I awoke to a faint beeping coming from Helen's computer. Helen stirred a few seconds later. As Helen stirred, I realised she might not be happy with me sleeping in the same bed. I also realised that seeing Helen was causing a reaction in my underwear.

"Oh God," I thought. "She'll kill me!"

I quietly slipped out of the bed and made a dash for my room. I was in desperate need for a cold shower. As I headed for the door, I tripped and fell onto the floor.

"Go and get yourself ready," giggling Helen, from her bed. "Thank you for being with me last night. I don't think I could have coped without you being there."

"So you're not angry?" I asked, standing up. I was amazed that she wasn't punching me; Helen was much stronger.

"Of course not," she said indignantly. "Now go and have a shower. I take it you were going to have a cold one?"

I put my hands in front of my erection, embarrassed that she'd seen it and dashed into my room.

After my invigorated shower, I donned the white fluffy robe and went to examine the contents of the wardrobe. Since today, according to the schedule, would be mostly class work, I chose a light pair of trousers and a long-sleeved shirt. Helen came in wearing a female pair of trousers and a short-sleeved top. That was the problem with no jeans in the wardrobe.

"Are you okay," I asked her. "With what you were told last night?"

"Not really," she replied, sounding subdued. "However, there isn't much I can do about it. I love my family dearly and never to see them again is going to hurt. However, I can understand why, I just don't like it. What about you?"

"I was never very close with my parents," I said. "However, no matter their faults, I still loved them. My brother was a pain but always stuck up for me and I'll miss him as well."

We hugged each other, which I didn't want to end. However, Helen being sensible said, "We'd better get ready or we will be late. We don't want to be late for our first breakfast."

As we went from the sleeping quarters into the main house, we bumped into Rachel. "How are you two coping?" she asked.

"We spent till about midnight discussing it," I answered truthfully. "Sorry that we didn't keep to curfew."

"Were you in your room by ten?" Rachel asked.

"Yes," Helen replied. "We went to our room as soon as we left your office. I was too upset to do anything else."

"Then you didn't break any rules," explained Rachel. "The rules say you had to be in your bedrooms by ten. Nothing about when you go to sleep. We want you to learn how to take responsibility for yourselves. So after you'd talked till midnight, did you still have trouble sleeping?"

We both nodded.

"Which bed did you both comfort each other in?"

"Are our rooms bugged?" I demanded.

"No, but it is the usual thing that occurs with caring people; and you are both caring people."

"My bed," said an embarrassed Helen, bowing her head.

"Head up," snapped Rachel. "So you slept in the same bed. Did you both keep you underwear on?"

Again, we both nodded our heads.

"So you abided by the rules. You were both emotionally distraught and needed each other." Turning to Helen she asked, "Were you upset that David joined you in bed?"

"No," she said, not looking at me.

"Would you like David to join you again?"

Helen spluttered. She looked at me and then at Rachel.

"That's not fair," I said. "Asking Helen that question in front of me is cruel."

"Of course," said Rachel with a slight smile. "Sorry."

There was no way that Rachel was sorry. She knew exactly what she was doing and probably got the answers she was looking for.

"Apology accepted," I said. "By the way, how long were you waiting for us, so you could bump into us?"

Helen elbowed me, but I just looked straight at Rachel, egging her to respond.

Rachel just laughed, "About twenty minutes. I got the timing on that one wrong. Enjoy breakfast; I'll see you both later."

Breakfast was either a cooked one, which you had to pre order, or cereal. The cereal you helped yourself to from the selection on the side cabinet. When the bell rang, Brian and Lewis went to get the cooked items from the kitchen. They would do the fetching and clearing today.

I'd never had a cooked breakfast before, though I had heard a lot about them. Neither of my parents had the skills to cook so many items and have them ready at the same time. They also didn't have enough money to be so extravagant. I still don't understand how I managed to end up with a computer.

So today was the first time I tackled a full cooked breakfast; bacon, sausages, fried eggs, tomatoes, baked beans, mushrooms, hash browns, black pudding and fried bread. When I chose "fried breakfast" on the menu, it automatically shrunk the choice I had for the evening meal. So tonight, I will have cottage cheese salad. Oh well.

I chatted away with the others. Apart from them missing their families, all the other six appeared to be fine. They were thinking of this as a glorified school trip. Today we had Dan Mathews sitting with us. He was chatting away with us, always with a big grin on his face. After a bit, I noticed he was steering the conversations so he could get information about how we were coping. He must have had some inside information, as he never tried to find out how Helen and I were.

As I was drinking a nice glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, I heard two tings. One appeared to come from my pocket and the other from Helen's. I looked at Helen who shrugged. "That ting is a schedule update being applied to your PDA. It only tings if the update applies to today or is classified as important.

Helen and I both reached for our PDA's, but I managed to pull up the page before she could. Helen and I had joint appointments with Rachel at eleven. Helen showed me her screen; she had an additional appointment at half eleven with someone called Dr Sue Barker.

"Hey Dan, who is Dr Sue Barker, is she related to the tennis player?"

"She prefers to be called Dr Sue rather than Dr Barker. She is the GP that all the students are registered with. She is part of a doctor's practice in Milton Keynes and yes, she can be trusted. Tennis is the wrong sport. Do any of you watch rugby?"

There were a few nods and a few verbal "yeah's".

"Do you ever remember someone called Stuart Barker?"

"The hero of Wigan?" asked Lewis.

"That's the one. That is who Dr Sue used to be."

"Shit!" swore Lewis. "I remember seeing historic Wigan matches on DVD. Stuart was very masculine. Is she passable?"

"Very. She's a big girl, but nobody has ever questioned that she isn't a woman."

Sam, always the paranoid one, grinned at his own self-consciousness.

"I take you found each other comforting?" Dan quietly asked Helen and me.

"I thought only Rachel would know all about us?"

"Your initial cases were reviewed by all five of us and Rachel had to warn us about her conversation with you both. Things like your conversation with Rachel this morning will stay with her. However, I can have a guess based on the appointments that you have just got. I take it you kept to the rules?"

"Yes," we said simultaneously. We must stop doing that.

"Well, you've not just broken the record, you've smashed it. Don't worry about Rachel; she is just trying to look after you. You aren't in trouble."

Breakfast was finished, so we all trooped out of the dining room. Morning lessons where more intense than I've ever had, but it all made sense. I didn't have to hide my love for a subject and I found myself taking part in the lesson more than I'd done in the last few years. I wasn't the only one, as all eight of us took an active part. We covered more in Maths than I had done in a month at my old school.

In between Maths and Language Studies, Helen and I bumped into Yvonne and Wendy. "Hi," they greeted us in unison. We chatted quietly for a few moments.

"I hope I didn't upset you too much, last night," I said to Wendy.

"I was a little upset, but that was only to be expected," she explained truthfully in a very hushed voice trying not to explain too much.

"Last night, Rachel explained everything to both of us," I explained. "She said I had guessed too much and it wouldn't be healthy for me if Helen didn't know."

"We were a very close family," confided Wendy. "I was very upset when I was told. I know Richard won't be happy either."

"Well at least Tracy will be prepared," comforted Helen. "As you were upset, she will know that Richard will be. Richard will be told at the same timescale as you were, so it isn't going to be for a while yet."

"Last night, which bed did you sleep in?" asked Yvonne with a sly smile.

Helen turned red and said, "Mine. How did you know?"

"Most change from study partners to partners when they have a huge emotional upheaval," explained Yvonne. "I presume that being told was very upsetting to one or both of you."

"It's just a perk of coming here," informed Wendy. "So far, nobody has failed to fall for their study partner. It takes all the worry out of finding a life partner."

I was itching to ask about the other items that had been confirmed, but I knew this neither the time nor the place. I'm sure some will get talked about when I start my skills lessons. I was looking forward to that homework.

"So what do you think of the fun things the school offers?" asked Yvonne.

"Such as?" asked Helen. "We've only seen our common room."

"There is a twenty-five metre swimming pool, a library and all the computers can access a wide range of computer games. The library doesn't just have school reference books but has a really good range of fiction books; you can also borrow board games."

"What about movies?"

"Just access via your computer terminal, you will see a wide selection including what is currently on at the cinema."

We didn't get chance to ask any more as it was time for the next lesson. Language Studies was intense. I think it was that most intense lesson so far. We all had basic French but what we covered was in more detail. Not only did we have to know about the language but the people and culture.

"In three weeks I will be conducting the whole lesson in French," warned Mr Hill. "Your understanding and spoken French is more important in the short term than your written French. That will come naturally as you understand the language."

We had a twenty-minute break and then at eleven it was supposed to be a study period. So the other six students in year one went to the common room to discuss this morning's lessons.

Not so, for Helen and me, we had to discuss things with Rachel so we would only be able to discuss things for twenty minutes. As we walked into the common room, I snagged my shirtsleeve on the door handle and it ripped.

"Helen," I called. "I've just ripped my shirt; I'll be back in a few minutes."

"I'll go with you," she said. "The air conditioning in this building is a bit strong for me. I think I will grab a light jumper."

When we were changed, I decided to broach the subject that we'd both been avoiding all morning. "Helen," I started, as I walked into her room, "I'm sorry I slept in the same bed as you last night."

Helen turned round and looked at me. "So you won't do it again?"

Why did Helen have to phrase it like that? Then my Mum's words came echoing into my mind, "always be truthful with a girl".

"I'd like to," I shyly responded, not daring to look at her face, "but not if you don't want me to."

The ball was back in her court. She sat down on her settee and indicated that she wanted me to join her.

"David," she started, "there is something I need to tell you."

Oh my God, I'm for it now.

"Yes?" was all I could say.

"Two years ago you stopped seeing me around school. I didn't understand at the time and thought you didn't like me. I now know that wasn't the case. I had hoped that you might have thought of me as your girlfriend."

"WHAT!" I shouted out a bit too loudly. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was confused," she continued. "You know I did that research on transsexuals?"

I nodded, wondering where Helen was going with this conversation.

"Well, that didn't lessen what I thought I felt about you. In fact, it made it worse. So last night, knowing you cared, was the most wonderful thing ever."

Wow, she wasn't going to kill me, but what does she mean that it made it worse? Does she want me to be a girl?

"What do you mean, it made it worse? Are you saying you want me to be a girl, live as a girl or what?"

"I don't know," Helen confessed. "All I know is that two years ago I was devastated when we stopped talking. I just don't want to lose you again."

We sat there our arms round each other wondering what we've got involved in. Nothing was said, nothing needed to be said. We were no longer just study partners.

"We'd better get going," I eventually said, breaking the joyful silence that had enveloped us.

"I suppose so," Helen sighed, the world once again bigger than the two of us.

We walked to Rachel's office and arrived a few minutes early. Since Rachel was free, we went in early. Again, we were ushered to sit on the settee. I recon this was a good sign; they must reserve the chairs for naughty people. As we sat down, Helen's hand brushed against mine and our hands naturally joined.

Rachel sat down on the other settee and looked us over. "Since this morning, I presume you've had a chat with each other."

"Yes," we replied simultaneously. Perhaps this simultaneous response has something in it. I suddenly felt glad we thought on the same wavelength.

"And?"

Helen filled in Rachel on our conversation. However, she omitted the part about gender.

"There was more, wasn't there?" asked Rachel gazing at me.

I looked at Helen, who reluctantly nodded her head. "We discussed my gender and how it affected our relationship."

"Relationship?" queried Rachel

"I lost David two years ago, as he tried to protect himself from bullies. I don't want to lose him again."

"Aren't you a bit young to be in a relationship? You're both only thirteen and will be fourteen during this school year."

"You deliberately put together two people who are compatible and put them in a situation where they only had comfort from each other. How can you not expect that to spark something?" I retorted. "Helen and I have known each other for years; it's only natural that something would develop quicker between us, than normally happens."

"So you discussed David's gender?" asked Rachel backtracking. "Tell me more about that."

"I admitted to David that when I though he might be a transsexual, it increased my desire for him."

"Well you two are full of surprises," commented Rachel. "You are very open with each other; more than I would expect of children your age. So David, how do you feel about Helen's desires?"

I thought, reflected and then thought some more. "I don't know," I plaintively responded. "I wish I did. I never thought I could be any different from what I am. I had enough trouble at school without adding to it."

"Trouble?" queried Rachel. "Are you referring to you getting beaten up? Didn't that occur more than two years ago?"

"Yes," I responded quietly, remembering the sight of my bruised body in the mirror. "Stopping seeing Helen and any other girls helped the situation. I also learnt to observe other people which helped me avoid situations where I might get roughed up."

"Is that why you are so observant?"

"After a while watching people became second nature. It was a survival technique."

"So you discussed David's gender. What about Helen's gender, did you discuss that?" asked Rachel as she leaned forward. "David, how would you feel about Helen if she wanted to be a boy?"

Helen was about to say something, but a glare from Rachel shut her up. Does Helen want to be male? She is stronger than me and appears to enjoy certain items which would be classified as male jobs. However, does she want to be a boy? If she does, how do I feel about that? This morning Helen turned me on, would that happen if she was a he?

I closed my eyes and tried to see Helen as a boy or a man. I couldn't do it. Lewis was a very convincing boy but would Helen be so convincing? Would I be a convincing girl? WHAT? Where did that one come from?

Tears of frustration started to trickle down my cheeks. Helen let go of my hand and pulled me into her. Her arms wrapped around me. That felt so good.

"Why are you doing this to him?" asked Helen angrily at Rachel.

Rachel just ignored her. Eventually I opened my eyes and I simply said, "I don't know. Helen, if you close your eyes, can you see me as a girl?"

Helen didn't answer for a bit. When she realised we were waiting for an answer she responded, "Yes."

"And do you like what you see?" prompted Rachel.

"Yes," Helen reluctantly replied. "Sorry David."

"I can't see you as male. I tried but I can't. You have always been the strong one, the one who comforts me, like you are doing now. However, there is also a frightened girl in there, who also needs comfort. Just because someone likes to do what the opposite sex traditionally does, doesn't mean that they want or need to change sex."

"So Helen, you think David should be female and David, you feel that Helen shouldn't be male. Does that sum it up?"

Helen nodded, however I said, "No, that's not what I said. I said I couldn't see Helen as male. However, she should do what she feels is right for her."

"So what happens to your relationship if Helen wants to be male?"

I looked at Helen with fright. Does she want to be male?

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "It may survive, it may not."

"David, what was your reaction this morning, to waking up next to Helen?"

"I was pleased and embarrassed."

"Why embarrassed?" queried Rachel.

"Because he had a hard on," giggled Helen, as I turned bright red.

"It's perfectly natural," reassured Rachel. "It isn't anything to be ashamed of. Did you like having an erection?"

What kind of question is that? Wait a minute, how did I feel? I like being with Helen, her in my arms or me in hers, but that isn't the question. How did I feel about having an erection? It was the first one I could remember having.

"I was embarrassed," I answered slowly, "but there was something else. I don't know how to describe it. I was happy having slept with Helen; she made me so fulfilled. The erection, I had totally different feelings about."

Helen tightened her grip on me and let her fingers gently caress me.

"Describe the feeling, close your eyes and try and think of this morning."

I closed me eyes, "I was embarrassed, I was also," I paused searching for the right words. "Disgusted, is the closest I can come up with. I felt sick."

"So you liked sleeping with Helen," confirmed Rachel, "you liked how you felt, but you didn't like your body's reaction?"

I nodded, dazed and confused. What was wrong with me? Am I ill?

"Helen, you have an appointment with Dr Sue in a few minutes. Since you all have to see the doctor at some stage; I'll see if she can fit David in at the same time."

"That was a very good session," said Rachel as we got up. "Most sessions for year one students are individual. Sessions with their partners don't normally occur till late year one or even not till year two. However, since you already have matured beyond being just study partners, I think future sessions should be with both of you."

We walked further down the corridor and entered through another door. All the doors were unmarked, so unless you knew where you were going you were reliant on the directions your PDA gave you.

"This is the waiting room," explained Rachel. There were standard chairs in here and the walls were covered with health advice posters. Yes, this looked and felt like a doctor's waiting room. There was interconnecting doors, which lead to the doctor's office. On the wall, next to the door was an electronic sign, which read 'Available'.

"If it is busy then just take a seat. If the sign says 'Available', then knock on the door and wait for a response. If the doctor isn't in her room then the sign automatically changes to 'Unavailable'."

Rachel knocked on the door and after hearing a "Come in" ushered Helen and me into the room. There was a desk in the corner where Dr Sue had a computer and a few medical instruments, such as a stethoscope and blood pressure cuffs. There was a medical bed against the opposite corner.

"Dr Sue, I'd like you to meet David Grant and Helen Jackson. Can you check out David after seeing Helen? I've sent you the details."

"Hang on," said Sue whipping out her PDA. She faced us so we wouldn't see what was written. I presume that is why she didn't use her computer. "That will be fine. Unless I find anything major, I should have them finished before lunch. David, can you please wait in the waiting room. Due to patient confidentiality, I only see one patient at a time. This rule applies to year five as well as year one."

Helen took a seat and I left with Rachel. Half an hour later Helen came out and before I could ask her anything, I was called in.

Dr Sue chatted away with me as she performed her medical tests. I watched her as she worked. She treated me better than any doctor I'd ever had. She appeared to have a heart and care about her patients. They weren't just another customer or statistic.

After all the tests and she had drawn several small tubes of blood we sat down. "Do I pass?" she asked.

"As both a women and a doctor," I answered. "I've never had a doctor be so thorough, caring and at the same time professional."

"Why thank you," smiled Dr Sue. "I try to be the best person and doctor that I can be. So how are you finding Hayfield Hall?"

"It's not what I was expecting," I said wondering how much I could say. I decided that it would be best to keep things on the public level. "Rachel and the other psychiatrists appear to be very caring. I've only had two lessons so far so I can't comment much, but the little I've had has covered more ground in one lesson that a month in my old school."

"What is your favourite subject?"

"Computers," I answered. "It appears the school has noticed that and have scheduled me with extra, more advanced, lessons."

"Is that with Julia Toms?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Julia and Jill are both patients of mine in Milton Keynes. You'll like them both. Jill is your age. Now let's get in Helen as there are a few things that I need to discuss with both of you."

I got up, opened the door and Helen came in. We sat down next to each other, our hands again automatically joining.

"Following a discussion I had with Helen, I have put a contraceptive implant into her upper arm. This will last three months before it needs replacing. For Helen the implant has several advantages; firstly, you don't have to remember to take the pill each day, second it starts working immediately. Now, I'm not saying you should jump into bed and have sex. Remember it is illegal to have sex under the age of sixteen. However, we are pragmatic and know that it sometimes happens. I'd prefer someone to be on contraception than have a baby at your age."

"Helen, I've sent you a link to a document covering possible side effects. I know we discussed them earlier, but it is there as a reminder. If you have any queries then please come and see me or the school nurse."

After saying goodbye, we went downstairs just in time to join the others as we trooped into the dining room.

"How did it go?" Lewis asked as we sat down.

"Fine," said Helen. "Apparently you will all have checkups with Dr Sue over the next few weeks."

"What's she like?" asked Sam.

"She is lovely, you couldn't ask for a nicer doctor," I gushed, "and yes Sam, you can't tell she wasn't born a women."

After we'd all demolished our deserts, Yvonne and two other students from year three came across. Wendy sat at the year three table looking very upset, knowing she didn't trust herself to talk with her brother.

"Hi Yvonne," I said. Then I remembered that the only people who knew who Yvonne is were Helen and I. "Everyone, this is Yvonne Freemen, she is Wendy's study partner."

"This is Tim Harper and his study partner Andrea....er. When they heard that Mr Hobson has been negligent, in not telling you about the recreational facilities, they jumped at the chance to show you around."

I glared at Yvonne, trying to understand her stumble. Now wasn't the time to ask, so I decided I'd tackle Tim and Andrea later.

"Shall we come to the year one common room after lessons have finished at three?" suggested Tim. "That will give us an hour before orchestra practice?"

We all nodded our agreements and they disappeared back to their table.

Afternoon lessons were not as intense as the morning. We had lessons in Geography and English. None of which were my strongest lessons but yet again, the teachers knew how to make them easy. Having to fake dumbness was something that appeared to have stopped me succeeding. Even Helen, who had not suffered like me, appeared to be getting more out of the lessons.

Later, in the common room, while we waited for Tim and Andrea, I showed the other six how to find the films. I know Yvonne had said there was a wide selection but this was far larger than I expected. Not only were there standard Hollywood films but also a lot of foreign films. Next, I pulled up the list of computer games; again, there were many games. Paula gave a big grin when she saw some of the titles.

There was a sharp knock on the door, as I was the closest I opened it. There stood Tim and Andrea. When the others noticed them, they came scampering across, eager to find out what this school offered outside of learning.