How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl
By 
Rebecca Coleman

Note to reader: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday Evening in the “Benton Evening Post” the story focuses on the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Anderson as she strides to adopted to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hills and the delta. The story chronicles her life as she tries to figure out what direction she wants to take her life.

-2-
Being Discovered

Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day. And in the south we don't skip on breakfast. And as I entered the kitchen I felt a little smile forming on my lips. And I loved cooking because it made me feel so feminine, also I loved the praise that came from cooking a good home style meal. Breakfast is also one of the simpler meals one can prepare. So as I entered the darkened kitchen and flipped the light switch I tried to focus my mind on the task at hand.

Whistling the opening theme to Pretty Celestial Soldiers, I walked over and took down on the apron's aunt Flora had laying around. This apron happened to be pink and was trimmed with lace. I felt a little smile crossing my lips as I wrapped the apron around my thin frame and tied the strings in a bow behind my back. With that done I started to tackle the task of cooking.

First order of business, place the skillet on the stove, turn the eye on four, and wait till the skillet is warm to the touch. While the skillet is heating up, go to the fridge, get two rolls of pork sausage out, get a knife and with the blade skills of a ninja slice the roll of sausage into ten perfectly round disks, around a half of an inch thick. Remove wrapper and then toss sausage into skillet and wait for it to start sizzling. 

As I  cooked I started to whistle the opening theme of Pretty Celestial Soldier, I started to move my hips a little. I nodded my head too, and started to twirl around. I twirled toward the fridge, pulled open the fridge door, reached in, pulled out an egg carton, set it on the table, bent down, pulled out another skillet from the stove, set it, dialed the eye to four and started to heat it up. I twirled again toward the coffee maker, and soon the smell of freshly brewing coffee filled the kitchen along with the smell of sausage frying.

I was so wrapped up in all of this, that I did not hear the door to the kitchen open nor did I hear my front door being pushed open. It was only when my aunt said,

“Wow... So Emil has a girlfriend?..” 

I blinked and spun around and there in the doorway stood my aunt. She was leaning against the door frame and her eyes seemed to sparkle with mischief. She looked tired though, and I could tell from the rings around her eyes it had been a hard night on the cutting room floor.

“So. I'm going to be blunt here. Did you cash in his v-card last night? Is that why you're prancing around my kitchen at four o' clock in the morning cooking breakfast? Or was last night your first time too?” She said as she walked over to the drainboard. She quickly fetched one of the bone white china mugs from the side and without waiting for an answer she poured herself a cup of strong coffee. She raised the mug to her lips and took a sip.

“Good coffee.” She said as she smiled at me. “So, what is your name?” She said as she walked over and eased herself down into one of the chairs that surrounded the kitchen table. She smiled a little and then leaned over.

I blinked and blinked again.

“Aunt..” I said blushing as I walked over and flipped the sausage. The sausage patties made a sizzling sound as the perfectly brown side was flipped over and the uncooked pink side was placed in the hot surface of the skillet.

“Aunt, that's a strange name, young lady.” She said, smirking a little. “But then again who am I to know what is cool and hip these days. So, how did you meet my nephew Emil?” She asked as she took another sip of her coffee. She arched her eyebrow and grinned. The look she was giving me kind of reminded me of a cat that had cornered a mouse and was now just toying with it before deciding to finish it off. 

I blushed and looked around the kitchen. Unsure what to do, I cracked a half dozen eggs in the skillet and started to stir them, quickly I added salt and pepper. Aunt Flora who was now on her second cup of coffee only walked over, peered over my shoulder and into the skillet.

“Add a few more eggs honey, unless you don't plan on eating. Emil can eat like a Sumo wrestler and I'm famished. So lay them on honey bunches.” She said grinning as she turned toward the table. “Unless you are Emil.. then in that case I'm sure I'm going to be enlightened as to why my nephew is wearing an extra large Pretty Celestial Soldier shirt, and booty shorts, and has his hair in pigtails.” She said smiling. “If that the case, then I want to know if my nephew might really be my niece and if that the case what her name might be.” She said as she eased down at the table and turned toward me.

“I..” I blinked and quickly finished scrambling the eggs, I then flipped the sausage and rushed over to get the toast in the oven. Aunt Flora just giggled as she watched me rush around the kitchen like a chicken whose head had just been removed by the kitchen cleaver. 

“Lord, what fools these mortals be!” Aunt Flora said after a moment of watching me stumble around the kitchen holding a loaf of brown bread and a tray of butter. “A simple question requires a simple answer. And yet, you act like I asked you the meaning of life or to carry the ring into Mordor.” Aunt Flora said as she rolled her eyes.

“Emily!” I said blushing it was the first thing that popped into my mind. “Emily Hannah Anderson!” I blurted out. It was the name I'd given my female avatar on “Happy Animal Village” , a slice of life game where you moved into a town populated by well talking animals. The game was simple, but the gameplay was addictive. I mean all you did was dig for fossils, fish for fish to sell, plant fruit trees, play the in-game stock market.. really that all, but there was something addictive to it, it was also a huge drain on my free time.

“Okay.” Aunt Flora said smiling. “Emily.. I want you to know your eggs are burning.” She said, smirking a little as she watched me stumble around the kitchen. “Also sit down girl before you hurt yourself.. I'm not mad Just amused.” She said grinning. “I mean this is the last thing I expected  to find this morning.” She then stood up and placed a hand upon my shoulder and then gently guided me toward the table, she pulled out a chair and gently pushed me down.

“Hot Chocolate?” She said smiling. “Or would you like your normal glass of chocolate milk?” She said as she flipped the sausage again and cut the fire that was burning under them off. She did the same with the eggs and then without skipping a beat she  butter the bread that I was too flustered to butter and put it into the toaster.

“Hot chocolate?” I said blinking.

“Coming right up princess.” Aunt Flora said, smiling a little as she set about making the hot chocolate. I felt my cheeks flush red when I heard my Aunt call me 'princess' now I know most mothers often call their daughters princess among other things. But that was the first time somebody had and it made me feel emotions I'd never expected to fell.

-3-
Jack the Paperboy

Normally I'm the one to fix Aunt Flora's plate in the morning. I normally fix her plate while she reads the morning paper. But the paper boy was running late that morning. Instead she fixed my plate, and she and I were about to settle down when the doorbell chimed. Aunt Flora just looked at me and smiled a little as she leaned back in her chair. 

“Mind fetching the paper for me Em?” She said grinning. 

“Dressed like this?!” I said blushing a little as I peered across the table at Aunt Flora. Who only shrugged her shoulders. 

“I don't see a problem with how you're dressed. I mean right now you look like a teenage girl who just binged watched her favorite anime in one night. Plus, you don't need to shave right now, if you did I won't be sending you out to fetch the paper. Your hair needs washing and brushing out though. And you need to take a bath. Jesus girl you smell like Orc.” Aunt Flora said as she cocked her head sideways.

“How do Orcs smell anyway?” I asked as I stood up and started toward the front door. My heart was pounding in my chest and I could feel each and every pulse surging through me. My hands started to tremble a few seconds later when I was opening the door and there in the doorway stood a boy, it was not the old guy who used to deliver our paper. 

The boy was around my age, had jet black hair, was as slender as a willow branch, had green eyes, that kind of reminded me of the eyes of a cat. And had this smell that seemed to hang around him. The smell kind of reminded me of how that one weird store called Gothic Topic, the one that had those spiked collars and bracelets, those black leather gloves and trench coats, and those adorable mini skirts that kind of looked like Catholic Schoolgirl skirts but only shorter.

And the smell, well, to put it into a bucket it kind of smelled like, fake leather, teenage anger, angst, with a hint of desperation added in for flavor with a hard edge of self-loathing. Yes, that kind of smell and for some reason smelling that gave me goose-pimples. The fact he was wearing enough eyeliner to do any Goth proud really made me shiver for some reason.

“Hey.” He said as he blew a strand of jet black hair from his eyes. “Here is your paper.” He said holding the paper out to me. With trembling hands I reached out and took the paper from him. I wanted to say something, something cool? Something flirty? Something romantic?
“Oh thanks.” I said, trembling as I reached over and took the paper from him. He nodded his head, turned around. I could see the outline of his butt in his tight black jeans. And the outline of his shoulders and his slim chest through the paper thin shirt he was wearing. He nodded his head.

“See you around then?” He said reaching up and removing a few strands of jet black hair from his eyes.

“Sure..” I said as I closed the door. As soon as I closed the door I dropped down to the ground and took a deep breath as I peered toward the starry heavens. I swallowed hard and then I buried my face into my shirt and a second later I squealed! 

A few seconds later my aunt popped her head from around the corner and peered at me. She just blinked and blinked again. A look of slight worry and amusement appeared across her face as she noticed me, sitting on the wooden floor of the doorway, squealing like a piglet and blushing up a storm. Slowly she pulled her head back into the kitchen.

“OH MY GOD! He was ADORABLE!” I bellowed at the top of my lungs.

“Glad to hear it princess. Now come get your breakfast before it gets cold!” Aunt Flora called out.

“But I bet he thinks I'm a total dork! Really! A Pretty Celestial Soldier t-shirt! And a pair of booty shorts and pigtails!” I groaned. “Talk about making a good first impression! Thanks a lot Aunt Flora!” I shouted as I picked myself off the floor.

“Well next time, come to the door wearing some spicy lingerie! And also remember you still not too big to go over my lap young lady! Don't make me say your full name..” Aunt Flora called from the kitchen. 

“What?” I said picking myself off the ground. 

“EMILY HANNAH ANDERSON!” Aunt Flora called out. 

I froze and blinked. So that's what she meant by calling out my full name I felt myself starting to shutter a little as I bolted toward the kitchen. A few seconds later, I was sitting across from Aunt Flora looking as meek and mild as a scolded child.

“Oh this is going to be fun.” Aunt Flora said smiling. “This is going to be fun.

How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

Note to readers: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday Evening in the “Benton Evening Post” the story focuses on the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Hannah Anderson as she strives to adapt to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hills and the delta. The story chronicles her life as she tries to figure out what direction she wants to take.

-3-
Brass Tacks and Summer Bucket List

After my little outburst things seemed to settle down a little. Aunt Flora though kept looking at me, finally halfway through our meal she cleared her throat. The sound caught me off guard and caused me to look up from my plate of scrambled eggs and toast. I noticed Aunt Flora was kind of looking dead at me, like she was waiting for me to explain something.

“So, before I settle down for my post work nap. I want to know something. I want to know what is going on. Now, before we go on. I promise you I'm not mad or upset with you. I promise you I'm not going to send you away to those summer camps that promote conversion therapy. I'm not going to ship you off to military school and I'm not going to demand you get a haircut. I just want to know, joking aside, what to do with the get-up.” Aunt Flora said as she peered toward me.

“I don't know..” I said blushing a little. “I mean, sometimes I enjoy sleeping with my hair in pigtails. I mean since I started growing it out, I noticed I could and can do different things with my hair and I like playing around with it. And well my favorite heroine always wears her hair in pigtails. So I wanted to see how they looked on me , and I kind of liked that so I started sleeping with them..”

Aunt Flora nodded her head as she forked her eggs and nibbled on her toast.

“What concerns me right now is your emotional and mental state. You just lost your mother. Your older sister and older brother kind of stayed away. And while I did the best I could, I know there were days when it was just you and her and most of the housework, like cleaning and stuff fell on your shoulders. I also know that your grades dropped. Like really dropped. You flunked your Freshman year. At no fault of your own. The teachers and staff at your old school just failed to understand what you were going through. I mean shit your mom was dying in front of you..” Aunt Flora said softly.

“I guess.. I have been kind of withdrawn since the funeral.” I said, taking a deep breath. “Sometimes I want to escape into a world that is like an anime cause nobody seems to get sick in anime, nobody dies, people go on magical adventures and have fun.” I don't know where those words came from. They just seemed to bubble up like spring water from deep inside me.

“You know, you can still go on adventures, still have friends, and still be you? But the question remains, who's going on these adventures. Is it going to be Emily? Or Emil?”

“I don't know. Before mom got sick, I mean really sick, before the cancer started eating away at her soul and before the chemotherapy left her like a zombie. We used to play Monster and Maze all the time. It was fun cause mom really liked to piece together a really good story!” I said blushing.
“Your mother always wanted to become a full time writer. When we were little girls, we use to play Monster and Maze all the time. She was a big time fan of 'The Legend of' series. That back when it was kind of dorky for girls to play video games. Before the internet made it cool.” Aunt Flora paused and looked down at her eggs. “Your mom was a special woman.. and I know she would love you no matter what..”

“I asked my mom if I could make a girl character for one of our games once. And she was unsure at first, but after I begged her she kind of caved in and helped me. It was fun.. in our games of Monster and Maze's we were a mother and daughter pair adventures.” I said biting down upon my lip. “I guess that's when I started to think of myself as a girl.”

Aunt Flora nodded her head.

“Like I said, I can totally get behind this. I mean Eowyn kind of crossdressed by putting on armor and riding off to war. But like I get it, I do. Eowyn wanted to be included and she wanted to share the dangers of the fight with those who she cared for. So like, maybe I'm wrong but I see a little Eowyn in you. Or maybe I'm just dated and maybe a woman who puts on armor and rides off with six thousand of her countrymen and slays a witch king is not cool anymore. I mean I have no idea what you kids are into these days!”

I blinked and blinked again.

“Anyway I ramble. So today was kind of the first day of summer break. And since you're not going back to public school, you'll be repeating your Freshman year at St. Clare's Catholic School. Anyway depending on how this works out. I guess you might be attending St. Clare's as Emily instead of Emil. And if that's the case I need to get up with one of the sisters about changing your name. Should be an easy fix, just tell them that some careless hand forgot to add the 'y' at the end of your name.” Aunt Flora shrugged her shoulders.

“Oh....” I said blinking.

“So before I brush my teeth and lay down for an after work nap. I have a question. What would like to do this summer? I mean yes you can stay inside and watch anime and read manga all day and night. But I'm not going to have that. So.. I need ideas, unless you want me to fill in your free time for you.” Aunt Flora said, grinning as she leaned back in her chair.

“How about the beach?” I asked. “I would love to wear a bikini for once and play in the surf and the sand!” I said getting a little starry eyed.

Aunt Flora just shook her head.

“Not this year I'm afraid. But I'll tell you what I'll split the difference with you. How about we spend all day at a waterpark, you'll be surrounded by kids your own age. It's closer, and we can buy you a bikini there... for reasons of modestly!”

“Okay.. and there is an anime convention being held in Jackson too. I kind of want to go too. The voice actress of Miyuki Todorohi is going to be there! And I so want to meet here! Plus they're going to be like a mock J-Idol competition where you get to perform in front of a crowd!” I said nearly jumping out of my seat.
“Sounds fun.” Aunt Flora said smiling. “Sure we can do that, It's been ages since I've attended a convention though. I mean I was going to attend a CoastCon a few years ago  but Covid shut it down and life got in the way of things. But now that Covid is almost over, and life is settling back down. I think I would like to get back into the swing of things. Plus, it might be fun attending an anime convention with my niece.” She paused. “Though I really don't understand the whole 'Anime' thing I'm not going to knock it.”

“Really!” I said nearly jumping out of my seat.

“Okay, water park and anime convention. Got it. Next thing is to decide who will attend these events. Emil or Emily?” She said, helping herself to another cup of coffee.

“EMILY!” I said without thinking.

“That was quick. Okay then, then Em and I need to go to the mall soon and get her some new clothes. Also I need to start writing 'Emily' on top of your chore list instead of 'Emil'.

I blinked and blinked again and slowly I started to smile a little. It was the first time I smiled in ages. Maybe getting discovered was not a bad thing. Maybe this was the start of something wonderful. Maybe this indeed was the start of something wonderful.

-4-
A different point of View
(Aunt Flora point of View)

Well, I just got the shock of my life. I came home and found my nephew, now I think my niece dressed like she just crawled out of bed. Well I'm sure she has been up for at least twelve or fourteen hours at this point, watching those Japanese cartoons that she loves to watch. I sometimes wonder why so many young people seemed so enthralled with them?

Anyway, when I first walked in, I thought my sister had risen from the family plot and had taken on the form of her fourteen year old self. I mean Emil, no! Emily was the splitting image of her late mother, my sister, same brunette hair, same heart shaped face, same curving body, same sparkling eyes. I gotta quit thinking of her as Emil, because clearly it's Emily! Lord, I'm so confused right now. But I'm okay with being confused because for the first time in about a year I saw Emil, there I go again! Emily smiled. When I walked into the kitchen I saw a young teenage girl full of life, she was whistling and doing a little dance too. It was super adorable! And goodness those pigtails were adorable too!

What worries me is what the future will hold for my Emily.. I mean the teenage years are always stormy. And a few don't make it through the storm. She already had to bury her mother, and well, she held a lot of her grief in through the whole thing. Her brother was no help and her older sister, God she just kept checking her phone through the whole thing! God what thankless children my sister raised! Maybe I'm being too hard on them. But at least they could have shown some measure of decorum!

None of them even bothered to hug Emil! I mean EMILY! I swear I will get it right one day! None of them even bothered to introduce her to their friends. Everybody just overlooked her, standing beside the open casket holding her late mothers hand as she fought back the tears. Emily is the bravest, sweetest girl I know and if I could I would lasso the Moon and all the stars for her.
I know life is not going to be easy for her. Hell I don't even know if I can enroll her in Saint Clare's Catholic School now? And her mother's will is made out to Emil Anderson, not Emily Anderson.. so she is going to be dealing with her dead name for at least four years. This is going to be a fine kettle of fish, I mean I could always ask her to hold off being Emily in public till she turns eighteen and becomes a legal adult. But that would imply that I'm ashamed of her! And I'm not in the least bit ashamed of her!

No, I won't do that! I refuse to! Because I'm not ashamed of her. We'll just deal with each problem as it comes up. I have connections, I'll use those connections. I will use those connections to make sure nothing will ever happen to my Emily..

How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

note to readers: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday Evening in the “Benton Evening Post” the story focuses on the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Anderson as she strides to adopted to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hill and the delta. The story chronicles her life as she tries to figure out what direction she wants to take her life.

Note from Sunflower: First allow me to express what mere words will never fully express. My deepest and most heartfelt gratitude toward each reader who stuck with me this far. I hope you will stick with me till the end. I don't know where this story came from. It's not in my notebook, nor has it been outlined like the rest of my stories have. . I guess it sprung from the soul. I wish I could embrace each person who has left a comment or a kudos because that keeps me going.

-5-
The Paper Delivery Boy wants a cup of Sugar.

The next few days were very uneventful. Aunt Flora started calling me 'Em' in casual conversation and 'Emily' if she wanted to get my attention and if I was walking on thin ice she would say 'Emily Hannah' and if I'd really messed up she would call out my full name 'Emily Hannah Anderson' but she only did that once and that was the first day she discovered me dressed as a girl. Most of the time though 'Emily Hannah' was enough for me to straighten up and fly straight.

But one thing did change, the name on my chore list was no longer Emil Anderson, instead printed in big bold letters across the sheet was the name 'Emily H. Anderson' you see Aunt Flora had this weird system of allowance. Each week she would write up a chore sheet, and beside each chore she would write a little amount of money beside each one. For example, if I swept and mopped the kitchen Aunt Flora would reward me with two dollars. Mowing our small yard would fetch fifteen dollars. Cleaning each window would net one net fifty cents per window. Mop and sweep the whole house.. fifteen dollars, in all fairness it was a small house. Washing dishes, doing laundry, folding laundry, all brought around a dollar.

Anyway as it happened, one morning I just woke up and decided to see how many chores I could knock out in the course of one afternoon. The hospital had switched Aunt Flora hours, she was now working the morning shift. So she had left around seven that morning. Breakfast that morning had been simple, cold cereal and hot coffee. I saved the big breakfasts for the weekends.

Anyway since I expected to work my little fingers to the bone. I'd decided to dress the part. And that morning I felt well feminine, so I decided to go with a denim skirt, a white blouse that I knotted in the middle to give the appearance of some cleavage a black headband and some ankle socks and a pair of red and white lace up shoes. I'm sure you're wondering where all these clothes came from? Well Aunt Flora discovered a sack of old clothes in the back of her closet from when she was my age and well she tossed the sack into my room and to me to go through it. If I found something I wanted and it fitted me, it was mine to keep. If not, I could toss it. Either way she wanted those clothes gone.

I found a few gems and a few hidden treasures, nothing big, most of the clothes were so dated that I'm sure I would have been laughed off the face of the earth if I'd dared to wear any of them out in public! A few though cut the mustard. The denim skirt and white blouse were such fine examples.
Anyway, the house needed to be cleaned and so I started to clean it. For five hours I dusted, swept, mopped, wiped down wall bases and anything I could think of. Mainly because I knew Aunt Flora would shell out the big buckets if I went the extra mile. And by big buckets I meant a quarter more per chore..

Anyway it was nearing noon and I was tired so I decided to fix myself something to eat. The whole house seemed to sparkle, the floorboards were clean enough to eat off of. And the piney scent of pine cleaner filled every room. I was proud of my work, I'm sure one day I would have made somebody a wonderful wife! Wait, did I just think about that? Did I really just think about getting married and settling down and starting a family with somebody!? A boy no less?

I had to take a step back and collect myself. I was still only a few days into being 'Emily' full time. So there was no need to jump onto the boy crazy bandwagon. After all, in a few months I'll be enrolling in a totally brand new school. A school where nobody knew me! A fresh start! A chance at a new life! So.. there was no need to fall head over heels in love with the first Gothic boy that caught my eye! Or even the first Gothic boy who smiled at me. 

“Right! I'm totally not crushing on that guy! I don't even know his name!” I shouted as I clutched the wooden broom handle in one hand and the plastic dustpan in the other. “How can I crush on a boy who I meet only once for like twenty freaking seconds! While wearing all things a Pretty Celestial Soldier t-shirt that was three sizes too big and a pair of booty shorts.”

It was at that moment the doorbell rang and the chime echoed out through the house. I heaved a sigh and started toward the door. I really had no idea who would be ringing the door. I mean sure Covid has kind of passed, but most people around here still keep at least six feet apart and choose to wear a facial mask. Some do, some don't, some just mask.

Anyway, all of that stuff aside. I was wondering who would be ringing our doorbell, since nobody really visits anybody anymore. Like I thought door bells were outdated. Anyway as soon as I opened the doorbell. I noticed that standing right in the doorway was the boy from before and he was holding all things a glass measuring cup.

“Hey.. It's the Pretty Celestial Soldier fangirl.” He said, smiling a little. His smile! Oh God, his smile! Two rows of perfect white teeth that seemed to gleam like pearls. Then I caught a whiff of his cologne, oh that scent it was just like Gothic Topic. And for some reason it made me shiver with excitement. I felt something deep inside me roaring awake and for a moment I lost myself. My brain seemed to just shut down and the palms of my hands started to sweat.

“Names Emily.” I said finally with a little much pepper, more than I intended to anyway. “And your name is? Unless you want me to call you Paper Delivery boy?” I said with a little more sass than I intended too. I mean I even put my hands on my hips and leaned in a little. Really at that moment I was debating just slamming the door in his face and going back to my room to sulk.

“Jack.” He said, still smiling. “Nice to meet you Emily.” He said grinning as he looked me up and down and then he let out a little whistle. “Looking good. But I like the Pretty Celestial Soldier look on you better.” He said smiling.

I blinked and blinked again I felt my cheeks starting to flush red. I felt like clouds of steam were about to shoot out of my ears. I started to tremble a little and before I could catch myself I found myself stopping my foot down on the ground before yelling out as loud as I could.

“BAKA!” I yelled. “BAKA!” I yelled again and then yet again “BAKA!”

Jack just smiled a little and then he started to laugh a little and then he started to wrap his arms around his chest while started to laugh. I mean it, his face darn near turned blue. I was a bit concerned at first and then I felt myself growing annoyed and then felt myself growing flustered.

“So..” I said, trying to get the conversation back on track. “What did you want anyway? I mean besides coming here and just teasing me for the love of teasing. Not that I mind the attention or anything.”

“I need to borrow a cup of sugar?” He said holding up the measuring cup. “More like five of them. My mom is baking something and she forgot the sugar. So she sent me over here to get like a cup or five, because of reasons.” He said as he peered at me.

“So, coming off a pandemic that has totally changed our social behavior.. given the general sense of bedlam that is filling the community, given the fact that this is our second meeting and our first real conversation. You feel like you can just casually walk up to me, hold out a measuring cup, and ask for me to surrender a cup of sugar? What do I get in return? Since you can't return the sugar once it used in what ever your mom is making!”

Jack just looked at me.

“Your weird.” He said, shrugging his shoulders. “I don't know, like we could do the fifteen minutes in heaven thing, my older brother told me he used to do that with girls. I mean you're cute. But I liked the whole Pretty Celestial Soldier sleeping look on you better. Your adorable..”

“You know, you're pretty forward and upfront with things? I think most girls would have slapped you by now. That or slammed the door in your face. But.. I kind of find your forwardness cute..” I said as I reached down and took the measuring cup from him. “Be back in a second.”

It took four hundred and eighty sixty seconds for me to return. I know I counted each one. But I returned soon enough and placed the cup of sugar in his hand and smiled. Five cups of sugar weighed around five pounds. I think, I don't know, I never measure out anything when I bake. Most of the stuff I bake comes pre-mixed and all you gotta do is crack a few eggs, add a bit of water and a bit of vegetable oil and make sure the oven is set to the correct tempter.

So, really the only reason we had sugar in the house was to sweeten our tea. I mean we were in the south and we always sweetened our tea. We also drank our tea chilled. Because you know, the only two hot beverages allowed in this household were hot chocolate and coffee. I mean who drinks hot tea beside the Brits? And the Episcopalian's.

“Here.” I said as I handed the small bag of yellow and white sugar to Jack. “Tell your mom to use what she needs and to maybe keep the rest. I'll add sugar to the shopping list.”

Jack blinked in surprise and peered down at the bag of sugar.

“Thanks Pretty Celestial Soldier fangirl!” Jack said smiling.

I sighed and closed the door and locked it. I then rushed through the house, threw open the door to my bedroom room, and then I  threw myself onto my bed. Buried my face into the pillow and I bellowed out a yell.
I could not put into words what I was feeling. But I knew it, I was crushing, I was crushing hard. There was just something about that boy, something that caused my heart to flutter, was his scent? Was it his smile? Or was it the way he teased me? Confused and scared I turned over on my side, reached over and picked up a stuffed animal, one of the few I'd had since childhood. I think it was a stuffed dog with oversized huge eyes that seemed just oozed adorable sadness. I cradled the dog close to my chest and kissed its forehead. I then placed my head atop it.

“I'm so confused.” I whispered to the stuffed dog. “First dad dies, and I become the man of the house, then mom dies and I'm sent to live with my aunt. My older sister and older brother are too wrapped up in their own lives to care it seems. And now, I'm living or kind of living as a girl? Maybe I should have been a girl all of my life? Oh and I think I'm developing my first crush? But not on a girl as normal, but on a boy?
Of course my stuffed dog did not talk back. And by chance if it did. I would have at that  very moment thrown it across the room. And then I might have rushed out of the room screaming. No it's silence was golden and that was what I needed at that moment. 

How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

Note to readers: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday Evening in the “Benton Evening Post” the story focuses on the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Anderson as she strides to adopted to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hill and the delta. The story chronicles her daily life and sometimes that of her aunt Flora as they try to figure out what direction she wants to take her life.

-6-
St. Clara Roman Catholic High School
(Aunt Flora point of View)

“Father will see you now.” A young baby face nun said to me as she appeared in the doorway. She looked like she was still in her twenties. No doubt she was one of those women who had heeded the call early in life. Her dark brown eyes seemed to sparkle and she seemed friendly enough.

“Thank you sister.” I said smiling as I stood up and followed behind the nun as she guided me down the long hallway. This hallway has changed very little in the twenty eight years since I walked down it. The air still smelled, the faint strains of sisters praying the rosary still filled the air and I swear I heard the phantom crack of the cane bringing penitence to the bottoms of naughty students. I nearly jumped out of skin, to many memories of being caned by the sisters her came flashing back.

“Something wrong Ms. Anderson?” The baby face nun said as she turned around and looked at me. “You seem a little pale.”

“It just strange to be back here after so many years.” I said, flushing a little. “Brings back a lot of memories. Some are good and some are bad I guess.” I said as I scratched the back of my neck. I mean how could I explain to a nun of all people that I had once been a little hell raiser. I was thorn in the side of many of the monks and nuns who had taught here. I believe I'd even driving one nun to drinking.

“I understand. Abbess Fox still remembers you.” The nun said smiling and then she giggled a little. “To this day she still thinks of you as a demon who took the form of a human girl and was sent here to cause as much confusion and havoc as possible. She swears on the Holy Bible that you always had a pair of horns sticking out your head.”

I blushed a little and shifted my eyes toward one of the now empty classrooms. Sister Fox? Oh I remember here, she was a young, mid thirties and she did her best to curve my tomboyish nature. She had to push fifty something now. I thought she would have retired by now. Well if she was still around, no doubt Emily would put her in the grave. The more time I spent around my niece the more I came to the understanding that she was just like me at that age.

“I'm sorry!” The nun giggled. “But you are something of an urban legend among the sisters here. Abbess Fox and Sister Summer speak of you in a hushed tone of voice.”

“Well..” I said blushing a lot. “I did cause a lot of trouble when I was here.” I was glad for the conversation. Soon I found myself climbing a concrete set of steps. I found myself looking down. When I was in school, boys used to hang around the bottom of the steps, hoping to catch sight of our panties. That seems like a long time ago though, a lifetime ago. Some girls used to flush red when one of the boys caught sight of her panties, some the more adventurous ones would wear lacy white ones. Hell, one girl even wrote her boyfriend's name on hers.

“Do boys still hang around the steps?” I ask as I pointed down toward the first landing.

The nun paused and sighed as she turned around and nodded her head.

“Yes, they do. Abbess Fox though has a creative punishment for them though, those who get caught are given six strokes of the cane by Father George and then are given a choice of either wearing a girl's uniform for six weeks or doing six weeks detention after school.” The Nun said as she shook her head.
“Has it worked?” I asked as I kept looking down. We truly never leave high school do we?

“Yes and no. Some boys want to wear the girls uniform because it looks cooler, they say the skirts are cooler than the woolen trousers, and the woolen blazers they are forced to wear. We generally allow them to wear the uniform.. girls want to wear the boys uniform because they claim it is more modest than the skirt and white blouse with sweater and a lot warmer. We allow that too.”

“Wow..” I said stopping. “When did St. Clare's become so progressive?” I said blinking as I waited for the nun to bite my head off.

“Thirteen or so years around. Around two thousand nine. We kind of had to change with the times.. it been a good change. I wish a few other things would change though. I think the cane is outdated. But if I may speak the truth Father is afraid of Abbess Fox. I think we all are.” The nun said as she looked around.

“And the diocese is okay with these changes?” I asked as I peered around. I was now in the part of school I'd dreaded going into the most when I was still a schoolgirl. The upper floor. The floor where all the teachers had their offices and where Mass was held daily. I knew I had one more floor to climb before I would come to the office of the Headmaster. Being summoned to see the Headmaster was dreadful on its own. But having to climb three flights of steps and walk down three long hallways. Was just sheer mental torture.

“The diocese has bigger problems to address than what uniform the students here wear.” The nun paused and sighed again. “Sexuality in our own diocese and in the church has really wounded her. But she was rotten and needed to purge herself. I just feel for Our Lady. To see her church being so abused, so tortured by rotten men, it really undoes the good she does. But like Old Luther in his day and age that forced the church to purge herself. I think all the cases of our sexual abuse committed by Father priest and Brother monks will force us to take a good, hard look in the mirror. Hopefully this would spark the change we need. Also with so few young men entering the priesthood, the number of future priests is on a sharp decline. That is what the diocese has concerned herself with. Not what uniform the students here wear.”

I blinked and blinked again as I took a step back. Maybe, just maybe the nuns here were not as bad as I remember them. I was starting to warm up to this nun. Maybe she could become the kind of mentor that Emily would need in her life. Kind of a big sister-like figure. Since her flesh and blood sister was too busy to even call and check in on her.

“So do students still tell those old ghost stories about this part of the school?” I asked after around four minutes of uncomfortable silence had passed. We were now climbing the stairs to the third floor.

“Oh yes.” The nun said, smiling a little. “People still report seeing a ghostly nun floating around here each afternoon. Sister Mary it seems her name was. She hung herself from the rafters after she missed her period. Or she became pregnant by one of the young men here. Her ghost is still said to roam this part of the school.” The nun paused and turned around and then she grinned a wicked grin.

“And since we Little Sisters of Saint Clare of New Orleans all dress the same. And she was a sister nun you could talking to the ghost nun right now!” She lifted her lips a little to show her teeth.

And I jumped back a little.

The nun started to laugh a little as she peered toward me, I'd never seen a nun laugh before and it was the most frightening thing I've ever seen. Finally after a few moments she settled down and then smiled as she peered toward me.

“Forgive, I'm sorry if I'd frighten you with my teasing. I just had to, to prank the once feared Flora Anderson would earn me so many brownie points with Sister Summer.” She said, smiling sweetly as she closed her eyes and folded her hands in the middle. I then caught sight of something. A small plastic figure that showed a girl wearing what looked like a cheerleading uniform. The style of the figure reminded me of those Japanese cartoons my niece loved to watch.

“That figure?” I said pointing toward the nuns wrist.

“Oh this?” She said lifting her dress and pulling back the sleeve. “Oh yes, this! You see, I love anime and love manga! I have since I was a little girl. And my sister, my blood sister, got this for me. It is from this anime called 'Pretty Celestial Soldier.' It is my favorite anime.” She said smiling.

“Oh my niece loves that Japanese cartoon! She wants to cosplay as Pretty Celestial Soldier Saturn for an upcoming anime convention. Her hair is the perfect length. So she just needs outfit.” I wanted to add 'And a pair of boobs' but I decided to leave that off for now.

“Oh what is your niece's name?” The nun said as she peered toward me.

“Emily Hannah Anderson.” I said blushing a little. “She really loves some Japanese comics and Japanese cartoons.” I said, forcing a laugh. As I rubbed the back of my neck.

“How old is she?” The nun asked.

“She'll be fifteen soon. She is going to repeat her Freshman year here. Her mom passed last All Soul's Day and she has been staying with me since then. We just moved here from Vicksburg, to many memories you know. Wanting to get a fresh start and all. Plus Mercy was really getting to me.” I said, rubbing my neck and forcing a laugh.

“Oh Mercy? As in Mercy Hospital? A hospital run sister nuns the Sisters of Mercy and Healing?” The young nun asked as she peered toward me. “I heard it was haunted by a demon that once possessed the soul of a nurse who did horrible things while she was alive. I heard the demon still haunts Mercy but the ghost of the nurse haunts another hospital in Jackson.” The nun said as she titled her head to the side.

“You know a lot about the paranormal for being a nun.” I said, sighing as we entered the hallway that would take us down to the headmaster office.

“I should teach Demonology.” She said, “And the Biblical Studies. Tell your niece she'll need the Manga Bible edition for my class. And that I also chair the Anime and Cosplay Club.” She said, holding up her finger.

Okay that threw me for a loop! Demonology? Biblical Studies using a Japanese comic book? Anime and Cosplay Club? This was not the Saint Clare I remember from my girlhood. This was, this was weird. This was insane! This was pure bedlam!And yet it gave me hope that my possible transgender niece could attend school here and float through four years schooling and at the end get her diploma and walk off that stage and never see this school again.

“Something wrong Ms. Anderson?” The nun said with a smile.

“It's just that this is totally different from the Saint Clare I graduated from.” I said blushing a little. “It's like a totally different school but not. Like I'm sure there are still blood stains from that massive brawl between St. Katherine's Episcopal School and us in two thousand. You know.. the whole silly rivalry between Protestant England and Catholic Ireland like most of the basketball team was Irish.” I said, chuckling a little.

“Oh no!” The young nun said brightly. “I had those floorboards torn up, salted and burned because I was afraid some poor misguided soul would scrape the blood up and use it as an offering in Satanic Mass!” She said as she winked and smiled. “But we still don't have a chemical lab. Not after some poor misguided teenager decided to mix a dozen different chemicals together and that caused a big boom!”

“It was all in the name of science!” I muttered as I peered toward the nun. “All in the name of science!”

And that was the last bit of conversation I had with the nun. For soon we arrived at the door that was centered with a thin strip of brass and engraved into the brass was one simple word. 'Headmaster'. I took a deep breath. It had been some twenty eight years since I'd stepped foot into that office. But I had to remind myself I was not a school girl anymore, I was a fully grown woman with two degrees under my belt. And besides I was doing this for Emily after all! And so with that in mind I pushed open the door and stepped inside.

-7-
Father John Trent, Headmaster of St. Clare High Schoolgirl
(Aunt Flora point of view)

Well talk about life throwing you a curveball. The boy who took my virginity at senior prom, the boy who had once tossed four dozen cherry bombs into the back alley behind the school and blown a dozen metal trash cans from here to kingdom come was now a priest! A freaking priest! A bloody, freaking priest!

“Johnny?” I said as I peered across the desk. “Johnny Trent?” I said as I took a deep breath.

The priest blinked and blinked again as he peered toward me. He then sighed and leaned back into his chair. Without saying a word he reached up and removed his collar and started to rub his neck. There was something amusing in the way he muttered something under his breath as he tossed the collar to the side.

“Ms. Anderson.. it's been a while.” He said coughing a little. “You were the last person I expected to see in my office today.” I could tell he was trying to be formal. But how could formal talking to guy who took my  virginity ? Well he did not steal anything, I gave it freely and rode him like a bucking bronco all night till his mom walked in to see what all the fuss was about. She took one look at eighteen year old me, straddling her son and then walked right out of the room.
I think I heard her crying later that morning in the bathroom and between sobs she said. “I don't want to have grandchildren yet?” Well I was not ready to become a mother yet. Little did she know and little did I know that I was barron at the time. So motherhood was always out of the question for me. When you're eighteen years old, it is a blessing because you can sleep around with whoever you want without being concerned about what is going to come from it. But once you reach your thirties, and you find yourself alone, without a husband or a child, the truth starts to dawn on you. And you feel like part of your life is missing something.

“Indeed.. Listen John.. I have a favor to ask of you.” I said, taking a deep breath.

“Please, it's Father now..” He said turning his chair around so he could look out the window.

“I'm not calling the boy who I gave my virginity to 'Father' so you can toss that out the window or write it down on a piece of paper and shove it up your ass.” I said growling a little as I stood up and leered across the desk. “Listen, I have a niece who is about to enroll here and I want to make sure she is not going to get into any trouble with the staff here.” I could be a real bitch when I wanted to be one.

“I thought you had a nephew Ms. Anderson..” John's voice trailed a little.

“I have a niece, her name is Emily Hannah Anderson and she will be starting school here in the fall.” I said leering toward John who seemed to shift his weight around as he looked around the room. He seemed almost afraid to speak. But finally he stuttered out a few words.

“I mean I would have to get the bishop's approval for that.. and of course the dioceses would need to be informed as well..” He said a little. I think he was finally catching on to what I was saying.

“To hell with the dioceses.. Listen, I'm only sending Emily here because you guys are giving me a steep discount on the tuition because I work at a Catholic Hospital and I attended school here. I myself have not stepped foot into a church since my sister passed away a year ago.” I said leaning over the table. “I can save myself and Emily a ton of money by simply enrolling her in public school. But I'm sure her education would suffer. So Johnny boy, I'm going to ask you a simple question. Would my wonderful niece Emily encounter any problems here at this school.”

John swallowed hard and gazed into my eyes before he swallowed hard again.

“No ma'am.. I'll make sure of that..” muttered under his breath that I just noticed seem haunted with the odor of garlic and cheap chuck steak. 

“Good man,” I said, almost purring. “Another thing if any of the nuns here lay so much as one finger upon her. I'm going to tear this diocese a new asshole.. trust me, what those old men in Rome have forgotten is that the world has grown up. Social Media is a powerful weapon. And I have another niece who is very savory when it comes to how to use social media. I also have another nephew who's going to an Episcopal priest. Given the shoestring budget this parish has. I'm sure they can ill afford to lose one family.. much less a dozen or maybe two dozen.”

Okay I was blowing smoke. But come on, who could blame me? I had to hammer this guy hard and let him know that I had clout and beside this was for Emily, not me? My Emily.

“I will not be threatened in my office! Ms. Anderson I kindly ask you to leave.” He said coughing.

“That is not a threat, Father. That is  a promise. Now it seems, somebody made a typo on the enrollment sheet 'Emil' is supposed to be 'Emily' and the middle name is not supposed to be 'Henderson' but 'Hannah'. I'm sure it is well within your power to correct that simple mistake, without having to inform those above your head.” I said as I leaned over and patted John on the cheeks.

“Of course.. there was a typo and I will personally see to it that it is corrected before the start of the school year.” He muttered as he started to sink down into his desk. I towered over him and looked down at him. I wanted him to see the fire that flickered in my eyes. To feel the venom that dripped off each word that my forked tongue whispered.

“See that you do.” And with that I left. As I strolled out the door I smiled a little. It felt good to let the old Flora out. The one who shook this school to its very foundation! The one that made heaven and earth tremble! And as I walked down the hallway, I found myself starting to giggle. If Emily was anything like her dear old Auntie. Then this school was in for a shock. And best of all she knew not to pull that shit with me.    

How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

Note to readers: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday Evening in the “Benton Evening Post” the story focuses on the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Anderson as she strides to adopted to her new life in small southern town that straddles the hills and the delta. The Story chronicles her daily life and sometimes that of her aunt Flora.

-8-
Can I pass as a girl?

I took a deep breath as I peered into the bathroom mirror. The image reflected on the surface of the mirror showed a girl with brunette hair that fell just below her shoulders. She had sparkling greenish eyes and a modest rack. All in all, she was not a striking beauty, she would never win homecoming queen or be crowned anything, but she had a down to earth beauty about her. A kind of wholesome charm about her. That reflection was me of course.

But as I peered closer into the mirror, I started to notice some glaring flaws, despite doing my best to shave and I'd shaved twice that morning. I could still see tiny little hairs, I mean you had to get up and close to see them but they were still there. I could see the slightest bulge from my Adam's apple.

I could see a nose that was too big, too flat, and the more I looked the more I felt my courage starting to slip through my hands like grains of sand at the beach. Despite the fact that I had shaved, shaved every part of me, even my public hair, tucked in everything the best I could, trimmed and rounded my nails, I even applied a thin coating of powdered blue nail polish to them.

And of course I was wearing a dress, it looked dorky as hell, it was this short sleeve dress that reached down to my knees. The sleeves kind of puffed a little, it was like going to church dress. Adding to the dress I'd put on some white tights and black leather shoes with a low heel with a strap across them. I'd even added a blue headband.

“This is not going to work!” I groaned as I took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom. “They're going to clock me the minute I step into that mall. Everybody is going to snicker, people are going to laugh, the sales women will refuse to wait on me. And in the end I'm going to rush back home,  and crying my eyes out.” I said aloud as I walked into my bedroom, I gathered up my purse, making sure I had my phone on me, my issued set of house keys, some pads and a few tampons even if I'll never need them, I'm sure some girl would ask if I had a spare and it would weird not to have any extra on hand.

And of course a can of pepper spray. And a small make-up kit.

“I'm going to get clocked!” I groaned as I put my purse on my shoulder and walked out the door. I made sure the door was locked. Then I tacked a note to the door. The note read as follows. 'Dear Auntie, gone to the mall, will be back before dinner, dinner is left over roasted chicken from last night. It's on the stove, time already set, just the start button. Or you can order us pizza from Pizza Cottage.'

And with that I started to sprint toward the bus-stop.

-9-
Something to consider

The first I noticed about going out as a girl was the way people treated me. I mean on the bus ride to the mall. This tired looking young man stood up and offered me his seat. The poor guy was almost falling asleep! He looked so tired, like he had dark rings around his eyes and he had this fifty yard blank stare and yet he stood up and just offered me his seat.

And that was only the start of things. When the bus stopped, and I got off, I felt well very much aware of what was going on around me. You see the mall is kind in the newer section of town. There not a lot around it. There's not a lot of outlying buildings or shops. Just a massive square box that is surrounded by a massive parking lot.

And that kind of scared me of the vastness of the open space. I felt like at any moment somebody could appear, sneak up behind me and before I know it they would force my arms behind my back, zip tie them secure, force a rag that had been soaked in chloroform up my nose and just like that my mug shot would end up stabbed to every light pole in town. Heck they might put my face on the front of the milk jugs.

I felt a chill run down my spine as my mind conjured up all those images, images of being stripped naked and hogtied and tossed into somebody's basement. I mean that happens right?

“Come on Emily.” I said, taking a deep breath you're being silly, “Stop being silly and try to have a good time. The day is young, the mall has just opened. There is a cop car nearby and the mall has security guards.” I said to myself as I stepped down from the bus. The door to the bus closed behind me and a few seconds later it roared away.

“Right then!” I said smiling. “Time to be a normal teenage girl and shop till I drop!” I said grinning as I stepped lively through the sliding doors and into the mall.

-10-
The Pecan Grove Mall: The Last of a dying breed

I'm somehow surprised that the Pecan Grove Mall, okay first I gotta say this, in the Southern United States, we say “Peecan” instead of you know, “Puh-kaan” because that's just how we are taught to say it. Anyway now that we got that little bit cleared up, I can tell you about the famous Pecan Grove Mall. The mall was built in the late seventies. Back when Mississippi was finally doing away with those silly Blue Laws. Anyway before the mall was built this whole area was covered in Pecan trees. Anyway the trees had to go so a mall could be built here. But to honor the memory of the trees, the mall was named The Pecan Grove Mall, or just Pecan Grove Mall or just The Mall.

Stepping into the mall is like stepping back into time. The inside decor just screams eighties. With large sections of the floor being brick or some kind of fake looking cobblestone. There is an unholy number of potted plants laying around and there is one big fountain in the middle that always seems to smell like two things, chlorine and ammonia.

Also there were a few Pecan trees scattered about. The tree's are living and produce a small crop of pecans each year that some poor, poor bastard has to harvest. The pecan's are then shelled or something. With the meat being used to make candies that are handed out by the mall santa or so my aunt told me. 
Anyway, this is my first time being inside the mall. And the mall was dead. Like really dead. But then again it was ten o' clock in the morning and most stores were just starting to open and I'm sure most teenagers were still asleep. With it being summer and all, I'm sure most of them were still snuggled up in bed, sleeping like a baby, dreaming teenage summer dreams. I'm sure around noon they would throw the covers off, rise up, breakfast on cold pizza and then around three finally venture out to the mall to meet up with their friends.

But for people like me, who had spent the whole night watching anime, there would be no sleep. Sleep was out of the question for now, what I needed was coffee. Not hot chocolate, since hot chocolate normally lulled me to sleep and not chocolate milk because of the same reasons. But coffee, chicory to the rest of the world, dish water to the north, mud to the west, and flavored with unicorn farts, spiced with hipster blood, and brewed with office worker tears on the eastern seaboard. But hot and soothing at any southern table.

And there was only one place in the town to get a good cup of soothing coffee. And that was Siren Coffee House! And I was in luck, there happened to be a Siren Coffee House in the mall! At the far side of the mall, so I had to walk the whole mall to get there! Meaning I would be passing everybody who was in the mall, which meant that total strangers I never meet would get to see me in drag!

“Oh fun..” I said, sighing as I looked down at the ground. And with that I started to move toward Siren Coffee House! Just like how the mythological creature was said to use its soothing voice to lure sailors to their watery deaths, so did the allurement of coffee lead me on as I started my walk..

-11-
Window Shopping

The Pecan Grove Mall was not like the double floor mega shopping mecca of Ridgeland. It was more like a single concourse that was lined with fashionable clothing boutiques, and other random stores. As I walked, I noticed on one side there was a small, sad looking Gothic Topic, with one lonely sales clerk sitting behind the sales counter. Beside it was an Rue 20, an upscale clothing store for fashionable young women, next to that was a Perfume Haven, a shop that sold all manner of perfumes I suppose.

Next to that was a shop that looked like a bazaar from hell. It was called The Underground and just from looking in it seemed to cater to the more edgy crowd, those who might have found Gothic Topic tame and wholesome. The wares displayed were leather straps, leather suits, a plastic dummy modeled a leather bunny suit. I walked past the store without even looking in. Something about the store gave me the creeps.

Up next you had Comic World. A kind of old school comic book store, I entertained going in there once I'd had my morning coffee, but there was a sign plastered in front of the shop that said. “We don't sell Manga! Only real Comic's. Also only real comic fans are allowed!” it was signed. “Management” So I kept on walking.

Up next we had a Books-A-Billion, a chain of bookstores that branded itself as 'The Mall's Bookstore' and a sign out front informed me they were overstocked on manga and thus they were having a huge sale! So yes I would swing by there after my morning coffee to see what they had in stock.

Up next we had Circus World Toy Store, a small scale toy store that branded itself as 'The biggest, littlest store story in the world!' and a sign out front informed that they were having a massive summer sale, with all items priced to move. I kind of made a mental note to check it out later in the day.
Up next we had Josephine's Secretes. Now, here is where I paused, because I knew that if I wanted to be a girl full time I would need to get fitted for a bra. Now, Aunt Flora had promised to take me shopping for a bra, she wanted to, but, well I'm sure she would want something from the racks of one of the department stores.. I bit down upon my lip as I gazed at the wares from the walkway.

I felt my cheeks start to flush red as I looked away as I noticed one of the sales women looking at me, I blushed a little and closed my eyes and started to move toward the front of the shop. I stopped though mere inches from the threshold. Was I ready to take this leap? Would I get found out? Should I get coffee first? I felt my face starting to turn red as I started to think how it would feel to wear a lacy bra with matching lacy panties.

Or how it would feel to get decked in tight, form fitting lingerie that would accent my curves, and make me appear to have breasts. At that moment I thought steam would come shooting out of my ears as I felt another deep blush starting to creep up on me. Oh I would love it, if Jack could see me something like that... that might lead to some very interesting developments!

“Coffee first! And then shopping..” I paused and then shook my head. “No, let's get this out of the way!” I said as I crossed over the threshold of the store. I mean, what's the worst that could happen? Getting clocked and getting kicked out of the mall?

How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

Note to readers: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday Evening in the “Benton Evening Post” the story focuses on the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Anderson as she strides to adopted to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hills and the delta. The story chronicles her daily life and sometimes that of her aunt Flora.

-12-
A double vanilla frappe with whipped cream and chocolate Sauce!

I'd only gone a inch into the store, when I turned around and rushed off. Leaving behind a cast of confused sales women who I'm sure were hoping to sell me everything and everything my little heart desired. But right now, what my heart desired was a double vanilla frappe that was topped with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce.

And there was only one place in the mall to get that, and that was Siren Coffee House, a small coffee house that was located at the far end of the mall. Next to the Magnolia Department Store. You see the mall was anchored by two major regional department stores, on one end you had Magnolia Department store, and on the other you had Stain Mark. Another regional department store.

Anyway a few moments later I was standing in the middle of Siren Coffee House, the small square space was crowded with people. The savory, almost sweet smell of fresh roasted coffee beans perfumed the air, the whole area buzzed with the chatter of three dozen different, discounted conversations. And here I stood, looking up at the menu while in front of me a clearly annoyed sales woman who looked only a few years older than me just peered at me.

To be honest, the menu above me could have been written in either Latin or Greek! I could not make heads or tails of anything. I mean this was my first time going to a coffee house. So I was totally taken by the dazzling array of choices being offered.

“May I ask a question ma'am?” I said as I looked up at the menu. Still trying to make heads or tails of what was what.

“Sure...” The woman said as she leaned over. “But I need you to make up your mind really quickly, or else I'm afraid I'm going to need you to step out and go to the back of the line. Cause you're holding up the line. So not to be rude or anything. But if you don't know what you want. Maybe step out and go to the back of the line and think about it?”

“What a frappe?” I asked. I would pretend that I'd heard the last part of the girl's sentence.

“It's like a milkshake with coffee.” The woman said, sighing.

“Okay! I would like a double vanilla frappe, with whipped cream, drizzled with chocolate sauce!” I decided that instead of my normal cup of hot, soulless black coffee I would treat myself to something fun, sweet, rich and creamy and plus, I loved a good milkshake and I loved coffee so what could be better than the two mixed together!
“Okay.. what size would you like..” The woman said as she peered at me. “Or would that take another ten to fifteen minutes of your time? She added as she once more peered at the growing line that now seemed to wrap itself one the still living pecan trees that had been planted in front of the shop.

“Extra large..” I said, shrugging my shoulders.

“Oh good.. that only took thirty seconds, we're making progress here! Now for the real big question, can I have a name for your order? Or would I just write 'Girl in Dress' on the cup and call it square?” She asked as she pressed a few buttons.

I blinked, no I froze. A name?! Of course they needed a name! Damn why did they need a name. I looked around, I could feel my hand start to tremble a little. My tongue started to swell, I swallowed hard and noticed that behind me a man dressed in a navy blue jacket and starched pressed white button down shirt was peering dead at me. His ice, cold gaze pierced my heart and caused my soul to split into two pieces. He then coughed and lifted his arm and looked down at his watch.

“Oh and here I thought we were making progress.. what does mommy normally order for you?” She said snickering a little. She then looked at the business man and nodded her head and motioned for him to step up so she could place his order. Clearly, she did not waste time to waste. But the fact that she had just skipped over me caused my blood to start to boil. I clenched my fist and in a loud, tone of voice I bellowed.

“Emily Hannah Anderson!” I shouted. “My name is Emily Hannah Anderson!”

Just like that, all conversation stopped. The two dozen people that had crowed into the tiny little space turned their full attention toward me. The businessmen slowly stepped back and the girl behind the desk smirked and pressed a few more buttons.

“Is that 'Mrs.' Emily Hannah Anderson or 'Ms.' Emily Hannah Anderson?” The girl said, chuckling a little as she pressed a few more buttons on the strange money counting machine. She seemed oddly amused at the sudden outburst. Like this was the highlight of her morning.

“Ms. Emily Hannah Anderson.” I said, quite out of breath and blushing red.

“Okay Ms. Emily Hannah Anderson. Your grand total is eight dollars and fifty three cents. Please take a seat and I'll call you when your drink is ready.”

I handed her a ten dollar note and told her to keep the change. She only smirked and then she turned her full attention toward the next person in line. I could not tell if others noticed, but I was visibly shaken. I mean, that had taken a lot out of me. Going out in public was one thing, answering the door was another, but having to give my name, my full female name.. it really made what I was doing dawn on me. If I wanted to be Emily, then I needed to get used to people calling me Emily. Up to this point only two people had known me as Emily, Aunt Flora and my possible crush Jack. That's it.

Now a room full of strangers knew me as Emily. A whole room full of total strangers. I felt like I was on the verge of tears. I had no idea why I was on the verge of tears.

“A double vanilla frappe with whipped cream and chocolate sauce for an Ms. Emily Hannah Anderson.” The girl who had just taken my order moments ago called out in a loud tone of voice. “A double vanilla frappe with whipped cream, drizzled with chocolate sauce for an Ms. Emily Hannah Anderson.” She called out again, her voice echoed.

Well that was my name. It was strange, having my name called by somebody beside Aunt Flora kind of felt validating. I mean okay bare with me here, when you look down at your bank issued visa card, you know that it belongs to you because of two reasons, you know the PIN to access your money and it has your name printed on the front of it. When you look down at your state issued driver's license you know it belongs to you because it has your date of birth, your address, and your name. Your name is like a personal mark of ownership.

When you graduate from high school they call out your full name and you walk across the stage in your cap and gown and claim your diploma, you know that diploma is yours because your name is printed on it. When you graduate from college with your degree the same. When you get your first check, so in short hearing somebody else use my name was some real validation that I needed at that moment.

“I want to be Emily for the rest of my life.” I said blushing as I stood up and walked over to the counter. The girl by now had set my drink down and was fixing somebody else's drink. Without thinking I reached down and took my drink, I knew the drink was mine because it had my name written on the back with black marker.

“It's mine..” I said, a little lost for words.

“Girl are you okay?” The clerk said as she peered at me. I could tell she was confused, she set another cup down and in a loud tone of voice called out.

“Extra DEATH METAL BLACK COFFEE for ANDREW 'JACK' JACKSON SMITH.” Her voice echoed across the room.

“Girl?” I said. I paused and then smiled. “Girl?” I said again hopefully.

“Well.. you don't look like a boy!” The clerk said as she looked down at the coffee.

That hit me like a ton of freaking bricks, looking beyond the teenage snark, looking beyond the clear lack of customer service skills the girl had. She had just called me a 'girl' . At that moment all my fears vanished and I knew that I was killing it! I was passing! No, I was doing more than passing, I was flying, I was flying higher than a plane!

“Thank you!” I said smiling as I reached down and picked up my drink, I then spun around and there standing in front of me was him. I knew him by his scent, by the dull dead fish look in his eyes and the jet black hair. But there was something different about him. He was dressed differently this morning. No spike collar, no leather choker. He was dressed in a simple pair of jeans, and a plain button down shirt. And he looked tired.

“Oh hey it the Pretty Celestial Soldier girl.” He said smiling.

“Oh hey it's Baka.” I said huffing a little.
He chuckled a little and smiled. It was a tired smile.

“Well mom says thank you for the sugar.” He said as he looked down at me, he was a few inches taller than me. And well he seemed to be blushing a little as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. I mean his ears were turning red too and that was just so freaking adorable. I wanted to reach up and touch them. In fact, before I could stop myself I found myself standing on my toes, trying to touch them.

“Your ears are so red! They look just like an apple. I want to bite them!” I said with a little too much pepper than I intended too.

Jack paused and shifted his weight around.

“OKAY! GUYS!” The clerk said. “Can you two get your drinks and like get a table or something. Or get a motel room or something! Or go into one of the changing rooms at Gothic Topic or something! Cause like you're holding up my line and girl, your half ass attempts at flirting is going to make me vomit okay!”

Both Jack and I turned our attention toward the clerk who just rolled her eyes and huffed.

“Damn teenagers.” She muttered. Bold words coming from somebody who was maybe a year or so from those troubled teenage years. She then put on a fake smile and asked if she could help the next person in line. Jack and I then turned our eyes toward each other.

“So!” I said turning toward Jack with a broad smile on my face. “Did you have any plans for the rest of the morning? I thought maybe we could hang out or something?” I paused, was this normal? I thought the guy was supposed to ask the girl to hang out? Well hell! Roles reverse!

Jack blushed a little and turned his head away, he was blushing! Oh the power that came with knowing I could make a guy blush! It felt good to have that kind of power over him, to know that I kind of thought like a guy, well my software was kind of mixed. I was starting to consider myself a person with female software but guy hardware, with some plumping issues to work out later in life.

“I'm free if you want to hang out for a bit. I mean I would love to hang out with you and maybe get a burger or something later.” Jack swallowed hard and then looked down at me. “I mean I would buy of course!” He seemed to be stumbling on his own words. Like the cool Jack from before had just vanished and a new, softer side of Jack was coming to light. I kind of liked this more timed, shy side of him.

“Sure! I can totally drag you along shopping with me! Though I might need you to hold my purse for me! And if you buy lunch, I'm buying you ice cream!” I said again with more pepper than I expected to say.

“I mean you don't have too..” He said, mumbling under his breath.

“Sure, I would love to.” I took a chance and decided to roll the mental dice. “Andy?” I said grinning.

“Andy?” He said blushing again as his eyes went wide open.

“Yes! It's either Andy or Baka, take your pick!” I said smiling as I took the first of my drink. The flavors all hit me at once. My eyes went wide as saucers as I took another long pull. The heavy cream, blended with the strong coffee, sweetened with the sugar and chilled by the crushed ice. Along with the hints of vanilla. It caused me to just tremble. It was an explosion of flavors in my mouth.

“Oh that's so good!” I said blushing.

“Andy.. but only if I can call you Emily-Chan!” He said, smiling a goofy smile. That smile.. that smile was a smile that caused my heart to burst into flames. It was like he was at last starting to lower his mental shields and show me the boy beyond the Goth..

“Oh you such WEEB!” I said giggling a little as I took another long sip of my coffee. Then something came over me, I don't know if it was the caffeine in the coffee beans, or the sugar or something else that had just woken in my mind. But at that moment I stood up and planted a kiss on his flushing red cheeks.

“...” Jack looked stunned.

“COME ON!” I said, taking another sip of my coffee. Oh God this stuff was so good! So good! “Let's go paint this mall red this morning!” I said as I reached down and took hold of Jack's hand. I smiled and pulled him alone. Jack just stood there dumb found as I pulled him toward the fountain.

How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

Note to readers: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday Evening in the “Benton Evening Post” The story focuses on the the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Anderson as she strides to adopted to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hills and the delta. The strong chronicles her daily life and sometimes that of her aunt Flora. And possibly her now boyfriend Andrew “Jack” Jackson.

-13-
Puppy Love

Jack was stunned, he really was stunned as he peered toward me, and I only grinned as I started to pull him along. It was a little past eleven now, and the mall was now filled with people. I'd not long finished my double vanilla frappe with extra whipping cream that had been drizzled with chocolate sauce and I could feel the rising effects of a sugar rush. I felt a little sorry for Jack.

“So.” He said blushing as he peered toward me. “Is this kind of like our first date or something?” He inquired as he shifted his eyes about.

His question caused me to pause and to stop dead in my tracks and turn around and gaze at him. Slowly I blinked, kind of like a cat does, when the cat is showing you it wants to be friends. I'd never considered this being a date, not in the true sense of the word. A date to me would be Jack, wearing a nice pair of dust colored slacks, a white button down shirt, with brown buttons, and maybe a navy blue sports coat or something, and me, well I would wearing the shortest dress Aunt Flora would allow me out of the house in with my highest heels.

“I mean, I don't know.” I said blushing a little. “I thought you had to hang out with somebody a few times one on one before you decided to go on a date with them.” I paused and then felt my cheeks starting to color. “Let's consider this a trial run. Not a date, but maybe something that could lead to a date if we agree that we kind of want to spend some more romantic time together in a more personal setting?”

I figured Jack would fall on his bottom and laugh his head off at that. Instead he nodded his head and smiled a little.

“Sure.” He said. “If at the end of our trail run if we agree to give this a chance or a shot I'll give you my phone number.” He said in a hopeful tone of voice. “Maybe you'll give me yours as well?”

I paused. “Maybe we should hold off on exchanging numbers till the end of the second trial run!” I said blushing. You see, while I did have a phone, a personal phone. Aunt Flora paid the bill and she had no idea that I was developing a crush. Well I really had no idea what she knew.

Jack looked like somebody had taken a hammer and knocked him upside the head. His face fell, he slumped over like he had just taken a bullet. A look of utter devastation dawned on his face and he looked absolutely crestfallen. Looking into his eyes I felt like my heart had been rendered into a billion and one pieces. Then those billion and one tiny pieces had been tossed into a roaring furnace and then reduced to nothing but ash and that ash had then shoveled up and tossed into the ocean.
“But, you live next door to me right? Maybe we could hang out sometimes. Maybe I could introduce you to my aunt, she would love to meet you!” I said smiling.

“Oh.” He said blushing a little. “Okay.. and I guess I should introduce you to my mom and sisters too. They would want to meet you too.” His eyes seemed to regain a little of their shine and the look of total ruin was starting to lift a little.

“Sisters?” I said tilting my head to the side. If this was a popular Saturday anime, I'm sure there would be a huge, neon red question mark appearing to the side of my head right above my head at this very second or the other. Maybe to the side.

“Yes, I have two, two older sisters, their twins, one is older than the other by like a few seconds I think. The first one is named Emma, she is a brunette and the second one is named Dee, she is blonde. I kind of can't date anybody unless they approve of them.. Cause like they say any future girlfriend could be a possible sister-in-law or something to that effect. I don't really know how this stuff works!” Jack said blushing.

“Well, in that case maybe one day I should meet them before we decided to take things a step further.” I then paused and once more kissed Jack on the cheeks, I think he deserved that. You know something to cheer him up, after all boy's were really simple creatures. And Jack kind of reminded me of a puppy, a puppy that just wanted to be petted, and talked gently too and treated it with tenderness. At this point I had to stop myself, well I had to catch myself. Where did that thought come from? Maybe I've been watching way too many romantic anime's.

“Cool, we can do that.” Jack paused. “So, like since we're talking and stuff. I was wondering if you would like to go to the Summer Carnival this coming Saturday? The local chapter of the Stonecutters is putting it on. And well there is not much to do in this town besides hang out at the mall. I figured, we could play a few games and ride a few rides and maybe check out the Tunnel of Love.” He said moving in, his eyebrows wiggled a little and that crestfallen look was all by a memory now.

“Sure!” I said without thinking about what I'd just agreed to.

“Cool. Would you mind volunteering for like a one hour shift in the dunking booth? My mom is running the dunking booth and she needs a few more volunteers. I would like to volunteer but I'll be helping my dad with the grill. He'll be grilling like steak on sticks to help raise some money for the hospital or something.” Jack said as turned his face around and looked down at the ground. He then quickly added.

“Plus I would love to see you in a bathing suit?” He whispered the last part.

I paused and then started to think of a way to turn the tables on Jack. Now, I knew about the Summer Carnival, it was the talk of the town. But till now, I'd never had a reason to concern myself with it. Because let's face it, my aunt could be working that day and normally you and a group of friends would go to one of those. And up till now, I had no friends, save for a few hundred random people I talked to on a daily basis on Bonfire. But they were scattered across sixteen different time zones.

“So.. if I volunteer for the dunking booth would you volunteer for the first annual Womanless Beauty Pageant they will be hosting!” I said, smiling toward him.

“Sure..” Jack paused as he looked away, and oh my God he was blushing!
“I'm sure Emma and Dee won't mind helping me.. but that thing is kind of supposed to be a joke right? Like it's supposed to mock real beauty pageants right?” He said blushing as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“For some yes.” I said, smirking a little as I wiggled my finger in front of his face. “But for you! I want you to make an effort to look good. That means no five o' clock shadows. Tasteful make-up and nail polish, and a fitting, and in date gown.” I said smiling as I then leaned in and folded my hands behind me black. I formed a smile and tilted my head to the side.

“Sure.” Jack said, pausing a little. “I got that.. Just know I'm going to dunk you!” I could tell he was reaching for straws. He was reaching for straws but the straws were slipping out of his hands. He was fighting and losing an uphill battle. I'd gotten him on the run and I planned on soon routing him from the field. And while that sounds cruel, like Jack and I were waging some kind of war, it was not, it was fun. I found myself enjoying teasing him and I quite hoped he would tease me back.

“Honey child.” I said, smiling a little. “Don't try to break those pretty little nails!” I said, smirking as I skipped off. My heart was fluttering in my chest. Was this the dawn of a sweet summer romance? Was this the first bit of the forbidden fruit called love that my maiden heart had been allowed to have? Was this the same thrill Eve had felt when she had bitten into the apple in the garden and she had felt her mind expand with knowledge and understanding?

-14-
Pretty Celestial Soldier: Revenge of the Yuki-Hime the Snow Princess!
Tokyo is at her icy mercy!

After that little teasing session Jack and I made our way around the mall. A peaceful silence had fallen between us. Then something happened that I did not expect. Now, toward the middle of the mall, on the north side there was a small two screen theater. It was right across from the bookstore. As we passed the movie theater I paused. And peered toward one of the film posters that were displayed out front. These posters were used to promote and advertise the films being shown. And one caught my attention right off the bat.

This one showed a girl who was dressed in a very showy outfit, a short sparkling pink skirt, pink white blouse that looked like the blouse worn by Japanese school girls with a pink bow in the middle and pink boots. She also had long, bridal-like gloves on. And in her hand she held a small wand. The shaft of the wand was bright red and topped with a golden encrusted sapphire that was glowing like a nightlight.

The girl was facing a woman, who had blue skin, she was dressed in a sparkling blue dress, huge snowflakes swirled around her and her almond shaped eyes seemed dark as coal and she had a grin a mile long on her face peered toward the girl who was facing her. In the background, one could see the city of Tokyo, encased in ice and covered with snow.

“JACK!” I said a little too loud. My voice echoed. I blame the sugar. “We should see this!” I said pointing toward the poster. “Like TODAY!” Again I blame the sugar.

Jack paused and peered toward the movie poster. He smiled a little as he shrugged his shoulders.

“I thought we were taking things slowly.” He said in a teasing tone of voice.

“That was before I saw this movie poster!” I said almost pleading.

“Listen! I want to see this movie! We're here together! Let's see it together! You buy the popcorn and I'll buy the drinks! Heck I would buy your ticket for you!” I said as I bounced upon my heel. Again I blame the sugar.

“I think you had too much coffee..” Jack said, sweat dropping a little as he peered at me. “I think you've had way too much coffee to drink!” He said looking down at the ground and then back at me. “But, I guess the movie does look kind of cool! And I kind of like anime..”

“YES!” I said bouncing again as I reached up and pulled him toward the ticket box. A few minutes later, Jack and I found ourselves standing in front of a very bored and dull looking clerk who I guess was still trying to get into the groove of working. He had this kind of dead fish look to him, and he seemed tired.

“Welcome to Pecan Mall Theater..” He said in a dull tone of voice.

“TWO TICKETS FOR 'PRETTY CELESTIAL SOLDIER: REVENGE OF YUKI-HIME THE ICE PRINCESS!' PLEASE.” Now, I know somebody out there is telling me I should have used my inside voice. And normally I would have used my inside voice. But when your favorite anime is getting a movie and that movie is playing at your local theater and you've just swallowed thirty two ounces of ice, coffee, sugar, chocolate, and cream it's almost impossible to use your inside voice.

Poor Jack looked tone deaf and the clerk looked like somebody had blown him over. And the glass windows out front now had a few more cracks in them. I was almost foaming at the mouth as the clerk just peered at me.

“Okay, that would be twenty dollars..” He said as he pushed a button. And two tickets came up. Without thinking I reached down into my wallet and pulled out my bank card. Now I could have paid in cash, but I was saving my cash for something. At that moment I'd forgotten my bank card at my old name printed on it 'Emil Anderson' instead of my newer, prettier name 'Emily Anderson'.

The clerked looked at the bank card and then looked at me. I swallowed hard and felt myself starting to sweat a little. After a few seconds he shrugged his shoulders and ran the card.

“Kay.. movie starts in like fifteen or twenty minutes..” He muttered as handed my card back to me. “Have a good one.. Emil..” He added with a sneer as he pulled out his phone and started to peck at the buttons.

Neither Jack or I heard the last part because I was pulling Jack toward the snack stand!

“Okay! I'll buy the snacks! I'll buy the snacks!” He said blushing. “God you go hard on the first date!”

-15-
A little Trolling
(Pecan Movie Theaters Ticket Clerk Point of View)

Life is dull in this town. There is nothing going on, I only got this job because mom and dad have been riding my ass to get a job so I can help out around the house. Dad wanted me to get a job at Sunflower. He knows the manager Jim Peoples and said he could get hired as a bagboy, he said if I applied myself and worked really hard I could make a career out of it and get promoted from bagboy to stockboy.

Fuck that noise, only the losers go to work at Sunflower or Kay's. That is not a 'Cool' job. Now what I have is a 'Cool' job. My hours don't change. I work four days a week, from eleven o' clock in the morning till around nine o' clock at night when the theater closes. I get paid weekly, I get an employee discount at the snack bar and once a month I'm allowed to see one movie on the  house. I could also hook people up with sweet employee discounts. The poor bastards at Sunflower or Kay's gotta work from dawn till dusk in all kinds of weather. While Jim Peoples rides their asses hard.

My boss is cool, laid back, and a bit of a stoner. But still cool. And this work is easy, but sometimes we get real freaks in here. Like this girl and her friend, she was so hyper and shit, man she really got under my skin with her voice. And the thing is she sounded like a guy, like really sounded like a guy.

And she looked kind of weird too. Like she was wearing this kind of old-fashion dress, like who wears a dress to the mall? Maybe she was Catholic or something? Catholics are weird as fuck too! They all worship a girl named Mary and gotta ask for a priest to forgive them of their sins and they drink like wine at church. Only thing I know about them is the girls that go to the local Catholic school are hot and my bruhs all agree they're hot.

Anyway, this girl paid with her card, but the name on the card was 'Emil' so it's weird right? Like that guy's name. So I called my friend who works at this coffee shop and asked her if a weird girl had been there today, she said she had. I asked for her name. She said something that sounded like 'Emily' but she had paid with a bank card that had the name 'Emil' printed on it.

Like I said, life is dull in this town. And I kind of want to know more about this 'Emil' who seems to be hanging around the mall. Why? Because, I need something to do. She looks like a gamer. I get my home boy at the GameXChange a heads up and see if he can't trick her into showing her ID and if she does, to snap a picture of it. Why? Because what can be more entertaining than exposing a tranny for who they really are! Might even get a medal or something! Plus maybe this would spice things up a little.

How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

Note to Readers: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday Evening in the “Benton Evening Post” the story focuses on the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Anderson as she strides to adopt to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hills and the delta. The Story chronicles her life as she tries to figure out what direction she wants to take her life. Some chapters focus solo on Emily, others might focus on her aunt Flora and a few might focus on her new, possible boyfriend Jack.

Note from Sunflower: From what my muse is telling me, we are at the halfway point. I think the events that transpire over the next few days in-universe will pretty much get me too a good stopping point, a good place to catch my breath, get my focus back on track and plot out a sequel.

-16-
Of course you can use my head as a Pillow

The movie was amazing. I laughed, I cried, and I cheered for my girls. And Jack, despite it being kind of a girl's anime, just sat back and enjoyed it. The movie was also an epic, as most anime movies are, two and a half hours of non stop romantic action. When the end credits finally scrolled across the silver screen, it was pushing two in the afternoon and I was getting ready for my afternoon nap. I had a long night of anime in front of me and I needed some much needed beauty sleep.

And so after the movie, Jack and I decided to head home. The bus ride home was spent in silent reflection. My own mind was swirling with thoughts. First off, I'd not checked off a thing off my shopping list, but on the other hand I'd spent an amazing day with an adorable boy, had talked him into volunteering for a womanless beauty pageant and at the same time volunteered myself for the dunking booth. If this was a date it had been a weird date.

“Hey thank you.” I said blushing a little as I turned toward Jack. Who seemed half asleep, in fact he was dozing off right now.

“I should be thanking you. I enjoyed that.” He said as he stifled a yawn. “Man, I need to get another job. This paper route is killing me. This two o' clock stuff is for the bird man.” He said as he settled back down in his seat.

“If you want. You could put your head on my lap.” I decided to offer. “Maybe catch forty winks between Pecan Road and our stop at Shadow Lane.” I said blushing as the words I'd just spoken reached my own ears.

Jack smiled and before I could stop him or protest he leaned over and placed his head upon my lap. And before I could mutter anything to stop him, he fell fast asleep. I looked down and blinked and blinked this, this was the most anime inspired bullshit I've ever seen in my life. Now, if you guys don't know, in anime and manga, when a guy falls asleep on a girl's lap that kind of means their dating. And are kind of going steady you know. 

And at that moment, I felt myself being knocked for a loop. I'd been Emily for only a handful of days, maybe four or five at most. I'd never gone outside as a girl, and yet on my first adventure outdoors, I'd seen a movie with a guy, who happened to be my next door neighbor, volunteered for a dunking booth, and now the guy had fallen asleep and was using my lap as a pillow.

“Maybe.” I said, musing to myself. “Maybe I could get used to this?” I said as I looked down at the sleeping Jack. There was something almost romantic about this, it seemed stranger than reality. Slowly I lifted my hand and slowly I started to stroke his hair. Jack only muttered something under his breath as he moved his cheeks, I could feel his unshaven cheeks rubbing my thighs through the soft fabric of my skirt.

“This is so Starlight Valley!” I said blushing a little as I looked out the window. For those who don't know, Starlight Valley was a farming simulator series of games for the Famicom Entertainment System. The first one appeared on the Super Famicom Entertainment System, a system I still had tucked into the corner of my bedroom, it had belonged to my mom and Aunt Flora. Back when they were younger.. Mom, before she had gotten sick, used to play it and her favorite game was well you guessed it. Starlight Valley, more properly it was Starlight Valley: Girl's Life Edition.

Now, before I keep rambling, allow me to tell you guys a little about the Starlight Valley game series, going to kind of touch on the key features of the game and key elements of game play here. Okay Like I mentioned before the game centers on farming. Pretty much you play as a character whose grandfather just passed away and has left you with the old family farm. The farm is located in the picturesque valley of Starlight. Your farm is located by a town that is kind of sandwiched between the steep, snow covered Boulder Mountains to the north and the vast uncharted Sea of Stars to the south and to the west you have the vast forest of Hemlock. The only way in or out of town is  a bandit infested mountain pass to the east connects this tiny outpost of civilization with the rest of the world.

Follow me? Good! Because while the main goal is to turn the farm, which is run down, like when you start the game it the farm is in really bad shape, like your first field is choked with weeds, your second field is covered in small trees that you need to clear away with a rusty ax, and your third field is buried under a mountain of trash that you can either burn or sale. I’d always sold the stuff to the traveling peddler that appears every few in game days. Trust me if you ever play the game, you will need the extra gold! Anyway, the main goal is to turn your run down farm into a money making machine, the second goal is to bring life and trade back into this small village which is named “Forget-Me-Not”.

And while the main focus of the game is farming, there is so much more to the game than that. You can mine for copper, silver and gold ore in one of the  underground old abandoned mines located at the foot of Boulder Mountain. Once you ship enough ore, you will attract a blacksmith to your town. You can then forge for herbs that will attract a young doctor to your town, the doctor will sell you potions to recover your health and treat your characters when you get sick. Likewise shipping clay found in the hills will attract a potter, shipping jewels will cause a jeweler to open up and so on and so on.

There are also village celebrations to attend. Attending village celebrations will boost your social link with the colorful characters that call Forget-Me-Not home, and the higher your social link with certain characters the more special cutscenes you unlock. All of this made for some enriching and rewarding game play.

As I sat there Jack head resting upon my lap, my nimble fingers running the fine, almost angelic hair that was Jack's hair as I watched the world zoom by.

“It's so much like it.” I said, smiling a little. See beside attending town celebrations, you had the chance to get married and start a family. I then paused and shuttered a little. It was like at that moment either God or the Devil decided to enlighten me a little. See, my favorite game in the series was Starlight Valley: Girl's Life Edition.. that because well beside playing as a girl, a girl I'd named Emily by some one in a million chance not only could you get married, married as in your character would appear in a stunning white wedding gown complete with three bridesmaids and the token little girl of the village being your flower girl. 
But in order to get married, you first had to reach a social link of eight hearts or higher with one of the many adorable, no handsome guys that called the village home. And your three bridesmaids would the three girls who you had the highest social link with. I don’t know about the flower girl, I never spent any time with the token little girl running around the village. In fact my only interaction with her had been when I’d found her lost in the mountains. Anyway I ramble again. 

But you could also get pregnant and in a season or two you would give birth. You could either give birth to a healthy boy or a healthy girl. And as you progressed in the game your child would grow up and well in the end move off to attend college in that mystical world beyond the mountains.

“I..” I felt my eyes start to get moist. Shit, today had been one of my happiest days since my mom had passed and now I was getting hung up on something that I could not control. Like the fact I'd been born a boy instead of a girl! And that every time I'd played as a girl in either Pocket Monsters, Magical Animal Village or Starlight Valley it felt right!

I blinked to clear my eyes. And of course a few stray tears had to fall from my eyelashes and land upon Jack's neck, which caused him to stir a little and roll his head around. I felt him rolling his head around my lap and that caused a sudden jolt to run through my body. A few seconds later the bus came to a rolling stop and I could tell by looking out the window we were there. We were back home. Jack's house sat right across from mine.

“Hey Jack.” I said reaching down to rock his head back and forth a little. “We're here.” I whispered into his ear.

Jack muttered something. Something I could not understand.

“Jack!” I said, taking a deep breath. “Gotta get up now!” The whole bus was gazing at us now.

“Five more minutes mommy.” I blinked and blinked again as I looked around. A few of the older women who appeared to be in their mid thirties seemed amused, or confused, or just looked on with disappointment. It was like they were silently judging me, some of them even started to whisper into the ears of their friend who they happen to be sharing a seat with. Their friends just seemed to fold their arms across their chest, nod their heads in agreement and then shift their icy gaze toward me.

“COME ON BAKA!” I said loudly

A mummer filled the bus. And slowly Jack lifted his head from my lap and looked around. His eyes seemed glazed over and he seemed like I'd just awoken from the shortest nap in the world. His jet black hair was sticking out in all directions and his eyelids seemed to droop down and I could see the start of a five o' clock shadow on his chin. Slowly his eyes started to open and he looked up at me.

“What time is it?” He said as he pushed his arms up into the air and let out a big yawn.

“Time for you to get a watch.” I muttered. Why do boys always tend to dash to pieces any romantic notions you have of them. One minute I was sitting there, playing with Jack's hair, smiling, thinking about maybe one day he and I could get married, and maybe settle down and have two point five kids, a dog and a modest house surrounded by a white fence. Now, I was wondering how in the world I could have ever fallen head over heels in love with somebody like this! Wait, was that even possible?! Could I fall in love with somebody I'd just spent one morning with.

“I have a phone for that, but my phone is in my pocket.” He said, shrugging his shoulders. He then turned and smiled at me. “Your lap felt nice though. It was the softest pillow I'd ever used.” He said grinning.

I muttered something under my breath and turned my head toward the window. I then flipped my nose into the air and leered at Jack. And then before I could catch myself I found myself saying. “Maybe next time, I should use your lap for a pillow.”

“Sure.” He said and with that being said we were booted off the bus.

It was late in the afternoon. And the sun was shining brightly, the concrete under our feet was so hot one could fry an egg on it. And I was ready for an afternoon nap. As we walked, Jack and I side by side, something happened. I felt his hand being slipped into my hand and I felt our fingers starting to twist together. I looked over at Jack and smiled and he returned my smile with one of his own.

“Hey.” He said as he turned to me. “I had fun. And I wanted to thank you for sharing the morning with me.” He said blushing a little. “We should do it again, if you want to.”

I smiled a little as I stood up on my tippy toes and kissed him on the cheeks. It seemed like a perfect way to end our first 'date'. And now it was time to order some pizza, after that I would brush my teeth and change into a light cotton nightgown and then curl up in bed and take a nap before settling in for a long night of watching anime on Adult Swim. 

How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

Note to the reader: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday evening in the “Benton Evening Post” the story focus on the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Anderson as she strides to adopt to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hills and the delta. The story chronicles her daily life as she tries to figure out what direction she wants to take her life. Some of the chapters will focus solo on Emily, and others might focus on her aunt Flora and a few special chapters might focus on her new, possible boyfriend Jack.

-17-
Emily's First Haircut

I'd noticed that Aunt Flora was looking at me pretty hard from across the kitchen table. She seemed to be judging me a little, no that not the word I'm looking for she seemed to be studying me. At first I did my best to try to avoid it. After all, I had just plotted out my newest project, a fanfiction based on my favorite game series “Starlight Valley ''. And I had the first chapter already written out in long hand and a bunch of notes written out too. All written on a bundle of papers that had found a home beside my laptop. Now all I needed to do was to type them up, polish them, do a little proofreading and get to them ready to be published on the web.

“Emily.” Aunt Flora said as she lowered the morning paper. “When was the last time your hair was given some attention?” She said as she folded the paper up and pushed it to the side. She then leaned back in her chair and folded her hands behind her hand.

“I think, I think right before my mom got sick and kicked the bucket.” I said blinking. “It's been about eighteen months since I've gotten my haircut. And I don't want to start now.” I was about to start rambling off in my head. But I quickly noticed that Aunt Flora had held up her hand and waved it through the air in front of her. Like she was dismissing what I was just about to say I was just about to jump out of my seat and throw one heck of a hissy fit when Aunt Flora spoke.

“I figured as much. Listen Emily, you need a haircut. Your hair needs some attention.” She said pushing her seat back a few minutes later she stood up and started to make her way toward the coffee pot. “You are such a beautiful girl that it would a total shame to have your poorly kept hair take away from your appearance.” She added as she wrapped her fingers around the handle of the coffee pot and poured herself a good measure of coal black coffee.

I opened my mouth and then closed it shut.

“For the last few days I've noticed a lot of split ends. I've noticed it even in the back and on the sides. You can barely notice it when you wear your hair up in pigtails or when you pull it up in a ponytail. But when you wear it down. Trust me it's really noticeable. Listen, it looks shaggy.” Aunt Flora said with a sigh.

“But, I like having long hair.” I said curving my pink lips into a pout as I peered toward Aunt Flora.

Aunt Flora sighed and just shook her from left to right.

“Emily Hannah Anderson. If you will take just one moment to clean the wax from your ears. And listen to what I'm saying you will be doing yourself a big favor. I'm not suggesting buzzing it all off. Unless you personally want that. What I'm saying is this, you're about to start presenting yourself as female. And you need a style that will look nice, something you wear up, like with pigtails that seem your favorite hairstyle or with a ponytail. Something you can decorate with ribbons, bows, clips if you want. Or even wear down with a colorful head. Something though that would look neat and clean and very lady like.” She said as she sipped her coffee.

“And how do I look now?” I dared to ask.

“Like female Shaggy from Scooby Doo.” She said, “I mean there is so much we need to work on. For example, I want you to start taking better care of yourself. And that means clipping and trimming your fingernails more often without me telling you you need to. And taking a shower more than once a day. I also want you to learn to wash your own clothes and fold them nicely and neatly and to store them like a girl will. You are a decent cook for your age, and you do a wonderful job making sure the house is nice and neat and that the yard looks passable. So I need to increase your pocket money.” She paused.

“But listen to me. If you're going to really be 'Emily' until the day you take your last breath and leave this rock. You need to start taking better care of yourself. I know it sounds like I'm beating a dead horse with a baseball bat. But I mean it girl.” Aunt Flora said, sighing as she drained her mug of coffee.

“Okay.” To be honest I was not really catching her drift.

“And that means we gotta start with the basics. That means, we need to get your teeth cleaned. And for that to happen we need to find you a good dentist to start with. But today were going to get your hair trimmed.” She said, shaking her head. Her head moved from left to right. “So here what I would do if I was in your shoes. I would go ahead and get a shower. After I've showered I would put on a nice floral sundress. Since the high this afternoon is supposed to be a hundred and fifteen and that in the shade. Some nice matching sandals too. And be sure to clip your fingernails and toenails. And trim them too. And if you want to, put on a little lip gloss and a little foundation.” There was a pause.

“While your doing all that I'll be getting dressed too.” Aunt Flora added. “Because I need a haircut too. And we might as well knock out two birds with one stone.”

I nodded my head.

Oh! Before you ask, I already know the perfect stylist for you. Her name is Charlotte Jackson and she runs this cute little salon in the mall. If I recall correctly it's called Charlotte Family Hair Salon. Anyway she is really good and really a friend and would like you. I'm taking you there because she also has two teenage daughters and a teenage son. So she'll know what to do in style.” And with that Aunt Flora poured herself a cup of coffee and started to walk away.

It took me around forty five minutes to get dressed. It took Aunt Flora twenty minutes, she had to spend another twenty five minutes searching for her purse and then we had to spend another twenty minutes looking for her house keys. In that time I'd somehow managed to wash my hair, do my face, and get dressed. Today's outfit was as Aunt Flora suggested a nice floral print sundress.

“You look very nice dear.” Aunt Flora said finally she had long at last found her house keys, turns out they were hanging up to her car keys. Which is to say they were hanging next to the front door. They were hiding in plain sight. I'd spotted them five minutes into the search. But knowing how Aunt Flora was, I let her tear the living room asunder in her mad search for them. I knew if I said anything she would snap at me out of frustration.

And given how I was walking on eggshells at the moment I might have snapped back and that might have caused Aunt Flora to finally take me across her knee as she often did when I became sassy with her. So instead of pointing them out I allowed her to tear the living apart.

“Thanks. I'm still not too sure about getting my haircut. I mean I kind of like having my hair.. long and I like wearing it in pigtails. And I like wearing it in a ponytail! And I'm just leaving my 'Tomboy' phase behind me. And plus been growing out my fair for so long.” I knew at this moment I was rambling and once again Aunt Flora just held up her hand to silence me.

“Again Emily Hannah Anderson it's just a trim. Listen young lady, I'm not saying get all your hair buzzed off your head. And I'm not suggesting you chop it all off either. Now if you want to get a buzz cut, sure be my guest. If you want to chop it all off, sure you can do that too. It's your hair after all. Again, all I'm saying and all I'm going to suggest is that you get the dead ends trimmed up and get it shaped up a little. That is, think of it like this, you're cutting that connection.” Aunt Flora Paused.

“Cutting the connection?” I paused as I turned around. A few seconds later I found myself peering into Aunt Flora's eyes.

“Yes. Okay look at it like this, because this is kind of the way I see it. Boys can wear their hair long. The idea that boys can wear their hair short is kind of dying out and I'm glad for it. A lot of boys these days have hair that reaches down to the collar of their shirts. Something that would have been unheard of when I was your age. Now, that's fine and good if a boy wants to wear his hair long. I'm cool with that. I have no problem with boys wearing their hair long, if I did I would have made you a buzz cut before your moms funeral and before you started to live with me.” Aunt Flora took a deep breath and heaved a weary sigh.

“Okay.” I pulled my ponytail around and started to stroke it a little.

“But if your going to be 'Emily' and you plan on going to school as 'Emily' and soon, and I mean very soon getting your named on your account changed from 'Emil Anderson' to 'Emily Hannah Anderson' and getting the name on you social security card changed from 'Emil Anderson' to 'Emily Hannah Anderson' that is going to require a ton of work. A lot of paperwork too! And well it all starts with you presenting yourself to the world as a female and that means getting your haircut and styled like a teenage girl would!”

I blinked.

“Listen girl, if you go around town looking like a girl who wears her hair like a boy people will ask questions. Girls will start to whisper behind your back, and trust me, girls like nothing better than to dig. And with the internet being the internet and all. Before long somebody is going to put one and one together and come up with two and when that happens. We'll be in for a world of trouble.” Aunt Flora said with a sigh.

“But..Like..” I felt myself lost for words.

“Listen Emily, I want you to know that Charlotte is cool, and her employees are cool. She is one of my best friends. We went to school together. And she is cool with people like you. And she is a firm supporter of the LGBTQ+ community too. And she is the driving force behind getting this town's first ever pride parade started.” Aunt Flora said with a smile. “And all of her hairdressers are top of the line and will listen to what you want done. Heck I even think one of them watches those same Japanese cartoons you like to watch and I know one of them even likes to read those Japanese comic books too. So Like you can get your cut in style if you want?”

“Oh. Okay.” And all of a sudden I was feeling better about the whole thing.

“Welcome to Charlotte's Family Hair Salon! How can I help y'all today?” A woman who seemed to be in her mid twenties said as Aunt Flora ushered me into the salon. The woman had short, blonde hair and blue eyes and wore what appeared to a black smock.

“Yes, I was wondering if you have time for two walk-ins?” Aunt Flora Said. “I need a haircut and my niece needs one too.” She kind of left her tomboy phase behind and well, it's been a while since she had her hair cut and styled.” Aunt Flora said as she pulled me in front of her and smiled.

The woman peered at me and then smiled softly and nodded her head.

“Oh sure!” We've got plenty of open slots! Y'all ladies just take a seat and I'll be right with y'all. Also my name is Amanda Bowman by the way. And I'm the new stylist here.” Amanda said as she smiled toward Aunt Flora and then at me.

Well a few minutes passed and then a few more minutes passed before the woman returned.

“Okay Flora and Emily, we can see y'all now. Emily, you'll be with me today. And Ms. Flora you will be with Mrs. Brown.” And with that being said Aunt Flora and I parted ways for the time being.

“Well.” Amanda said as she turned to me, “Somebody told me it's been a while since you last had a haircut? So what did you want?” She said as she motioned for us to take a seat in a black, leather chair.

I felt my cheeks starting to bloom with color as I eased my bottom down into the chair, being sure to fold my dress under as I did so.

“I don't know, something basic.” I said blushing. “Like I want to keep as much of the length as possible. And I really like putting my hair up in pigtails and I like ponytails too.” I said blushing.

“Okay.” Amanda said as she started to play with my hair a little. There are a lot of split ends, and a lot of dead growth, and it is really thick, okay so here what we're going to do, I'm going to trim it up and get rid of all the split ends and dead growth and shape it up too. That way when you grow it out, it would look nice and even and not shaggy.``

“Okay.” I said, taking a deep breath.

“Trust me girl when I get done with you, you will look amazing!” She said as she draped the cape over me and fastened it around my neck. “So do you have a boyfriend?”

I blushed a little and found myself going silent.

“Oh sorry! It's just with how pretty you are, I was sure you had like all the boys in town eating out of the palm of my hand.” Amanda teased and with that she went back to work.

The minutes slowly ticked by, I felt like my world was falling apart as I watched large amounts of hair fall down on my lap. I tried my best to silence the voices in my head telling me that when I was done I would just look like a boy. That this whole thing had been Aunt Flore's ploy to get me get a proper haircut that my time being 'Emily' was done with.

Ten no fifteen minutes passed. I wanted to scream out and yell. But finally Amanda laid aside her clippers and smiled a little. “Well, it was hard, but I think I got you on the right track. It would grow out nicer than before. When I started it was a ragged mess.” And with that she spun me around and well the moment I looked myself in the mirror

My long, shaggy brown hair had been trimmed to perfection. It was still pretty long, still felt to my shoulder but now it looked healthier and felt lighter. I felt a little smile starting to form as I reached up and ran my hair through it. I felt like a princess.

“You know if you wanted too, I'm sure you could sign up for this beauty pageant that is going to be hosted at the coming summer fair. I think it's going to be the evening entertainment. But you should sign up, I think with your body type, your new hair style, and the right kind of dress and the right kind of make-up you'll be a shoe in to be crowned Pecan Princess.” Amanda said smiling. “I have a few entry forms here.”

“Do you think I have a chance?” I asked, blushing a little.

“Girlfriend, let me offer you some advice. You only live once. But I'm sure if any girl deserves to be crowned 'Pecan Princess' it is you.”

“Okay I'll do it.”

And that is how I got my first true haircut as Emily and also entered a beauty pageant in hopes of being crowned 'Pecan Princess' and that is how I must conclude this chapter.