For the next few weeks of the summer, Genesis took some lessons in being a girl. Paulette sat down with her and taught her how to braid her hair and do her makeup. It all felt really uncomfortable to Genesis. Being a girl was supposed to be a temporary thing, but everyone was acting like it was a permanent one. And it didn't help that her room didn't even feel the same.

Have you ever had someone "clean" your house, and when you're done, you can't find anything? That was how Genesis felt now that her room had been turned into a girls' room. Her dresser drawers were now filled with panties, short shorts, tank tops, and-erp!-bras. (That was easily the worst part of being a girl. Wearing a bra all day was SO uncomfortable, even if it did prevent her boobs from jiggling all over the place.) All the books and video games Genesis used to play had disappeared. And, to her utmost shock, she found a diary tucked under her bed. Was that it? In this new world, "Genesis" wrote in a diary? No. No fucking way. Genesis didn't even bother opening the diary to see what her quote-unquote "past self" had written in it. She was NOT going to accept this new life. Not in the long term, anyway.

However, there was something new to consider: school. On Monday, August 28, 2023, one week before school was supposed to start, a letter came in the mail for Genesis. It was her syllabus of what classes she'd be taking this school year, along with some other information for the new school year.

Genesis opened the envelope, and a school ID card fell out. Genesis picked it up and saw a picture of herself on it. She had to admit, she did look kind of cute. But seeing her new name, Genesis Cynthia Rookwood, printed out felt strange. It was like this was her certified new identity.

"Is that your course syllabus?" Reginald said as he walked by Genesis.

"Yeah," Genesis answered. She read over her class schedule and saw no real surprises. English, Calculus, Government/Economics, French, and Art. Everything she'd signed up for at the end of the last school year.

"Last night Paulette and I were talking," said Reginald. "We were wondering if you'd be interested in joining the cheerleading squad."

"Uh...no," said Genesis.

"Why not?"

"Well...you know Ramona does cheerleading," said Genesis. "And she said she was gonna be the captain this year."

"We know," said Reginald. "But if you're on the cheerleading squad with Ramona, maybe that can be a chance for you to work out your differences."

Genesis didn't think that would do any good. She and her stepsister really hadn't gotten much chummier since their recent fight. Neither of them had really spoken to one another, but the tension was definitely there. "I'm not sure about that," she said.

"Remember what we talked about before," said Reginald. "Ramona's family now. If you build a positive connection with her, then you won't have to get in fights anymore."

"I guess," Genesis sighed. "But even then...I don't want to be a cheerleader."

"Remember in middle school, when you did gymnastics?"

"That was different. Cheerleading is just...jumping around and shaking pom-poms."

"Hey, you're already a girl, and you don't know how long it'll be before Cassy's boss decides to change you back," said Reginald. "Might as well make the most of it."

"I guess," said Genesis. She stood up to go get a drink of water, but stopped when she felt a sharp tightening in her lower abdomen. "Ow!" she cried.

"What's wrong?"

Genesis doubled over, clutching herself just below the belly button. "I...it hurts," she said.

"Where is it?" Reginald asked. "Is it in the appendix area?" He'd had appendicitis when he was in his twenties, and he'd harbored a secret worry that Gene/Genesis might end up getting it too.

"I don't know," said Genesis.

Ramona was sitting at the kitchen table eating from a bowl of cereal, but when she heard Genesis groaning in pain, she looked up. "I think I know what it is," she said.

"What?"

"Your period."

"My what?"

"Your period. What you're feeling is the cramps that come with your period."

Genesis' heart sank. She'd had a talk with Paulette about what to expect from her menstrual cycle, but nothing could prepare her for when she experienced it firsthand. "Oh no," she said. "Does this mean..."

"You may wanna check your pants," said Ramona.

Genesis tore from the kitchen and went upstairs to the bathroom. She locked the door, pulled her pants down, and sat on the toilet. Sure enough, she was already bleeding. She frantically opened one of the drawers beneath the sink where the pads and tampons were kept. Since she didn't feel comfortable putting in a tampon, she opted to get a pad instead. Even then, it took her several minutes to figure out how to set it properly in her panties. And by the time she'd pulled her pants back up and started washing her hands, her cramps still hadn't let up.

When Genesis left the bathroom, she ran into Paulette. "Hey," Paulette said when she saw the pained look on her stepdaughter's face. "How do you feel?"

"Awful," Genesis answered.

Paulette nodded sympathetically. "I know," she said. "Being a woman is a hassle, isn't it?"

Genesis nodded.

***

The next morning, Genesis went back to the mall. She wasn't looking for Cassy-rather, she was looking for her boss Mirna. Genesis had had quite enough of being a girl, and she was going to demand Mirna to make her a boy again.

Genesis felt a surge of relief when she saw that yes, Mirna was there at the bookstore. "Hey," Genesis said when she saw Mirna. "I need to talk to you."

Mirna smiled a falsely sweet smile when she saw Genesis. "Well hello, Miss Rookwood," she said. "Enjoying your new life so far?"

"No," Genesis answered. "I need you to change me back right now."

"Oh, but I can't do that yet," said Mirna.

"Yes, you can," said Genesis. "I know Cassy didn't like it when I tried to make her have sex with me, but this really isn't necessary!"

"As a matter of fact, it is," said Mirna. "There is an old saying, 'how things change when the shoe is on the other foot.' Now that you're getting to experience being a girl, you should understand how it feels to be objectified and used as a sex slave."

"I do understand!" said Genesis. "I know it's hard being a girl, okay?"

Mirna shook her head. "It seems you haven't learned your lesson quite yet," she said. "From the pain in your eyes, I think I know what's really happening. You're experiencing the pains that all women have to go through, regardless of whether they're being ogled by womanizing men, and want to be rid of them. Not because you truly feel remorse for how you've treated women in the past."

Genesis said nothing. She knew Mirna was right.

"Like I said, I'll be watching you," said Mirna. "When the times comes, I will change you back into Gene, I promise."

"Got it." Genesis turned and slunk away with her tail between her legs.

To be continued...