Maisie asked, "Why do you go to therapy? I know why I go — I've been screwed over by my parents. But why do you go? There's nothing wrong with you. Is there?"

"Uh, it's kind of personal," I replied.

"Who's Mark?" Susan asked, suddenly very interested.

Maisie responded by pointing at me.

Sister said in a quiet voice, "Come with me." I had no idea what was going to happen next, and to tell the truth, I was a little afraid. She walked to the far corner of the room, and opened a tall, dark door.

"Now," I said, "my parents want to keep a very close eye on me, and they think that Sister Honororia is just wonderful."

"Don't say her name too loud," Maisie cautioned. "She's behind you in the corner, and she's looking right at you."
 

I looked up at the second floor, and saw a girl's face in one of the windows. She looked directly into my eyes, but she didn't move or wave. I was so startled, at first I couldn't tell the others, but when I did, the girl was gone.

"Why are you staring at me?" she demanded.

"I'm sorry," I replied, "I didn't mean to be rude. I've never seen a nun up close before."

"You're going to lie low in a Catholic girls school?" Maisie grinned.

"I hope so."

"Oh, God, I hope not!" she cried. "Listen, next time you do something crazy, bring me along!"

"Marcie, I've seen pictures of you since you... changed, but seeing you in person is..." Dad looked at me for a few moments, then hugged me and pulled Mom into the hug. "... so much better!" he finished.
 

Transgendered Fairy Tales
by Kaleigh Way

Before lunch was over, the PA cracked on. "Students, I want to wish you all a safe and happy vacation. We look forward to seeing you back on Monday. Unfortunately, one of our students will *not* be returning, and I think you all know who I mean."

The mothers of Kristie and Diana arrived together, and I found myself giving the most craven, self-abasing apologies I could muster. I was sure that both women would have been quite happy to claw me to bits and roast me over a barbecue, but the principal wisely kept me out of striking distance.

The girls returned to class, their mothers returned home, and I wondered whether their fathers owned any firearms. They certainly knew where I lived.

As I looked around at their sullen faces, I suddenly felt like Wendy from Peter Pan in the midst of the Lost Boys. "I could tell you a story," I wanted to say, but of course I didn't.

I chewed on my finger for a little bit. "My mother would kill me," I said, "and my father would flip out."

It looked like I'd have to be Marcie-who-used-to-be-Mark, which did not look like a good option, especially as a way to get to know people. "Hi, I'm Marcie. I used to be Mark, but you know... I liked dresses better."

"You sound a little sad," Cassie said brightly. "What's wrong?"

"If I tell you, you'll just tease me," I replied, "Besides, I want to tell Jerry first."

"Oh my god," she said breathlessly. "You're not pregnant, are you?"

"Madison, you bitch!" I whispered. "I should bury you in the back yard!"

Instead, I found a more humane solution: I hid her and her clothes in my sock drawer.

Mr. Marks had told me, All around you parents, relatives, and friends clutch their hearts in terror. The terror was right there on the faces of Nina and Eden. Nina buried her face in my shirt and I could feel her trembling. Eden couldn't even talk.

"It isn't that I want you to be upset at what happened, but it doesn't seem that you understand the gravity of what's going on with you. You just skip happily from one bizarre cataclysm to the next, while all around you, parents, relatives, and friends clutch their hearts in terror."

"Come here, you little Dodger girl! You know I love you, don't you? I'm not getting rid of you! I just don't have to be your mother any more! Let's face it, you're like a little soap opera — with breasts!" She laughed and laughed at her own joke.

"I don't know how parents survive!" she exclaimed. "You've been with me for what — five or six weeks now, and I feel like I'm either going to have gray hair or a heart attack or both! And the thing is, you're just skipping along, tra la la, and — oh! I'm a girl! oh! I have a boyfriend! oh! I climbed the school building! oh! I have breasts!"

Denise and I both stayed out of school on Friday. I had my tea with me, and made sure I didn't miss my daily cup. By now I had breasts like little half-apples, and no longer needed padding to fill my bra. They weren't big breasts, but they were mine, and I hoped the tea would keep them growing.

"Yeah, whatever," he said. "Hey, I can only give you a quick kiss with my parents watching."

I smiled. "I understand." I got up on tiptoe, and he gave me a peck on the lips. Resting my head on his chest, I hugged him tight. Then I noticed that my left foot had "popped," like the girl in The Princess Diaries, so I put it back on the ground and let go. "Thanks. I had a lot of fun."

"Oh," I said. "Remember when I told you that I'm not supposed to date? Well, I'm really not supposed to have you over when no one's home."

"You'll be home," he said playfully.