first shop.

Immediately, the girls directed their attention toward Erinna. All girls had her try things on again and again. Seeing how cute it was, Heather’s watchful eyes were there the whole time. The girls can wear very revealing clothes if they want to, but that’s not a choice she would like to see her daughter making.

In the cheer squad, there was one girl who didn’t seem to enjoy Erinna’s presence, and her name was Marissa. She was a 15-year-old girl with black hair and grey eyes. Marissa always wanted to be the center of attention and didn’t enjoy Erinna taking the spotlight away from her. Heather didn’t directly talk to Marissa about her style of clothes, but she did say that she would never allow her daughter to wear these clothes, which were Marissa’s favorite style. It didn’t help that Heather rejected anything Marissa wanted Erinna to try on.

Marissa couldn’t argue with Heather since Heather was her idol. But she only saw her successful career. Not once did Marissa think that Heather was successful as a mother. She only looked at Heather as a famous lawyer. For her, Heather was a symbol of a successful woman who challenges society.

Not being the center of attention didn’t sit right with Marissa. She could only despise Erinna for it. She knew better than messing with Erinna openly since George didn’t allow anyone to mess with his sister. Then there was Nancy, who was taller and much stronger, although they were the same age. That Nancy can tackle boys with little to no effort made it clear to Marissa that she couldn’t do anything around Nancy. Of course, Marissa couldn’t ignore the fact that Erinna had a reputation for being fearless didn’t help either.

The girls finally decided to take a break, much to Erinna’s relief. She had tried on clothes the girls had picked for her, and she was enjoying it, but she needed to go to the restroom. She made her way to the lady’s room but didn’t realize Marissa was following her.

Erinna got into the first open stall before doing her business. Once she finished, she made sure to change her pad. Erinna pulled her panties and tights in place before lowering her skirt again. She left the stall to find Marissa standing by a sink doing nothing. Erinna decided to ignore her and just walked to the sink to wash her hands.

“What are you doing here?” Marissa demanded, glaring at Erinna, who just looked confused.

“Washing my hands?” Erinna answered. She was already becoming annoyed with Marissa.

“What are you doing here when you’re not a girl? You freak!” Marissa retorted, making Erinna turn and glare at her. Before Erinna could react, Marissa snatched her purse, holding it out of Erinna’s reach. Marissa opened the bag, and the pads caught her attention. She took them out and held them in her hand. “What do you need these for?” Marissa mocked, making Erinna blush a bit but boil with anger.

“Give back my things, please. I won’t ask nicely again,” requested Erinna, but she could see that Marissa had no intention of returning her stuff. Erinna stomped her two-inch long kitten heel into Marissa’s foot, making her yelp in pain and release Erinna’s purse. Erinna kicked Marissa in the knees before collecting her stuff back in her purse and stormed out of the bathroom with tears filling her eyes.

The alarm started in Heather and Jeff’s bedroom. Heather immediately reached to shut off the digital clock. She sat up in her bed, stretching her arm.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Jeff greeted as he sat up on the bed.

“We have been married for 16 years, and still, the first thing you do in the morning is flirt?” Heather joked with a smirk. She was lucky to have a man like Jeff as her husband. He wasted no effort in protecting her and their kids. He was a real man who had never looked at women other than her sexually since their marriage. And she made sure he would never need to.

“Why not? If I have the most beautiful woman in the world, why can’t I flirt?” Jeff replied before getting closer to kiss Heather. They were immediately locked in a passionate kiss.

After a moment or something, Heather pulled away. “If we continue, I will want more, and we don’t have time for that,” Heather admitted making Jeff smirk. She left the bed, putting on her robe before walking out of the room.

First, she walked into Erinna’s room. And sure enough, Rex was already up demanding attention from her. Heather quickly patted his head before turning to Erinna. She didn’t want to pressure her daughter, but Erinna was not looking her best yesterday. Heather always paid attention to all the details in her kids’ life. She could tell after Rin returned from the bathroom yesterday that she looked distraught but hadn’t said anything.

Heather walked over to Erinna before kissing her cheek. “Time to wake up, princess.” Heather watched as Erinna’s beautiful eyes started to open. “There, you with those beautiful eyes, now get up. I know you wanted to go back to school. I am sure you don’t want to be late.”

Erinna sat on her bed, stretching her arms, while Heather walked into her closet. Only a second later, she returned, holding Erinna’s blouse, blazer jacket with a black pinafore dress, and a skirt Erinna could choose. Heather was dying to see Erinna in the girls’ uniform, but she didn’t want to push her into anything. To be honest, Heather was excited.

“Which one would you like more?” Heather asked, showing Erinna both the pinafore dress and the skirt.

It only took Erinna a couple of seconds to decide. “I will wear the pinafore dress, mommy,” Erinna said, pointing to the black pinafore dress. She didn’t mind the school’s skirt, but she preferred the pinafore dress, feeling the skirt was too long and didn’t look good with the uniform.

“Alright, go take a shower and get changed. I will take Rex with me so that he won’t distract you,” Heather stated, making Erinna giggle.

The moment Heather closed the door behind her, Erinna left the bed. She made her bed before walking to the bathroom to shower. Meanwhile, Heather walked to George’s bedroom to find him asleep.

“George, time to wake up,” Heather shook him. He still didn’t wake up after two more attempts. She knew he had been staying late yesterday chatting with Nancy. Seeing that George was not waking up, Heather decided on a new method. She placed Rex on George’s bed, and he immediately started licking George.

After a moment passed, George groaned, sitting up on his bed. Looking beside him, George saw Rex wiggling his tail happily. “You little devil, how did you get here?”

“I brought him here to wake you up,” Heather chuckled. “Now get up. You don’t want to be late for school.” With that, Heather left George’s room.

She walked to Alex’s room to wake him up. They were going to get him to take some entrance exams and buy him his uniform. Heather was sure that he could pass those exams with his eyes closed.

Erinna made her way out of the shower in her bra and panties. She wasted no time brushing her hair and then getting dressed. First, she slid her legs into a pair of white tights, then put on her white blouse, followed by the pinafore dress. Erinna tied the red ribbon around the collar of her blouse. Erinna slid her feet into the two-inch Maryjane heels and buckled the straps. Finally, Erinna put on her blazer before grabbing her bag and flute case.

Erinna walked downstairs, going directly to the kitchen. She found Jeff drinking his morning coffee and reading the news, dressed in his suit and, as always, no tie. Heather was wearing a white skirt suit with white pantyhose and cream-colored heels. Erinna couldn’t help but admire Heather and be thankful she had such a great mom.

“Good morning, daddy,” Erinna greeted Jeff with a kiss on his cheek. Jeff replied by kissing her on the forehead. Erinna then walled to Heather, greeting her with a kiss on her cheek. “Can I help you, mommy?” Erinna asked as Heather was making breakfast.

“Thank you, sweetheart. Take your seat. Breakfast is almost ready.” Heather replied, earning a smile from Erinna as she took her seat at the table. “The girls have been asking if you can join the senior cheer squad. I told the squad that you could join if you wanted to. There will also be a junior cheerleading squad soon. You can join the junior squad instead if you prefer.”

Heather was hoping to see her daughter join either cheerleading squad. She knew that Erinna would enjoy it, and she would also ace it. However, Heather didn’t want to push her daughter into something. She preferred to leave this choice to her daughter.

After Erinna became a girl, she started to view things from a different perspective. Erinna was not sure if she wanted to become a cheerleader. She had never really thought about it before. So, Erinna decided to mull it over, then reply later. Soon, Alex and George made their way down to eat breakfast.

Once breakfast was over, Erinna put on her long blue wool coat. She left the house, and everyone else followed her. Jeff went to his car while everyone else walked over to Heather’s car.

“Sorry kids, I have to be in the court early tomorrow so that Carol will take you to school, alright?” Heather informed them. She knew they wouldn’t have a problem going to school with the Collins. Instead, she knew they would like it.

Lynn stopped her car in front of the school and turned around to look at Maria. She was surprised that Maria insisted on having the same hairstyle as Erinna. “Alright, sweetie, here we are,” Lynn said.

Maria reached to kiss her mom. She then turned and kissed her brother Frank on his cheek. She then opened the door.

“What about me?” Joe complained, making Lynn laugh. She knew how much the boys treasured their sister. So much that they would do anything for her; Maria attended the same school as them, and no one dared to mess with her.

“No, because you’re a meanie,” Maria stuck her tongue out before opening the car’s door. She walked out of the car and walked into the school building.

She walked directly to her locker, where she found a flower bouquet and a box of chocolate inside. She couldn’t help but giggle, knowing that Frank and Joe would not like this. They would probably scare all the boys away before they even talked to her.

Suddenly Maria was startled by someone blowing into her ear. Almost immediately, her hand struck someone’s face. The slap was so hard that it echoed in the hallway. As Maria turned around, she saw Dakota holding his red cheek. “DAKOTA! I am so sorry. I was surprised I didn’t mean to hit you,” Maria apologized. She studied Dakota for a second and realized for the first time that Dakota looked rather handsome. It caused a tingling feeling in her abdomen, a feeling she didn’t quite understand.

“It’s ok. It’s my fault. I thought you were Erinna. I always play this prank on her,” Dakota rubbed his cheek. It hurt. Maria sure has one hell of a slap.

“How did you know it was me and not Rin?” How did Dakota know if even their brother couldn’t tell the difference between them? Even George, Frank, and Joe don’t know. Maria wondered.

Looking at Maria, Dakota could tell that something was different about her. She and Erinna looked the same, but something was different about her. What was it he didn’t know? Immediately Dakota started laughing, not sure how to explain this to Maria. “Well, Rin would probably have kicked me, not just a slap,” Dakota explained, laughing again, followed by Maria. “I didn’t know you would be attending this school. Great. Now I have to be careful of who’s coming my way. A kick and a slap are two different things,” Dakota joked, making Maria giggle.

“Mommy and daddy decided it would be best to attend this school. They say that the school has a good swimming team. I already made it to the team,” Maria explained, and Dakota smiled at her.

Erinna made her way out of the car. She immediately spotted Oliver, who stood waiting for her. Beside him were Nancy and Brandi. Brandi was wearing the same uniform with a pencil skirt. The only difference was her red ribbon and Nancy’s blue ribbon.

Erinna excitedly waved to them, although she had directed her wave at Oliver more than anyone else. She walked over to them and hugged Nancy and Brandi but then paused in front of Oliver, unsure what to do.

Oliver didn’t wait as he kissed her cheek, making her blush. She was surprised. Erinna never expected Oliver to make a move and kiss her. She liked it, though. As much as Erinna enjoyed the shy Oliver, she liked his new daring side.

Before she knew it, Oliver was holding her hand and was about to lead her inside the school. But George’s cough stopped Oliver. “Are you trying to steal my sister?” George joked, making Oliver gulp while Erinna glared at him. George just smiled and walked up to them. “I don’t mind your relationship, but tone it down a bit. We are entering school after all, alright, bud?” George explained, batting Oliver’s back gently.

Oliver smiled and nodded, hesitantly letting go of Erinna’s hand, making her pout in disappointment. George was right; this was not the right place to show their feelings for each other.

“You two can go in. We will help Brandi get her schedule, then show her to her class,” George announced and watched as Oliver and Erinna walked away. George shook his head, feeling that these two were some real trouble.

Oliver walked alongside Erinna until they reached their lockers. “Be on the watch for Dakota. I don’t want to kick my friend’s ass,” Erinna exclaimed, making Oliver laugh. The laughter soon turned into a frown once Erinna opened her locker, and three flower bouquets with three chocolate boxes fell out of the locker. Each one had a name on it, and as Erinna went to pick them up, she recognized one name from the sixth grade. The other two names were from boys in the seventh grade.

Oliver frowned with jealousy. He never thought about leaving flowers for Erinna in her locker. Oliver planned to give them to her during the first break. He watched as Erinna put the gifts back in the locker, along with her coat and flute case. They walked together to their class, where a surprise met Erinna.

At one of the desks, Maria sat down, chatting with two girls from the class. Erinna was surprised but was happy. She turned to see Oliver, who smiled knowingly. “You knew?” Erinna inquired, to which Oliver nodded. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Erinna exclaimed, jabbing with her finger.

“Maria asked me not to tell you,” Oliver smiled, watching Erinna shake her head. Maria made him swear not to tell Erinna since she wanted to surprise her.

Erinna walked to Maria and tapped her on the shoulder. When Maria turned her head, she saw Erinna with her arms folded over her chest. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Do you know each other?” One of the girls Maria was talking with asked. Her name was Elizabeth, and she had her dad’s dark skin but her mom’s green eyes. She was also Kailey and Jacob’s little sister, with Kailey being a cheerleader and Jacob being a football player.

While Maria knew her as a girl, she didn’t know she was formerly a boy. His name was originally Ethan. Like Stacy, Elizabeth was shy and kept to herself as a boy. She had average grades for a student in this school. She was, however, a chemistry demon, as Erinna called her.

“Know each other? We’re cousins,” Erinna started.

“No, more like twin sisters,” Maria added.

“Only I am two days older,” Erinna announced, giggling and making Maria stick her tongue out. “Why didn’t you tell me you will attend our school?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Maria confessed.

As everyone settled down, Erinna waited for the rest of her friends. It was Shelby and Hazel who came first, and then Stacy.

“You girls are not late,” Ms. Mackenzie exclaimed in surprise when she saw Shelby and Hazel on time. She looked at her class, noticing the changes that had occurred. “I am happy to see some absent students have now returned. Since the whole class is here, I would like to introduce a new student to this class. Miss Norman, could you please stand up and introduce yourself,” Ms. Mackenzie instructed.

Maria stood up and introduced herself. She smirked as she caught most of the boys in class observing her, except Oliver, whose heart already belonged to someone. Of all the boys, Maria only paid attention to Dakota. He seems more mature than most of them, and Dakota is also quite handsome, considering he’s only 10.

After Maria introduced herself, Ms. Mackenzie started talking again. “Alright, kids, we will have an assembly in the Auditorium today. After I take the attendance, we will all go there.”

Ms. Mackenzie quickly finished the attendance and led the students to the Auditorium. The Auditorium was large enough so the whole school, teachers and students from all years, and all classes could attend.

The students quieted down when the vice-principal, Ms. Owen, walked onto the stage. She was relatively young, only 27 years old. She always wore formal business outfits and wanted to be an excellent example for the girls in the school.

“Good morning, students and teachers. I hope you’re all doing well today. I won’t take much of your time, so that I will get straight to the point. First, we are starting two new classes, archeology, and ancient languages. Please welcome Ms. Houston, who will be teaching archeology and ancient language as well as history for fifth grade,” Ms. Owen announced.

Erinna watched as none other than her aunt Maddison walked up to the stage, shaking hands with the vice principal. Erinna immediately looked at George sitting in the row next to her. He shrugged his shoulders, showing that he knew nothing about it.

“Good morning, everyone. My name is Maddison Houston. I am 28 and have been working as an archaeologist for six years. The school offered me this position, and I want to make the best of it by filling your minds with new and fascinating information. Except for fifth-grade history, my classes are electives you don’t have to take, but I wish all of you would take my class. That’s all, thank you.” With that aunt, Maddison left the stage and took her seat.

“That’s your aunt, right?” Dakota inquired. He was probably the only one who saw Erinna’s aunts as she was always away in some country searching for ancient monuments and artifacts. She would only come to visit her family once every year before leaving again.

“Yes, it’s my aunt.” This day was full of surprises, and no one seemed to tell her about anything. “She didn’t tell me she would be a teacher here,” Erinna admitted.

After aunt Maddison left the stage, the vice principal walked to the stage again. “Now for the second announcement today. As you all know, we believe that our students can make their own decisions, so we held an election for the student council president positions. Unfortunately, we had to delay the results because someone didn’t believe they deserved that position. It took some time convincing her,” the vice-principal announced, making Erinna blush a bit.

“I will be calling the name of the student council President and the student council members for high school, then middle school, and finally, grade school,” the vice principal said before starting to call the presidents’ names and then the student council members. She finally reached grade school.

“Now, this is a special case, and it never happened before in the seven years this school was operating. For the first time, the grade school students elected a student from the fifth grade as the student council president. She’s an exceptional young lady who is almost impossible to overlook. Miss Erinna Clover Houston, please come up to the stage.”

Erinna blushed as a round of clapping started around the hall. She left her seat and stood up, walking towards the stage. She was always getting a lot of attention as a boy, but it seemed she was getting even more attention as a girl.

Erinna walked onto the stage before shaking hands with the vice principal, who attached a badge to her blazer jacket. The badge was red, and her name was written on it with the word Miss President before her name.

The vice principal then started introducing the members of the student council that would be working with Erinna. All of them were from grade 6, with two boys and three girls. One boy was particularly interested in Erinna. He was the one that had placed the flowers and chocolates in her locker.

The boy’s actions didn’t go unnoticed by George. Even from his seat, he saw the boy trying to flirt with his sister. Erinna didn’t pay attention to him for one of two reasons, whether the boy was an idiot and Erinna decided not to pay attention to him, or his sister didn’t know he was trying to flirt with her. George guessed it was both.

George leaned over to Nancy and whispered, “I don’t like that boy over there.” George then pointed to the boy who was trying to flirt with Erinna.

Seeing this, Nancy tried her best to hold a giggle. George was indeed a protective big brother. The boy was just unlucky to pick the wrong girl to try to hit on. “Just don’t kill him, please?” Nancy joked.

“I can’t promise you anything,” George replied, shaking his head. The boy had better stay away from his sister, or George would deal with him. George will make sure of it.

Erinna sat in her seat as the class waited for the teacher. She’s supposed to have a history class. Erinna didn’t know how to feel about having her aunt as a teacher. Why did her aunt have to teach history for fifth grade only?

“Good morning, class,” Maddison Houston greeted, walking into the classroom. She put her mini laptop on the desk before continuing to the class’s sound system. She then disconnected the computer in the class. “Phew, how old are these computers? 2050?” Maddison joked, causing the whole class to start laughing.

Maddison then faced the class, examining the students for a second. She rolled her eyes when she saw Maria and Erinna sitting beside each other. Separating them was not a good idea. They performed much better together. They are going to be a handful to deal with in class. “So, as I said in the assembly, my full name is Maddison Crystal Houston, I volunteered to take this position since Mrs. Clarkson is sick, and I am sure Ms. Owen doesn’t like teaching history that much. I came to the rescue. Now any questions?”

Elizabeth raised her hand, and Maddison nodded to her. “Is Erinna your little sister?” Elizabeth asked. She couldn’t tell how old Maddison was, but she seemed young. Younger than most of the teachers here, at least, so Elizabeth could only guess she was Erinna’s older sister even though she had never heard of Erinna having an older sister. They shared the last name, so it made sense to her

Maddison couldn’t help but laugh. It was funny that someone would think she was Erinna’s big sister. Maddison was 27 years old, after all. She loved being an archaeologist but resigned because she wanted to settle down and have a family before it was too late. “No, I am not Erinna’s sister. However, she is my niece. I picked this class not because of her being my niece but because I wanted to teach history for fifth grade because no one else was going to do it,” Maddison explained. Teaching her niece was a plus, but she wanted to teach history.

“Any other questions?” Maddison looked around the class, but no one else had a question. “Alright now, I will ask you a question, who here thinks that history is interesting?” Maddison looked around the class and saw only one hand raised: Stacy’s hand. “Ok, who thinks that history is boring?” This time everyone else in the class raised their hands. Even Erinna and Maria, even though they like history, just did it to tease Maddison.

Maddison glared at Erinna and Maria, who tried to hold their giggles. “Well, I expected that. Anyway, it’s my job to make history exciting.”

With that, Maddison started her class, and the whole class was captivated by her storytelling ability. The entire class was full of laughter as Maddison cracked jokes about historical events and characters. It lasted until there was a knocking on the classroom door.

Looking a bit confused, Maddison walked to the door and opened it. Behind the door was a teacher holding two bags full of flower bouquets and chocolate boxes. She looked tired. “Are Ms. Norman and Ms. Houston here?” the teacher asked.

“Yes, is there a problem?”

“No, please give them these bags. I still have to return with more to deliver.” With that, she handed the two full bags to Maddison and walked away, grumbling about having to do this every year. Maddison couldn’t help but smirk as she saw the contents of the bags. These two girls were real trouble.

Maddison closed the classroom door and turned to face Erinna and Maria. She handed each of them their bag with a wink. “Your brothers and daddies will not be happy about this,” Maddison teased, making them blush. “Alright, everyone, let’s get back to class.”

Maddison had just ended the class, and the whole class was around Erinna and Maria, curious about how many flowers and chocolate they got. Both Oliver and Dakota were unhappy, though. They knew their flowers were in there, but still, they were among many more. They have a lot of competition, that’s for sure.

It was lunch break while Erinna was walking to the bathroom. Her friends were already waiting for her in the cafeteria, but she had to change her pad quickly. Someone suddenly pulled Erinna into one of the storage rooms. She shrieked, but something was shoved in her mouth and gagged her. It was a mouth gag as they tightened straps around the back of her head.

The attackers quickly pulled Erinna’s hands behind her as they tied them up with a rope. A rope passed under the skirt of her pinafore dress. They tied the rope around her crotch, which was very uncomfortable as the rough rope rubbed against her tights very rudely. As they tightened the ropes, Erinna couldn’t help but let out a muffled scream from pain. It felt as if the ropes were about to cut her in half.

Erinna didn’t know who was holding her, as she couldn’t see their faces in the dark. Someone moved to tie her ankles when the door suddenly crashed open. On the other side of the door stood George wearing an angry expression.

“Leave my sister alone, you fuckers!” Before George finished his sentence, he had launched himself at the grade 12 boy holding Erinna, striking him several times in his face. Oscar followed George in and punched the other boy to the ground as he attempted to help his friend remove George. The last person to enter the room was Nancy, who immediately rushed to Erinna and began to untie the ropes.

An hour later, everyone was gathered in the principal’s office while waiting for her to arrive. Nancy was holding Erinna, who was crying her eyes out. George had a black eye, and Oscar had a bloody nose, though the other two boys looked much worse.

The door was slammed open, and Mrs. Mackenzie walked into the office with anger in her steps. She couldn’t believe something like this. Thinking those boys assaulted a grade 5 girl in her school was unacceptable. “Lara, did you call the police?” Mrs. Mackenzie sternly uttered.

“No, ma’am. We didn’t want to call the police until you arrived,” the secretary immediately answered. Lara had never seen Mrs. Mackenzie this angry before. The woman was always calm and never shouted. But now, she was terrifying.

“I am here. Call the police right now,” Mrs. Mackenzie yelled as her secretary rushed to call the police. Mrs. Mackenzie walked to her desk and sat down. She looked at George, Oscar, and the other two boys. It was admirable to think that a couple of grade 10 boys could take on a pair of grade 12 boys and leave them in such a miserable state.

“You are not serious about calling the cops, are you?” one of the boys said. The grade 12 boy had two black eyes, and it seemed he had lost teeth. The boy could only punch George once while George had beaten him to a pulp. Oscar was not that different. While he didn’t look as muscular as George, his friend couldn’t do much against him.

“Damn right, I am serious, Mr. Herman. If I were you, I would think about what story you will tell the police when they arrive,” Mrs. Mackenzie replied.

“But he attacked me,” the boy accused, pointing to George.

“And you were in the middle of assaulting his little sister. I would be grateful that Mr. Houston didn’t break your neck,” Mrs. Mackenzie replied, shocking everyone. No one had seen this aggressive attitude from her before.

A moment later, Maddison knocked on the door and entered the office, rushing to Erinna. She held her niece in a tight hug. “Are you ok?” Maddison asked before shooting the two boys a death glare.

“No worries, Ms. Houston, those boys didn’t get the chance to harm Erinna. We called the police, but I don’t think they need Miss Houston. As for Mister Houston and Mister Morris, I will make sure the police don’t question them without the approval of their parents. You should take Miss Collins with you as well. Please take Miss Houston to the school counselor,” Mrs. Mackenzie instructed.

Erinna sat in the school counselor’s office, waiting for the counselor to arrive. Erinna turned her head as the door opened.

Ms. Taylor, the counselor, entered the office holding a delicious-looking coffee cake and some orange juice on a tray. Erinna’s stomach growled, making her blush. She realized that she had never had the chance to have lunch due to what had happened.

“Sorry, I had to go get the cake my fiancé sent me,” Ms. Taylor explained, taking a seat across from Erinna. “Would you like to take a piece?” Ms. Taylor suggested seeing Erinna nodding.

Ms. Taylor sliced the cake and placed it on a plate, along with a fork, in front of Erinna. “Would you like a glass of orange juice too, dear?”

“Yes, please, ma’am. Thank you for the cake.”

“My pleasure, dear, enjoy,” replied Ms. Taylor.

It didn’t take Erinna any time before digging in. The cake was delicious, maybe not as good as the one her mommy makes, but it was divine. She did her best to eat as a well-mannered young lady, just like Heather had taught her.

“So, do you mind if I call you Erinna, or is there a name you would like me to call you by?” Ms. Taylor asked, handing Erinna a napkin.

Erinna wiped her mouth from any remaining crumbs left. “You can call me Rin, ma’am,” Erinna answered with a smile crossing her leg and getting comfortable in her seat. As an apology, the school had replaced her torn tights and pinafore dress. She was glad that neither her blouse nor her blazer was affected when those creeps assaulted her.

“Rin, huh? That’s a cute name,” Ms. Taylor commented. “Would you mind telling me who gave you that name?” Ms. Taylor inquired. Her purpose was to start a conversation with Erinna and put her at ease.

Rin immediately started giggling, remembering where this nickname originated. After all, she adored Angelo, making sure everyone used it. Angelo gave her this name. “It was my baby cousin, who gave me that name,” Erinna explained.

Ms. Taylor smiled at her. She had heard a lot about Erinna, and the entire school probably knew her by now. This girl’s IQ was impressive. She was a big challenge for the teachers since they couldn’t find her scholastic limits.

“Baby cousin, huh, how old is he?” Ms. Taylor exclaimed, smiling. This innocent yet intelligent and confident young lady was melting her heart. Ms. Taylor loved kids, which was why she took this job.

“Angelo is three and about to turn four,” Erinna replied sweetly.

“I see. Angelo must be cute then,” Ms. Taylor exclaimed with an understanding look. Who can resist cute babies?

“Oh, he’s adorable. He has big brown eyes and blonde hair. He looks the cutest when he asks for cookies,” Erinna explained happily. No one could be cuter than her baby cousin. What she didn’t know was that it was about to change.

Emory Morris walked through the school hallway at a furious pace. He had believed that his son had changed, he wanted to believe this, but he had failed him again.

Once Emory saw Oscar sitting in front of the principal’s office talking to a female police officer, Emory’s blood boiled from anger. Oscar’s stepmom had been defending him, and he listened to her opinion mostly, but this was enough. “You little brat, why can’t you stay out of trouble, even for a day?” Emory angrily spat as he walked toward his son.

He was about to slap Oscar, but the female officer stepped in front of him.
“Sir, I have to ask you to calm down. Your son is a witness, and I haven’t even taken his testimony yet,” the female officer explained. Seeing that Emory had calmed down, the officer took out her notebook. “Your son is a minor, and I couldn’t take his testimony without your presence and permission.”

Emory raised an eyebrow, he thought his son had created the trouble, but he never considered that he was a witness and not the one making trouble. “You mean that Oscar isn’t in trouble, and you’re not interrogating him?”

“I don’t think that saving my daughter would get him in trouble, Mr. Morris,” Heather spoke, walking over to Emory. “Sure, he got into a fight, but so did my son, and it was for a noble cause. I am sure saving a little girl from being assaulted could count as a noble cause,” Heather explained.

At first, Emory was confused, but then he realized his mistake as his face turned red from embarrassment. His wife was right when she insisted on giving Oscar a second chance. To think that Oscar was not just out of trouble, but also he was the hero.

Emory looked at his son with his face red from embarrassment. This misunderstanding was very embarrassing. “I am very sorry, son. I doubted you for nothing,” Emory apologized as Oscar smiled and shrugged. “I know I have been hard on you in the past, but I am proud of you,” as he patted Oscar on the back.

Oscar was delighted to hear his dad apologizing to him. He knew he would never allow anyone to do this to his sisters. He could never let a couple of creeps attack Erinna.

“So, Rin, I understand you had no trouble being a girl. Would you mind telling me how you felt when you heard the news?” Ms. Taylor asked.

She was very interested in Erinna’s condition. Most TSS kids who embraced their gender without much thought almost immediately admitted that they always wanted to be born as the other gender. They also never liked their original gender.

The terms transgender, gender dysphoria, or transitioning didn’t apply. TSS kids were in a different class as they completely transformed into the opposite gender down to their chromosomes. They were all happy about the change and embraced their new identity immediately. Though Erinna always seemed to enjoy being a boy, she completely embraced her new gender.

Erinna shrugged. She had already gotten over these feelings. Rin still missed being a boy from time to time. However, she knew she liked being a girl more than being a boy.

“Well, at first, I was shocked. I liked being a boy and didn’t want to become a girl, but I was always curious about girls and their life. Sometimes I even imagined myself wearing girl’s clothes. When mom took me with her shopping, girl’s clothes always caught my attention. Even at the salon, I was always curious about almost everything,” Erinna explained.

Ms. Taylor smiled, taking notes of what Erinna was saying. It was fascinating having this talk with Erinna. “Speaking of hair, I must say your hair is beautiful, Rin. You must be taking care of it daily,” Ms. Taylor complimented, causing Erinna to blush.

“Thank you, Ms. Taylor,” Erinna said, blushing hard as she moved some hair behind her ears.

“Now, we will have more sessions to talk about your feelings. I am glad we covered how today’s event has affected you,” Ms. Taylor spoke. It had been a sensitive topic for Erinna, and while it didn’t traumatize her enough to affect her daily life, it still affected her.

“Now, there is another issue to discuss. The CPS sent us a letter and demanded all TSS girls participate in a feminine activity at school. They have named a couple of activities, including ballet, girls’ gymnastics, and cheerleading. Although I’m afraid I have to disagree with those psychoanalytic idiots, I am afraid you will need to choose a feminine activity,” Ms. Taylor explained in clear annoyance. She was not happy with what the CPS was doing. However, she didn’t expect anything from the followers of Freud.

They claim that forcing the TSS kids to live with their new gender would help them by helping their unconscious mind to adapt to their new gender. As someone with a psychology degree, Ms. Taylor felt ashamed of some of her colleagues. She believed in a more moderate pace to slowly help TSS kids to adjust to their new gender. She had been reading the latest guidelines, and TSS would be renamed GCS – Gender Change Syndrome in the future, but it was a discussion for another day.

“But boys can do ballet, gymnastics, and cheerleading,” Erinna exclaimed in protest. There was a reason she didn’t accept being a cheerleader immediately. Erinna didn’t want anything to get in the way of her swimming. If she wanted to make it to the Olympics next year, she would need to put in a lot of work and training.

“That’s true, but the roles of both males and females are very different in ballet, gymnastics, and cheerleading. It was recommended for TSS boys, too, as it should help them adjust to their male identity,” Ms. Taylor explained. She could see that Erinna was not convinced and couldn’t blame her.
“You don’t have to decide now. I will give you a list of recommended activities. You can make a decision whenever you feel like it.”

“I will join the cheer squad,” Erinna decided with confidence in her tone. She was already thinking of joining the squad. Except for Marissa, all the girls were friendly and liked her. Also, with her mom as the cheer coach, she could ask for help to practice in her free time.

“Are you sure about this? You don’t have to decide now,” Ms. Taylor assured. She didn’t want Erinna to jump into something she didn’t like.

“It’s ok. I was already thinking of joining the cheer squad,” Erinna admitted.

The rest of the day went uneventful, with Erinna enjoying her day at school. Once the school day was over, Erinna walked to her locker carrying many bags of chocolates and flowers. Oliver was moving the rest while Dakota and Maria were in the same situation.

Both Dakota and Oliver exchanged a look and nodded. They both had a lot of competition, but they were determined to win the girls they loved. After all, both Erinna and Maria were in another league.

As they all made it to the lockers, they found the cheer squad standing in front of Erinna’s locker. All of them had a grin on their faces.

“Wow! did you two get all the flowers from the school?” one of the girls commented as the others giggled. Their reaction caused Erinna to blush.

“Anyway, you’re one of us now. We have a warm-up today before the game. We already have your uniform,” one of the girls informed, showing Erinna her new cheer uniform.

Meanwhile, Marissa was changing from her school to cheerleader uniform in the cheer squad locker room. That’s when Nancy entered the locker room with Brandi beside her.

“Oh, Marissa, I am so glad I found you. Can I talk to you for a second?” Nancy said. From her tone, Marissa could tell that Nancy was not here to talk. “Why don’t you go and change, Brandi? The game should start soon,” Nancy suggested as the nervous Brandi made her way to a locker and began to change into her cheer uniform.

“What do you want?” Marissa said, eyeing Nancy up and down. Nancy was one hot girl, and Marissa wouldn’t deny that she was into girls as much as boys or even more.

Nancy walked over to Marissa with a fake smile on her face. Nancy immediately pulled Marissa’s hair with a firm grip causing Marissa to yelp. “Listen here, Marissa, I don’t give a shit; if you want to mess with me, I can always put you back in your place. But let me explain one thing: don’t ever mess with my little sister again. If you do, you will regret it,” Nancy growled in Marissa’s ear before releasing her hair and pushing her to the floor.

“B-but you don’t have a sister,” Marissa stuttered nervously. No one wanted to make Nancy mad, she had done so before, and the result wasn’t good.

“George’s sister is my sister. Stay away from Erinna,” Nancy paused for a second, taking out her phone and playing a video for Marissa to see. “If you don’t want everyone seeing this video, you will stay away from Rin.”

With that, Nancy walked back to where Brandi was sitting and started changing into her football gear.

The rest of the cheer squad made their way to the locker room. Erinna was with them as they excitedly chatted between them. Heather had given them Erinna’s new gym bag with her sneakers and sports bra. Erinna didn’t even get the chance to undress as the girls started to undress her.

Once Erinna was standing with nothing but her panties and bra, the girls immediately unhooked her bra, replacing it with the sports bra. A pair of glossy beige tights were pulled up her legs and around her waist. Then a long sleeve white top followed by golden and white shells. Then they put on her spandex shorts, the golden skirt, and white sneakers with golden strips.

The girls hadn’t finished, as one of them took out a tube of lipstick and applied a coat to Erinna’s lips while another worked on her hair, making it into two big tails tied with a red satin ribbon. One of the girls added some eyeshadows and eyeliner. Finished with the transformation, the girls pulled back to admire their job.

“No wonder she got all those flowers,” one of the girls giggled, making Erinna blush. “Coach Heather is probably going to kill us, but it’s worth the risk,” another added.

Meanwhile, Nancy observed the whole thing to ensure the girls didn’t go too far. She looked at Erinna with a smile on her face. She could only smile, seeing how beautiful Erinna looked.

“Nancy, why don’t we do your makeup, too?” one of the girls joked. All the girls knew that having Nancy wear makeup before the game was useless. It wouldn’t make sense, but the girls always said it as a joke.

“Hmmm, maybe after the game,” Nancy replied. “You can do hers, though. Say hello to Brandi, my cousin and the newest member of the cheer squad. I am sure coach Heather has already told you about her,” Nancy introduced Brandi, who was trying to hide behind her. She then pulled Brandi’s hand.

Immediately, the girls squealed in excitement as they rushed toward Brandi with their makeup in hand.

A couple of minutes later, the girls rushed to the football field. The team was already on the field, training and preparing for the game. Heather was standing on the sidelines, watching George as he and the team got ready for the game. Once she saw the cheerleaders approaching, Heather walked toward them. “Took you long enough,” Heather said unhappily. They needed to work on the new calls and moves and didn’t have much time.

“First, we were lucky to get two cheerleader boys when the football team could barely find any reserves. Malcolm, Lincoln. Please come over here,” Heather called as two boys approached. They looked between 12 and 14 years old, had slightly feminine faces and a muscular build, and wore male cheerleader uniforms.

Both Malcolm and Lincoln were 14-year-old TSS boys. They both had to take an activity that CPS saw fit. Since cheerleading had defined roles for males and females and was on the list, they chose it.

Once the whole squad knew each other, Heather got them immediately into warming up and a bit of rehearsal before the game. The warm-up lasted until the opposing team arrived. They wore black and white football uniforms and used a badger as their mascot. Both teams walked to their locker rooms while the cheerleaders followed their respective teams to the locker room.

Once inside, Erinna saw Oliver and Alex wearing team manager shirts. While Oliver was interested in sports, Alex was more interested in soccer. Instead, he just wanted to help out the team.

Coach Miller stood up by a large flat screen. “Alright, everyone, pay attention to what I am about to say,” Coach Miller spoke, gaining the attention of everyone. “We’re playing against the badgers today, I know their coach can be a pain in the ass, and he has some good players, almost the same level as you guys, but one thing they don’t have is coordination. These boys have never played with each other before. You’ve been playing as a team for a long time, so you understand coordination and teamwork. When you go out there, you will do what you do best. Now for the gameplan, Miss Houston, please.”

Coach Miller looked at Erinna, who stood up, walking to stand beside the screen, while George flashed her a smile, thinking how cute Erinna looked in her cheerleading outfit. He glanced at Oliver; sure enough, Oliver couldn’t keep his eyes off her. If it were any other boy, he would probably beat them until they couldn’t see his sister anymore.

Meanwhile, outside of the locker room, Heather led both Malcolm and Lincoln outside the locker room. “Are you boys sure about this? Just because you are part of the cheerleading squad doesn’t mean you have to match them,” Heather spoke, handing each of them a package of glossy beige tights. “Remember the idiot who designed your customs and made the pants snug and a bit short so that they may show a bit of the tights,” Heather warned.

She was disappointed with the design of the cheerleaders’ outfits. The girls’ skirt was too short, and their top was too tight and short. She had to call her sister, Leslie, who forced them to redesign the costumes. She already had one made for Rin in case she wanted to join, but they had rushed boys’ uniforms, and while the boys weren’t complaining, Heather knew the pants weren’t suitable since they were too tight. She didn’t want something so snug like that.

“We will be ok, coach. It’s not like we haven’t worn tights before,” Malcolm spoke, and Lincoln nodded in agreement. They didn’t mind wearing tights. It was something they often did when they were girls.

“Alright, put them on quickly and come back to join us in the field,” Heather instructed.

In the locker room, Erinna explained how the opposing team played. “This player is the biggest problem. His nickname is Bullet, one of the best wide receivers in our region,” Erinna explained as she displayed the image of player number 87. “Oscar,” Erinna called.

“Yes, milady,” Oscar replied as everyone laughed, making Erinna stick her tongue out to him.

“He’s fast, but you’re faster, so you will take care of him in the defense. Nancy won’t be able to stop him,” Erinna explained, looking at coach Miller for approval. He nodded in agreement.

Erinna’s presentation came to a close. Coach Miller still can’t believe this little girl has analyzed the opponent’s team and given them the plan to defeat them. He thought about stealing her when she was a boy, but as a girl, the CPS gave him and the school a hard time because Nancy was playing in the team. He also knew Erinna didn’t have much spare time, with swimming taking much of her time.

“Thank you, Miss Houston. You can return to your squad,” coach Miller spoke. He watched Erinna smile, walk away, and then he turned back to the team. “Any questions about our game plan?”

Erinna left the locker room, held her pompoms, and walked onto the field. Rin was nervous, but she knew she could do it. Rin had practiced these routines, and it would pay off. She spent a lot of time training with her mom and Brandi in their backyard.

As Erinna walked onto the field, she noticed her dad waving a pompom at him in the stands. He just smiled and waved back. She could see that she was the youngest cheerleader, which made her even more nervous. She joined her squad, which was greeting the other cheer squad.

After greeting each other, both squads turned to the crowd. Erinna and her cheerleaders stood facing the public, raising and shaking their pom poms while Malcolm made a cartwheel and Lincoln performed a backflip, landing in front of them.

In the stands, Jeff watched his daughter with a smile. He was pretty upset when the school called to explain what had happened. He was glad he didn’t see those boys since he probably would have beaten them up. Though it seemed his son had done a great job on them.

“Mr. Houston, is there anything your daughter can’t do?” Coach Damien joked, taking a seat next to Jeff. While he said it as a joke, he didn’t understand how such a young girl managed her day like Erinna. That girl was something else.

Jeff looked beside him and saw coaches Damien and Monica sitting at his side. He immediately chuckled, hearing what coach Damien said. He had an exceptional daughter, and he was proud of her.

“Well, if you find anything the wunderkind can’t do, please tell me,” Jeff replied, making coach Damien laugh.

“I wasn’t sure she would have the time for everything. However, we have a swimming competition soon. We have a good team, but Rin and Maria are important to the team and drive each other to do better,” coach Monica explained. She was not happy with the CPS decision. Erinna loved swimming which was one of the reasons she was a high-achieving swimmer. To force her to spend time on other activities was a silly decision.

“We have talked with the school about it. Rin prefers swimming, so we made it clear that the priority will be swimming. She can always train at home if she needs to, so her cheerleading will not get in her way of swimming unless, of course, she prefers it over swimming,” Jeff replied. Even if coach Monica only wanted to best for his daughter, he didn’t want anyone to force his daughter.

They watched as Erinna executed an impressive backflip in the air after her squad mates threw her in the air before landing safely again. She had caught the attention of almost everyone in the stands with her beauty, courage, and prowess. She had them captivated under her spell.

“Who’s this girl? I haven’t seen her before,” one of the people on the stand exclaimed. She had never seen Erinna with the cheerleaders before, even though she thought she knew the whole cheerleader squad. There was another excellent girl, but not as great as this new girl. Then there were the two muscular boys who threw the girl into the air like she was a leaf. Even from this far, she could see the tights around their exposed ankles.

“That girl, ma’am is my daughter,” Jeff announced proudly.

Immediately, all heads turned toward him, especially the lady who had spoken.

“Is she 14? She seems to be a bit short for 14,” the lady asked. She wanted to see Erinna closer. She could use a beauty like her for modeling.

“Oh,” Jeff chuckled as the lady raised her eyebrow, feeling offended. “She’s 10. She will be 11 in March,” Jeff explained.

The lady’s jaw almost fell to the ground, and she was speechless. She never thought that this girl was that young. With the right makeup, she could quickly look older. She could still use this girl, though.

“Your daughter is quite impressive. I would love for her to model in my agency and would like to discuss this with you soon.” She handed Jeff a business card.

Both cheerleading squads stood holding their respective banners, waiting for their teams to arrive on the field.

“From the sky up high to the earth down low.”

“No hole will hide you.”

“The Eagles will find you.”

“They will hunt you down. “

“Go, Eagles, go.”

“Hunt them down.”

“Go Eagles, go, go, go.”

Erinna and her squad chanted. Immediately, the team crashed through the paper banner and into the field as the crowd roared.

Erinna made her way out of the shower and into the locker room. Nancy threw a towel at her, and she caught it.

“Make sure to dry your hair properly,” She instructed, making Erinna blush.

Brandi giggled as she came out of the shower, only for Nancy to throw a towel and give her the exact instructions she had given Erinna.

Immediately, all the girls broke into laughter as Erinna and Brandi blushed. There was no escaping big sister Nancy though, and they had to do just like she instructed.

Erinna immediately mimicked Nancy as she pulled her panties under the towel. There was no need for anyone to see her extra bits. She was already a girl in body and mind. The only thing left of that boy was her non-functional tiny shaft. It was not fair that she couldn’t remove it until she was 15.

Erinna had almost finished getting dressed when Heather walked into the locker room. She pulled her panties up before removing the towel and putting on the bra. She spotted Erinna before walking over to her with a smile. “Sweetheart, you were great today,” Heather praised, making Erinna flash her with a smile.

“The crowd loved her. I am sure they thought she had been a cheerleader for years,” Kailey exclaimed. For her, Erinna was like Elizabeth, a little sister. She was a cute and sweet girl, and no one could hate her. She didn’t understand Marissa’s hatred towards her.

Hearing the compliment, Erinna couldn’t help but blush. She had to accept that drawing attention was inevitable for her. Erinna couldn’t hide in the background. Even if she tried to hide, it would be useless. Erinna would always stand out like a beacon of light in the darkness.

“So, girls, I want you to welcome Nancy into the squad. She will be a cheerleader from now on,” Heather announced as the locker room quietened down. You can hear a needle drop on the floor.

“What about the football team?” one of the girls asked before turning to Nancy. “You’re a great wide receiver. Why leave the team?”

Nancy wiped a tear from her eye. She was unhappy with this decision, but CPS forced her from the football team, saying it wasn’t a feminine role. They put too much pressure on her, her parents, the school, and the team. As a GCS girl, they didn’t want her to participate in masculine activities, didn’t want her to stay on the team, and pressured her to join the cheerleaders’ squad. With that in mind, Nancy had to leave the football team.

“The stupid CPS forced me to leave,” Nancy sniffled. She was immediately surprised by a hug. She looked down to see Erinna hugging her tightly. Erinna made Nancy smile, and she wiped away her tears. “I guess I get to keep an eye on my sisters, though,” Nancy joked, smiling warmly.

Erinna walked out of the school with Nancy and Brandi walking beside her. “Rin, Oli had been trying to give you the flowers he brought. You know he’s shy, so go easy on him,” Nancy whispered in Erinna’s ears.

Erinna giggled a bit. She could feel a weird feeling starting in her stomach, and she was strangely attracted to Oliver. She couldn’t help but imagine Oliver handing her the flowers.

Walking out of the school, they spotted the cars parked in front of the school. The Collins were there with their van, and so were Heather and Jeff. Once they spotted Erinna, Jeff nodded to Oliver as if giving him permission for something. Oliver gulped before walking towards Erinna.

Once Oliver was close, Erinna could see the flowers and a box of chocolates in his hands. She couldn’t help but smile. Of all the flowers and chocolate she had received today, these were the most special.

Once Oliver was in front of Erinna, his face turned red, and he started to sweat. He suddenly pushed the flower bouquet and the chocolate box to Rin. “I- I wanted to give you these,” Oliver stuttered, blushing.

Smiling widely, Erinna decided she liked the shy side of Oliver more than his daring side, but she liked him both ways. Wanting to thank Oliver, Erinna reached and kissed him on his cheek, making him blush even more.

Jeff coughed, raising an eyebrow, but Erinna flashed him her sweetest smile and walked over to him. Standing in front of him, she reached over and kissed him on his cheek.

Jeff sighed and shook his head. “I can’t get mad at you, can I?” Jeff exclaimed, making Erinna giggle. Jeff picked her up, kissing her forehead. “You’re still my baby girl, and you can’t date until you’re 31,” Jeff joked, chuckling, making Erinna huff and cross her arm over her chest.

Erinna walked out of her room dressed in a navy blue velvet dress, black tights, and a navy blue Maryjane with chunky two inches heels. She held her clutch with her as she walked downstairs. They would have dinner outside and then meet with her aunts, uncles, Grandma, and Grandpa Gavin. Then they were going to stay at their place for the weekend.

Erinna walked into the living room to see George flipping through his phone. She sat beside him, and he looked up at her with a smile. “You were great today. The other team was jealous for not having a cheerleader like you,” George complimented, making Erinna blush.

“Thanks,” Erinna replied.

At this moment, Alex entered the room, pacing in his chunky heeled boots, a navy blue velvet dress, and black tights. He was a bit worried about going out wearing this, but Heather assured him that no one would look at him strangely. He would look like any boy following the new fashion trends.

“D-do I look weird?” Alex asked nervously. He looked down at his painted fingernails, and Heather smiled. Heather had painted them herself and even picked these clothes for him. Alex had many skirts, dresses, blouses, flats, and low-heeled shoes in his closet. Not only that, but Heather had bought him silky slips and new silky boxers made of the same materials as panties. She had bought him some slacks too, but women’s slacks have no pockets, so Heather bought him a couple of shoulder bags. Heather had persuaded him to donate most of his old clothes but left a few in his closet. That way, he would wear his new clothes and still change into a shirt and pants if he felt like it.

Erinna and George turned to look at him, and George raised an eyebrow. “Why would you say that? You don’t look different to me. It’s just that you’re wearing different clothes,” George replied.

“I think you look cute,” Erinna added, making Alex blush and smile.

Upstairs, Jeff sat on the bed in his bathrobe, waiting for Heather to finish showering. Jeff had a severe look on his face, there was some concerning news, and he didn’t know how to tell her. When Heather came out of the bathroom with a smile, he knew she had some good news, but it made things more complicated.

“Jeff,” Heather said as she walked towards him, smiling. She quickly kissed him, making him look at her in confusion. “Jeff, I am pregnant,” Heather announced.

Immediately, Jeff’s eyes grew wide from surprise as he took a second to process what she said. “Wow, honey, that’s amazing,” Jeff said. He knew that they both wanted more kids. They can live comfortably with five more kids, that’s including Alex. So, Jeff was happy.

After Heather’s doctor assured her that her life wouldn’t be in danger if she got pregnant, she and Jeff decided to try and have more kids. They didn’t expect anything. If they could have more kids, that would be great, but if they don’t, they wouldn’t be disappointed.

“I know. I waited until I was sure. Also, I wanted it to be a surprise,” Heather explained, earning a deep kiss from Jeff as he held her in his arms. “So, you wanted to say something?” Heather asked once they broke the kiss.

Jeff immediately frowned. He didn’t know how to tell her such a thing. “Remember those bastards that killed Robert?” Jeff inquired.

“How can I forget about them,” Heather said, frowning. She was responsible for the case related to the murder of Robert Alan Huston. She had sworn that killer of Alex’s dad would never see the world outside of jail again.

“They are planning to attack our house. Their goal is to kill all of us and kidnap Alex,” Jeff explained with a grim expression.

Jeff was the man of this house and this family. He would not allow anyone to harm his nephew, wife, or kids.

Heather’s face turned white from fear. She feared for her husband, her kids, and her kids yet to be born. They couldn’t allow this. They have to do something about it. “What should we do? Did you tell the police? I can call the chief and tell him….” Heather said in a panic tone.

“Honey, calm down. I have informed the police and the FBI too. If they think they can harm my family, then they are mistaken,” Jeff announced confidently. He treasured his family to no end, and threatening his family was a sin that he couldn’t forgive. Jeff was working with the police and the FBI to set a trap for these lowlifes.

Looking into his eyes, Heather felt safe. She knew Jeff very well to know that messing around with his family always had terrible consequences. “I trust you, Jeff,” Heather said, hugging him tightly. “Before I forget, will you do the favor I asked you?” Heather said, looking into Jeff’s eyes.

Jeff sighed before kissing Heather on the lips. “You know I will do anything for you, honey,” Jeff admitted.

Heather and Jeff walked downstairs and could already hear the kids laughing and chatting.

“Heather, are you sure no one will notice?” Jeff asked a bit nervously.

“I am sure of it, honey, besides I guarantee both Mark and Jack will be wearing the same,” Heather explained with a smile. It was a bit funny seeing Jeff a bit nervous.

They both entered the living room and saw the kids playing a card game.

“What took you so long? we are getting hungry,” George exclaimed.

Heather glanced at Jeff with a smile which made him blush a bit. “I was sharing some good news with your dad. It seems that Rin won’t be the youngest in our family anymore,” Heather said with a smile. She watched as the information started to make its way into their brains.

Erinna was first to react as she squealed with joy, running to her mom and hugging her. “I will be a big sister,” Erinna exclaimed excitedly. “Is it a boy or a girl? I want both,” Erinna said, unable to contain her excitement.

“Calm down, Princess, we don’t know yet,” Jeff explained, chuckling.

“You won’t be the youngest, but you will always be my baby,” Heather informed Erinna, making her huff. “The three of you will always be my babies, no matter how many kids we have or how old you are.”

They all walked outside and into their car a couple of minutes later. George saw something under Jeff’s pants. Were they nylons? George decided to ignore it.

They got in the car, and Jeff drove for a bit. They soon found themselves in front of Middle Eastern Cuisine. The same restaurant they had gone to before. Jeff parked the car in front of the restaurant and turned to look at Erinna and George.

“I know you guys liked the food here last time, so I thought we should come here again,” Jeff explained, seeing the smile on their faces. He then turned to Alex and said, “The food here is great. I am sure you will like it.”

“Kids, why don’t you go sit at a table, and we will come after you in a second,” Heather announced as everyone looked at her in confusion. Eventually, everyone agreed to leave the car, and Heather and Jeff followed them. Once Heather was sure the kids were inside the restaurant, she turned to Jeff, who smiled nervously. Heather smiled back and opened her handbag, taking out a tube of lipstick.

George, Alex, and Erinna took seats around a table as a smiling waiter walked up to them. They informed him that they were waiting for their parents, and he handed them the menu, telling them to take their time.

“I am sure you wish Oliver and Nancy were here with us, right?” Alex cheekily teased, making both Erinna and George glare at him. He just smiled at them, and it was natural to tease them from time to time.

A couple of minutes later, Jeff and Heather walked into the restaurant taking their seats. George eyed his parents suspiciously, and they were acting a bit weird. George noticed a light but visible shiny coat of red lipstick on Jeff’s lips. Curiosity was getting the better of him, but he decided not to say anything out of embarrassment.

“So, Rin, it will be your birthday in a month.” The birthday of his princess will have to be memorable.

“Also, it’s your first birthday as a girl. Are you feeling excited?” Jeff asked, making Erinna smile widely and nod.

Everyone started to select their food, and the Chef welcomed them again before they could even finish their order. “It’s nice to see you and your family again. I was hoping the other family could come as well,” the Chef admitted, a bit disappointed. He always loved to share the taste of the food he made with everyone. He remembers every customer he meets.

“We are sorry about this, but the Collins had made different plans today, so that they couldn’t come. We will make sure they come with us next time,” Jeff explained. He had invited the Collins, but they couldn’t come for some reason.

“Then the Collins will miss out on a great meal. Please enjoy the food and our hospitality,” the Chef exclaimed, smiling.

The Houstons ate their fill of another fantastic meal before leaving the restaurant. After dessert, true to his word, the Chef gave them a big discount, asking them to return.

They left the restaurant heading to Gavin’s house. Everyone was already there, with Lynn and Leslie talking with each other as Heather joined them.

An hour later, before the kids had to go to bed, Jeff and Heather had gathered everyone in the living room to make an announcement. “Today, Heather shared great news with me that I would like to share with everyone. We are happily awaiting a baby,” Jeff announced as everyone looked at each other for a moment before Leslie and Lynn hugged Heather.

After a while, George and Frank sat down in the backyard. They were talking amongst themselves. George confessed that he was worried about his first date with Nancy, while Frank shared some advice on making a date with Nancy successful. That was when Leslie approached them.

“Hi, boys,” Leslie called, causing them to turn and face her. “Can I ask for a favor from both of you?” Leslie inquired, hoping her lovely nephews wouldn’t refuse. She, however, did want to use their nice side, especially now.

“Sure, auntie, what kind of favor?” George asked.

“Just come with me, and I will explain everything,” Leslie explained. George and Frank looked at each other before following their aunt into the house. Leslie led them to one of the rooms where she had placed many suitcases. “Boys, the favor I am going to ask you is a big one,” Leslie explained, opening one of the suitcases.

The suitcase was full of blouses, slacks, and dress shoes, both flats and low-heeled. Pairs of silky boxers in one of the pockets that Leslie showed them. In another pocket were silky slips. The last one had garters, opaque stockings, pantyhose, and tights.

Leslie then opened another suitcase, and this one had more casual low waistline jeans with cropped legs, some shorts, tights, and knee-high nylon socks. There were some tops, sweaters, tunic tops, cropped hoodies, and other tops.
The other two suitcases had sleepwear made of long night slips, long sleeves nightshirts, and with stay-up stockings. Then the sportswear looked normal except for the thigh-high socks and some leggings.

“So, boys here’s the favor. I was hoping you could try on these clothes for five months and model them for $3000 each per month. For every photo session, each of you will get $1000. If you like the clothes and want to continue modeling after five months, the money will be much higher. There’s one condition, though: We will confiscate all your casual, formal, sports, sleepwear, and underwear, as well as your socks and dress shoes. If you don’t want to continue, you will get them back after five months; however, you won’t get your clothes back, and you’re not allowed to wear anything out of your new wardrobe unless it’s a school uniform or anything like that. Even then, you must be wearing underwear, stockings, tights, or knee-high socks,” Leslie explained as the boys looked between the suitcases, then at her, then at each other. Leslie knew it was not an easy decision to make. She didn’t expect them to agree, but it was worth the try.

Alex had already agreed to model all the skirts, dresses, shoes, etc. However, it meant that his previous option of wearing pants from time to time would no longer be allowed. Though Alex didn’t mind, he felt that he needed this push. Besides, he gets to wear what he wants in his size and receives money too.

Both George and Frank looked at the clothes before deciding that the deal was not that bad. The money was also too good for them to refuse Leslie’s offer. So, much to Leslie’s surprise, they both agreed.

“We need to talk to your moms, I already told them about the agreement, but they need to know. I will tell your moms what you need to wear daily,” Leslie explained.

After telling Lynn and Heather, George and Frank had to shave their legs per the agreement. Once they finished, they put on silky boxers, stay-up stockings, and nightshirts. They handed over all their old boy clothes to Leslie before bed.

George had been curious about these new fashion trends. It felt weird for George to wear those silky clothes. Now, he thought he had done something he shouldn’t have. “There’s no going back,” George thought.

“Frank,” George called to Frank, who was lying on the bed next to him. He noticed the bed next to his empty. Now, there are two empty beds in the room. One of them used to belong to Erinna when she was still a boy. The other one belonged to Joe.

“Yeah,” Frank asked, scrolling through his phone. He was hoping George would not talk about what just happened.

“Where’s Joe?” George inquired.

“With the girls,” Frank said. They discovered today that Joe has GCS, and she would live as a girl according to her wishes, and also the fear of the CPS since she’s still a minor. “Look, it’s a long story. I will tell you about it in the morning,” Frank sighed.

The following day, Heather drove home on a mission. She walked to George’s room. Heather collected almost all of his clothes, leaving the ones Leslie allowed. She then walked into Alex’s room doing the same. Lynn did the same with Frank. There was probably no going back for the boys, but they would keep the clothes in storage just in case.

Heather arrived at the Gavins’ house. She immediately went to wake George up and told him to take a shower before she woke Frank. When George walked back into the room, he found that Frank was up scrolling through his phone. He then saw the clothes left for him on the bed. A pair of high-waisted mid-tight denim shorts, beside them, was a pair of silky boxers, a black slip, black tights, and a white hoodie. Then there was a pair of Ankle boots beside the bed.

George got dressed only to discover that the shorts had no pocket. They were also tight around the ass but with a lot of crotch space.

George walked downstairs to see Joe eating a snack. She smiled at him as he approached her with raised eyebrows. Joe had borrowed some of Amy’s clothes, a skirt, tight high stockings, and a sweater. She was also wearing ankle boots with kitten heels. “Is this some part of the agreement with aunt Leslie?” George asked in confusion.

“Nope, I am officially a GCS girl. By the way, do you know that they will stop using the term GCS alone from now on? They will only be using GCS-Y, GCS-T, and GCS-A,” Joe explained matter of fact as if nothing had happened to her at all.

“Y, T, and A?” George asked as Joe giggled.

“Youth, Teen, and Adults, Joe is a GCS-T girl, aka, Gender Change Syndrome teen girl,” Lynn explained, walking towards them. “Sweetheart, your dad will take you to the salon after breakfast,” Lynn announced as Joe nodded excitedly.

“I think I will go with the name Jean from now on. I guess I will now be Maria’s older sister,” Jean smiled. Inside she was screaming and shouting from fear. Jean was pretending to be fine, but she was not. Jean had no idea how to be a girl since she had been a boy for 16 years. “This is all such an abrupt change in my life, and I hope I can handle it,” Jean thought.

The rest of the day went without surprises. Erinna teased George from time to time, telling him he looked cute. The next day George, Erinna, and Alex made their way downstairs. George was wearing a mid-tight brown Tunic top, blue denim shorts, opaque white stockings with a garter belt, having the garter straps running under his silky boxers as Heather advised.

Once they arrived home, George and Alex started carrying the suitcases with their new wardrobe into their rooms. It took them hours to empty them. The number of new clothes they have was too much, and they will receive more in the next couple of weeks.

George had to face Nancy, even though he was not allowed to change his clothes into something more conservative today. When George met Nancy, she was surprised, but George explained everything and what he planned to do with the money he would receive. So, Nancy decided that she would have to help him. His relationship with Nancy only grew stronger.

Nancy also stopped Erinna from teasing George by tickling her whenever she tried teasing him.

After waking up, George took a shower before putting on a pair of silky boxers, briefs, a white garter belt, a couple of white stockings, and a slip. He then put on one of the slacks he had received. Since it didn’t violate the school rules, George had to wear one of them. They deliberately exposed a large part of his calves and showed the stockings. Once George finished dressing, he walked out of his room and passed Alex in the hallway.

Alex was wearing the school’s pencil skirt, white tights, a shirt, and a necktie. He didn’t put on his shoes, but he walked out of Heather’s room with a coat of red lipstick on his lips. Alex walked to his room to take the selfie and upload it to his new social media accounts, where Leslie’s clothing firm would post the photos.

Walking into Heather’s room, George was seated in front of the vanity table as Heather applied a coat of red lipstick. George then went to take a picture of himself to upload it on his account as well.

George didn’t need to be worried if the other boys would accept him at school, especially his teammates, who all told him how edgy he now looked.

On the same day, Alex walked into the soccer field with a note of recommendation from coach Miller. Alex was a bit nervous walking into the playing field wearing a skirt. The coach, however, asked him to go and change into his soccer uniform for the team tryouts. Alex returned in his soccer uniform and showed the coach how well he could kick the ball, and the coach appointed him as the team’s new kicker.

Erinna’s day was very hectic, between the student council president’s duties, her classes, cheerleading, and swimming. Her day was non-stop from when she entered school to when she left, but Erinna was happy when she was busy. But none of her friends has said anything about her birthday.

Erinna did notice some weird behavior from her parents. Her dad wore a golden choker around his neck, which was somewhat out of character, and Jeff had both his ears pierced. Her mom started wearing a tiny key on a necklace around her neck, then the one key turned into two keys, and the two keys turned into three. Heather always said that the keys would unlock something precious. Also, her dad seems to squirm a lot every time they are together.

Also, Heather and Jeff seem to whisper between each other. Erinna did hear them once talking about fooling the feminist party. The only one she could think of was the National Feminist Coalition. After hearing this, Erinna rolled her eyes. “Adults and politics,” Erinna thought.

Around a month later, the day after her birthday, Erinna woke up in the morning feeling a little down since everyone had forgotten her birthday yesterday. She was sad that no one remembered, but she was not about to rage at her family since everyone was so busy.

Erinna and Maria both climbed out of the swimming pool after training. Erinna was fast, but Maria could closely approach her times and could soon beat her. Erinna decided she would train harder.

Erinna was still a bit gloomy when she realized that even Maria hadn’t remembered her birthday yesterday. She never said a word about it but kept hoping someone would remember. With her dad being very busy lately and her mom pregnant, she didn’t want to blame them either.

“Well done, girls,” Coach Monica said. “Erinna, Maria, good job today. You almost broke another record. Take a good rest. We have a big competition ahead of us,” Coach Monica instructed.

Erinna and Maria walked into the locker room, the other girls seemed to whisper something and giggle, but both Erinna and Maria just ignored them. Whatever the girls were talking about, it was not a big deal. They knew the girls on the team, and all of them were friends.

The girls took off their swimsuits, showered, and changed back into their uniforms. They walked out of the locker room and headed to the front gate, where their parents usually picked them up. They were surprised to see their aunt Leslie instead of one of their parents. Both girls looked at each other with confused looks.

“Girls, why are you just standing there? Get in,” Leslie exclaimed, blowing the car horn. Erinna and Maria just shrugged before getting into the car. “Your moms and dads had something to do, so I came to take you,” Leslie explained.

She drove to her house, and Erinna and Maria got out of the car. They found that the place was very dark as they entered. Maria looked for the lights to turn them on. Once Maria turned on the lights, they were surprised when they heard a “Happy Birthday!” shout.

“Erinna, I am sure you thought everyone forgot your birthday, and Maria’s birthday is tomorrow. She thought that this party was yours only,” Leslie explained in amusement, watching her nieces blush. Erinna and Maria were now profusely blushing as they looked at the crowd and then at each other in surprise as it dawned on them what was happening.

Angelo leaped from his seat, running toward both of them. “Rin, Ria, candles,” Angelo said excitedly jumping up and down while pointing at the cake with 11 candles on it. Both Erinna and Maria understood what he wanted. Angelo wanted to help them to blow out the candles. He even took their hands and led them to the cake.

Looking down, Erinna saw the swimming team, the cheerleader squad, and the football team. All her aunts, uncles, grandparents, and Maria’s paternal relatives were there. Erinna was relieved that Marissa was not there and hadn’t seen her for a while. Whatever had happened to her, she didn’t care.

After Heather lit the candles, Erinna and Maria, along with Angelo, blew out the candles. Angelo clapped, making the girls giggle.

Heather walked to Erinna with a little bit of difficulty as her stomach started to get noticeably bigger. “I can’t believe you’re already 11 years old. I still remember when you were still inside me, you used to kick a lot,” Heather exclaimed, chuckling.

“Mommy,” Erinna complained, blushing hard.

“Happy Birthday, sweetie,” Heather said, kissing Erinna’s forehead. Heather felt a movement in her stomach and pulled Erinna closer to feel it. “I think they are wishing you a happy birthday,” Heather claimed, making Erinna giggle.

I am happy to announce that this story is finally coming to an end and there is only one chapter left.
I am, however, sad to announce that I will not be completing any other story, here on BigCloset, that includes (Revenge is a dish best-served cold), (Sam's new life) and (Not so royal).
I believed the community here was different and not toxic but it doesn't appear to be the case. The only feedback I got so far is negative, I was accused of things that I am not including being homophobic.
For those who are reading my stories and waiting for updates, I apologize.
Thank you all for reading my writings so far.
Lajien.

Chapter 30

Author’s note:- In this society, set in the future, the number of men is rapidly dropping because GCS (Gender Change Syndrome) is quickly changing most males into females, and social norms are changing. Men’s fashion is also changing, and it’s normal to see a man wearing stockings, tights, high heels, skirts, and even having their fingernails painted and their makeup done. Many men are enjoying the newly available options for them. They don’t view themselves as crossdressers. However, politically, women are now in the majority, and the National Feminist Coalition is slowly increasing its power and may soon form the next government.

The cold winter had gone, and the warm weather occasionally rolled in with a nice breeze. Heather woke up stretching her arms. She kissed Jeff on his lips as he started to wake up. He looked up at her with a smile as he sat up. Their relationship had gotten even stronger in a way they never thought could happen, and both were happy.

Heather reached with her hands under the covers, getting inside Jeff’s boxers, squeezing his morning wood, and making him moan.

“You don’t have to tease me every morning.” Jeff chuckled, getting up and kissing Heather.

Heather shrugged with a smirk. “Couldn’t help it. You are way too sexy to be left alone,” Heather replied, making Jeff chuckle even more. “Why don’t you shower? I will make breakfast and wake the kids up.” Heather suggested.

“No honey, why don’t you rest up? I will make breakfast and wake up the kids,” Jeff said, helping Heather lie on the bed again. He would do everything in the house while she rested in bed. He was only allowing her to do less and less activity now that she was pregnant.

“But who will make breakfast?” Heather asked in an amused tone.

“I will do it. I had the best teacher after all,” Jeff said, chuckling, joined by Heather. “She’s your student, after all.” Jeff was referring to Erinna since Heather was tired most of the time. He tried to make dinner once and almost burned down the kitchen. He ended up being kicked out of the kitchen by Erinna as she made them dinner. Erinna ended up teaching him how to cook. It was surprisingly fun.

Jeff left the bed, putting one of his sweatpants over his stay-up stockings and silky boxers. Since Heather had suggested he try them on for a while to help Leslie, he had been wearing stockings, tights, pantyhose, nightshirts, and slips. These days it was customary to see men wearing stockings.

His legs touching Heather while both of them were wearing nylons felt great. He didn’t feel nervous about wearing these items under his clothes anymore. With George wearing more than that and Alex into skirts and dresses, he didn’t see what would be wrong. And Erinna definitely didn’t mind.

After putting on a white T-shirt, Jeff walked downstairs to make breakfast. Heather and he are now playing a game with the Feminist party. With their hate speech rising against men since they are becoming a minority, Jeff pretends to be a domesticated, feminized submissive husband, and Heather is the dominant, strong wife. They aim to get inside the feminist party and ruin them from the inside.

He didn’t mind changing his image; he would do it if he could make the world safe for his son and every other boy. They couldn’t allow these radical feminists to ruin his daughter’s mind. Once Jeff finished breakfast, he brought it to their room for Heather. Heather had just left the bathroom and walked out in her bathrobe. She walked with a bit of difficulty toward the bed.

“It’s been a long time since I was pregnant,” Heather complained.

“Well, it’s also your first time being pregnant with twins,” Jeff exclaimed, putting the breakfast tray in front of her. He reached and kissed her on the lips. “After school, I will drive you and the kids to Martin’s farm. I need you to stay with him today, just today,” Jeff explained desperately.

Heather frowned a bit and didn’t like leaving her husband alone tonight. “Will you be ok alone?” Heather asked seriously.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be alone. Lucas, Liam, Charlie, and Erwin will be with me tonight. The whole house will be a battlefield before the FBI, or the police arrive.” Jeff was desperate. He needed to get the kids and Heather out of here and to Martin’s farm. Jeff could trust Martin with his wife and kids. An informant told him that the drug gang responsible for Robert’s death would attack his home with everything they had tonight, and Jeff would defend and protect his family.

Heather frowned before letting out a sigh. She can tell that Jeff only wanted them to be safe. If they are safe, he won’t have to worry about them. “Ok, but please be safe, all of you,” Heather begged, making Jeff smile and kiss her again.

Jeff started waking the kids, beginning with Erinna, Alex, and George.

Erinna walked out of the shower in her panties and bra. She had picked up one of her new bras since her old ones were already too small. Erinna made sure pads and tampons were in her bag. She brushed her hair that had passed her shoulder by a couple of inches. Erinna then picked up her summer uniform. It was a mid-tight navy-blue short sleeve dress with a white neckline. She fastened a short necktie around the collar. Erinna then pulled a pair of white tights over her legs and put on her shoes.

She didn’t like wearing tights in the summer, but it was part of the school uniform. She was the student council president, so she, of all the people, couldn’t break the rules.

Erinna applied a light coat of lipstick since it was as far as makeup goes for her. Neither her mom nor the school would allow anything more.
Erinna smiled, checking herself in the mirror, and pinned the student council badge on her dress. Erinna then walked out of the room, heading downstairs.

She saw that Alex was already downstairs. He wore the school’s skirt, short sleeves blouse, neckties, white tights, and black Maryjane shoes with low heels. He was chatting on the phone, so Erinna decided to tease him a bit. “Morning Alex, are you talking to Alyssa?” Erinna asked, making Alex jump from his chair in surprise.

“R-Rin, m-morning,” Alex stuttered, his face turning red. He was chatting with Alyssa; she used to be his best friend, Andrei, but after becoming a girl because of GCS, Alex was captivated by her beauty. “W-what makes you think it’s Alyssa?” Alex said, trying to regain his confidence.

Alex’s reply made Erinna giggle and take her seat. “Just tell her I said hi,” Erinna replied, smiling at Alex’s obvious embarrassment.

After drying his hair, George walked out of the bathroom and back into his room. He had let his hair grow upon Nancy’s request, she usually asked him to put it in a masculine style, so it was a pain taking care of his hair which was now shoulder-length. His hair always grew faster than average. That includes his body and, recently, his beard. Jeff just watched him shaving his beard for the first time with a silly smile.
It was annoying that he had to shave his beard daily and his body hair every one or two weeks or something. Now that he was modeling, he needed to keep his beard shaved.

With a sigh, he just walked to his closet and picked up his uniform. He then picked up a pair of boxers and a pair of stockings with a garter belt and skillfully pulled the stockings up his legs and connected them to the garter belt. He then pulled a black silky slip over his body and put on his short sleeve shirt, necktie, and slacks.

He skillfully applied lipstick since he was required to wear makeup when snapping pictures. George looked into the mirror and tried to convince himself, saying, “This is worth the money I am getting paid to do this.”

He put on his Maryjane shoes and walked downstairs to have breakfast.

Jeff sat down on the edge of the bed and put his feet in low heels and black pumps, buckling the ankle straps. Low-heel pumps were bound to stand out, but he wanted to ensure they drew the proper attention. He then turned to Heather. “Are you sure I shouldn’t wear high heels instead to deceive them?” Jeff inquired.

“Yes, you should wear high heels, but not now. You can start wearing them in a month or so,” Heather explained. She hated using Jeff for this plan, but they must do this if she wanted to keep her sons safe and her daughter away from their hate speech. We don’t want them to suspect anything.

“Alright then, as long as it works and we fool them, it’s fine. As a father, he needed to see this through. I am ready for anything to reach our goal, even if you have to lock me for real,” Jeff said confidently. He was determined to see this through; even if humiliated, he would always recover.

With this, Jeff stood up, took the golden choker with a fake lock, and fastened it around his neck. He then applied some light makeup before walking downstairs. Everyone had accepted this new image of Jeff, and no one dared to talk about him behind his back. The kids already went to school with the Collins, so he headed to work.

At school, Erinna walked to her second class for the day, Home Economics. Both boys and girls took the course. Since the school values the students’ independence, they aim to make them capable of doing everything. The school also teaches survival skills and many other valuable skills. Home Economics was one of Erinna’s favorite classes, and the teacher loved her and loved her food.

Erinna sat between Oliver and Maria. On the other side of Maria was Dakota. Both he and Oliver silently agreed not to let anyone take Maria and Erinna from them. They knew it wouldn’t be easy, but they were ready to fight for them.

“Alright, kids, I have the results of your homework here,” the teacher said, showing her tablet. “I will be sending the results to you in a second.” The teacher touched the screen briefly, and you could hear every tablet in the classroom chiming.

Erinna beamed widely, seeing her mark turning to an A+. She had made some real effort in the last project. Meanwhile, Maria pouted at her D+ grade.

“Miss Norman, how will you eat when you leave your parent’s home?” The teacher asked. She can tell that Maria is good at cooking. She just never applied herself.

“I can always move in with Rin, ma’am,” Maria joked, making the whole class laugh and the teacher shake her head.

“Just try to make some fried eggs,” the teacher said, and Maria shrugged.

The door knocked and opened as a teacher stuck her head inside. “Ms. Willmar, we would like to borrow Miss Houston for a short time due to student council duty,” the other teacher explained.

Ms. Willmar shook her head and sighed. “My best student,” she mumbled before looking at Erinna. “You can go, Miss Houston.”
Erinna left the classroom, walking after the teacher. The teacher then brought Erinna to the auditorium. She was led to a seat at the front as the principal spoke into the microphone. Erinna immediately understood that the principal welcomed the new parents who would bring their children to this school.

What she didn’t understand, however, was why she was there. Her confusion only lasted until the principal finished talking. “Thank you all for listening to me so far. Now I would like you to welcome a magnificent young lady. She’s one of the school’s highest achieving, if not the most achieving, students we have. Miss Erinna Clover Houston, please come up to the stage to give a speech.”

Erinna was shocked. She didn’t even know why she was there. No one had told her she had to give a speech. So, with a gulp, Erinna stood up and walked to the stage.

“Good morning. I am happy to welcome you to Talented Youth Academy. I am just a fifth-grade student, not even a sixth grade. You don’t see many fifth-grade students standing up and giving a speech, but this school is different. Chances are equal no matter how old or who you are…..” Once Erinna finished her speech, the auditorium fell silent for a second before the clapping filled the hall.

Mrs. Mackenzie took this chance to walk beside Erinna on the stage with a wide smile. “Miss Houston is ahead of her peers,” Mrs. Mackenzie explained to the astonished crowd. “Good girl, I know you wouldn’t fail me,” Mrs. Mackenzie whispered as Erinna beamed at her.
“Can you give them a tour around the school for me?” Mrs. Mackenzie requested, and Erinna nodded. Mrs. Mackenzie then turned to the crowd. “If you have any questions, you can ask them, and then Miss Houston will show you around the school.

After asking Erinna many questions, the crowd followed Erinna around the school. She could hear some whispering among themselves, although she could make a bit of what they were saying.

“I heard she’s a GCS girl. Did you know that?” one of the ladies whispered. “No wonder, she’s so smart and pretty. I also heard that she’s Heather Houston’s daughter,” another one whispered.
Most of the crowd were women, and many of them were couples. It was not surprising, though, from her GCS education courses, Erinna knew that most of the GCS adults stay with their partners even if they were not attracted to the same sex in general.

From the crowd, two ladies caught Erinna’s attention the most. Both looked very beautiful, with one of them having green eyes and blonde hair and the other having blue eyes and brown hair. They both had hourglass figures accented by their beautiful dresses. Both wore long-sleeved, ankle-length dresses with matching satin gloves. Both wore high-heeled pumps with ankle straps that disappeared under their clothing. Both ladies looked fashionable but modest, but what confused Erinna was that these clothes were not the best for summer.
The badges they wore read Lisa MacAllister and Sam MacAllister. Their style of clothes made Erinna curious, but she didn’t want to prey on someone else’s matters.

George sat down in his programming class, and it was boring. He knew almost everything the teacher was saying. He could probably take the final exam now since he was always ahead of the teacher by at least two steps.

George couldn’t wait for the class to be over. A knock on the door sounded, and once the teacher opened it, Erinna walked in, explaining that she was showing a crowd of visiting parents around the school.

When Erinna saw George, she smiled at him and waved as she walked into the classroom. She explained to the crowd behind her that this was where they taught advanced programming and computer-related classes. The computers in this classroom were had the newest and latest technology. Erinna gave another wave to George as she led the group out of the room.

George walked out of the school’s gate with both Erinna and Alex. They saw Jeff sitting in his car waiting for him. They just walked to the car and got in. “Kids, once we get home, I want you to change and pack some clothes for one day because you will be staying with uncle Martin today,” Jeff announced.

They all liked Martin. He was a nice guy, and he was both funny and kind to the kids. So, they didn’t mind visiting or even staying. They were, however, confused with how sudden this was. The kids looked at him in confusion.

“Dad, is something wrong?” George asked in confusion. It was not usual for them to suddenly leave the house and stay at someone’s home.

“I can’t explain right now. I will explain everything later,” Jeff pleaded. He didn’t want to lie to the kids simultaneously; he couldn’t tell them why they had to do that.

George felt a sense of danger sitting in the passenger seat beside his dad. His dad wasn’t acting all calm and collected like he always did. So, George was alarmed.

Once everyone was home, they quickly showered and went to get dressed. They packed an overnight bag and came downstairs when they were all dressed.

Uncle Martin was already sitting with Heather and Jeff downstairs when the kids went downstairs. “Kids, it’s nice seeing you again,” as Martin hugged them. When it was Erinna’s turn, Martin smiled at her. “Have you gotten taller, little one?” He joked, making Erinna smile at him.

“Alright, kids, Martin has the car parked outside, so go put your bags in the trunk,” Jeff instructed and watched the kids do as he said, taking Rex with them. Heather shared a kiss with him before leaving after the kids.

“Jeff, I don’t want you to take any risks while taking revenge for your brother. Losing one is enough. Stay safe, brother,” Martin spoke seriously before shaking Jeff’s hand.

“Don’t worry, just take care of Heather and the kids,” Jeff replied.
“I will protect them with my life,” Martin said before leaving the house.

It was around 9 p.m. Jeff and everyone stood inside the house with their weapons ready. His brother, Heather’s two brothers, and Erwin were there. “Erwin, I can’t say how much I appreciate you being here. Thank you, man,” Jeff said.

“Well, you would have done the same for my family, no need to thank me,” Erwin replied. Erwin offered to keep the kids until the attack ended, but Jeff refused because it was too close to their house. Even Nancy, Brandi, and Oliver stayed at Carol’s sister’s house for the night.

“Alright, two minutes before the police and the FBI arrive. A swat team is on standby. These guys are criminals. They wouldn’t mind pulling the trigger, so don’t hesitate. Pull the trigger first and think later. We need to stay safe for two minutes,” Jeff explained.

Immediately everyone moved to take their positions around the house. Jeff waited for the house’s power to fail before signaling everyone through the earbuds.

It didn’t take long for the shootout to start as the men fired upon the unexpected intruders from their hidden places. The criminals fired back randomly, trying to shoot at whoever was shooting at them. Jeff and everyone were not shooting to kill but shooting without hesitation.

During the shootout, Jeff realized that gang members were trying to sneak into the house through the basement. So, Jeff decided to give them a surprise. He could monitor the home’s cameras through his phone and watched as they broke a basement window.

Jeff got in the basement before the guys could get in. The moment they entered the basement, Jeff turned on the lights making the guys groan, trying to remove their night vision goggles, blinding them from the bright lights. Without hesitation, Jeff opened fire, wounding all the men. One of the thugs was able to fire back at Jeff, injuring his left arm.
Another thug had a picture that fell out of his hand when injured. When Jeff went to take a closer look, his blood boiled. He forgot about his injured arm as he pulled the man’s head by the hair. “Why the hell do you have a picture of my daughter?” Jeff asked furiously.

The man was so shocked that he couldn’t answer. He didn’t expect to see a monster raging in front of him. This home was supposed to be an easy target.

“I asked you a fucking question. Why do you have my daughter’s picture?” Jeff asked once more, smashing the guy’s head to the ground. That’s when Agent Wyatt (From Brandi’s CPS visit scene) walked into the basement, pulling Jeff off the thug.

“Jeff, calm down. You’re injured,” Wyatt said, trying his best to pull Jeff away. He had led the FBI into the house after they captured the wounded gang members outside the home. The rest of the thugs had all surrendered to the FBI and Police.

“What the hell happened here?” another agent inquired as he examined the thug with broken teeth and ribs, black eyes, and a bloody nose.

“He must have tripped and hit the floor hard or something. Remember, they killed our colleague,” Wyatt explained as the agent looked at him in agreement.

“Would it be ok if he hit his head one more time? Robert was my friend,” the gent joked as he used zip ties to bound the men’s hands behind their backs.

Eventually, Wyatt calmed Jeff down and brought him to an ambulance to treat his wounds.

At Martin’s farm, the kids changed into sleeping clothes and went to bed. Erinna went to sleep with Heather while Alex and George slept in the same room. Rex refused to enter any of the rooms and slept outside both rooms being alert to the unfamiliar environment.

The following day, everyone woke up and had a light breakfast. Instead of changing into their uniforms, Heather asked the kids to change into casual clothes. They were all worried about Jeff since Heather had explained the situation yesterday.

“So, I talked with Charley and have some good and bad news,” Martin explained. Martin announced as everyone looked at him with concern. “The bad news is that Jeff is injured….” Martin explained. He could hear the gasp of both Erinna and Heather. George tightened his fist in anger. “Calm down and hear the good news. Jeff’s injury is not serious; he only needs rest and recovery. I think you will have to bring him here. However, your house is a real mess,” Martin explained.
Martin drove the Houstons to the hospital a while later to see Jeff. When they arrived at the room, Erinna ran to hug her dad, relieved now that she saw he was ok.

Jeff left the hospital for his parent’s home with the kids and Heather the next day. Since Jeff’s arm was still injured, Howard drove them to his home. They had to stay there until their house could be repaired. After all, their house was a mess with broken windows and bullet holes everywhere.

When they arrived at his father’s home, Jeff tried to walk into the kitchen to make lunch, but Erinna stopped him. “Daddy, where are you going?” Erinna inquired, blocking Jeff’s way with her hands on her hips. She looked just like her mom.

“I will just make a quick lunch, princess. Your mommy can’t move a lot,” Jeff said with a smile. He couldn’t help but think Erinna looked cute in such a pose.

“No, you won’t,” Erinna said, holding Jeff’s hand and dragging him to the backyard, where Heather sat down, relaxing and drinking some tea Erinna had made for her. She smiled when she saw Erinna pulling Jeff back. “The doctor said you need to rest and not move your arm for a couple of days unless you need to,” Erinna reminded Jeff before walking back into the house.

Heather immediately chuckled when Erinna left. “I told you she won’t let you do anything around the house,” Heather explained as Jeff smiled, shaking his head.

“I will do whatever my Princess tells me to do,” Jeff joked, chuckling.

Jeff walked into his agency a week later, getting a warm welcome from mostly women employees. He walked into his office before sitting behind his desk. Jeff kicked off his low-heeled shoes and rubbed his aching feet. He wondered how Heather managed to stand in heels all this time. He would never wear shoes like this if they didn’t need to keep an appearance.

Starting his computer, Jeff immediately got to work until he heard a knock on the door. “Come in,” Jeff said.

His assistant walked into the office. “Mr. Houston, you have a guest, he didn’t say who he was, but he said you would know. Also, he seems to have a bodyguard with him,” she explained.

Jeff immediately smirked. The fish had taken the bait. “Let them in. Also, don’t bother making them anything. They won’t be staying for long,” Jeff explained, and the assistant nodded.

She walked out of the office, and almost immediately, two dangerous-looking men entered the office before closing the door behind them. One of them was a bit short. He wore an Italian suit with the shirt left open to show a golden necklace around his neck. The other was a couple of inches shorter than Jeff and had a muscular body. Jeff knew who they were, and only he knew their real identity. “Have a seat, please,” Jeff said, pointing to the two seats in front of his desk. The two men sat down in silence.

Jeff put on his shoes before walking to the closet in his office. He took out a bottle of wine and three glasses and poured one for himself and two for the men. “So, shall we get straight to the business?”

“Sure thing, nice shoes, by the way, they look good with those black nylons. Are they stockings, perhaps? Also, I must say your makeup looks great, too. I don’t know why you are still wearing pants, though,” the short man mocked, sipping the wine.

Jeff stayed calm with a smirk as he watched the two men drink the wine. He took a sip from his glass to not raise suspicion. “I may not look like it, but I am more dangerous than you may think,” Jeff exclaimed, looking at the tall guy with an evil grin.

“You see Mr. Lopez or, let us say, Mr. Clark….” Jeff said, observing the look of horror on both men’s faces. “Nothing is safe these days, not a phone, computer, or anything. Someone like me, for example, can easily hack into most electronic devices, especially if they use the GH security system. While very safe and helps you immensely, it has one flaw. Do you know what GH stands for? Let me make it easy. It’s my son’s name, George Houston. The only flaw is that I created it and can crack it with my eyes shut.”

The two men were left speechless, not knowing what to say. This security system was expensive, but it worked way better than they expected. It also helped keep the FBI from cracking their devices. To think that the man sitting in front of them was the one who made this system gave them pause.

“Now, Mr. Clark, I think your story is fascinating, a little boy raised by the Mexican cartels after they escaped Mexico only for him to bring the cartels’ glory once more. What bothers me is why did your men have my daughter’s picture with them?” Jeff asked, his smirk disappearing as he glared at both men.

“There’s no use denying it,” the tall man said, shrugging. “Your daughter is smart. I told my men to kidnap her and bring her safely. Then I would ambush and them kill them all and pretend to save her. I would raise her as my daughter, a future leader of the organization. From how you’re dressing, I am sure you know that the world is now for women to control, so why not pick a woman to lead my empire?” he added as his head spun.

Jeff smirked, seeing that both men were getting drowsy. The glasses were drugged but not the wine. That way, he could drink before them without raising any suspicion.

“You see, Jacob Clark, you killed my brother, tried to kill my family, and attempted to kidnap my daughter, my angel. It’s only fair I take something from you, the FBI couldn’t get you, but I can. Thanks to Robert’s encrypted messages, you and your moles in the police and the FBI are going to jail for a long time, so enjoy your stay.”

Just then, a dozen FBI agents burst into Jeff’s office arresting the two drugged men, making Jeff fall back into his chair with a relaxing smile. No, one ever messes with his family.

••• End of Book 1 •••
Alright, guys, that's the end of this book, I am sad to say it will be goodbye for a while since I didn't make any progress in the next book of the series.
Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. Please vote and comment.

Lajien wrote this chapter last year. The story (Chapter 18) is currently around late winter, but we will skip to where Erinna and friends visit a Cosplay Gaming Convention near Halloween. This story was originally split into two parts, but they are combined here.

Julia

Chapter 1

It was around 3 pm when Heather pulled in front of Erinna’s school. She still couldn’t believe all they had gone through. Looking back at it, she was happy. Who would have expected her boy to become the girliest girl in the world? She was still the fearless and intelligent kid that Heather is proud to call her child.

It was the 29th of October, and Heather had bought a surprise for Erinna. Heather spotted Erinna coming out of the school with her usual group. Stacy, Hazel, Shelby Oliver, and Dakota. Everyone was there. Erinna and Oliver held hands; honestly, she thought it was cute. Over the summer, they had grown closer in their relationship and now seemed inseparable.

George was already home; surprisingly, George was sick at home. Even though he insisted on Heather going to work and not bothering him, he said he could take care of himself. However, George didn’t win the argument and ended up being in bed while Heather cared for his needs.

Entering the car, Oliver and Erinna took their seats before Erinna leaned in to kiss her mom. “You had swim practice today, right?” Heather asked, feeling Erinna’s dry hair. Erinna’s hair had already grown by a couple of inches. It was just like what Heather had imagined it. Beautiful was a small word to describe how she looked with her long hair.

Erinna, however, still struggled to dry her hair entirely after her swim practice. It surprised Heather that Erinna’s hair was dry. “Yes, why?” Erinna answered simply.

“Your hair is dry,” Heather commented, making Erinna giggle.
“Coach Monica decided we should blow dry our hair after showering, especially me,” Erinna explained.

Coach Monica enjoyed having Erinna on the girls’ swimming team; she was the best swimmer in school. Unfortunately, once Erinna was transferred to the girls’ team, the boys’ team performance dropped significantly.

Heather nodded with a smile before starting the car. “I know you guys don’t want to go trick or treat anymore, but you still want costumes. For that, we have a surprise for you,” Heather said while Oliver and Erinna looked at each other, not understanding what Heather meant.

Heather headed home and dropped Oliver home first. She then drove home and parked in the garage. They entered the house, and Erinna immediately walked to George’s room. George was rarely sick, and she was the one with weak immunity, not him. However, when George gets sick, he’s very ill. George’s door was open, and Erinna caught him doing pushups on the floor.

“What’cha you doing?” Erinna said with her hand on her hips. She didn’t look threatening in her blouse and skirt uniform, but George knew better.

“Nothing. Listen, you’re not going to tell mom about this. She had locked the gym, so I can’t work out today,” George admitted standing up quickly. He was allowed to watch TV, play video games, or do anything without performing physical work.

“I won’t, but get back to bed, or I will tell mom,” Erinna threatened. George sighed and got on the bed. Erinna smiled, walked to George’s nightstand, and took out the dirty glass. “Would you like chicken soup?” Erinna offered.

“Fine, but only if you make it. If mom makes it, it will be too much even for me to finish.”

Erinna just laughed and walked out of the room. She headed straight to the kitchen; Heather was already baking a cake. She looked at Erinna as she put the dirty cup in the dishwasher, headed straight to the fridge, took out the soup, and started to heat it.

“Is that for George?” Heather asked. She looked at Erinna, who nodded and poured some soup into a mug. “You don’t have to do that, you know? I can do that instead.” Erinna had been helping more and more around the kitchen, and she certainly helped more than any other daughter would. She knew that Erinna could take over the kitchen if she wanted to.

“Cooking is fun.” Erinna just shrugged. It’s not like someone was forcing her to do it; she just liked working in the kitchen. Erinna’s home economics teacher was always excited to have her in the class since Erinna was her star pupil.

“I don’t mind,” Erinna admitted.

“You know I appreciate your help,” Heather said, walking to Erinna, hugging her, and kissing her forehead. “You’re still my little girl, and it’s my job to take care of you, not the other way around,” Heather said, pulling away from the hug. “I will take this to George. You go change and start your homework, ok?”

Erinna nodded and handed the mug of soup to her mom, and she then walked to her room to change her clothes. Her walk-in closet was now half-filled with clothes. When she was still Ryan, her clothes didn’t fill a quarter of the closet. Now she had so many clothes and was still receiving more clothes. She was offered a job as a model, but her parents refused since Erinna was not interested. She felt that she was busy enough with swimming and schoolwork.

Erinna first took off her shoes inside her closet, followed by her school uniform. She hung her uniform, took off her tights, and started to look for something to wear. She had so many Jeans, yet Erinna opted for a skirt instead of jeans, being such a girly girl. Erinna took out a black skirt with an elastic waistband and a white hoodie and got dressed before putting on a pair of tight black high socks.

Walking downstairs, Erinna retrieved her tablet and settled in the living room to do her homework. This homework was not supposed to be easy for an average student, but for Erinna, it was nothing. In less than an hour, Erinna had finished her homework.

Being idle with nothing to do was annoying, so Erinna left her seat to look for something to occupy her time. Seeing some dirty laundry in the washing room, Erinna sorted it and put it in the washer. Soon enough, she was done and started to look for something else to do.

Around 6 pm, Jeff arrived home after a long day at work. He was writing some new subroutines for his security system. There were new modules he had to incorporate into the system. Unfortunately, not many other of the company’s new programmers were yet as skilled as Jeff. He also met with the shareholders to show off his company’s new security system. He was looking forward to coming home, maybe cuddling with his Princess. But he wanted to cuddle her while watching the football game today.

Walking inside the house, Jeff relieved himself of the necktie and hung his coat. “I am home,” Jeff announced, closing the door behind him. Hearing Jeff’s voice Erinna left her seat and ran to the door to meet her dad.

“Daddy,” Erinna squealed, hugging Jeff, who smiled while picking her up and leaving his 11-year-old daughter in his arm.

“How was your day, Princess,” Jeff asked, kissing Erinna’s forehead. Everyone knew Erinna was her daddy’s girl, and he always clarified how much he loved her. He had been treating Erinna like a treasure. Jeff could spoil Erinna as a girl, and no one would say anything.

“It was boring, daddy,” Erinna pouted, making Jeff chuckle.

Heather appeared, and both she and Jeff shared a kiss. Jeff then asked about George and how he was doing.

“George is much better now and doesn’t have a fever anymore. Last time I checked, he had fallen asleep,” Heather told Jeff, who just nodded.

“By the way, I have the item you asked me to bring with me here,” Jeff said, showing Heather the shopping bag he was holding in his arm.
Erinna looked at the bag with curiosity, trying to figure out what was in there. Unfortunately, Erinna was not able to see what was inside the bag.

“What’s in there, daddy?” Erinna inquired, using her best puppy-eye look. She knew Jeff could never say no to her puppy-eyed face and used it to her advantage.

Jeff chuckled before kissing Erinna’s forehead again. “I have clear instructions from your mommy, and I can’t tell you yet,” Jeff informed Erinna. She was still the curious child she used to be, and many other things remained the same for Erinna.

“Not fair,” Erinna pouted, making Jeff and Heather chuckle.

“Would you like to help me with dinner while your daddy relaxes?” Heather suggested. She knew that Erinna loved to work in the kitchen, and it reached a point where Heather had to hold her back. Some of Heather’s friends expressed their envy, telling her that their daughters didn’t help in any way around the house. Some even joked about it, asking if they could swap their daughters for Erinna.

Erinna followed her mom to the kitchen, and both started dinner. Once dinner was ready, Heather turned around and looked at Erinna. “Why don’t you go wake George up?” Erinna eagerly nodded, and Jeff put her down.

“Ok,” Erinna replied and walked upstairs towards George’s room. Opening the door, she found him asleep, and she crept into the room, making sure not to wake George up.

“Wake up, George!” Erinna shouted as she ran towards the bed, and she jumped on the sleeping George knocking the air out of his lungs. “Mom said to wake you up for dinner,” Erinna said while laughing.

George groaned and sat up, looking at Erinna, who was grinning at him.
“You’re too big to jump on me,” George sarcastically said.

Erinna gasped and put her hand on her mouth, faking a surprise.
“Are you calling me fat?”

George shook his head and looked at his sister, who had become a master manipulator.

“What do they teach you at the true-lady school?” George said with a smirk.

Erinna just giggled and walked out of the room, heading downstairs. Erinna helped her mom serve the food on the table and took her place, sitting down at the table before Jeff and George joined them.

“How are you feeling now, son?” Jeff asked as everyone took their seats.

“Expect for a little monkey who almost broke my ribs; I am fine, dad,” George replied.

Everyone laughed, and Erinna stuck her tongue out at George. The dinner was full of chatter as always. Once the family finished eating, Erinna helped her mom clear off the table and took the leftovers to the kitchen. She returned to her room to change and get ready for bed. Erinna checked her tablet first, surprised to find a notification from the gaming company that had created ‘NTW.’ Opening the message, Erinna found an Email from the game addressed to Ruby.

Dear player Ruby,

We would be honored to invite you to participate in our first Cosplay event on the 30th of this month. We have provided you with 5 VIP tickets, and you may bring four other players to attend the event. Would you please read the attached PDF file and click on the link at the bottom of this email for further information?

Best Regards,
MegaSoft, creators of NTW.

A pdf file was attached to the email, as well as the link. Opening the link, Erinna found more about this event. It was a cosplay party where NTW players dressed up as their Avatar or favorite Avatar. The event also allowed players of all ages from 10 and above, and no alcoholic drinks were allowed. She entered the address on a map app and found the event’s location was 30 minutes away by car.

Erinna took her tablet and walked to her parent’s room. Knocking the door, Erinna entered after they told her to come in.

“Do you need something, sweetheart?” Heather asked, looking at Erinna.

Erinna nodded and began to explain the NTW Email to her parents. She told them about the cosplay party and everything else. They agreed that Erinna could go, but George must go with her, which sounded even better to Erinna. Erinna decided to tell Oliver tomorrow, knowing that Oliver and Nancy would love to go. Erinna still didn’t have a costume, but her parents had been busy; they already had the perfect custom-made outfit for her.

She walked to George’s room to tell him the news and knocked on the door. George opened his door only for Erinna to place her tablet in his face.

“Couldn’t you decrease the brightness a bit before you decided to stick it in front of my face? And take a step back. I can’t see anything with it right in front of me.”

Taking a step back, Erinna showed George the tablet and the email again. It took George a second to read the email before responding. “That’s great. Who will go with you then? If I accompany you, I can give you a ride if you want.”

“You, Nancy, and Oliver, of course, but I don’t know who to bring for the fifth spot without offending anyone else,” Erinna admitted.

“That’s great. Oliver and Nancy will be happy to be invited. If we need a fifth player for the competition, I am sure we can find someone there,” George said to Erinna, who nodded.

She walked to her room, placed the tablet beside her phone, and connected them to the charger. Erinna then changed into her nightie, walked to her bathroom, and brushed her teeth. She went to her parent’s room, and after kissing each of them goodnight, she returned to her room, got under the covers, and quickly fell asleep.

•••••••••

Chapter 2

The next day was typical for Erinna, just like any other, except when Heather picked her up from school, they didn’t go straight home. Oliver had left with Carol, which was weird since they usually went home together, whether in Heather’s or Carol’s car.

Instead of going straight home, they went to the mall. Seeing the confusion on Erinna’s face, Heather decided to explain.

“Joshua said he has something special for you and wants you to see it,” Heather explained.

Walking through the mall took a great deal of effort from Erinna and Heather to walk straight to the shoe shop and not go into every store they walked by. Joshua welcomed them as they entered the store. He still liked to look uniquely different with short hair, but now, it was a short pixie cut.

“Hi, Joshua,” Erinna greeted with a smile.

“Hi Princess, it’s nice to see you again,” Joshua said, and as he turned around on his 4-inch heels, he walked to one of the shelves and took out a box. He opened the box and removed a pair of black thigh-high platform boots with 4-inch block heels. Two red dragons decorated one side of the boots, while on the other side, Joshua spelled Ruby vertically in big red letters.

They were identical to the boots she had designed for her Avatar in the game.

“When your mom told me about your game avatar, I had to do it. I created these boots myself, and I hope you like them,” Joshua exclaimed enthusiastically. He was happy to have made custom boots for a special young lady such as Erinna, so instead of getting black boots from stock and decorating them, Joshua decided to create these new boots from scratch for Erinna.

“Hold on. Did you make those? In two weeks? Honey, you didn’t have to go that far,” Heather commented. Heather was happy that Joshua was giving special care to Erinna. Still, she only asked him to decorate a pair of boots so they could go with Erinna’s costume. Erinna was at a loss for words. Although she was beginning to understand the whole picture, she was amazed and unable to say anything.

“Nonsense, Mrs. Houston, I enjoyed working on those boots, knowing who will be wearing them,” Joshua said, turning to Erinna. “Now, please take off your shoes and try these on. I need to know if they are perfect or not,” Joshua instructed.
Following Joshua’s instructions, Erinna took off her shoes and took the pair of boots, pulling them on. She could tell Joshua had paid much attention to details when making the boots. The boots had a long zipper down the back, which made them very easy to put on. They were a perfect fit and felt very lightweight and warm inside.

Walking out of the mall with a single shopping bag felt weird for Erinna and Heather, but they didn’t have any time to waste. The event Erinna will be going to will start in two hours, and she needed to be ready by then. By now, Erinna could see the whole picture even if Heather didn’t tell her everything. She was looking forward to how her costume will look. She was sure the outfit wasn’t that hard to find, but replicas of Ruby’s weapons may be impossible to get.

At home, Heather took Erinna to her room and started to run her a bubble bath. Having a bubble bath was not something she usually did in the middle of the week, and it consumed a lot of time.

“I will prepare your costume while you take your bath,” Heather said, and Erinna nodded.

Erinna started to remove her school uniform and folded it neatly. She then took off her bra, tights, and panties before placing them in the laundry basket. Outside Heather started to layout Erinna’s costume on the bed. She didn’t know how her daughter could be this creative, but she liked how fashionable it was. It was not that easy to get, but it was worth it.

The bubble bath was tremendous, and Erinna couldn’t help but smile and the flowery smell of the bath. She wrapped a long fluffy towel around her body that Heather had left for her. She then walked out of the bathroom. When Erinna saw the outfit on the bed, her jaw fell to the floor in awe. On the bed was everything, including the sniper rifle and the scythe. She couldn’t believe the lengths they had gone to that her parents were even able to get the replica weapons.

“So, what do you think?” Heather asked, walking in behind Erinna.
“It’s awesome, mom! Thank you so much,” Erinna said, hugging her mom.

“I am glad you like it, now let’s hurry up. We don’t have much time,” Heather said, pulling Erinna towards the bed. She handed a pair of black panties and a bra that Erinna put on. After that came a belt that Heather wrapped around Erinna’s waist. Erinna could recognize the garter belt that her mom wore from time to time.

“Now, don’t get used to this. You’re still way too young to be wearing stockings and garters,” Heather informed Erinna, who nodded with a smile.

Heather pulled out a pair of opaque black stockings, and Erinna rolled them up and pulled them up her legs. The stockings felt way better than the tights or the thigh-high socks she was used to, and she loved how her legs looked in those stockings. Heather showed her how to connect them to the garters.

After the stockings, then the mid-thigh kilted skirt and a white blouse. The over-top corset was only for decoration and was not even cinched up. Heather didn’t want her daughter to look too sexy, and she was too young. Erinna already looked more mature and older than kids her age, and Heather didn’t want to add anything.

Before putting on the hood, Heather sat Erinna in front of her vanity table and started to add curls to her blonde hair with a curling iron. Once she finished with Erinna’s hair, she applied some makeup, keeping it to a minimum. Heather sprayed some perfume and finally allowed Erinna to look in the mirror.

“Woooow!” was all Erinna could say. She looked exactly like her Avatar; it was truly incredible.

“Alright, let’s get you into the rest of your costume. You don’t want to be late for the event,” Heather commented, pulling the red hood around Erinna and tying the two laces around the neck. On the back of the hood were two straps made to hold the sniper rifle and the scythe.

Once the sniper rifle and the scythe were in place, Erinna pulled on the boots when she heard a car horn outside. Erinna could recognize it as George’s brand-new car that he received when he turned 16 and passed his license test.

“Ugh, men in this family have no patience,” Heather said, rolling her eyes and making Erinna giggle.

“Don’t forget to take your phone with you,” Heather said, handing Erinna a red purse. Erinna just smiled and nodded. Hurrying up to her room, Erinna retrieved her phone. She then ran downstairs, where George was waiting in his car outside of the house.

“Wow, you look just like Ruby. Get in,” George said, folding the front seat and enabling Erinna to get into the back. Once she was in the car, George drove to the Collins house. Oliver and Nancy stood out front, dressed like their Avatars, only that Oliver looked precisely like his Avatar, ‘Oli Captain.’ Once everyone was in the car, George drove to the event. It took place in an E-sports center, and the whole place was buzzing with music, with many people already going inside.

George parked the car, and they all walked toward the VIP entrance. The main entrance had a long line of people waiting to enter, while the VIP entrance was empty—the VIP entrance for mystical ranks only. As the message stated, any mystical rank player can enter with a group of four or fewer.

At the VIP entrance, the security guard stopped them. “Only mystical ranks can enter here. Go stand in the main lineup,” the guy said, blocking their way.

“I am a mystical rank,” Erinna said, showing him the email and the ticket.

The guard took one look at it and started to laugh. “ There is no way Ruby is a little girl, and girls can’t play video games, so go home and play with your dolls or something,” the guy said, shocking everyone.
George stepped up and stood right in the guard’s face. The guard was about 5’7”, while George was already 6’1” and could make that guy swallow his words.

“I want to speak to your supervisor immediately,” George said loud enough so everyone could hear.

The guard looked at George, obviously intimidated. If a fight started, George could beat the crap out of him before anyone could pull him away.

“There’s no need for that, just....”

“What’s going on here?” The guy was interrupted by the sound of a girl coming from behind him. She had dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. She was wearing an event T-shirt like everyone working here, with a skirt, black hose, and a pair of black ballet flats. Her name tag showed that she was a supervisor.

George was surprised to see her here since she was an intern at his father’s company and a senior at the university. George had worked with her on several projects when he used to help his dad at work.
“Oh, Hannah, I didn’t expect to see you here,” George said, a bit surprised.

“George!” Hannah walked closer to see what was going on. Now she was more interested. “And you must be Erinna. George and Mr. Houston always talk about you.”

Erinna blushed a bit, mouthing a thank you.

“Now, what’s going on here? You’re not causing trouble again?” Hannah asked, turning back to the security guard. He shifted uncomfortably. Seeing that he wasn’t about to answer, she turned to George again. She asked George the same question, and George happily explained everything to her.

“Is that so? Can you show me the email, sweetie?”

Erinna nodded and held her phone so Hannah could read the email along with the VIP ticket.

“Alright, come in,” Hannah said. Once inside, Hannah pinned a golden badge to Erinna with her Avatar’s name on it. The security guy was about to complain, but Hannah shot him a glare that shut him up.

“This NTW badge will allow your group into the reserved VIP section. You can buy drinks or food using your gold NTW coins so you won’t need money here. Sorry about what happened earlier, and please enjoy yourselves,” Hannah said mainly to Erinna.

Nancy was the only one who didn’t like her much. Hannah was standing way too close to George and sweet-talking Erinna. She didn’t like that since George was her boyfriend and Erinna was her little sister.

As they walked away from Hannah, George looked at Nancy and said, “She only works for my dad, and we have no relationship.” Nancy kissed him on the cheek and smiled.

The four soon found a table in the reserved VIP area and sat down, checking the event for today. There’s a costume competition, a team competition, and a 1x1 competition. Both Nancy and Erinna signed in for the costume competition, and they all signed for the team and the 1x1 competition.

“I am hungry,” said Oliver making everyone laugh. “We can all have a snack,” he said, pointing to the snack bar menu.

“What do you guys want?” George asked, and everyone told him what they wanted. He had a lot of gold coins from farming, so he didn’t mind buying a snack for everyone. Besides, he was almost a mystical rank because of Erinna. After bringing the orders, everyone enjoyed their snack and walked to the costume competition.

Both Erinna and Nancy walked on stage with many other competitors. Some were girls wearing armor, a couple of guys wearing well-made costumes, and one was wearing a Viking helmet and a kilt, looking like a real warrior. Some were boys trying to look like girls, but they didn’t look that convincing.

One of the organizers walked to the stage with a microphone in his hand as the MC.

“Everyone, welcome to the first event of the NTW competition. We have 100 of the best-costumed players on the stage. We will decide who has the best costume.

“The first stage will be ten rounds, each round with ten competitors. We will only pick the top five costumes from each round.”

“We will then have a second stage with 50 people and pick the top three from the five groups of ten. Only the top fifteen competitors will remain in the final championship round.”

“Then the crowd will pick the top three for first, second, and third place,” the MC said as the judges in front of the stage received a list of names.

“Let’s start with our participants’ names, shall we?”

Erinna and Nancy immediately got into separate groups.

The MC started by asking everyone their first and in-game avatar names. When Erinna answered, the whole room stayed silent for a second, then everyone started to cheer loudly after hearing her name, Ruby.

The crowd began to chant, “RUBY! RUBY! RUBY!”

Erinna looked precisely like her Avatar and even sounded like her when she spoke a few times.

“I think we already know who will be the winner,” the MC said as he moved to the other competitors. Once he finished his speech, the voting started.

Erinna and Nancy both won their first two rounds and were both in the final round. After the first two rounds, the number of competitors decreased until the final round, where only fifteen stood on the stage. Erinna didn’t realize how famous she was until now.

Everyone wanted to win except Erinna, who just wanted to do it for fun. Ultimately, Erinna won first place since the crowd yelled the loudest for her. Nancy followed her in second place; surprisingly, the guy wearing a Viking helmet and a kilt was in third place. His Avatar was named Lugh, and his first name was Mark.

After receiving their awards, everyone left the stage and walked to the team competition event. They, however, faced a problem. Their team needed five members, and that’s when Lugh approached them.

“Hi, guys, I noticed you need another player for your team. Can I join you?”

Now that Erinna saw Lugh up close, she could tell he was younger than the way his Avatar looked. He seems to be around 12 or 13.

“Sure, if you want to join us, that would be great,” George said, noticing that Lugh was trying hard not to stare at Erinna. Erinna was lovely and looked older than her age. Although he hated it when people stared at his sister, he couldn’t blame him.

“Thanks... Can I ask something else, if you don’t mind? Are you the real Ruby?” Lugh asked, stammering as he asked the question. Since playing the game a year ago, he has been a big fan of Ruby. He always wanted to meet her and wished she was a real girl. Now his two wishes had come true. Not only was Ruby a girl, but a lovely one at that.

“Yes, I am Ruby. Why is everyone so excited to meet me anyway?” Erinna asked, still not realizing how famous she was in the game.

Lugh looked at her with raised eyebrows. If he guessed, he would say she was the same age as him. He couldn’t believe she didn’t know how famous she was in the game. It made sense that she would turn down everyone who tried to make a deal with her.

“Don’t worry about it, Erinna, and just let it go. Let’s get started, shall we,” George said, laughing a bit. After signing Lugh in as a team member, they all waited for their first match.

Once their first match was about to start, however, the other team looked worried. None of the other players were planning to face one of the game’s best players. Lugh played as a tank. He used a long sword and had very high armor and defense. Oliver was a warrior, so he also helped take some of the damage. Nancy played as an assassin using a katana and two guns. George used a long-range sniper rifle and a long heavy ax close-up for melee.

Having two highly skilled snipers was devastating to other teams. Not only could they get kills without the other team knowing where the shot came from, but they also exposed the enemy team’s position to their teammates. George and Erinna quickly removed any opposing sniper from the game, predicting where they would be hiding.

Their team easily won first place, all members receiving the newest HR set and specially crafted weapon in the game.

In the 1x1 competition, Nancy was the first to lose, earning 7th place. Lugh followed soon after, making 5th place. Oliver lost after he reached 4th place. George lost to a mystical-ranked player and ended up being in 3rd. The final match was between Erinna and the other mystical player whose Avatar name was Allylord. Before the match even started, Erinna got a message in the chatbox.

“Why don’t you go home? This competition is not a place for a little girly girl like you.” was the message from Allylord.

Erinna hated these guys the most. She vowed to humiliate that guy, and he would pay for what he said. While she wouldn’t deny that she was a girly girl and Erinna preferred skirts and dresses over pants and shorts, that didn’t mean she wasn’t badass in the game.

“Why? Is Mr. Allylord scared of losing to a girly girl like me? I am sure a macho big guy like you would hate to lose to a little girly girl like me,” Erinna replied, smirking widely.

Before Allylord could reply, the match had started. The map was an abandoned ship that held a considerable advantage for Erinna. She knew that Allylord relied on a fencing sword and a crossbow as his ranged weapon, and he would charge the enemy and make as much damage as he could before pulling away and using his ranged weapon.

George only lost because Allylord caught him off-guard when trying to find a good spot for sniping, so Erinna decided to use his tactics against him. Erinna moved to expose herself to Allylord. He attempted to hit her with his ranged weapon, but she wore special boots that increased her movement speed. She was way too fast for him to shoot her with his crossbow.

Moving to the perfect spot, Erinna pretended to try and use her sniper rifle while seemingly unaware that Allylord had flanked her and stealthily approached to attack her from the rear. However, he was the one who was surprised as Erinna was waiting to ambush him and used her scythe instead. With just one hit, Allylord died, and Erinna won the match.

“She cheated,” said the angry voice of the defeated player.

“NTW scanned every device after every match, so unless you’re claiming we are incompetent, I suggest you suck it up,” Hannah said, giving Erinna a confident smile. She walked over to Erinna and held her hand high. “The winner of the 1x1 competition is Ruby. This match was fair and square, and anyone who doesn’t like it can leave.”

The crowd roared their approval once again and chanted, “RUBY! RUBY! RUBY!”

After receiving their prizes for the 1x1 competition, the four left the E-sports center. They stopped at a burger place to have dinner.

“That was awesome. You killed Allylord in one hit. How did you manage to do that?” Oliver commented as he was about to stuff his mouth with French fries.

Erinna blushed a bit but smiled. She felt warm every time Oliver praised her. “I just used critical damage. In close-range combat, my scythe has 100% critical hit chance and 100% critical damage,” Erinna answered.

After dinner, they all went home. George dropped off Nancy and Oliver first before driving home. Erinna told Oliver they should dress up and trick or treat together on Halloween in their cosplay costumes.

Oliver kissed her cheek and said, “I wouldn’t miss that for anything.” He and Nancy left the car and said their goodbyes as she also got a kiss from George.

As the car parked in front of their house, George stated, “You go in first, and I will bring in the loot we won in the event,” instructing the sleepy Erinna, who just nodded and left the car.

Entering her house, Erinna saw Heather waiting for her.

“How was it, sweetie?” Heather asked before hugging her daughter.

“It was fun,” Erinna said, yawning.

Heather couldn’t help but laugh a bit. Erinna was more adorable when she was sleepy. “Let me take a couple of pictures in your costume before you go to bed,” Heather said, kissing Erinna’s forehead.

“Do I have to?” Erinna pouted a bit. She couldn’t deny that she didn’t mind, even if she was sleepy. Nonetheless, she posed for her mom to take as many pictures as possible.

Upstairs, Heather helped Erinna get out of her costume. Erinna then changed into one of her nighties, walked into her bathroom, brushed her teeth, and, with Heather’s help, removed the very light makeup she had applied to Erinna’s face.

“Good night, princess,” Heather said, tucking Erinna in the bed and kissing her forehead. Heather left the room quietly as Erinna had fallen asleep, softly closing the door behind her.

Chapter 1

“Remember Carmen, “Revenge is a dish best served cold,” said the woman in her early thirties. Perhaps it was the strangest thing a therapist would say, especially in a special rehab center, and to an 18-year-old girl.

“Yes, Dr. Jasmine, I will keep that in mind,” Carmen replied with a smile. Dr. Jasmine was one of two people who believed in her, even when she came here as Cameron, she was a great support.
At first, she didn’t believe Cameron but after he agreed to a hypnosis session where he admitted that he didn’t commit the crime he was accused of. Dr. Jasmine had no choice but to believe her now.

It all started two months ago, Carmen had turned 18 two weeks before her life came crumbling down. She used to be Cameron, an average nerdy guy, he lived with his mom and survived by keeping his head down. They were poor but could live comfortably, with Cameron working a part-time job to buy a phone.

Cameron found himself being accused of raping Sophia Anderson, she attended the same school as him and was the queen of the school, with her boyfriend Henry, who was the senior football team captain. They were both extremely wealthy and people Cameron would never come near. No one believed Cameron except for his mom, she knew her son and knew that he wouldn't dare do anything like this.

He had only gotten closer to Sophia once, when she was failing miserably in math. She had asked Cameron to help her. He thought he was smart enough not to get too close to her and only taught her online. That way, he didn’t have to meet her boyfriend, or even meet her at her home or any place alone.

She remembered the day of the court very well. The sight of Sophia crying in the court and everyone glaring at him. What she accused him of didn’t even make sense, he allegedly raped her at a party where he would never have been invited as Cameron. There was a moment where he even doubted himself when the DNA evidence pointed to him.

His friend’s testimony was thrown out of court as inadmissible due to his minor drug conviction. No one believed that Cameron was not at the party and instead was with his friend playing video games. In the end, he was found guilty and was given one of two choices, to spend five years in jail, where he will be raped and probably get killed, or spend two years in a special rehab center where the two years can become as short as two months depending on his cooperation and behavior.

Clearly, he couldn’t go to jail or his future will be over, and he could keep up with his studies in the rehab center. The best thing was that he will not have a criminal record when he leaves rehab. So, Cameron signed the application to be admitted to the rehab center. But what he didn’t realize, and they neglected to tell him, was he would be transformed into a girl before leaving the center.

Today is her last day in the rehab center the and this was her last session with Dr Jasmine her therapist. She would definitely miss that lady; she had been supporting her since the day she came in here, and helped her more when she knew that she was innocent.

She arrived as Cameron, the 18-year-old nerdy boy, but now she will be leaving as Carmen a stunning 18-year-old gorgeous girl that would put Sophia’s beauty to shame. Carmen hadn’t transitioned into a transgender girl, but the procedure that they used, transformed her into a biological woman, able to have children.

Carmen was busy while in the center, and the new computer business program she had created was sold to many corporations. Dr Jasmine was impressed with it, so she helped Carmen create a startup company, promote it, and she also purchased it for use in the center too. Carmen was now quite wealthy from selling it world-wide.

Now it was time for Carmen to make Sophia pay for everything she had done to her. She had already schemed a plan that only she and her therapist knew. She would drag Sophia’s reputation down to the point where she would never raise herself back again.

“So, is today your last day, Carmen?” Dr Jasmine asked with a smile. Dr Jasmine felt quite blessed for her time here with Carmen, and was sure that she would miss her when she leaves. Carmen was now the poster girl for Dr Jasmine’s successful gender change program. While she now understood that Carmen was innocent, she couldn’t do anything to help her. All she could do was to help her leave early.

“Yes, doctor, it’s my last day, I can't wait to get back to school, and more importantly, see my mom. “I hope she accepts me looking like this. I am sure it will be a shock for her.”

“I am sure you will keep in touch, also I know what happened to you is not fair, but what Sophia faked can happen in real life, especially for an attractive lady like you,” Dr Jasmine warned as she reached from behind her desk and held Carmen's soft hand. “Just be careful, ok sweetheart?”

“No worries, Dr Jasmine I will be careful,” Carmen replied earning one last smile from Dr Jasmine.
When the session ended, Carmen walked out of the office, heading to her room that she shared with a 22-year-old woman, Martha, who had been here for 7 months now. She was quite nice and didn’t mind sharing her experience as a woman with Carmen.

Opening the door to their room, Carmen walked in, looking at her suitcases lying around, with the tons of clothes she had ordered. She had become a shopping devil, she had money to spend, so she bought clothes like they were going out of style. Now she was regretting it, how will she take all of these clothes she didn’t know?

“Leaving already?” asked Martha as Carmen walked into the room. She immediately left her bed and approached Carmen kissing her deeply and reaching with one hand inside Carmen's skirt and panties. This made Carmen moan.
She and Martha were friends with benefits, they both helped each other with their sexual frustration. They may have become females, but their libidos were still very high. The center turned a blind eye to these relationships, it was not a problem, as long as it was consensual.

“Come on, Martha, now I have to change those panties,” Carmen stated with a groan. Most of these new girls, if not all, were into men, it’s something the program had done to them. With no men around, they didn’t mind having a go with women just to get rid of frustration.

“You could just give them to me, you know a goodbye trophy,” Martha winked making Carmen blush a bit. Martha had deep feelings for Carmen, she looked way better than that bitch she used to date. With her silky brown hair and emerald green eyes, she was a goddess walking amongst the mortals.

What made her better is that Carmen was not a blood-sucking parasite like her ex-girlfriend who caused Martha to end up in jail because of her debt. For two months, they explored each other’s bodies, and had a great time together.

“Fine, but that’s the last pair of panties I am giving to you,” Carmen replied with a blush. She knew she couldn’t return Martha’s feelings as she only saw her as a friend. With a sigh, Carmen started to slide off her lacy red panties, she then handed the wet panties to Martha. Carmen then opened one of her suitcases and pulled out a new pair of panties before pulling them up under her skirt.

“I’m going to miss you girl,” Martha said hugging Carmen from behind. “Make sure I have a front seat for whatever you're going to do to that bitch.” While Martha didn’t know the details of Carmen's plan, she knew that Carmen has a plan.

“I will make sure of it,” Carmen replied with a smile. They shared one last kiss before Carmen started to pull her suitcases out, she had to leave some behind. Parked in front of the center was her brand-new race red Mustang GT-e convertible. Carmen already had her driving license before all of this happened, and was able to register the car under her new identity. Not only did Carmen change her first name, but also her last name from Morrison to her mother’s maiden name Stewart. Why would she keep the last name of a man she never knew, who had left them a long time ago?

She asked the security guard, Frank to help her put the suitcases in the car. Frank placed a suitcase in the trunk, then a couple in the back seat, and one in the passenger seat. There was still a small amount of room so Carmen went back to get the remaining two suitcases. Frank was able to fit another one on the passenger seat, and stuffed the remaining one in the back seat between the first two.

“Thanks Frank, I appreciate your help today.”
“Glad to be of service, Miss Stewart, I wish you all the best.”

Carmen got into her driving seat; she linked her phone to the car before starting the car. The moment she hit the road she used Android Auto on the touchscreen. “Call mom.” The phone responded by calling her mom’s number. With her eyes on the road, she waited for her mom to pick up the phone.

Carmen had been in contact with her mom all the time she was in the center, she, however, didn’t reveal how she now looked to her mom, saying that it will be a surprise.

“Hello, Carmen honey,” came the voice of her mom through the car’s stereo system.

“Hi mom, just called to tell you that I am coming home,” Carmen announced happily. Having her own car allowed her a lot of freedom, she didn’t have to ask her mom to pick her up. She was also enjoying the powerful four-wheel electric drive, the comfortable leather seats, and the many features of the car.

“Wait! That was supposed to be tomorrow, wait for me, I will come to pick you up,” Carmen's mom responded.

“No need mom, I already have my ride and you will see me soon.” Carmen sped up as much as the speed limit would allow her. She couldn’t wait to start her plan; she was already getting excited about it. She had left Sophia a small gift after she left, a gift that allowed her to listen and see everything, Sophia is doing. Every time she’s close to her phone or laptop Carmen knew who she talked to, texted, and what she said. Sophia had poked the Hornet’s nest, and she will pay dearly for it.

After a long drive, Carmen finally got home. It was the only thing her mom had kept after Carmen's dad divorced her. He didn’t even pay the child support, but her mom never asked him for anything more than what she got. Not having to pay for a house was enough for her mom, but the house showed signs of aging and needed maintenance, something her mom couldn’t pay for.

Pulling in front of the house and getting out of the car, Carmen was pained to see all the hate graffiti, sprayed on the walls of the house. She could also see the words sprayed on her mom’s car. This made her angrier, and wanted to get Sophia her revenge on Sophia even more.

At least no one knows who she is, something the court kept a secret, is that she didn’t go to jail, instead, she went to the rehab center. What everyone knows is that, Cameron went to jail, he probably would be killed in a prison or something. That’s exactly what Carmen wanted everyone to think.

Leaving her car, Carmen took off her sunglasses and walked to the front door, her expensive high heels shoes clicking on the ground as she walked. She was getting quite nervous, her mom seemed to be nice and accepting her on the phone, but she didn’t know how will she will react when she meets her in real life.

She knocked on the door and waited as she heard footsteps coming towards the door. The door was opened and Carmen's mom, Bridgette felt in front of her, with a puzzled look. “How can I help you?” she asked studying Carmen and her expensive clothes. From her red 5-inch heeled open-toed leather ankle boots, the stockings, the slim leather skirt, and leather jacket, and the expensive purse she held in her hands. She could tell, this girl was definitely rich.

Carmen was still surprised, she expected that her mom may not recognize her, but this was shocking. “It’s me, Carmen! I just called you and told you I’m coming home,” Carmen explained with a smile. The world had not been kind to her mom, while she still held her beauty at the edge of thirty-nine, wrinkles were starting to appear on her face.

It seemed she had just come back from work, seeing how she was still wearing a skirt and blouse with beige tights covering her legs and barefoot. She worked as an assistant manager in the local supermarket. The job paid enough for a living but not for any kind of fancy life.

It took her mom a couple of seconds to realize what Carmen had just said. When she did, however, she hugged Carmen tightly much to Carmen's relief. “My God it’s you, you’re beautiful,” her mom said pulling her to an arms-length to take a look at her.

“Thanks, mom. I am happy to be home again with you,” Carmen admitted feeling relief, Bridgette didn’t just accept her she seemed to be happy to have her. She, however, could tell from her mom’s look she was confused seeing her wearing these expensive clothes.

“Can you help me get my suitcases from the car? I kind of have a lot of suitcases,” Carmen requested with a smile. She knew that Bridgette hasn’t noticed the brand-new red Mustang GT-e convertible parked in front of the house.

“What car?” Bridgette asked she was about to ask her if she had taken a taxi or something to get in here, and how did she get all those expensive clothes.

“My car,” Carmen pointed to her car, parked in front of the house with a smirk. Even Carmen herself was surprised to make this amount of money; she hadn’t even hoped for a fraction of it. Being able to make all this money, however, meant that she could put on a good show in front of Sophia, and get closer to her. She will drag Sophia down into the gutter without her realizing it.

“Your... What?” Bridgette asked still not believing her eyes. She knew that the sole reason for Cameron to get his driving license was to help her during long drives, they sometimes did to visit her brother who lives in San Francisco. She gets tired from driving for more than an hour. She knew that her son, never had a car and also never made enough money to get a used car let alone an expensive new car like this one. “Honey, how were you able to buy such a car?”

Carmen smiled; such a shock was to be expected of her mom. “Long story mom, let’s just say that I make my own money now, can you help me with my suitcases, then I will explain everything to you.” In the end, Bridgette agreed to help her pull her suitcases inside the house before asking more questions.

Her son, well now, her daughter was back home and that was the most important thing. Knowing that her son had been set up and she couldn’t do anything but stand powerless, she felt as if her heart was going to be torn apart. She even contacted her ex-husband begging him to help. He did believe that Cameron didn’t do it, but he provided no support whatsoever.

It took them time going from the car to the house a few times to get all the suitcases. They could only drag two of the largest suitcases up the steps into the house, carrying them would be out of the question. The suitcases were all heavy, and both of them together weren’t strong enough to carry the largest ones into the house. It also didn’t help that Carmen had lost most of her strength due to the changes in her body.

“Now, what is this all about? Where did you get the money from? Also, what’s inside all these suitcases? It can’t be just clothes, right?” All these questions were fired at Carmen once they had taken a seat and caught their breath.

Carmen couldn’t help but giggle at the last question. Other than the latest Huston Computers multi-screen laptop, (which was designed by a genius in computer engineering), her suitcases carried nothing but clothes.

“For the last question, these suitcases have nothing but clothes. For how I got the money, do you remember the computer program I was designing before any of this happened? Well, I finished it, and I am selling it through a start-up company they helped me create while I was in the center. It’s very popular among corporate business clients right now.”

And so, Bridgette listened to her new daughter in amazement. She couldn’t believe it, during the two months since her son went into the center, Carmen had become rich. And when Carmen told her the amount that she calculated, it was even more amazing. If her calculations were correct, then, Carmen will be a multi-millionaire in less than two years.

“I knew you were always smarter than kids your age and you are a genius,” Bridgette admitted hugging Carmen once more. She knew in her heart that her child would do something big, but never thought she would live to see it.

“By the way mom, I have some gifts for you too.” Announced Carmen walking to one of her suitcases. From the outer pocket of the suitcase, she took out a necklace box and handed it to her mom.

Bridgette raised an eyebrow hearing the word “gifts” which meant it was more than one gift. “Just because you have money now, doesn’t mean you have to spend it on me,” Bridgette commented accepting the necklace box from Carmen.
Opening the box, she let out a small gasp as she brought out a silver necklace with a black diamond dangling from it. What was left inside the box were a pair of Chandelier earrings each having black diamonds at the end of it.
“Honey, that’s too much,” Bridgette cried as held her arm for Carmen to hug her.

“There's one more gift I have for you,” Carmen admitted as Bridgette glared at her. Carmen knew that Bridgette didn’t like receiving gifts if they were from Carmen. Having little to no money Carmen would barely have anything, yet, she always brought Bridgette gifts.

Carmen opened the suitcase and from the suitcase, she retrieved a black sheath dress as Bridgette rolled her eyes. This was definitely too much, instead of spending money for herself she seems to want to spend more money on her. “You, young lady, this is the last time you bring me all these expensive gifts, just because you have money,” Bridgette said sternly but with a smile.

“I will try,” Carmen replied playfully.
About an hour later, Carmen walked out of her room. A straight line, white sweater dress with puffed sleeves hugged her curves making her look more stunning. With black rights to keep the legs warm and 5-inch stiletto heels ankle boots, Carmen walked downstairs.

Bridgette was already dressed in the black sheath dress, they had agreed on going out for dinner, but only after Bridgette made her daughter promise not to pay for their meal. “You look, great sweetheart,” Bridgette commented the moment she saw Carmen coming down the stairs.

Carmen blushed a bit and smiled. She put on a lot of effort to learn how to present herself as a girl, she was glad that her mom liked it. But now, it was time for the real test. “Thanks, mom, I wanted to look my best for our first mother-daughter dinner,” Carmen admitted.

Both of them walked out of the house and Bridgette started to walk to her car, but Carmen stopped her. “Mom, I think it’s better if we take my car instead,” Carmen suggested. She could see all the hate graffiti sprayed on her mom’s car and didn’t like that.

“I think you’re right, sweetheart,” Bridgette agreed with a sigh. They walked over to Carmen's car and both of them got in.

“So, mom where are we going?” Carmen asked as Bridgette smiled.

“We are going to Samson steak house, the food there is delicious,” Bridgette answered as Carmen started at her. This restaurant was known to be very expensive and nothing cheap at all, so Carmen didn’t know how will her mom pay. “Don’t look at me like that, your mom has her ways of doing things,” Bridgette commented with a chuckle.

Carmen just shrugged and started the car, she hit the road going to Samson steak. “Mom, I was thinking maybe we should move to another house? I found this nice condo; we could move in there.” This was a topic Carmen hesitated in bringing it up. The condo was not cheap but Carmen could afford it, she, however, was sure her mom will oppose it.

“We can talk about that later, sweetheart,” Bridgette replies but Carmen senses that Bridgette was not on the agreement here.

The rest of the drive was silent as Camren drove. They finally arrived at the restaurant, and Camren parked the car in front of the restaurant before leaving the car followed her mom to the front door. Carmen was a bit hesitant following her mom, into the restaurant. She knew that you needed a reservation to get into the restaurant.

Carmen watched as Bridgette walked to the host for a couple of seconds before he nodded and guided her inside the restaurant. With amazement, Carmen followed her mom into the restaurant and to a table.

Not soon after they were seated, a man wearing a suit with neatly combed brown hair, that had a couple of grey strands approached. “Good evening Ms. Stewart, how are you today?” the man said with a bright smile.

“Mr. Samson, I am fine, although could be better with Cameron with me, it’s not easy for your son to be imprisoned,” Bridgette replied sticking to the plan she and Carmen had agreed upon. Since Carmen didn’t want anyone to know that she's Cameron.

“I am sure he’s innocent, I hope he’s ok,” Mr. Samson spoke with genuine sympathy as Carmen could feel. He then turned towards her with a smile. “And who’s this beautiful young lady?” Mr. Samson added causing Carmen to turn red.

Bridgette who saw that smiled, she never thought about having a daughter. Having her child back with her was all that mattered but she had to admit, Carmen was a real beauty. “Oh, that’s Carmen, she’s Cameron’s twin sister who used to live with her dad. She will be living with me for a while,” Bridgette announced watching Mr. Samson examining her daughter. She knew it was out of curiosity as he liked women near his age, she knows that first hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Morrison,” Mr. Samson said before shaking Carmen's hand. He felt something towards Carmen that was different, it felt like he wanted to know her. He had been wanting to date Bridgette for a while, although he couldn’t approach her with her son imprisoned, it just didn’t feel right. “I won’t disturb your dinner, whatever you want ladies, is on the house, have a nice dinner,” Mr. Samson added smiling at Bridgette before walking away.

Carmen was grinning from ear to ear as Mr. Samson walked away. Bridgette smiled before seeing Carmen's smile. “What is it?” Bridgette asked the grinning Carmen.

“You like him, right?” Carmen teased. She was happy seeing her mom caring about herself for once. From the moment Carmen's dad divorced Bridgette, Bridgette had been giving it her all just for Carmen, never paying attention to anyone but her child.

“No, I don’t, you’re imaging things,” Bridgette denied but she could tell, Carmen was not convinced. While Bridgette knew Carmen was right, she was not ready to go out with anyone. Carmen was still her priority.

“Come on mom, it’s clear that you both like each other,” Carmen commented as a waiter brought menus for them. The waiter seems to take his time handing Carmen her menu, which was something she didn’t pay attention to.

Bridgette on the other hand realized it pretty quick. She waited for the waiter to leave to talk to Carmen. “Sweetheart, you should pay more attention to the boys around you. I know you’re still new to this but an attractive girl like you is bound to get attention from guys.” Bridgette explained making Carmen plush.

Both Carmen and Bridgette ordered the same steak and Bridgette ordered wine while Carmen decided on grape juice. “Look Carmen, I don’t want you to feel as if you have responsibility or you have to take care of me, I will agree to us moving into a different house, but know that I want to do it for you. I don’t want you to face what I faced in the last two months.” Bridgette reached and took Carmen's hands in hers; tears were in her eyes. Carmen was everything for her, she didn’t want anything more than her child being with her. “I want you to know that you were and will always be my first priority, nothing matters more than you.”

It was around 8 p.m. when the 25-year-old Sam pulled in front of his home. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to see his family. His boss always forced him to work longer to finish any leftover work in the office.

He and his 26-year-old wife Lisa have two kids; four-year-old twins Oliver and Jessica. As he describes them, they’re both little angels but can be little devils sometimes.

Sam unlocked the front door, and as soon as he stepped in, a pair of tiny feet came running towards him. “Daddy, ” Oliver squeals as he hugs his dad.

“Hi, buddy,” Sam said, lifting Oliver. “What’re you doing out of bed? It’s late?”

“But I wanted to see you,” Oliver pouted, causing Sam to laugh. Sam loved his family more than anything, and he and his wife worked to ensure their children got the best of everything.

“Alright, now you go to bed. Tomorrow we are visiting grandma and grandpa Barker. You need to wake up early tomorrow,” Sam said, closing the door behind him just as Lisa came to welcome him.

“Oli, go back to bed, sweetie. Your daddy is tired; don’t bother him,” Lisa said, walking over to her husband and kissing him on his lips.

“Alright, buddy, let’s get you back in bed,” Sam said, heading towards the twin’s room, and Lisa followed behind. The room was one hundred per cent gender-neutral, and the walls and the ceiling were baby blue and decorated with stars that would shine in the dark. When the parents found out they were having a boy and a girl, they made this color scheme for the room.

Sam put Oliver in his bed before kissing his head. As he was heading out of the room, a half-sleeping voice called him.

“Daddy.” He turned to see Jessica sitting on her bed, rubbing her eyes.

“Hi, princess,” Sam said, walking back towards her bed. “What woke you up?”

Jessica just shrugged. Not saying anything, Sam smiled and kissed her head. “Get back to sleep, ok?” Jessica nodded, and Sam turned his head to Oliver’s bed.

“You too, Oli. I know you’re awake,” Sam said. Oliver giggled and covered himself with the blanket. For Sam, his home was more like heaven to him. He hated it when he came home so late that the children were already fast asleep.

After saying goodnight, Sam left the room heading downstairs. He was surprised to find a special dinner with a wine bottle, and his wife always made a surprise like this.

“You know your boss is an asshole,” Lisa said, and Sam nodded. He agrees he wouldn’t have stayed and endured all that if the job wasn’t well-paid.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Sam said, pouring some wine for his wife and himself. They both sat around at the table across from each other. “At least I can have a nice dinner with Lisa,” Sam thought and smiled.

“Did you get a day off to see the doctor? She said that you must see her?” Lisa asked, and Sam sighed. Lisa takes care of him very well, and he loves that about her. She’s always making sure that there are no missing details.

Last week Sam went to see a urologist because of some issues. Of course, he couldn’t tell his wife his problems, but she knew it was affecting their sexual relationship. That didn’t mean it affected their whole relationship, and Lisa was a very understanding woman leaving aside that she loved her husband so much.

Lisa was more worried about her husband’s health. He seemed to be more tired lately. She thought it was his job at first, but Sam always looked exhausted as the days passed.

While her husband might not look like it, he had a strong will. He might look a bit more beautiful for a man, but that was one of many reasons she liked him. He was a strong man with a strong will, and he was also kind and caring.

She discovered Sam was very skilled with babies when they had twins. She didn’t have to handle the twins alone. Sam did almost everything whenever he was around, changing diapers and preparing milk for them.
Even her mom would compliment her on choosing the right man.

Her friends would go on for hours about how lucky she was to have such a great husband. She felt blessed to have Sam as her husband, and she didn’t think any man was as good as him.

“Fortunately, yes. I can’t believe my boss is giving me a day off,” Sam said.

Lisa smiled and started eating, knowing Sam would not touch the food if she hadn’t started to eat first. “That’s a relief, and I still think he’s taking all the credit for your work, though.” Lisa hated Sam’s boss, and even Ms Carter, who Lisa works for, hated him.

She had warned Lisa the first time she found out Sam worked for him. She told her that Sam’s boss was a pervert and it didn’t matter if it was a man or woman. Sam did know that, but the salary was too good to turn down.

Lisa didn’t know about the items Sam found in his desk drawer and under it daily. First, it was just a pair of plain black panties. At first, Sam thought it was a prank played by one of his colleagues.

Then it evolved to much wilder things. Like how Sam would find garters, stockings, and panties of all colors. Or even a pair of high heels he found under his desk, in exactly his size.

Sometimes he would find a pencil skirt and a blouse folded neatly under his desk, or sometimes it would be a business dress. Sam completely ignored all of this. However, he started to worry when he saw a sissy porn magazine in his desk drawer today.

Sam was someone who only watched porn once in his life, and he felt disgusted and seeing this magazine scared the hell out of him. He knew it was his boss, but he had no proof. He did slap Sam’s butt once, but Sam taught him a lesson in his way when he embarrassed his boss in front of everyone.

“So, when are you going to see her?” Lisa asked. She wasn’t worried about her sexual relationship with her husband as much as his health.

She didn’t know much about diseases that can cause trouble for men, but she knew that something like testicular cancer could be dangerous, like breast cancer or even worse. Losing Sam would be something she won’t be able to handle.
Sam looked her in the eyes and smiled, seeing the worry in her eyes. It was something Sam appreciated so much.

“Tomorrow. I already called her clinic and booked an appointment for 1 p.m.”
Lisa weakly smiled as she was hoping for good news. As long as it was not life-threatening, Lisa was sure that she and
Sam would get over it quickly.

“Alright, I will go with you tomorrow,” Lisa stated. She was very obsessive and overprotective. She knew it didn’t make any sense, but she didn’t like it when a woman or a man touched her husband. In Sam’s mind, however, her being obsessive and overprotective was something he loved about Lisa. They truly loved each other.

“Lisa, you don’t have to do that. You don’t need to take time off from your job tomorrow to come with me.”

Lisa smiled, not saying anything, and Sam knew nothing would change her mind. They engaged in conversation throughout the dinner before deciding to go to bed, and bedtime scared Sam.

Not being able to please Lisa sexually was scaring him. He loved her so much and feared that she might leave him because of that. He knew Lisa was not like that, but he was still scared.

Sam took a shower and relaxed a bit before going to bed. He noticed his male member, which had shrunk a little by little over the past few months, was now looking even tinier. His eyes started to well up with tears. He hadn’t been able to achieve an erection for more than a month. Not only that, but the nipples on his chest were very tender, and he didn’t know what he had done to make them feel this way.

Leaving the shower, Sam got dressed. Entering the bedroom, he saw Lisa lying in bed waiting for him, and Sam kissed her, and she kissed him back. Pulling out from the kiss, Lisa smiled at Sam.

“Look, Sam, I know what you’re scared of, but I will never leave you. I love you with all my heart.” Lisa looked him in the eyes as she said that. She made sure he understood that no matter what, she wouldn’t leave him.

She pulled him onto the bed and climbed on him, looking him in the eyes. “You know, Sam. I wouldn’t mind being a lesbian if you were a woman.” She immediately latched onto his lips, kissing him deeply.

Since they couldn’t have sex, they ended up only making out. Still, Lisa didn’t mind at all. If she would list why she’s married to Sam, satisfying her in bed would be the last thing.

Turning off the light, Sam drifted to sleep in no time. Lisa understood how exhausted Sam got from work. She had a plan, and Sam would take his boss’s place if everything worked right. Lisa would get rid of his pervert boss for good. She would never allow anyone to mess with her family. After watching Sam’s pretty face for a while, Lisa drifted to sleep.

The Next Morning

Lisa woke up as rays of sunlight entered from the window. Looking beside her, on the bed, she didn’t find Sam. Just as she was about to get up to take a shower and make breakfast, the bedroom door opened. From the doorway, Sam walked in with a breakfast tray in his hand.

Lisa knew that even after what she told Sam yesterday, he still wanted and tried to make it up to her. That made her love him even more. He cared so much about her emotions and didn’t want to hurt her. “You know you didn’t have to do that,” Lisa said, smiling.

“What? Do I need a reason to bring breakfast to my beautiful wife?” Sam had a sly smile as he served Lisa breakfast. After all, surprising each other was nothing new.

She had messaged her boss yesterday, and since she usually didn’t take any days off, her boss immediately approved her request. Lisa happily ate the breakfast Sam had prepared for her. Once she finished breakfast, she went to take a shower and got dressed for the day.

They planned to visit her parents today since the kids hadn’t seen their grandparents for two weeks. She picked up a knee-length black flare skirt, a dark blue knitted sweater, a pair of black tights, and one of her favorite brown knee-high boots. She picked up her coat and headed downstairs. Once she was at the bottom of the stairs, she could hear the squeals and giggles of both Oliver and Jessica. She knows that Sam was playing with the kids.

Reaching the living room, she saw Jessica and Oliver hiding behind a couch. They would try to come out to the right, and Sam would block their way. They then would try to leave from the other side, and Sam would stop them again. Sam would never waste the time he could spend playing with his children, and he always put them as his number one priority.

“Oli, Jessi, come here,” Lisa called, and both came running to her hugging her leg. “Go get your shoes quickly. Grandma and grandpa are waiting.”

The twins immediately ran upstairs, heading to their room. “No running on the stairs,” Sam called out.

“Sorry.” Then came the sound of the twins as they slowed down while climbing the stairs.

“Sit down for a bit. It would be best if you caught your breath,” Lisa said, seeing Sam panting. Usually, he wouldn’t get tired this quickly, which was another thing that concerned Lisa, and being tired wouldn’t stop him from playing with his children.

“No one told me that a goddess would be visiting today,” Sam said, flirting with Lisa.

Lisa shook her head and smiled. “You always know what to say, huh?”

Sam just smiled at Lisa. She was kind, beautiful, and very understanding. He was sure they would have left him if it were any other woman. On the other hand, Lisa made it clear that she wasn’t going anywhere and would always stay with him.
Soon enough, they were strapping the twins in their seats and driving to Lisa’s parents’ house. Lisa’s parents looked at Sam as their son, and Sam used to hang out with Lisa’s father and brother before his boss became such an asshole.

He didn’t know that his boss was doing this for a reason. His boss would force himself on women in the company, using an increase in salary and promotion as bait to have his way with them. The first man his boss fancied was Sam. Sam looked pretty enough, just like his type of woman, and his boss wanted him, even if he was a man. Sam didn’t understand what was happening and stood up to his boss, embarrassing him in front of everyone. Not having Sam, he became frustrated and started to give Sam more work every day.

He didn’t care that Sam was a married straight man. Or the fact that he had two kids, and none of that mattered to him. He kept leaving women’s items, hoping to catch Sam in the act of doing something so he could blackmail him.

Lisa was very obsessive when it came to Sam, and she wouldn’t let any woman that is not family touch him, leaving aside a man. Sam’s boss was lucky that Lisa was unaware of what he was doing, or she would have destroyed him. Sam wasn’t aware of that, and Lisa was the same.

Lisa knew Sam very well; she knew he would never betray her. He was a man that gave his family everything sometimes, and he put his family’s well-being before his own. That’s when Lisa always stepped in to carry some of the burdens from Sam’s shoulders.

Once Sam had parked the car and unstrapped the kids, they ran to their grandparents. They finally reached Lisa’s parents’ house. Just like they expected, Lisa’s parents were already waiting outside of the house for them. After greetings, they all got inside the house.

“Sam, come with me. I want to talk with you for a bit,” Lisa’s father said. His name is Hank, and even though he was 63 years old, he was healthy as a man in his thirties.

Since Sam’s dad died before he was born and he had no father figure in his life, Hank was like a father to him. He treated him as if he was his son.

Sam followed Hank into the backyard of the house. Once they stepped into the backyard, Hank turned to face Sam.

“Sam, you know I had been treating you like a son, and you had been part of our family before you married Lisa.” Sam stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say or understanding why Hank was saying that.

“Now, I think you understand that if there is anything you need to talk about, something that you can’t tell Lisa, Rosa, Myranda, or Julia. Something you can’t tell a woman about, you can tell me. No secrets between us, son,” Hank said.

There was indeed something he wanted to talk about, but he didn’t know who would be able to listen to him. Sam didn’t have a father and couldn’t talk to Lisa about it, his mother-in-law, his mom, or his sister. The only person he could speak to was Hank or Terry, Lisa’s brother. Even with Hank, it was pretty embarrassing to talk about his issues.

“To be honest, Hank, I have something to tell you,” Sam said. He felt very relieved to have someone to talk to about his problems.

Hank smiled, walked over to Sam, and patted his shoulder. He had always liked Sam. He may not look like it, but he was a strong man and had a will of iron. Sam had a soft heart and cared about Lisa’s every feeling. He treated Lisa like a queen and was his children’s best father.

“Let’s sit down and have a drink while talking, son,” Hank said, leading Sam to a table where a beer cooler was sitting.

“Well, where should I start?...”

•••••••••••••

Thank you for reading my story. I hope you are enjoying it. Any comments or thoughts on the story are appreciated. Let me know if you like it, and how you think I could make it better. I would love to hear from you.

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Around 12:30, Sam started the car and went to the doctor. Lisa was beside him while Oliver and Jessica stayed with their grandparents, and Lisa was even more nervous than Sam.

What if it was something that put him in danger? Could she even handle it? She knew how much she loved Sam, and she also knew that he loved her. Only death could separate them, and that’s what made Lisa afraid.

“I am the one who’s going to see the doctor here, so why are you nervous?” Sam joked. He already knew that Lisa worried about him and was glad, but he still didn’t want her to be nervous.

“Because I love you.” Lisa sighed. She didn’t know if she wanted to know what was happening to Sam. “What if it’s testicular cancer or something else dangerous? I am worried about losing you,” Lisa finally admitted. She worried about Sam, and she couldn’t imagine being with someone else, and he was the love of her life, her soulmate.

Sam wanted to slap himself now since he worried that Lisa might abandon him. Lisa, on the other hand, was only worried about his life. At least he could rest assured that Lisa didn’t plan to leave him.

“Don’t worry. I assure you it’s nothing like that. We’re about to know everything soon enough. We’re here after all,” Sam said as they parked the car.

They left the car, headed inside the building, and took the elevator to the second floor. When they got to the end of the hall, they found the clinic full of young men around Sam’s age, which surprised Lisa. She expected to see mainly men in their fifties and a few closer to Sam’s age.

Lisa and Sam took their seats while waiting for their turn to see the doctor. Sam could tell what Lisa was thinking from the look on her face. He knew why most of them were here. In some way or another, they all shared the same problem—Erectile Dysfunction. Although Sam didn’t know the reason for his sexual inability, he was still here for that problem.

They didn’t have to wait long as a nurse called for Sam. “Mr. Aston.”

Hearing his name, Sam stood up, followed by Lisa, and they entered the doctor’s room. A lady in her late thirties to early forties was sitting behind her desk. Her name was Dr. Jacobson. Of all her patients, she felt a connection with Sam, and he reminded her of her little brother.

“Mr. Aston, I am glad you took an appointment today,” Dr. Jacobson said. Standing up to greet Sam, she noticed Lisa. She hadn’t seen Lisa before, but she knew that Lisa was the one who had convinced him to come.

“I am glad you decided to come, and please have a seat,” Dr. Jacobson pointed to the chairs in front of her desk. They noticed a second person in a lab coat standing beside Dr. Jacobson’s desk.

“Beside me is Dr. Hannah O’Neill. She’s a gynecologist and will be following up on my appointment with you,” Dr. Jacobson announced as both Lisa and Sam took their seats. Sam and Lisa looked up at Dr. Jacobson, confused, and it didn’t make sense for Sam to visit a gynecologist, let alone follow up with her.

“Mr. Aston, I will be clear with you. The reason you have erectile dysfunction is that you’re becoming a woman. The blood tests confirmed that the level of estrogen and other female hormones in your body is much higher than normal. Extremely high, in the range of a young teen girl beginning to experience puberty. Your testosterone levels are non-existent. From that blood sample, we could determine the GCS profile. Mr. Aston, you are experiencing Gender Change Syndrome,” Dr. Jacobson explained.

Sam’s face went white as if he had seen a ghost. He was vaguely familiar with this condition but only knew three things about it. One, males become female, and females become male. Two, it can affect all ages, but the number of affected has been few. And three, there is no cure.

“Are you sure? Maybe you’re wrong. The test, maybe you mixed it up with someone else’s. Can we do the test again?” He pleaded.

“Mr. Aston, I’m sorry, but the test is correct. You have the condition.”

He started to think about his family, Lisa, the kids, and what would happen if Lisa rejected him. He won’t be her man anymore; he will be a woman just like her. Leaving aside that, the idea of him becoming a woman is terrifying. Lisa could see his doubts, but she now had something more important to ask.

“What about Sam’s life? Will he be in danger? I mean, his life is more important than other things.”

Lisa was sure she would never leave Sam before, but now she was even more convinced. Sam’s life was her top priority, and what she said last night was true. She wouldn’t mind being a lesbian if it was Sam.

“If dealt with correctly, GCS won’t be any danger to your life, but we would like to keep you under observation,” Dr. Hannah said, looking between Lisa and Sam.

“We need to run more tests to know what stage you are in, and then we can assess what else we need to do to make your transition a smooth and complete process.”

"I will be honest with you. You saw the number of young men in the waiting room. This syndrome has recently become widespread, and every day, more and more young men seem to be affected. We don't know what is causing it, it may be a virus, and we can find no way to stop it. The men affected by GCS numbered around four times the number of women. You will make a fine woman, Sam, it's not life-threatening in any way."

An hour and a half later, after further tests and more blood samples were taken for even more difficulties, Sam and Lisa walked out of Dr Jacobson’s clinic. Sam was devastated. Not only was this suddenly life-changing, but he also feared Lisa would leave him. He was sure she had put up with enough with him, and he couldn’t ask her for more.

“Sam, get these thoughts out of your head, so what if you become my wife instead of my husband? I love you for who you are, not what you are,” Lisa said as they both got in the car. Sam was in no condition to drive now, so they both agreed that Lis should be the one to drive the vehicle.

Sam just sat in silence, looking blankly ahead as tears formed in his eyes. He wondered why he was so emotional lately. Sam now knew why. It was usual for women to have all these emotions. The Doctors told him he was in the last stages of his transition. He didn’t need surgery which was a good thing. Still, he would need to be kept in the hospital for a whole day and rest for an entire week.

Before he knew it, Sam found himself in front of the Barkers’ house as Lisa parked the car. Sam almost had a panic attack at the moment, and he was sure that Hank would ask about the results of the doctor’s visit.

They had talked before he left with Lisa. He had explained how worried he was about disappointing Lisa while she was a wonderful and supportive wife. He told him how much she brags about having the best husband in front of her cousins and friends. He even cried in front of Hank. Eventually, Hank did assure him that Lisa still loved him and was not disappointed in any way.

He couldn’t face Hank now; he was so afraid he sat shaking in his seat. Hank was like a father he never had; for Sam, Hank meant as much to him as he meant to Lisa. How was he going to face Hank? How was he going to explain this?
It took all Sam’s willpower to leave the car and follow Lisa into the house. Inside they heard squeals and giggles from the twins as they walked inside. Worse, Terry, Lisa’s little brother, was there.

All heads turned towards them as they entered from the door. Immediately Oliver and Jessica ran to them, receiving their hugs. Sam was silent, but he couldn’t help but smile.

“Sam, it’s been a while, man. How are you doing?” Terry quipped.

Terry was a brilliant guy. With the college credit classes in high school and the summer session classes he powered through, he achieved a college degree in two years instead of four. He had a degree in social media, and his job paid well. He hadn’t seen Sam and Lisa for a long time and missed them.

“I am fine too, Terry. Thank you for asking,” Lisa said, rolling her eyes. Everyone laughed a bit, and Terry did it on purpose as a joke, and it was an old joke that Lisa was very used to already.

“I missed you both,” Terry said, walking to Lisa and hugging her before doing the same with Sam. “I have also missed these two monkeys,” Terry said, tickling Jessica and Oliver, making them wiggle in their parents’ arms and squeal. “What do you feed these two? They don’t even get tired,” Terry joked, wiping a fake drop of sweat from his forehead.

“Admit it, Terry. You’re an old man. Even Hank can last longer,” Sam joked, making Terry fake a hurt expression.

“For your information, I am only 21, and you’re 25. You’re the old man, not me,” Terry replied as everyone laughed at the dramatic exchange between them. Even if Sam was struggling with everything that had happened to him, he was happy to see Terry again. He always loved the way they joked and laughed together.

“Kids, which of us is the old man, me or your uncle, Terry?” Sam knew that the kids would take his side.

Terry, however, seemed to have other plans. He took two lollipops from the front pocket of his shirt, and he handed the chocolate-flavored one to Oliver while he gave the strawberry-flavored one to Jessica.

Oliver and Jessica looked at each other for a second, then they answered in unison. “Daddy,” both Oliver and Jessica said as they giggled.

“What do you say to uncle Terry?” Sam asked, already accepting that he had lost the fight.

“Thank you,” both Lisa and Oliver thanked Terry.

Everyone settled in the backyard while waiting for Hank and Rosa to return from the grocery store. Sam realized that Terry knew nothing about what was happening or why he had visited the doctor. Still, Sam knew that eventually, everyone would know about his condition. He would have to talk to his boss and tell his mom and explain to his fellow workers why he didn’t come to work for a whole week. Even worse will be when or if he must start going to work dressed as a woman.

He knew that both his boss and the CEO were sexist. When they discover he’s become a woman, he’ll have to wear a skirt, suit, hose, and heels like all the other women. They weren’t even allowed to wear pantsuits, jeans, or ankle-length skirts. He always felt terrible for his female fellow workers for enduring such sexist people.

Yes, he was not in a much better situation, but he didn’t have to face his boss’s looks and behavior. It seems he would have to use his backup plan sooner than expected.

Hank and Rosa arrived half an hour later, joining everyone in the backyard. Before dinner, Lisa and Rosa headed to the kitchen, and Sam followed them in, but Rosa kicked him out of the kitchen.

Rosa was not a traditional woman, but she had one rule in the kitchen. As long as women are in the house, men aren’t allowed to prepare food in the kitchen.

“You know the rules, and even my special son-in-law is no exception,” Rosa said, pushing Sam out of the kitchen. Lisa just smiled, shaking her head.

“Mom, I think I should tell you this before dad and Terry, but Sam has GCS,” Lisa declared as Sam’s face turned red from embarrassment.

He always had a more androgynous face without much facial hair. He should have seen this coming, with the two small bumps forming on his chest even when he was always in shape. His wrists were becoming narrow, and he was losing weight while he developed fat deposits in other places.

Sam had been so busy lately trying to get his desired promotion and letting his boss overwork him. Sam didn’t realize any of the changes happening to his body, and he thought that losing weight was due to stress. Boy, how wrong could a guy be? Sam couldn’t believe he was becoming a woman. They always said that change was good, but he wasn’t sure about it this time.

“What’s that?” Rosa asked, looming at Sam, whose face turned even redder. “Hold on, isn’t that the disease where men become women? Is that why you guys went to the doctor today?” Rosa looked surprised. Even with his feminine looks, Sam was a manly man, a real man, nothing like these show-off guys with muscles but no brains. He was the man who made her daughter happy, and she couldn’t see him becoming a woman.

“It’s a syndrome, and yes, Sam is changing into a woman. Though that won’t change my love for him, he has some tough times ahead, and he needs everyone’s support,” Lisa stated. She wanted to support Sam as much as possible through these challenging times but needed Sam to be willing to receive the support. He always thought he would burden people with his problems to keep them to himself.

“I am sorry, Sam, I don’t know what to say,” Rosa said, taking him into a hug. For some reason, Sam couldn’t help but cry, and he couldn’t believe it. He was crying in front of his mother-in-law, but the warmth she provided was too good for him to leave.

While his mom was always kind and cared for him, he had never felt any warmth from her. His sister Julia always would cuddle him when he got nightmares, not his mom, and he knew his mom was so looking forward to another girl and was disappointed when he was born. Maybe she would treat him better as a woman. She loved him and would always call his school, outraged when the other boys bullied him, but she never provided him with this warm feeling.

“I don’t understand why I am crying,” Sam asked between his, sniffling, confused.

“It’s quite normal for women to cry, Sam. There is nothing to be worried about,” Rosa soothed, trying to help Sam calm down.

“But I’m not a woman,” Sam complained, sniffling. He was supposed to be a man and consistently strong for his wife. He was not supposed to show any weakness, yet there he was, crying on the shoulders of his mother-in-law. It was weird and humiliating, yet it felt nice. It felt good that Sam didn’t need to hide his sadness for once.

“Maybe not right now, but you have the same hormones as I running through your body. Sam, stop pushing yourself too hard. We all care about you,” Rosa assured Sam.

He was always a good guy with a hard time, yet he never gave up.

“You know, Sam. It turned out you were more of a man than most of the guys that Lisa dated before,” Rosa admitted before pulling out of the hug and looming over Sam. At 5’10”, he was shorter than Rosa, and Lisa towered over him, standing at 6’1”.

Lisa asked Rosa to tell Dad and Terry about Sam’s condition after they left the house. They would be back tomorrow and would answer their questions then. Rosa smiled and agreed it was no problem.

The rest of the day went normal, and the twins had already fallen asleep by the time Sam and Lisa left. Lisa and Sam picked them up, strapped them in their car seats, and then drove home.

Sam woke up the following day with sun rays coming from the window. He opened his eyes. When he saw the other side of the empty bed, panic suddenly hit him. Did Lisa finally leave him? She was too good for him to begin with, but it still hurt.

He sat there as tears started to form in his eyes. The bedroom door opened, and Sam looked up to see Lisa walking into the room, and she looked at Sam and smiled. “Good morning, my beautiful wife,” Lisa greeted cheerfully, teasing, making Sam roll his eyes.

There were a lot of reasons why Sam didn’t see anything positive about becoming a woman. Lisa seemed very optimistic about things, while Sam could only see the negative sides. Sam had always tried to look more manly since he was slim and not very muscular. Lisa, however, would say that he was a real man, not just a body of muscles.

“I thought you left,” Sam said with tears filling his eyes. No matter how often Lisa told him she wouldn’t leave, Sam still believed he was not good enough for Lisa. He was waiting for her to realize that and leave him. Sam knew how painful it would be, yet he would rather see Lisa happy. Sam was only worried about their kids.

Lisa looked at Sam and let out a sigh. “Why would I leave you? There’s no reason for me to leave you,” Lisa commented. Sam tried to say something, but Lisa cut him off. “I don’t want to hear the usual talk that you’re not good enough for me; I have heard enough of that, we have been married for five years, and I haven’t seen anything bad from you in those five years.”

From her tone, Sam could tell she was in no mood to argue anymore. Still, Sam was sure that Lisa was way too good for him. There was no way someone like him could stay married to this gorgeous woman, and his luck would run out at some point.

“Now the kids are waiting for their daddy to come and eat breakfast with them, so hurry up. We have a lot of things to do today. Take a shower. I will get some clothes for you,” The way Lisa said it was more like an order, and Sam couldn’t argue. He just stood up and went to take a shower.

While Sam was in the shower, Lisa moved on a mission and took out a woman’s suit that came by mistake. Previously Sam had ordered a men’s suit, but it turned out to be a woman’s pantsuit. Naturally, Sam didn’t wear it at all, even with Lisa teasing him repeatedly about it and asking him to wear it. Lisa dug out a pair of panties that she was sure would fit Sam, and then she searched through his small shoe collection. She found a pair of loafers with a slight heel, which looked like feminine shoes.

They were going to visit Dr. Hannah’s clinic, she was a gynecologist, so there will only be women there. It would be weird for Sam to go there and wear men’s clothing. Lisa took a new package of black-colored tights and a silky white camisole. She knew that Sam could quickly look like a beautiful woman. He always had these feminine looks and looked even more feminine lately. Lisa didn’t realize that because she was more concerned about his health than paying attention to any other change.

With the capri pants suit and the tights, no one will think Sam is anything other than a woman. She didn’t want to force him, but he needed to look feminine enough for what they had in plan for today. Those plans include meeting his boss and explaining why he won’t come to work for a week or so. Lisa also wanted to meet the bastard who had been stealing her husband’s work and claiming it for himself. She knew she would have to restrain herself from killing him; he had put her husband through so much. She wasn’t about to let it go, but Sam’s well-being came first.

Sam came out of the shower with a towel around his waist just as Lisa did her makeup. Lisa looked at him through the mirror and sighed. “If you wanted to cover something, you should also have covered your breasts.” It’s not like Lisa cared. They were married, and seeing each other completely naked was pretty much expected. Sam had small breasts, probably just almost a B-cup, they were firm, and for some reason, Lisa enjoyed what she was seeing. Lisa also couldn’t deny that she liked what she saw.

Sam gasped and blushed a bit, looking down at his chest, realizing they were always there. How come he didn’t see them? Sam didn’t know but was now aware of them. “Sorry, I didn’t realize it,” Sam said, stammering slightly, his face red. He tried to hide his breasts which caused the towel to drop.

Sam’s actions made Lisa laugh, and she walked up to the embarrassed and flustered Sam. With both hands, she pulled his face close to her, and before Sam knew it, they were locked in a deep passionate kiss. It didn’t take Sam a second to take part in the kiss, and it was a mutual kiss with neither of them trying to take control. While Sam always considered Lisa better than and maybe above him, Lisa saw Sam as equal.

“You know Sam, I love you. You may be the only woman I love because it’s you. You’re the same person who puts his family before everyone, even yourself. Why would I ever leave someone like you?”

When he was in University, Lisa was like a goddess no one dared to approach, countless guys asked her out on dates, yet she turned all of them down. One of them even got slapped in front of everyone. Sam was speechless, even though he still considered himself lucky.

Sam was always considered a loser but messing with him was not easy. His mom was a wealthy businesswoman, not a billionaire or anything, but she made enough money to live a fancy life with two kids. Mom taught Sam how to be independent since he was four. She wanted him to be independent enough not to need anyone. Sam had trained in countless martial arts since he was five, so bullies quickly learned to stop harassing him, fearing the consequences of their actions.

Not only could Sam defend himself, but his mom also wouldn’t just stand aside and let her son get harassed. Whenever she found out that bullies attacked Sam, she would phone the school and intimidate them, and mom scared them enough to bring the principal to his knees. With her many friends in law enforcement, there was no one stupid enough to fight her in court in any way.

By middle school, most of the bullies had either left Sam alone due to fear or thought he was just too much pain in the ass to deal with and turned to find easier targets.

Sam, however, was a nerdy kid and had no friends. Things stayed the same till university, where he had some friends. He graduated from high school a year earlier than other kids, which resulted in him graduating from university one year younger than the rest of his classmates.

Like every other guy in his class, Lisa had caught his attention, and Sam was in love. Yet, he didn’t dare ask her out until they had to work on a project together. From that moment, Sam was not a shadow for her. Something about him was different than other guys. He was not full of himself and not a mommy’s boy like she first thought he was.

It took Sam two months to gather the courage to ask Lisa out. The only thing Sam had from his mom was his brand-new car, she didn’t discriminate against him, and his sister had already received a brand-new vehicle when she was 18. Lisa found it surprising for him to have this car, knowing how independent Sam was.

After their first few dates, Lisa was sure Sam was the guy she wanted to marry. He was a real gentleman. Although shorter than her, he made her feel a sense of security with him. She’s the one who considers herself lucky to have Sam as her husband.

“You have been taking all the burden on your shoulders, and it’s only fair that I carry some of it. Please promise me, no matter what happens, don’t freak out,” Lisa said nervously. She didn’t know how Sam would react to the clothes she picked out for him. He was always a man and only thought of himself as a man.

“Why would I freak out? Do I even have the right to freak out after all the support I am getting from you?” Sam’s confidence in her put Lisa at ease, and Sam trusted her so that he would follow her blindly.
“Can you wear what’s on the bed?”

Sam looked at her, confused. He didn’t know that Lisa was talking about the pantsuit lying there. However, once he looked at the bed, he was flustered and a bit worried since he hadn’t seen this suit for a long time. Also, the items beside the pantsuit bothered him even more. Was Lisa expecting him to wear this? He hoped not.

“Hear me out first before you say anything. Sam, you look too feminine. If you wear your regular men’s clothes and we walk into a clinic full of women, you will get weird looks, but no one will suspect anything if you wear these clothes. Please, Sam, do it for me.”

Lisa was playing with his weakness, and Sam knew that. He would do anything for her; all she needed was to ask. He looked at the clothes for a second and sighed, apprehensive about this.

“Ok, but know that I will do it only for you, not because I want to. You have been very supportive, and the least I can do is listen to you.”

With that, Sam walked to the panties. He put them on, starting with panties, then with Lisa’s help, he put on the tights, followed by the Capri pants and camisole, the blouse, and the blazer jacket. He held them in his hand before letting out another sigh.

“Let me brush your hair and maybe do some makeup, alright?” Lisa suggested, unsure if she was taking this too far or not, and she didn’t want to hurt Sam or his feelings in any way.

“Fine,” Sam agreed with a sigh. He walked to the vanity table, where he sat down.

Lisa walked behind him with a hairbrush in her hand, and she started to brush Sam’s silky hair. It always confused her that Sam had beautiful hair that only needed minimum attention. When they began to date, Lisa talked Sam into letting his hair grow longer, and she always liked how his hair looked.

Sam saw that letting his hair grow was a small price to stay with Lisa, so he would happily let his hair grow over his shoulders. He would always style it in a man’s bun or a low ponytail. It always surprised him how allowing his hair to grow never bothered him, even if it made him look more feminine.

Lisa took her time brushing Sam’s golden-colored hair. Once satisfied with how it looked, Lisa started working on Sam’s makeup. Lisa used light makeup, not adding a lot of makeup, mainly highlighting Sam’s emerald green eyes. Lisa stood in front, blocking the mirror while working on Sam’s makeup, and once she finished, she stepped aside to allow Sam to take a look in the mirror.

Sam’s eyes almost popped out of his head, and he looked more feminine than expected. His emerald-colored eyes stood out and sparkled brightly, and his lips shone with Lisa’s red lipstick. Sam couldn’t believe he was the woman looking back at him from the mirror. “That’s... That’s me?” Sam asked, still unsure about that dazzling woman looking back at him.

Lisa nodded from behind, confirming that it was indeed him in the mirror and not someone else. She was a bit surprised but not as surprised as Sam. For some reason, Lisa liked how Sam looked, and she found Sam’s look very attractive and somehow sexy. Lisa had never looked at any woman that way before, only Sam.

“I look......” Sam tried to speak but couldn’t find the words to describe what he saw in front of him. He could have never seen this coming. He was becoming a woman, and Lisa was not just being ok with it; she seemed to enjoy it as much as he at being a woman now.

“Attractive, stunning, gorgeous? You make a beautiful woman,” Lisa commented, causing Sam to blush. He couldn’t deny that Lisa was right. “Now, I think it’s time to go down and eat breakfast. We have two hungry mouths to feed,” Lisa joked as Sam smiled.

“Kids, time for breakfast,” Lisa called and soon could hear the sound of two pairs of feet running to the kitchen. Lisa handed him the shoes she had picked, and both headed downstairs. When Sam and Lisa walked downstairs, Oliver and Jessica were sitting in front of the TV watching morning cartoons. As they all sat down to eat breakfast like a family every morning, the kids didn’t seem to notice any difference and ignored Sam’s appearance.

“Alright, kids, today you will stay with grandma and grandpa. We have something to do today, so we will pick you up tomorrow. Don’t misbehave, ok?” Lisa instructed. “Yes, mommy,” the twins replied, making Lisa smile. With breakfast done, they all walked out to Sam’s car. They started to drive to her parent’s house, and Sam was very nervous, feeling he couldn’t face Hank looking like this.

Once in front of their house, Lisa parked the car. Sam was just too nervous about driving, so he let Lisa drive. Sensing Sam’s nervousness, Lisa put her hand on his thigh to calm him down. “Don’t worry, Sam, everything will be alright. Mom had already told dad and Terry about your condition last night,” Lisa explained to Sam, who couldn’t help but still be nervous.

They got out of the car and helped the twins out of their seats. They walked to the front door, and Lisa knocked on the door. With Sam’s luck, the one who opened was Hank himself. “Grandpa,” the twins squealed, running to their grandpa, who held them in his arms.

“Little monkeys,” Hank exclaimed, hugging his grandchildren. He was surprised when he saw Sam but decided not to show it. Rosa told him everything yesterday, and Hank just felt bad for Sam.

“Why don’t you guys come inside? We could have a cup of coffee together before you leave,” Hank suggested trying to look as normal as possible. He wanted to show Sam that everything would be as it used to be and that nothing would change.

“Thanks, Dad, but we are in a hurry right now,” Lisa explained.

They walked inside the house to greet Rosa before leaving. Once inside the house, Hank put his hand on Sam’s shoulder, causing Sam to look at him nervously. “Listen, Sam, I want to clarify that we will always be your family. Even if you were not my biological son, you know you can always consider me as your father. Our relationship will never change,” Hank explained, much to Sam’s relief.

“Thank you, Mr. Barker, it means a lot to me,” Sam said, struggling to find his tears. He was feeling a lot better with Hank on his side.

“Stop it with Mr. Barker already. You have been married to my daughter for five years,” Hank said with a smile. He was shocked when Rosa broke the news to him yesterday, but since he saw Sam as part of his family, he vowed to support Sam as much as possible.

“I will try my best, sir,” Sam replied, making Hank roll his eyes. With the conversation over, Sam walked to greet Rosa, and he knew where to find her. After all, she was a chef and owned a restaurant. She doesn’t work there anymore, but her cooking was an art, and she always loved cooking in her kitchen.

When Rosa saw Sam, her eyes grew wide, but a soft smile spread. “Sam, honey, you look fabulous. The clothes suit you very well,” Rosa commented, making Sam blush and mouth a thank you. “Do you guys have to go right away? I just finished baking a cake.” Rosa asked, turning to Lisa.

“Unfortunately, we have to go right now, we will be at home for a week, so I am sure we will have more chances to sit together,” Lisa replied, seeing that Rosa was disappointed. After saying goodbye and reminding the twins to be on their best behavior, Lisa and Sam left for the car. “Have you called your mom? She will be worried about you,” Lisa asked as they got in the car and started driving.

“No, I didn’t want to bother her. I am sure she has a lot to do and doesn’t have time to worry about me,” replied Sam. The last person he wanted to look weak in front of was his mom. Sam knew she had raised him to be a strong and independent man, and he didn’t want to disappoint her. Sam couldn’t let his mom see him as weak. “I only called Julia, and she will tell mom... Eventually.”

Lisa sighed and decided not to comment on this topic. She knew that Sam’s mom worried about him all the time. Though his mom never called Sam directly, she called Lisa weekly to check her son’s health. Sam’s mom was part of Lisa’s plan to take care of Sam’s boss, as his mom would never allow anyone to treat her son like a servant.

Myranda was in her office doing her work and running her company like any other day. Though every day, her thoughts were about her son, Sam. The tests told her that she would be waiting for a girl before Sam was born when he was born. Everybody thought she was disappointed, but she wasn’t.

The first thought that came through her mind was that this child was so pretty, too pretty for this harsh, cruel world. Myranda vowed to make him resilient and independent so that no one could break him. Yet, no matter what she did, the soft, tender, and sweet boy never changed.

Still, Myranda had achieved her goal, and Sam was tough enough to take on the world. She had to admit that one person in her life scared her for a while: Lisa. When Sam first introduced Lisa to her, Myranda could tell that he loved her but was worried that Lisa might be playing Sam and not loving him. At least, that’s what she thought at first.

Myranda had to admit that she felt jealous for a moment. To think that someone would come and steal her child from her didn’t sit right with her at first. But seeing how happy Sam was with her, she really couldn’t help but take a liking to Lisa. It turned out that Lisa loved Sam as much as he loved her.

It had been a week since she had last called Lisa. They had been planning on taking Sam’s boss down. Myranda would show him what it meant to mess with her son, and she wouldn’t let him get away with it. She wanted to call and talk to her son so badly but couldn’t. Myranda couldn’t ruin what was built over the years, no. She tried to keep Sam resilient and independent while she helped and supported him from the background.

She heard a knock on the door, and a second later, the door opened, and someone entered. Only one person in this company could enter her office without permission, her daughter Julia, head of the sales department. It wasn’t because she was her daughter. No, it was because she earned it. She knew her son’s qualifications very well. If Sam had applied to work here, he would have found himself in a similar position.

“Mom, did you call Sam?” Julia asked, taking a seat in front of her mom’s desk. Being a 29-year-old, Julia was four years older than Sam. She would call Sam Angel throughout his childhood and teenage years since he was an angel and never a troublemaker.

“No, why would I do that? He’s an independent and great man. He does not need me to call him,” Myranda said, using her mask, already exposed to Julia.

Julia knew that, under this strict cold mask, is an overprotective and loving mother who would do anything to protect her son. Julia knew how often their mother would run to Sam’s room when he was having a nightmare, only to stop just at the doorstep of his room. She knew that Myranda’s heart always tore apart whenever she heard Sam cry but had to stop herself from hugging and comforting him. It was upsetting for her to play the role of Sam’s father while leaving Julia to play the mothering role. But a boy needed a father to become strong.

“Sam is going to the hospital today; don’t you at least want to see him?” Julia broke the news to Myranda, who immediately started to panic. Julia could see the panicked look on her mom’s face. She wasn’t surprised she knew how much Myranda worried about Sam.

In her panicked state, Myranda immediately started asking a slew of questions. Is he ok? Why is Sam going to the hospital? Is he in any danger? Did Sam get in an accident? To which hospital will he be going? Can we see him?

Julia found it amusing how her mom could try to hide her worries about Sam, but she would start to freak out once anything happened to Sam. She could never handle the sight of Sam getting hurt.

“His life is not in danger, from what I heard.” Julia could see the relief on her mom’s face. “But he needs all the support he can get. Sam was diagnosed with GCS. I am sure you have heard of it, Gender Change Syndrome,” Julia explained.

Julia was shocked to hear this from Sam. She knew he told her not to tell their mom, but Julia felt she had to. Julia understood Sam’s reasoning, but she also knew that Myranda cared about him more than anything else in her world and would never forgive Julia if she didn’t tell her about Sam’s GCS. What Julia didn’t realize, Sam hoped she would tell mom all about it for him.

“You mean that Sam is…...” Myranda tried to find the right word, but she couldn’t. Myranda understood Sam’s condition, but it was an overwhelming shock for her. Her lovely son was changing into a girl.
“To make it simple, Sam is a woman already, physically, biologically, probably even mentally,” Julia explained, leaving her mom feeling guilty and mad at herself.

She shouldn’t have kept her son away; now he needed her more than ever, but she was unsure if he would ever accept her support.

“Where’s the Hospital? No, never mind that. If you know where it is, let’s go right now,” Myranda said, collecting her things in a rush, slipping on her heels which she had kicked under the desk, and putting her coat on.

“Mom, slow down and stay calm. Sam still has to finish something at work. Afterward, he will go to the hospital. We don’t have to leave right now. We only need to go in thirty minutes,” Julia said, trying to calm her mom down.

“No, I have pushed Sam away for long enough. Even if I go two hours early, I don’t care,” Myranda admitted walking towards her office door.

“Fine, just wait for me to get my things,” Julia said, standing up and following her mom.

Once outside her office, Myranda informed her assistant of her leave. She walked to the elevator with Julia just behind her. Julia went into her office, telling her assistant of her departure and collecting her stuff before following her mom to the company’s parking lot. Inside their cars, both kicked their heels to drive better and started to go, with Myranda following Julia closely.

•••••••••••••

Lisa drove the car heading to the Forrestal corporation, where Sam worked. Sam’s mind was elsewhere, and he was freaking out on the inside. Sam would show up to work dressed as a woman and couldn’t believe it was happening. Sam, however, was ready to start his plan, but until then, he would have to play by the rules.

“Please stick to our agreement and try not to kill anyone, especially you know who,” Sam joked, looking at Lisa. It was his way of coping with everything that was going on. It was also something Lisa liked. He could make anyone smile, even at their most depressing moment.

“Oh, but I didn’t agree to that, though. I agreed to try not to,” Lisa replied to his joke. She could tell from his quip how nervous and honestly terrified he was, yet he didn’t show it. Sam effectively hid his fear and nervousness. Lisa knew him so very well that she knew how scared he was.

“Sam, I know it’s scary, but let me clarify: I have your back, one hundred percent. For years you always showed that you could protect me and our house. Now it’s my turn to return the favor,” Lisa said, looking ahead of her. She wanted to look Sam in the eyes as she said that but kept her eyes on the road.

“Lisa, you’re the only person I can trust in this world,” Sam admitted with a sigh. “If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t dress like this for them,” Sam said, pointing to his outfit. It felt weird not seeing a bulge in his crotch; even the suit pants were feminine, yet it felt comfortable, and he didn’t have a problem. Looking at his legs covered in black tights, he couldn’t help but see that they were unmistakably feminine. “My problem is with other people, not you.”

They arrived at the Forrestal corporation, and Sam showed Lisa where to park the car. Then with shaky legs, Sam left the car with Lisa beside him.

“Take this,” Lisa said, surprising Sam and handing him a black leather handbag. Sam took the bag and looked at it in confusion. “I took the initiative to collect all your belongings, including your phone, the medical papers, and a couple of other things that you might need,” Lisa explained. She knew that Sam already had enough on his mind and couldn’t take care of all the details, so she ensured nothing was missing.

“Thanks, I don’t even know how I keep forgetting everything,” Sam said, blushing while taking the bag from Lisa. He hung the bag on his shoulder as they made their way into the building.

Sam and Lisa walked towards the lobby elevator. Other people were already waiting; some were in the elevator when the door opened. Sam could feel the looks of a male colleague on his back but tried his best to ignore it. Once the elevator stopped at the 13th floor of the company, both Sam and Lisa left the car.

Sam made his way through the offices, not daring to go to his office while Lisa was with him. If Lisa saw the surprises left on his desk every day, he was sure someone would catch hell for it. Instead, Sam went straight to his boss’s office with Lisa behind him. A Hispanic woman in her early twenties sat directly outside the office, wearing a red skirt suit, with her jacket and coat hung beside her.

“Morning, Lora,” Sam greeted her, walking to her desk. “Is ‘he who must not be named’ inside?” Sam asked, referring to his boss. Everyone in the department referred to him in this way. Women, especially, developed an intense disliking of him due to his harassment. However, no one liked him for being such an asshole.

Lora looked up from her computer with a smile, then her jaw dropped, and her eyes almost popped out of her head. She had to pinch herself to ensure she saw what was in front of her. Lora immediately knew that the stunning woman in front of her was Sam. Even if Sam looked feminine and beautiful, as she knew him, he was a married guy, and she often heard him talk about his wife and kids.

“Sam? Is that you?” Lora asked, trying to ensure it was real and not some weird dream.

Sam blushed hard but nodded, it was embarrassing for him to wear clothes like this, but there was no running away from it.

“Yes, Lora, it’s me, listen. I don’t have time to explain. It’s a long story. Let’s say I will live as a woman from now on, and it’s not my choice. That’s why I need to see, ‘he who must not be named,’ is he, inside or not?” Sam stood there shaking as Lisa reached to hold his hand reassuringly
.
Lora let out a giggle which caused Lisa to raise an eyebrow, clearly thinking that Lora was making fun of Sam.

“Yes, ‘he who must not be named’ is inside, and let me say you look stunning, just let me inform him, and I will let you in,” Lora explained, giving her boss a call and telling him that Sam wanted to see him. “By the way, Mrs. Walter is inside now. It’s your chance to say what needs to be said,” Lora hinted to Sam, who understood immediately.

“Thanks, Lora, but not now, another time maybe,” Sam replied as Lora gave him a polite smile. “Oh, I forgot to introduce my wife. Sorry, I am all over the place today. Say hello to Lisa, my wife, and this is Lora. She’s he who must not be named assistant, and the one who suffers the most,” Sam said, whispering the last part. Still, Lora heard it and couldn’t help but smile.

Lisa couldn’t help but realize how neither Sam nor Lora had mentioned their boss’s name the whole time. From their tone, it seemed they had a deep dislike for him. It was another reason for Lisa to strangle him to death.

With that, both Sam and Lisa turned to the office. Sam’s hand wavered as he raised his arm to knock on the door. A second later, a female voice told them to come in. Much to Lisa’s surprise, Sam opened the door and went in.

Once in the office, Lisa was surprised to see a lady in her early thirties sitting behind the desk while Lisa was expecting to see a man. She looked at Sam and gave him a kind smile. “Jake, honey, why don’t you stop the foot massage and get up,” the lady calmly said.

A man stood up from underneath the desk, looking embarrassed and frustrated. Jake was short, with a slightly feminine face but a muscular body.

“So, Sam, I read your Email, honey. My lazy husband hasn’t bothered reading his Emails. Please accept my apology for that,” the lady informed Sam, making him smile.

While Lisa was shocked by what she saw, Sam smiled and grinned. He thought, “It serves you right, you damn pervert.”

“No need to apologize, Mrs. Walter,” Sam replied, regaining his composure. “By the way, this is my wife Lisa, the one I told you about before,” Sam introduced as both Lisa and Mrs. Walter shook hands ignoring Sam’s boss as if he wasn’t there.

“Well, I read your Email, my dear. My husband won’t mind giving you a couple of weeks off as paid medical leave. Isn’t that right, honey?” Mrs. Walter said in a calm but very authoritative tone. She was one of the largest shareholders in the company and had far more authority than her husband.

“But, honey... Ahhhh.” He tried to object, but Mrs. Walter cut him short by tightly squeezing his balls in her hand behind her desk. Of course, Sam and Lisa couldn’t see what was happening behind the desk, but they didn’t care that much.

“Isn’t that right, honey?” Mrs. Walter asked, clearly not happy with his answer again while holding her husband tightly.

“Yes, honey, I am sure I can,” he said, blushing hard. He couldn’t believe he was being humiliated in front of Sam. He knew he would do anything his wife told him. Still, being humiliated in front of these underlings who worked for him, especially Sam, was horrible. He couldn’t even look at Sam since Sam’s beauty aroused him. Jake knew Sam was now a hot woman, and he would be looking for some private time when his wife was not around to toy with Sam.

Mrs. Walter took a pen and a checkbook. A second later, she handed Sam a check for a thousand dollars. Sam stared at it and then back at Mrs. Walter, who smiled.

“You make a stunning lady, Sam. Consider this token my gift to you, so you can start building your wardrobe. Since the man who runs this company is as stingy as ever, I doubt he would give you more than your salary, but at least I can guarantee your salary,” Mrs. Walter informed Sam, who was still confused.

Was he supposed to use a thousand dollars on clothes? Sam would never spend this much money shopping for clothes. This amount of cash was insane for its purpose. At least, that’s what Sam thought. Still, knowing Mrs. Walter, he knew better to thank her and be done with it. He knew she wouldn’t accept the money back.

“Thank you, Mrs. Walter,” Sam said before putting the check in the handbag on his shoulder. He then took out the paper he received from the doctor and handed it to Mrs. Walter.

“If you don’t mind me visiting you in the hospital, I would be grateful. I can also visit you once you are home.” Mrs. Walter inquired in a calm tone.

Mrs. Walter also liked Sam’s modest personality. She knew Sam as a pleasant and hardworking man, one of the finest minds in the company. She knew the company should invest more in people like Sam, but that stingy CEO looked at things differently. He never claimed it for himself, no matter what Sam’s team achieved. Instead, Sam gave credit to his team, even if he completed most of the job alone.

Sam was about to speak and tell Mrs. Walter that she didn’t need to do that, but Lisa replied first, not giving him a chance.

“Of course, that would be great, Mrs. Walter. We will be in the Angel of Mercy Hospital. If you would like, I could text you the room number once they admit Sam,” said Lisa, not giving Sam a chance to refuse. She was eager to add others to her plan, and from how Mrs. Walter had been so dismissive of her husband, Lisa could see that Mrs. Walter would be a valuable asset to help her reach her goal.
Sam and Lisa walked out of the office, and Sam was very calm. Both Lisa and Mrs. Walter had exchanged numbers.

“That went well, much better than I expected,” Sam admitted with a sigh of relief. Then he remembered the check Mrs. Walter had given him.

“What am I supposed to do with a thousand dollars? Isn’t that too much for shopping?”

Lisa couldn’t help but laugh as Sam took the driver’s seat this time.

“Oh, my beautiful wife, you know nothing about women’s shopping,” Lisa teased, making Sam blush. She couldn’t help but reach to give Sam a kiss, who took part almost immediately.

“So, I will be out cold for the rest of the day, huh?” Sam commented, starting the car.

He was driving to the hospital to take a booster shot, especially for GCS patients. This shot was designed to help Sam’s body change quicker, with less pain, but would leave him unconscious for at least 12 hours. Sam would be discharged from the hospital once he regained consciousness and the lab ran the necessary tests. He would then stay home for at least a week to recover his health and rest.

“Don’t worry, Sam, I won’t leave you for a second,” Lisa said, massaging his thigh.