Chapters 22 - 23. The continuing story of Jason, a young boy that is coming to terms with his transgender nature, and his mostly supportive family.

Authors Note: Sorry this one is a bit short, but it is all I had time to write, and I felt it was a good stopping point. Also, please be warned, this episode does have some strong language. I do not intend on over using such language, but in this particular section, I felt it necessary.

Chapter 22

The next day at school Jason found Julie and asked her if she would like to come over again for movie night that night. Julie said that she would like to but that she would have to check with her Mom to make sure. Then she asked him if he would like to come with her, Kathy and Sue on Saturday night, they were planning on seeing a new movie.

“I’m sorry, Julie, I would really like to, but Mom invited Aunt Sally and Emily over and I have to be there.”

“Oh, so you decided to go forward with that did you?”

“Yes.”

“Darn, I wish I could be there for that, but I already promised Kathy and Sue.”

“I think Mom wanted this to be small, so that we could explain things to Emily.”

“I can understand that, but that does not mean I don’t wish I could be there. I like your Aunt and Emily.”

“Well, I think it’s a given that you will have plenty of opportunities to get together with them. And we will be seeing your family on Sunday.”

“Yes, that is going to be interesting.”

Later on in the morning, on his way from his social studies class to his math class, Jason was walking when he was suddenly pushed from behind. Falling over, his books sprawled all over the hall. He tried to look back to see if he could see who did it, but could not see through the crowd.

“Damn it.” He said, and started to pick up his books. Some of the other kids helped him get his books, and looked on with sympathy. He got himself composed and headed off to math class.

When lunch time came Julie and her friends sat with Jason and his friends without even needing to discuss it, as it was now simply assumed.

Sue was the first to bring up the incident in the hall, “So are you ok. You know it was Brad don’t you. Everyone is talking about it.”

“I did not see him, but it had to be him or one of his pals.” Jason answered.

“I told you he wasn’t going to let it go.” John said.

“I know. I did not think he would.” Jason said.

“What are you going to do?” Julie asked.

“Nothing, I can’t prove anything. I’ll just have to watch out more.”

“You be careful.”

“I will. Let’s talk about something else, ok?”

When lunch ended they once again headed off to their own classes. Jason was careful to keep very aware of who was around him the rest of the day. On his way to his locker at the end of the day, he saw Brad waiting nearby. He took a deep breath and went to his locker.

As Jason opened his locker, Brad came over and said, “I’m going to get you Jason, just you wait. This is not over.”

Jason looked at him and said, “Fuck off, Brad.”

“What did you say to me?” Brad asked incredulously.

Jason slowly put his books in his locker, closed the door, turned toward Brad, stared him right in the face, and said, “Fuck you.”

Brad’s face showed his seething rage, and he said, “I am going to kick your ass, you know that.”

Jason sighed, “So you keep telling me Brad. I don’t know what you think that is going to prove though. If you manage to beat me up, that will just confirm you are the asshole that everyone already knows you are. Of course since you have rather publicly gone after me I’m sure that assault charges will be filed. If I on the other hand manage to win, you will be a laughing stock, because no one expects me to win. The really stupid thing about it all is that none of this is going to get you anywhere with the girls, which is supposedly what you are upset with me about. So are you planning on following me home today, so we can get this over with, or you just gonna keep talking about it?”

Brad looked around and saw that they were being watched by a bunch of the kids. “What are you all looking at? Get out of here.” He turned back to Jason and said, “There’s too many people here right now, and I have baseball practice tonight, so I don’t have time to kick your ass today. But you keep watching your back, I’m going to get you, when you least expect it.” Brad pushed Jason hard against his locker.

“Promises, promises.” Jason replied.

“Mr. Johnson! Get your hands off him.” Mrs. Jeffries said. Brad turned his head to see the school guidance counselor looking at him. “Break it up. If I see any more of that, you will both be suspended. You know there is zero tolerance for fighting in school. Now get your stuff and go home.”

Brad let him go and headed down the hall toward his own locker.

Jason took another deep breath, opened his locker and got his things. John and Steven met up with him for the walk home. They all tried to avoid discussing it any further.

When Jason got home, he went into his room, fell onto his bed and started shaking. “What the hell am I going to do?” he thought to himself. He curled up in a ball and just started sobbing. Eventually Jason felt wrung out, so he got up, pulled out his jean skirt, and his nice peasant blouse. As he got dressed he could feel the stress flowing off of him. A few minutes later the phone rang, and it was Julie.

“Hi Jason, Mom says it’s ok for me to come over tonight, as long as it is ok with your mom.”

“I asked Mom, last night, so I know its fine with her.”

“Cool. Mom says she has to drive by your place anyway, so she is going to drop me off. Is 5:30 ok?”

“Sure, Mom should be home in a few minutes, so that won’t be a problem.”

“Ok, good. I’ll bring my CD’s again, if you would like.”

“Umm… oh! Yes, please that would be wonderful.” It had taken him a minute to realize that she meant her makeup.

“I’ll see you around 5:30 then.”

“Great.” Jason answered.

Chapter 23

As he hung up the phone, he thought, “oh, damn… I’m going to have to get changed again. Well I don’t have to right away.”

Jason sat back down and tried to think about everything that was happening in his life. On the one hand, he loved that he was now free to be Kelly when he needed to be. It just felt so natural to him to sit here, dressed in a skirt, wearing a bra and all the other things that a teenage girl should be wearing. And his feelings for Julie were mind boggling. He still could not believe that she was interested in him, both as a boy and as a girl, that with her he did not even have to choose between Jason and Kelly.

This was all so fantastic. But this thing with Brad scared the heck out of him.

Then there was tomorrow night. On the one hand, he wanted to share Kelly with Emily. He knew that Emily would love having another girl in the family. She was the only girl of all his cousins, and he just knew that she felt let out sometimes. But on the other hand, bringing her into the little circle that knew about Kelly was quite a risk. He knew that if he thought that things were tough now at school, he could just imagine what would happen if Brad ever found out about Kelly.

And yet, he just could not imagine giving up being Kelly. Whatever happened, he was sure that Kelly was going to be a part of his life forever. He knew that his parents were hoping this was just a phase. They had been so great since he had first told them. And unbelievably great since his first session with Dr. Daniels, hard to believe it was just over a week ago. But he could tell that they were struggling quite a bit with it. He could see it in their eyes, even though he knew the love and acceptance they gave him was real.

He heard his mother’s car pull in the driveway, and soon he heard her calling out, “Jason?”

“In my room Mom” he called back to her.

His mom came to the door, which was open.

“Hi Jason…. Oh… sorry, Kelly.”

“Hi Mom.”

“So are we going to be seeing Julie tonight?” she asked.

“Yes, her Mom will drop her off about 5:30.”

“I don’t think you should meet her at the door dressed like that.”

“No, I know, I’m going to have to change again. I wasn’t thinking, when I got changed. But since I was already changed, I figured, I’d wait until I had to, before I changed back.”

“Well, you should probably do it soon, just in case they get here a little early. How was school today?”

Jason looked at his shoes, and said, “Fine.”

“Jason. What happened?”

Jason proceeded to tell his mother everything. By the time he was done, he was almost ready to cry again. Kristine was livid, and when Jason mentioned that Mrs. Jeffries had threatened them both with being suspended, she was ready to take on the world.

“So let me get this straight, she sees you get shoved into a locker, and does nothing more than break it up, and then tell you that if she saw that again, you would both get suspended.”

“That’s the rules, mom. Zero tolerance, she said.”

The conversation was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.

“Damn, look at the time! Kelly, you have to get changed, that is probably Julie and her mother. Hurry up; I’ll go let them in.”

Kristine headed out to the front door, closing Jason’s room door behind her. Jason quickly got out of his skirt, hose, bra and shirt, and put back on his jeans and the t-shirt he had been wearing that day at school. He quickly put it all in a drawer, and then headed out to the living room, where he found Mrs. Sanders and Julie.

His mom and Mrs. Sanders were talking about the situation with the school, and what to do about Brad.

“Hi Jason, Julie tells me your having a bit of a problem with Brad Johnson.”

“Yeah, I seem to be his target of the week.” Jason answered.

“Julie says you have been quite brave, standing up to him. From the way Kathy and Sue have been talking about it, you have impressed the whole school. Be careful though, that is a dangerous game to be playing against someone that is as unstable as Brad Johnson.”

“I’m doing the best I can.”

“Well, we can talk more about it on Sunday. Have fun tonight. What time should I plan on picking up Julie?”

“Don’t worry about it; I’ll bring her home again, Shelly. Somewhere between 10 and 10:30 when the movie is over, if that is ok.”

“That’s fine, as long as it is not too much trouble.”

“No trouble at all.”

With that, Mrs. Sanders kissed Julie and headed out the door.