HOW IT ALL BEGAN.

I had never been a popular boy, I was small and weedy, no good at sports, shy and studious. I didn’t have any really close friends and preferred to spend my time reading and watching TV in my room rather than hanging around with the other boys playing football, climbing trees, generally being ‘one of the lads’. I had got used to being the odd one out, never being invited into any of the cliques at school or in the neighbourhood, never being invited to parties or social events.

We lived in a ‘seen better days’ part of town, just me and my Mam, my father had left us when I was a baby and my Mam struggled to bring me up and keep our little family together, taking on all sorts of low-paid jobs, waitress, shop assistant, cleaner, office dogsbody. She made a little bit extra money by earning what she called ‘pin-money’ working as a seamstress doing alteration to clothes for the local ladies, occasionally even making summer dresses and skirts. Over time this became a successful profitable little business and she worked it up until she was able to open a small shop where she started to sell clothes as well as continuing to making them herself in an attached little studio workshop, and life became a lot easier for us.

Because Mam was always working at the shop or in her studio, I got used to looking after myself, helping her around the house, keeping the place clean and tidy and doing domestic chores, washing dishes, dusting and cleaning, and when I got bit older helping with the cooking and baking. We had a happy and contented home life, but unfortunately this didn’t carry through to school.

I was the kid that nobody wanted to sit next to in class, left to sit alone at lunch in the canteen, walked home by myself, and was generally seen as a misfit to be avoided if possible. My size didn’t help me fit in either, at 14 years old I had stopped growing at 5’3” and 8 stone (112 lb.), I was one of the smallest in my class, even including the girls. When the boys took any notice of me it was usually to bully me or make fun of me, and the girls kept well away from the boys except when looking for potential boyfriends, and I was definitely not boyfriend material in their eyes.

My name did not help either, I was named after my grandfather and in his day Kim was not an unusual name for a boy. Nowadays, thanks partly to the Kardashians, it was more commonly given to girls, this was another excuse for name-calling and jokes.

My life changed one day when we were out on the sports field lined up getting selected one-by-one for a rugby game. I had got used to always being the last left in line, I was too small to be any use and throughout the game I was generally ignored and just ran around near the sideline. On the few occasions when the ball came to me I either missed the catch, ended up throwing the ball to one of the opponents or was heavily forced to the ground by over-enthusiastic tackles from one of the big forwards players At the end of the game the teacher called me aside when the others went in to get showered and changed ready for their next class.

“Kim, you really need to try to get involved in the game more, the more you do, the better you will get. You are small and scrawny, but you are still athletic, you can run, although your catching and throwing is pretty poor, you need to practice more so the other lads will pass to you and let you run with the ball, it will help you fit in better in class too.”

“I’m sorry Mr Rodgers, but how can I get better, if the others just ignore me?”

“Just keep working at it and try to fit in, at your age people get very tied up in their own little groups, if nobody wants you in the group, try to get a few people together yourself. Now go in and get changed and get off to class.”

Luckily my next session was private study time in the library, so I didn’t need to worry about being late. The changing room was already empty when I got there, all the others had left, so I stripped off my sports clothes and went in for my shower. After towelling myself dry and brushing my hair I went to get my stuff to get dressed but was shocked to see that my uniform had been stolen and replaced with a girls’ set of clothes, a skirt and blouse. Obviously somebody having a big joke with me. There was nothing for it but to put my sports stuff back on again and go to look for my clothes, but while I was in the shower, someone had came in and taken that as well. I couldn’t stay in here all day, so the only option was to put on the clothes that had been left for me.

I inspected what had been given, the summer uniform of a yellow green and black plaid skirt, a short sleeved pale yellow blouse, white ankle socks, black ‘Mary-Janes” with a small raised heel, all completed with a matching white cotton knickers and padded-bra set. The girls looked quite cute in this outfit, particularly when they shortened the skirts and wore a ‘one size too small’ blouse to best show of their developing figures. I had never thought that one day I would be putting on the same clothes but there was no other option.

The knickers were a snug but comfortable fit, Just plain white cotton, not really too different to the boys briefs I normally wore and were not a problem. I obviously had no need of the bra, so that went in my school bag along with my class books. The blouse fitted nicely, even though I had a bit of trouble buttoning it up the wrong way, in truth very similar my summer shirts. So far so good, but the next item was the skirt, which I could not relate to or consider as like anything I normally wore, and which really screamed “girl” at me. I stepped into it, pulled it up and zipped it up but had difficulty fastening the clip at the waist, however when I pulled it up a bit higher where the girls normally wore theirs, I was able to get it fixed. The socks were just plain white, so I did not give them too much thought, but the shoes were a tight fit and felt a bit funny having a much more open top showing more of the instep. When I stood up my balance felt funny because of the raised heel, but I made it over to the large mirror to have a look at myself.

The reflection in the mirror still looked like me. Other than the skirt it wasn’t all that much different to what I normally wore, but the skirt was the killer, that was the main thing that I felt uncomfortable about wearing when I left the safety of the changing room to go to the library for my study hour. Collecting my books and schoolbag, I decided that I would have to face the world dressed as I was.

Taking a deep breath I opened the door to the corridor, peeked around the open edge and luckily most people were in class and there did not seem to be anyone about. I set off down the corridor, with the clicking of the heels on the floor sounding like gunfire that would draw everyone’s attention to me, Obviously it is what all girls walking sounded like, but I was not used to it and I was sure that people would come out to see what the noise was. I made it to the library without seeing anyone I knew, where I got a strange look from the librarian, but nothing was said, and found myself a quiet corner where I was able to hide away for my study hour.

I dreaded the next item on the agenda, lunch in the canteen, but on my way out the librarian told me that I had to go and see the headmaster immediately, so I set off for his study.

“Right young Campbell, what is the meaning of this, why are you wearing girls clothes, are you some kind of pervert?”

“Sorry Mr Kier, but someone stole my clothes in the changing room and left these instead, it’s not my choice, but I couldn’t walk around naked, could I?”

“Do you realise that this is all over the school on social media? There is a photo of you coming out of the changing room, you and the school are a laughing stock.”

“What am I supposed to do then, do you want me to miss classes or go home?”

We were interrupted by his secretary coming into the room who told him that the stock in the lost property office had been checked and that there was nothing in his size except more girls’ clothes.

“ It’s coming up to your end of term exams, you can’t afford to miss classes, you’ll just have to continue as you are for the rest of the day, and put your spare uniform on for tomorrow.”

“ I don’t have a spare uniform I have outgrown my old one, we are not well off and my Mam couldn’t afford a full second set of school stuff.”

“ Look , go away and sort something out, go to your classes, although you will be getting a lot of ribbing and insults, but you will just have to take it. For tomorrow, you need a uniform, we are having a governors’ inspection and everybody has been told to be properly dressed, find something from somewhere or from one of your friends. You are dismissed, go and get your lunch.” I left my gear in my locker and made my way to the canteen.

The next five minutes was the most embarrassing of my life, when I walked into the canteen all eyes turned to me and I was met with a din of laughter, wolf-whistles and crude comments. I collected my lunch from the counter and made my way past other tables, getting several pats or nips on my bottom or hands up the skirt on the way and found myself a quiet corner spot as far away as possible from my tormentors. I was too choked up to eat my dinner and just sat there with my head in my hands staring at the wall, trying hard not to cry. A few minutes later, I sensed rather than saw someone join me at my table,I looked up and saw Sally Carter who lived in our street. Although we had known each other for all the years we had lived near each other, like most boy/girl relationships in childhood she had always been with other girls and we we on nodding hello terms only.

“I think it’s disgusting what they have done to you Kim, you must feel awful. Don’t let it get to you, tomorrow you will be old news and they will be picking on someone else. Do you mind if I sit here and eat with you.”

“Go ahead, nobody else is rushing to sit there !” I snapped. “I’m sorry Sally that was not very polite, I shouldn’t have had a go at you at you, its not your fault.”

“ It’s understandable, you must want to crawl under the table. Try to look at it his way, half the people in here are dressed like you and they are not hiding, in fact most of them quite like the uniform, although they won’t admit it. This is a hot summer, don’t you think that a skirt and light blouse is a lot cooler and more comfortable set of clothes than the heavy trousers and shirts that the boys have to wear?”

“ Yeh, the clothes are comfortable, it is me that doesn’t feel right. Boys do not wear skirts.”

“ Well, more fool them Kim, I am glad that I have the freedom to wear light loose clothes in the summer. I’ve heard that you have to stay like that for the rest of the day, why not just accept it, make the best of it and ignore all the idiots?”

“ Thanks Sally, you have made me feel a lot better, let me finish my lunch and we can get out of here and go and sit somewhere and have a bit more chat.”

After a few minutes, we got up to leave and Sally took me by the hand. “Walk tall and proud, this is not your doing remember, let the idiots make as much noise as they want, just ignore them and keep smiling.” We left to another noisy chorus, but it did not seem quite as nasty or upsetting as when I came in.

We found a spot on the bank overlooking one of the sports fields and sat down in the sun.

“ You can’t sit like that with your legs splayed out, you are wearing a skirt remember, people can see your knickers, sit like me with your legs together folded under you to the side, it is quite comfortable and you do not show anything. If you are going to wear the skirt this afternoon you have to learn to keep your modesty”

“ Thanks Sally., I’ll try to remember. I don’t know how I am going to get through this afternoon, going into classes, i am not very popular as it is and this is going to make it even worse.”

“ I told you before, half the people will be dressed like you, try to fit in, think of yourself as another one of the girls and just act normally, watch what the other girls do and try to copy them a bit, What classes have you got?”

“ First off it’s English Literature, which is not so bad, then it’s IT and graphic design which I quite like, and that’s it for the afternoon.”

That’s good, I’m in your class for English, then I have a design class but we concentrate on clothes design and interior house dressing. Come and sit with me and the girls for English, which should help you settle in and then you should be able to cope on your own with your design class. It’s time to go, remember when you get up to smooth down your skirt, you don’t want your backside on display, do you?”

“Why are you being so kind to me Sally, although we live near each other we have never really been friends, in fact I have never really had close friends.”

“ I’ve often seen you on your own and thought about coming over to have a chat, but like you, I am a bit shy, and when you are younger girls and boys do not really like each other much and stick with their own. Today though, after what they did to you, I realised that you really needed a friend, so here I am.”

We collected our books from the lockers and made our way to the English class, I almost backed out, but Sally held my hand, told me to take a deep breath, hold my head up high and pretend that there was nothing out of the ordinary occurring. Our teacher, Miss Fraser was already in the room, so there was not too many comments from the rest of the class. There was a spare double desk over where most of the girls were sitting so we went over and got settled in.

“ Right class, now Miss Carter and Miss Campbell have joined us we can get started.” Being called ‘Miss’ Campbell caused a snigger around the room, and I felt like disappearing under the desk, but Sally grabbed and squeezed my hand to calm me down

“ Today we are going to be studying one of the items that will form the basis of your exam, ‘As You Like It’ by William Shakespeare. This follows the trials and tribulations of power struggles, banishment, and introduces cross-dressing to Shakespeare’s many characters. In Shakespeare’s time all the parts were played by men and boys, so here we have the situation of a boy playing the part of Rosalind, a girl pretending to be a boy, Ganymede. It all gets very confusing.” All the time she was saying this she was staring at me as if suggesting that I already knew all about such things and had a personal interest.

“For the rest of the class and for your homework, I want you all to read the text, and I would like Kim, Sally and Paul to pay special attention to the parts of Rosalind, Celia and Orlando respectively, as next time they will be reading some selected extracts for us all.” Giggles were heard all around the room as everyone understood that she was having a go at me suggesting that I was a cross-dresser.

The rest of the session went without further incident, nobody had a go at me, but nobody came over to speak to Sally or me either. We were definitely not people to be associated with.

It got worse went I went to go into the graphic design studio for my next class. Mr Gates stood in the doorway barring my way. “I’m not having you disrupting my class today, I’ve arranged with Miss Cooper for you to go with Miss Carter here to sit in with her in the girls’ design class, it will be more appropriate considering how you are dressed.” I blushed and almost started to cry, but Sally pulled me away and dragged me to the other design studio next door.

“Come in Sally, and welcome Kim, I believe you are joining our group today.” Miss Standing seemed a lot friendlier and more welcoming than Mr Gates, my usual design teacher.

“ Right Girls, this is the last and only time I will discuss this. Today Kim will be joining our class, you will treat Kim as just another one of the girls, no name calling or teasing, and for today I will be including Kim in the term ‘Girls’ and referring to Kim as ‘She’ or ‘Her’, just so that we don’t get confused, and expect all of you to do the same.

“ Your exercise last week was to design a summer dress for yourself and to get the materials, today we have a 2hr session so I would like you to cut out your material and start pinning and sewing it together. Kim you are new to the class and obviously are a long way behind the other girls, so today I want you to learn how to use the sewing machine and while the others are making their dresses I will show you how it all works, and as a starter exercise you can make up a pillow case from some of the scrap material we have, go and pick something out. Before you do, can I brush your hair into a different style? Although it is not very long, I think I can make it look more feminine, and you won’t stand out too much from the others.” She didn’t change it much, just moved the parting a bithigher up and brushed the crown back, with a little fringe pulled forward, and gave it a quick spray to hold it in place, and it did look vaguely girly.

Knowing that my Mam’s bedroom colour scheme was predominantly green, I picked out a small floral design, primarily green with little pink rosebuds. Miss Standing gave me a paper pattern to copy and left me to cut out the pieces while she checked on the others. She came back and showed me how to load and use the sewing machine, letting me practice on some offcuts. She then sat with me showing me how to pin it together, inside out, sewing the seams together, none of which was too difficult. I really struggled however to fit the flap at the open end which would hide the actual pillow and keep it in place, but eventually managed it, and turned it right-side-out to see how it looked.

“ Thats not bad for a first attempt Kim, not perfect but I’m sure your Mam won’t complain. We are only half way through the class, why not get some more material and make another one by yourself while I check on the other girls.

I had now relaxed and had virtually forgotten how I was dressed and looked, and how I had been treated earlier. The second pillow case was a lot easier and quicker to make than the first and I ended up managing to make three to take home with me.

“ Thank you so much Miss Standing, I’ve really enjoyed my class with you today, and the girls were all so kind giving me a hand when I had a problem and you were tied up with one of the others. It was very good of you to let me into your class when Mr Gates was nasty to me and wouldn’t let me go in to my normal lesson.”

“ It was a pleasure Kim, you are a quick learner and very polite and attentive, you will be welcome anytime you want another session with us.”

I walked home with Sally, and after a few comments at the school gates, there was no bother at all, in fact we even stopped off at the local ice cream parlour for a cornet each to eat on the way. The shopkeeper sprinkled extra chocolate flakes on the top with a cheery “ It is always a pleasure to serve pretty girls, and pretty girls always like chocolate !”

“What are you going to do now Kim.?”

“ Mam won’t be home for a couple of hours, I was just going to get changed and do my homework, what about you.”

“ Just the same, but why don’t you come back to my place, go up to my room and we can review ‘As You Like It’ together.”

“ That sounds good, but is there anybody in, I don’t want more people that necessary to see me dressed like this, and besides are you allowed boys in your bedroom?”

“ My Mam will be in, but she is normally busy and I just go up to my room. Believe me, she will not recognise you as you are, you heard the ice cream man calling you a pretty girl, just relax and go with the flow.”

“ Hi Mum, I’m home just going up to do my homework with my friend Kim, she and I need to read some literature together.”

We read a quick resumé of the play to get a feel for it, and although the cross-dressing which Miss Fraser had mentioned was an integral part of the story, it was not as racy as she had suggested. We were sitting talking through the plot, when her Mam came in with a jug of lemonade and some biscuits.

“ I thought you might be thirsty, girls, it is a warm day, why don’t you get out of your uniforms, put on something cooler and sit out in the garden? Sally, why don’t you introduce me to your friend?”

“Good idea Mam we will go down to the summerhouse. This is Kim, she just started at our school recently and lives nearby, so we thought we’d start a homework group to help each other. I’ll lend Kim one of my summer dresses and we’ll go outside for an hour. We’ll be down in a few minutes.”

“ Let’s find you something bit more comfortable Kim and we can get changed.”

“ Hold on Sally, are you sure this is ok, remember I am a boy, not a girl, you do know that I was forced into this, this is not my choice.”

Don’t be daft it is only us two here, who is to know? This sundress should suit you try it on and let’s have a look, while I get changed too.

She whipped off her blouse and skirt and stood there in just her bra and knickers, while I just froze.

“ Hurry up, us girls change in front of each other all the time, don’t be shy just get on with it.”

I stripped down to my knickers and pulled the dress over my head and let it drop. It was a pale blue light material with very thin shoulder steps and I felt very exposed with bare arms shoulders and upper chest.

“ Hmm, it doesn’t sit quite right, you obviously haven’t got any breasts and they are needed to let it hang properly. Take it off again and I will see if I can find you one of my old padded bras that I don’t need any more now that I have developed a bit.”

“ No need, I’ve got one in my bag, they left it for me in the changing room, but I didn’t bother with it”

“Get it on then and let's have a look.”

“ Can you do it up for me, I can’t seem to clip it together at the back.”

“ It’s easy once you get the knack There you are, let's have a look. Hmm you need a bit more than just that padding really, let's fill it out with some tissues and then you can put the dress on again. Thats a lot better, it hangs really well now.”

“Are you sure that it is all right, the little shoulder straps do not cover the bra straps and you can see them.”

“ That’s very fashionable at the moment, everybody shows them like that, see mine are the same, everyone knows you wear a bra so why hide it. There are some sandals, take off your shoes and socks and we will go down to the summerhouse, It’s just a shed really but Mam likes to call it the summerhouse.”

We took our lemonade and biscuits and went down to the summerhouse to continue reading the play script and an hour or so later we went back in for me to get changed to get home before Mam got back.

“Mam, what have you done with our uniforms, Kim needs to get changed to go home” Sally shouted down to her Mam

“I thought that yours needs a wash and I put Kim’s top, skirt, and socks in with it, it should be done in about an hour. If Kim has to rush, she can go home as she is and come here early in the morning to get changed, is that alright?”

“ What a mess I can’t go home like this, what if the neighbours see me, and Mam will be home in a half-hour.”

“You’ll have to just go as you are, I’ll walk with you and see you in safely, get your school bag and let’s go.”

I felt very self-conscious and was convinced that everyone we passed could tell that I was really a boy, but we managed to get home and into the house unnoticed and I deep-sighed with relief, but the calm did not last.

“ What are you girls doing in here, have you come in with Kim, where is he? Hold on, is that you Kim, what on earth are you playing at?”

“ It’s not what it appears Mam , I can explain, but can I go and get changed first.”

“ No you can’t, get into the living room immediately young man, or should it be young lady,, and you and your friend can tell me why you are dressed like that.”

I told Mam the whole story from the rugby game, the clothes being stolen, the lecture from the headmaster, the snide comments from Miss Fraser and Mr Gates, the uproar in the canteen, but also the kind treatment from Miss Standing and Sally’s Mam, although she didn’t know that I was not really a girl.

“ And what do you intend to do now Kim, you haven’t got a uniform for tomorrow, and with your exams coming up I don’t want you missing lessons.”

“ If I can make a suggestion Mrs Cambell,” Sally spoke for the first time, “ It is not Kim’s fault that this has happened, the uniform they left for him is still at my house, in the wash. He could wear that tomorrow, everybody has already seen him in the skirt so how much worse could it get.”

“ I don’t like doing this, but it seems a reasonable idea, however I am not having your Mam unaware of this, she will not like you undressing together and changing in the same room, give her a call Sally and see if she can come over.”

A short while later, Mrs Carter came in and we went through the story again together.

“ I’m totally shocked at the way the school has treated Kim, he is the one in trouble not the thieves who took his clothes, they should be finding out who did this. Mind you, I never guessed, as far as I was concerned Kim was just another one of the girls from school. If the school feel that they are a laughing stock why not rub it in and send Kim in wearing the girls uniform again, but this time do it properly, wearing the bra, and with her hair tidied up a bit, and even though it is not allowed, most of the girls wear a little mascara and lipstick. That will really make the school think about how they have behaved.”

That is a brilliant suggestion, Mrs Carter, but I can’t keep calling you that I am Sandie and you are…..” “Carol”

“ Hold on it is me that will have to live with this, do I not get a say.”

“No Kim, you will do as you are told.” echoed three voices in unison.

Having said goodbyes and making arrangements for the next day, Sally and Carol left me alone with my Mam.

“Can I go and get changed now Mam?”

“ No you can’t, if I hadn’t had to come home early because of a problem with the shop electrics you would never have told me about all this. Half the town has seen you all day in a skirt, I think that I am entitled to a bit of time too. You stay as you are, I will get changed out of my shop clothes. With all that has happened it is too late now to start preparing dinner, we are going to splash out and go to Bella Italia, but you must feel a little bit worried about being seen by someone who knows you, so we will go over to the next town, rather than the local one.”

“ Here I’ve got a small bag for you with a few things you might need, and if you come here I will put a bit of lipstick on you, and we are ready to go. That’s that done, put it in your bag so you can touch it up after the meal.”

“Hey Mam, what’s all this stuff in here, lipstick, tissues, hair brush, mascara wand, and some pantie liners and tampons, what on earth do I need them for.?”

“ Girls don’t just go to the loo to do their business, they use the time in there to touch up their make-up and hair. As for the other stuff, you never know, when you are in the loo someone may need one and ask if you have a spare.”

“Benvenuti a Bella Italia belle signore”, is it a table for two or are you expecting company, beautiful ladies like you should not be alone?”

“ Just for the two of us tonight please, and may we have a window seat so we can watch the world outside.” Mam said with a radiant smile, she could turn on the charm as well as the greeter at the door of the restaurant. “ Could we see the menu please and a glass of Pino Grigio and a diet coke while we are waiting.”

“Certamente signora, sarà un piacere essere il vostro cameriere questa sera.”

“What on earth was all that about?” I asked when he had gone.

“Don’t worry, he was just turning on the charm to try to get a bigger tip, he probably has been no nearer to Italy than I have, it’s just a little bit of harmless flirting. Enjoy it while you can. “

The waiter returned with the menus and drinks and a big toothy smile and left us to make our selections.

“This all looks quite expensive Mam, don’t forget that I am used to MacDonalds and Subway, are you sure you can afford these prices.”

“Don’t worry darling, I’ve had a good week at the shop which I will tell you all about over dinner, pick what you want , but don’t forget that you are a young lady, no 12” deep-pan triple-cheese pizza or anything like that.”

“ Other than the spaghetti bolognese and the pizzas I don’t really know any of this stuff, you just pick for me, I trust you.”

Mam ordered for us both, Gamberoni Picante for me and seafood lasagne for herself with side orders of focaccia bread and Zucchini chips.

“Before I tell you the good news from the shop, tell me more about what you did with the girls in the design class, you skipped over that when you told me about your day.”

“Well, while the girls were making dresses from their own designs, Miss Standing taught me how to use the sewing machine and cut out material from paper patterns and sat with me while I made a pillow case, and as I had plenty time left I made another two for you. To a professional like you they will not be perfect, but teacher said they were a very good first attempt. Because of all the explanations about how I was dressed, I didn’t have a chance to show you, I still have them in my school bag, I’ll get them out when we get home. Now you tell me about what has happened in the shop.”

“ I got a big order today, a wedding dress, two Maid-of-Honour dresses, four Flower-Girl dresses, and two Pageboy suits. It is a big order and if it goes right the bride’s cousin is having a big wedding later in the year and she will order all her outfits from me too. Things are beginning to look up for us my darling.”

We chatted away all through the meal, which was a lot more filling than it looked on the plate, and a lot tastier than my normal pizza orders, followed up with a Tiramisu portion between us and a cappuccino, paid our bill, and left the beaming waiter a big tip, to which he responded with a cheery “Buonanotte mie bellezze, spero di rivedervi.”

On the way home we stopped at a 24hr supermarket, where Mam took me straight to the girls’ clothing department, where she picked out two packs of knickers and a couple of bras for me. “These should do for this week until we can get this all sorted out, a girl needs a good supply of underwear, you can’t wear stuff for days like boys do.” Normally in her shop or when I went to the shopping malls with her, in the women’s and girls areas my head went off into the clouds and I couldn’t wait to get out, but this time I had a quick look around as if I was looking for something for myself, just like the other customers.

When we got home we sat down and I showed Mam what I had made at school and I saw her wipe a tear from her eye. “They are gorgeous darling, did you really make them? As you say they are not professional standard, but they mean an awful lot more to me than the most expensive brands you can buy, they will go on the pillows on my bed tonight. Come here and I’ll give you a hug !”

It had been a long time since I had spent so much time sitting and chatting with Mam, normally it was quick “Hello, I am off up to my room.” and we both really enjoyed it, but it was soon time for me to go to bed. I know that I should not have done, but I kept on the bra and knickers under my t-shirt pyjama top, it all just completed an unusual day and set me up for another one tomorrow.

Mam woke me early, told me to have a shower and shampoo my hair, using conditioner as well, and afterwards then sat me down while she styled it a bit with a hair dryer and various brushes. I don’t know what she did but it definitely made my hair fuller, and the style much more feminine, considering how short it was compared to the normal length of a girls hair. “ Let me give your hair a quick spray to keep it in place and put a little mascara and lipstick on for you and then you can get dressed and put out the cereal and toast for breakfast while I get ready.”

I opened my packs of underwear and picked out a white bra and knickers set similar to what I had worn yesterday. I found it much easier to fasten the bra than I had yesterday, and stuffed it
with tissues like Sally had done, put on Sally’s summer dress and sandals and generally preened myself. I just had to look in the wardrobe mirror and see how I looked and saw looking back at me a passable, even cute, mid-teen girl, which brought a smile to my face and I happily went downstairs to start off breakfast. At least I looked a bit like a girl instead of a freak boy in a skirt

Mam soon came down, we had breakfast and left for Sally’s to get changed into my uniform and pick up her and her Mam.

“Oh, my Kim, you look gorgeous,” squealed Sally when she opened the door,” let’s get you upstairs and changed ready for school.” She was already fully dressed so just stood and watched while I changed. “You’ve got a new bra and knickers, did you go shopping last night, what else did you get, I’m so excited for you.” I was still not used to other people, particular a girl, seeing me in my underwear, but she assured me that it was nothing out of the ordinary for girls to change together, and so I just got on with it.

Mam and Carol were ready and waiting for us downstairs and we set off for school….. another day, another set of worries.

Sally and i were dropped off to walk into the school together and Mam and Carol went off for the meeting they had arranged with the headmaster prior to morning assembly.

When we walked into our homeroom, the place went instantly silent, before then erupting into gasps of delight from the girls and groans of derision from the boys. “ Wow Kim I love your hair, it looks cute.”, “You’ve developed well overnight haven’t you?”, “The look really suits you, love the lashes.”, “You’ll have to tell us all about it,”, “Are you going to stay as a girl then?”, “ You bloody faggot, stay over there with the other girls.”, “We always knew there was something funny about you.”,” We did you a favour, you now have an excuse to be one of the girls, you were never a proper boy anyway.”

“Will you lot sit down and shut up this instant.” roared Mr Marshall, our homeroom teacher, if I hear any more of this nonsense you will all be on detention, is that clear.” After registration we all trooped off to the main Hall for assembly.

After the traditional hymn singing and general reports of the day’s activities, Mr Kier came late into the hall looking a very worried man.

“ I don’t have to tell you about what happened in school yesterday, one of your fellow pupils was badly treated, had his property stolen and was subject to continual insults and humiliation throughout the day, both personally and on social media sites. Many of you, staff as well as pupils, encouraged or ignored this behaviour, either through stupidity, ignorance or bigotry, and those of you who are now feeling guilty should be ashamed of yourselves. Any repeat of this misbehaviour today or in the future will be severely punished. In particular all those boys who were in the changing room at the time are to remain behind after assembly for further discussion, I have a list of who was there at the time, so please do not try to leave. That is all for now, I will speak further on this tomorrow. You’re dismissed, go back to your classes and remember, any repeat of yesterday’s behaviour will be severely punished.”

The rest of the day went smoothly after that, classes went on as normal. The only difference was that I was suddenly the centre of attention mainly with the girls, there was almost a fight to sit at the dinner table with Sally and me, everybody wanted to know how I felt about wearing girls’ clothes and going to the girls classes, I had already switched one of my afternoon classes from woodwork to home economics and was looking forward to working again with many of the girls that had been in the design class yesterday.

I really noticed the difference working with the girls in the science lab class too, they were all coming over to me to ask questions that they didn’t want to raise in front of the boys, in case they looked stupid, but they trusted me, and I was glad to help. With the boys it was very competitive, with each trying to go quicker or do better than the others, but the girls were much more cooperative and willing to help each other, and in some ways it was easier to learn more.

I was expecting the Home Economics class to be mainly a cookery lesson, but it was formal teaching about value for money shopping, healthy eating options, safe food handling , storage and hygiene, and how to deal with banks, utilities, and phone companies to get the best deals. A lot of it was information that most boys would feel they knew all about, but I was surprised at what I learned.

At the end of the day I walked home to Sally’s to do our homework together and changed into the summer dress again. “ You can keep that if you want, it doesn’t really fit me anymore and the colour suits you. If you want a few more things we can have a sort out of my wardrobe later, any stuff I don’t wear anymore is yours for the taking.”

We worked well together, I was stronger on maths, science and geography, she was better at languages and history so we were able to explain things between us and help each other.

It all took bit longer than we thought it would and didn’t leave much time to go through her wardrobe, but I ended up walking home with a bag of skirts, tops, dresses and shoes which she said she no longer wore or needed, enough to do me for a while if I decided to stay in girls’ clothes. She had offered some of her jeans and trousers, but I left them for the moment, I was enjoying the freedom of skirts.

Before starting on making a Fish Pie for dinner for Mam, I changed into a tight scooped front bright red sleeveless top, a maroon mini-skirt and sandals with a 2” heel, all from Sally’s bag of goodies, and was ready to hit the kitchen. I didn’t want to dirty my new clothes so borrowed one of Mam’s aprons to give a bit of protection.

“ My don’t you just look a real domestic goddess, I could get used to having a daughter about the house. I’ll get changed and we can sit down for dinner and tell each other all about how our day has gone. By the way I love your new outfit, did you get that from Sally?”

“Yes and a few other things as well, I’ve already hung them up but I will show them to you later.”

While Mam was getting changed, I finished off the pie and served up just in time for her to sit down at the table.

“What on earth did you do to Mr Kier, he looked like he’d seen a ghost when he came in?”

“We just reminded him that he had a duty of care to his pupils, that child-abuse is a major crime, that there were lots of anti-discrimination laws that we could hit him with, that it was unreasonable that the victim of a crime was being punished by him and some of his staff and that he had taken no action against those that had humiliated you, and we might have mentioned that Carol works for the local TV station who would be very interested in doing a news feature on what had happened.

We gave him 2 days to find and punish those responsible and to arrange for Miss Fraser and Mr Gates to be temporarily suspended until they go on anti-discrimination and human relationship courses.

All the boys who were in the changing room with you have been given an ultimatum that unless all those who took part were named, the whole class would be treated as equally to blame and would all face punishment. Don’t be surprised if tomorrow you see some of the boys wearing girls’ clothes, it is a case of the punishment fitting the crime. All in all I think we got a good result.and how was your day?”

“ I think that I have become ‘Miss Popularity’ all of a sudden, the girls seem very happy with me, and the boys now accept that I am not to be messed with.

I’ve got a brilliant friend in Sally,, and we are working well together on our homework helping each other and I am sure our grades will improve in the end-of-term exams. I am the happiest I have ever been at school, for the moment I am comfortable with and enjoying wearing my new clothes, and I have the most wonderful understanding supportive and tolerant Mam. As you said, a good result. Let’s sit down together, relax, and enjoy a film on TV.”

Before we settled down I got my new clothes out of the wardrobe and took them down to show Mam, who insisted that I tried them on for her to see how they fitted and looked. After changing in front of Sally, I had no qualms about Mam seeing me in my bra and knickers when I swapped outfits. I enjoyed trying it all on and Mam enjoyed the fashion show, making suggestions of what matched together and what did not work.

“ You know what Kim, I have always loved you as my son, but now you are acting like a daughter it is totally different. I can’t remember the last time we had a long chat or spent so much time together, I’m enjoying the moment while it lasts.”

I said goodnight and gave Mam a hug and kiss, and thought it had been a long time since I had done that, collected my clothes, and went off to bed.

Another day tomorrow, I wondered that new excitements that would bring.

To be continued