Josh and I were going to our homeroom class when we saw Tom with his back leaned against the wall close to our classroom looking very nervous. He saw us and then he walked toward us.

“H..hi.” he said.

‘Oh, shit! What does he want? Do I act like I don’t know what happened to him last night? I think it’s better to do it.’

“What do you want Tom?” I asked sounding angry.

“C…can I talk to you for a minute? Please?”

“Sure. I’m listening.”

“Can we do it in private?” He asked.

“Do you think I’m going to let you alone with my sister?” Josh said.

“I…I won’t do anything to hurt her, Josh. Please.” He said pleadingly.

I looked a Josh and gave him a look that said it would be okay and he nodded.

“Okay, Tom. What do you say we do it like this? I’ll let you talk in private but I’ll keep an eye on both. I’ll be out of earshot but I want to be able to see you.”

“That’s okay. I promise I won’t hurt her.” Tom said.

“If you do, you’ll regret being born.” Josh warned him.

‘*Damn you is good at that*’ I though at Josh.

‘*Joan?* ‘ I heard Josh’s voice inside my head.

‘*Josh?* ‘

‘*Oh wow. I think we can hear each other’s thoughts.* ‘

‘*Let’s worry about that later. I need to talk to Tom, remember?* ‘

‘*Roger.* ‘

Tom and I walked a bit further down the hall until we found a quiet spot. I looked around and saw that as promised Josh was just out of hearing range.

“Okay Tom. I’m here. What do you want to talk about?”

He looked at his shoes for a moment, took a deep breath and said. “I wanted to apologize for being a jerk to you for all this time.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry, Joan. I wasn’t being myself. Something that I can’t explain happened to me and I saw how bad I was being. Please forgive me.”

“You used me as your personal punch bag for over a year, stole my lunch money several times and want me to just forgive you?”

“I know I shouldn’t be asking you this, but I am really ashamed about what I did to you and others. I also want to pay your lunch money back. This is all I have now. I know it’s not much but please accept it.” He said and gave me a hundred dollars in twenty dollars bills.

“Tom, I don’t need your money. I can’t accept it. You can’t buy my forgiveness.” I said giving him the money back.

“I know. I just wanted to show you I really am sorry.” He said and I saw a small tear running down his cheek.

“Tom, you don’t need to pay me for me to forgive you. Actions speak louder. The tear you just shed showed me you are being sincere. I think I can forgive you, but I’ll keep my eye on you.”

“Thanks you. Thank you. Thank you.” He said and gave me a big hug. This time his touch felt different it was warm and loving.

“You are welcome, Tom. Now we better go to our classes before we get late.”

“Okay.” He said and stopped hugging me.

We started to walk away from each other and I don’t know why I said my next few words. “Tom, don’t hold against your new aunt the terrible things your father did to you, okay? She is not him anymore.” After that I just walked away leaving Tom with a very confused expression on his face.

I got into the classroom just before the bell rang. Inside everyone was talking about all the press outside the building.

“Hi Joan.” Kelly said to me.

“Hi Kelly. How are you today?”

“I’m fine. Did you see the commotion outside?”

“Did I? They were looking for me.” I told her.

“For you? Why?”

“I think Miss Jenkins called them saying I was a boy in a dress. I never felt more humiliated in my life.”

“But you are not, right? I mean a boy in a dress.”

“Of course not, but I don’t think that matters for them.”

“I agree with you. Since when the truth matters for some tabloid reporters?” I heard Josh say.

“It matters to me. It’s my life they are trying to mess with. Also I worry about Sam.” I told them.

“Sam? Why?” Kelly asked me.

“Unlike me, she isn’t genetically a girl, but she is a girl nonetheless. The press could mess her life up pretty badly.” I said.

“Oh, I didn’t know that. I thought she was just a tomboy. You mean she is a transsexual?”

“In a matter of speaking I think you could say that. But I think that maybe her problem can be categorized more in the intersex category.”

“What do you mean?”

“She has a medical issue that prevents her to develop as a guy. She is allergic to testosterone. The only way she can have a normal life is to develop as a girl.”

“Oh my! That must be tough on her.” Kelly said.

“Actually I think she is relieved by it. She always felt she is a girl. Maybe it’s because of her allergy or maybe it’s something else. Please don’t treat her any differently than you do the other girls. She needs all the support she can get.”

“Don’t worry about it. I won’t, and I won’t tell anyone what you told me either.”

“Thank you. I knew I could trust you.” I told her.

“How did you know that?” She asked me.

“I just felt it. I’m a good judge of character. You are a very nice person, Kel.” I told her.

  
The rest of the morning was pretty much the same. people talked about the reporters and said how angry they were at them. About lunch time things got a lot more normal. Well, at least I think they were getting normal. After all it’s just my second day as a girl at school.

As Josh and I were going to the cafeteria, we met with Mindy and Sam’s sister Jenny. “Hi guys.” I greeted them.

“Hi Joan.” Jenny said.

“Hi gorgeous.” Mindy said and gave me a BIIIIG hug.

“Hi sweetie.” I said to her.

“You two look so cute. Just like Sam and Jess.” Jenny said.

The two of us blushed when Jenny said that, but I knew she was being sincere when she said we looked cute together. It’s good to know she doesn’t judge our relationship.

We went to the cafeteria and grabbed our lunches before joining the others to lunch. Of course Josh only went as far as escorting us to the table where Sam, Jess and their friends were sitting. I think he would feel a bit uncomfortable with all that estrogen and girl talk around him. He can be such a guy’s guy sometimes. I thought and giggled to myself.

Before Josh left I noticed him and Steph exchange some looks at each other and I thought it looked very cute. Maybe there is something there between them. If there is I’m happy for him.
“Hi guys.” Jenny said.

They all greeted us and it didn’t take long before we were all chatting away.

How is your first day going, Sam?” I asked her.

“Pretty good so far, but I sure could use a little less attention though.”

“I know what you are talking about. Yesterday everyone was curious about me. Fortunately today things seemed to die down a little bit.” I told her.

“Just a little?”

“Yes, the press outside didn’t help.”

“What did they want?” Karen asked.

“I think Miss Jenkins told them that I am a boy in a dress. She doesn’t seem to be able to get that I am genetically a girl.”

“She is such a bigot. I’m glad she got fired. Maybe now the bullies will have a harder time. I heard she used to cover for them.” Liz said.

“I can’t understand how someone like her could ever get a job in a school with her attitude.” Mandy said.

“I don’t know, maybe she wasn’t like that when she started. I don’t like to judge people. Bigotry usually doesn’t come naturally, it is taught.” I added.

“That’s true.” Jess agreed.

“Hey, there is still a free spot for one more?” I heard Kelly talk to us.

“Hi Kelly, have a seat.”

“Thanks.” She said.

“I want you to meet Sam, Mandy, Karen, Liz, Jess and Steph. I think you already know Mindy and my sister Jenny.”

“Nice to meet you guys.”

They all greeted her very warmly.

“Oh Mandy, is there space for one more Saturday? Two more actually.” I asked her.

“Of course.” She said. “Who do you want to invite?”

“Kelly and my cousin Diana, she just moved into town and will start school tomorrow.”

“Invite me for what?” Kelly asked.

“For a Slumber party Saturday night, and an afternoon hanging out in the mall and introduce girl shopping to Joan and Sam.” Jess said.

“Oohhh that sounds like fun. I’ll have to ask my mom but I think there will be no problem. How many people are going?” She asked.

“Let me see.” Mandy said. “Me, Karen, Liz, Sam, Steph, Jess, Joan, Mindy, Jenny, You and Joan’s cousin Diana. Eleven people.”

“Wow, that is a big party. It is going to be so fun.” Kelly said. “I never went to a slumber party that big before.”

“I think none of us did.” Mindy said and giggled.

“And I can’t wait to see people’s reaction at the mall when 11 teenage girls start to raid the stores.” Jess said.

“That is something to see.” Karen said.

We all chatted a bit longer before it was time for us to go to our next classes. I still need to talk to Josh about what happened earlier today. Maybe that new ability can be useful and I wondered if I could talk to Mindy the same way or it just happened because of my link with Josh.