Author retains all rights to this original work of fiction.

“Hey girlies,” Lindsay said with a grin as Ellie, Monique and Kacey entered the packed coffee shop and slumped heavily into their seats. “Should I ask?”

“Ugh, I’d prefer it if you didn’t,” Monique groaned. “I HATE exams…”

“Well, only a few more days to go,” Kacey said with a tired chuckle. “Gonna be weird not going to college next year, heh.”

“Meh, I can’t wait to get to uni,” Jodie shrugged. “I love change, things get boring if things always stay the same, you know?”

Author retains all rights to this original work of fiction.

Friday, March 29th 9:36 AM
Sleep alluded me and getting my brain to shut off was impossible. I think the only reason I fell asleep was due to exhaustion. I was feeling that way now - exhausted. I was dreading meeting everyone for breakfast. So much so I almost cancelled, but didn’t because the backlash would have been worse than what I had been facing since sitting down - which was pretty intense.

Author's Note: You may have noticed that I’ve chosen to write a story set in the US rather than my home turf, so, if I’ve messed up a phrase or cultural reference, please forgive me and let me know my mistake as a PM. As ever please be tolerant of my failings, and forthright with your criticism. ~Persephone
 
Photo by  Christopher Campbell on Unsplash
© Persephone 2019

Alex Rios’ furtive high school transition is suspected by friends, revealed to a lover and exposed by his enemies. With his intellectual hauteur torn away, he becomes the girl he longed, and was destined, to be.

My Awkward Phase
©Alexandra Rios 2019

The greatest lie is that what happens in high school doesn't matter, because life begins in college. I pretended to agree, although I never believed it, for I was the world's greatest liar.

Wannabees

Author retains all rights to this original work of fiction.

Author retains all rights to this original work of fiction.

Thursday, March 29th 8:43 PM
The after party was more like an after dance than a gathering of all the contestants being made available for the audience to schmooze with. With how I was feeling about the competition right now that was kind of a relief. I didn't think I had it in me to smile while people told me I should have won or placed. What was I doing here?!

I pick up in Livermore, just the same day as the last post. If you feel the need to go back and read those, I'll wait right here for you. I couldn't pick a good part to make as a preview, so I'll just leave it all down below.

March 6th 1983

January 1st 1:00 am
Truckee California

For Larry Rawlings, New Years wasn’t that big of a deal. Neither was Christmas, Thanksgiving and any other Family type holiday. Thankfully this year he was home, and not in the middle of a delivery. So instead of spending it alone, he was with his neighbor, Liz.

Everyone was really great yesterday. I went to the bathroom and washed my face so I didn't look like I was crying my head off. By the time I came out everyone had already eaten and the movie of the night had just started. They all said how nice I looked and then Emily let me eat on the couch with a tray and plenty of napkins so I didn't miss more of the movie. At least when I promised to be really careful, which I did. I didn't want to make a mess on their nice furniture at all, or my pretty new clothes.

I haven't been to a lot of malls but this one seemed big. Because it was friday there were a lot of people here too. For a bit I was almost looking forward to this even in the dress. The twins kept talking about how fun it was going to be. This was their world. Some of their excitement was rubbing off on me maybe. No less than two nurses said how cute I looked at the doctors. It was a different cute though, the cute of a little girl looking like her mommy made her all pretty.

Stepping out of his room he felt alive sort of, like reborn. What ever happened now he was just going to do what he liked. He finally didn't care what other people thought. Before he just pretended he didn't care, he knew that now. Now it was real, he was really free to just be “self” whatever prefix the world wanted to add to it was fine.

Mostly I just stared out the window as we drove to the new house. Kelly sat in back next to me which seemed to annoy John who was our driver again. He had to take out one of the car seats, likely had to put it back in later too. If I had my way he would have taken both of them out but I was use to them by this point.

When I was seven I knew what I wanted to do when I grew up.
I wanted to be a fire truck.

Seriously,I wanted to be a fire truck: drive around with lights and sirens with firemen to put out fires.

I have a few of those things still. I get to work with lights, sirens, smoke and I kind of worked with firemen, but not from a fire truck; actually from a stage at a club called “Four Alarm”.

Author retains all rights to this original work of fiction.

Thursday, March 29th 3:04 AM
"You must live here," I commented trying to maintain my composure because those 'To-kill-ya' shots were now making me feel a little fuzzy.

Kelly was extra perky this morning for breakfast. I almost think she’s keeping a secret or something. Super perky Kelly who couldn’t even stop smiling to chew her food told me she might miss lunch because she had an important phone call. I nodded, it was kind of good because this new level of perky was starting to creep me out a little. I still liked her. Well, I decided I liked her a day or two ago. Until she crossed some line somewhere she keeps that status. Not many make it there.

“Mmph,” I moan as I wake up in my bed, my soft sheets huddled around my body- and only my body. I let out a sigh as I swing my soft, hairless legs out of bed and pad through to the bathroom for a long, hot shower, before drying myself and heading to the kitchen to make myself a much-needed cup of hot coffee- and take my much-needed oestrogen tablets. I try to force a smile on my face as I switch on the television, but it quickly disappears when I’m greeted by a trailer for this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing, which starts tonight- and which features my Kayla.

“What?” Stella says into the phone. It’s her cousin from the clinic. “Hold on, start over and let me put you on speaker phone. Pedro, you need to hear this.” Getting his attention as he was coming in from mowing the lawn. Both sat at the kitchen table, phone in the center on speaker. “Okay Michelle, Pedro is here. Tell us what happened.

Author retains all rights to this original work of fiction.

Wednesday, March 28th 8:13 PM
The show was progressing as expected and everyone who had performed already had definitely brought their 'A' games - their very best performances. Only two of the performances so far might be considered outside of the singers vocal abilities. Interestingly enough Alexia had done a Whitney Houston song - 'I Will Always Love You' and while not a terrible rendition - she didn't have control of her upper ranges and her performance likely suffered in the judges eyes.

“Ugh, feels SO good, knowing I’m not going to be back at work until Tuesday!” Meredith sighed happily as she removed her name badge and tossed it into her locker. “I mean, yes, it’s only a three day weekend, but it’s a good one, you know.”

“Oh- no arguments here!” Janet giggled, removing her own name badge and pulling on her warm winter coat. “Shannon? You looking forward to the big day?”

“Definitely,” the shy blonde girl replied, giggling as she pulled on the woolen reindeer-themed sweater, much to the delight of her friends.

Some time ago Barbie Lee sort of challenged me in one of her blogs (https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/blog-entry/78714/illegal-make...).
At the time I was not really in a shape to do anything about it and didn’t get a silly enough idea. Let’s see if this is silly enough. As for those who think I write too short stories: This is the longest I have posted here. It's also more narrative than most of them.

12 years from now.

My fiancée Mary and I were spending a quiet day in my flat when the door-bell rang. When I opened the door I found Tom, well really Thomasine, my fiancées tomboy younger sister there in tears and carrying among other things the ruins of her prom dress. As it turned out not only her dress had been destroyed. Andrea, their bratty freshman brother, had totally flipped out and hadn’t stopped at the dress but also destroyed Tom’s jewelry and even got in a cut or two with a pair of scissors in Tom’s hair. She looked a mess. All she had left were her shoes and panties and the prom was only a few hours away. Disaster!

There was only one thing to do. I went into my bedroom and got out MY old prom dress.

Mary (rather upset): Peter, why do you have that dress?

I was rather surprised. I thought she knew. This could be awkward. Well, we’ll take care of that problem later. Now we had more important things to take care of. As I started to check if my dress could fit Tom I absentmindedly answered:

- It’s my old prom dress. I graduated from West Peak.

Mary (with a gasp): The infamous West Peak Academy for Young Ladies?

Well, some may call it infamous. I prefer famous. A fame that I’m proud to be partially responsible for. You see, I’m the only boy ever to graduate from that high school/boarding school.

It was meant to be a typical week in a caravan at a British seaside resort: booze, birds and bonking. But when Gavin wakes up after their first drunken evening, he finds a Y-gina locked on his genitals, and he desperately needs to remove it.

Caution: This story contains language typical of many young British men; in other words, lots of swearing, including colloquial references to genitalia.