Chapter6

Previously from Chapter 4…

The shock was wearing off now and I was getting more used to being in a boys body. It was strange that I was ultra-aware that I now had boys’ genitals. I could feel them when I walked and sat and even lying in the bed, I was always aware of them. No doubt, in time that would change and I would just treat them as a normal part of my body, but for now, it was all new and rather exciting.

I wondered how things were going with Tanya over the other side. Was she experiencing changes that she never thought she would? Things were so different now for both of us.

It would be my first day at school tomorrow as a real boy. How would I be treated and would the bullies like those that I had encountered earlier be there and try to hurt me.

Tanya would have similar problems and I hoped that she fitted in okay.

One thing was sure; I would not let anyone stop me being who I really was—a boy.

And now the story continues…

The next morning I awoke not knowing where or even who I was.

Then I remembered.

For a moment, I wondered if it had all been a dream and that I was still physically a girl, but then I realised from the feeling I had ‘down there’, that the equipment I now had was definitely of the boy variety.

It was strange, I never realised that boys bits would feel like that. Every time I walked, sat down or moved my legs in any way, I was aware of them. I wondered, once I got used to them, whether I would eventually not think of them as something different to what I had been used to.

I looked at the bedside clock. It was time for me to get up for school.

I was dreading it, to be honest. How had Tommy or maybe Tannie been at school? Was she liked, hated, ignored, ridiculed? She, in her male guise had obviously been different. Those boys, what were their names, oh yea, Mike Furbin and Tony Hart, had tried to intimidate and bully me as I fell through the doorway into this dimension or whatever it was called.

I had a feeling that life might be tough for me at first, but I was a boy and I would take it on the chin, probably literally!

Looking at the clock again, I realised that I had to get a move on, or I would be late for school.

My boys’ uniform was on a hanger waiting for me but I had to use the loo first and have a shower. I did it as quickly as I could, but made sure that my hair stayed dry, as I didn’t want to have to dry it. At the earliest opportunity, I would have a haircut and I wondered, not for the first time why s(he) hadn’t had it cut if s(he) wasn’t very feminine.

I shrugged as there was no way of knowing the answer.

I found a black scrunchie amongst all the pink yellow and other rainbow coloured ones and put my hair in a low ponytail.

After pulling up my boys underpants (yippee!), which gave a bit of support to my manly equipment, and putting on my boys socks, shirt and trousers (more yipees!), I looked at myself in the mirror.

Yup, I was definitely in boy mode. Okay, I wasn’t exactly He-man material and I looked a trifle nurdish, but I was a boy and as far as I was concerned, that was the way I wanted to look.

‘Tommy, breakfast is ready!’ called out Nan.

‘Coming,’

I went downstairs and sat at the breakfast bar and scoffed down my breakfast which comprised of cornflakes, followed by toast, O.J. and tea.

I looked up and saw my dad and nan staring at me.

‘What?’ I asked.

‘Since when have you eaten like a pig at a trough?’ asked Dad, his eyebrows raised.

‘Erm, I was hungry.’

‘You normally eat like a sparrow.’

‘Well now I’m eating like a erm…’

‘Pig?’

‘No, a boy who needs food to help him grow up quickly.’

‘Not a girl?’

‘No, a boy.’

‘But…oh never mind, I’ll let your shrink sort you out. I haven’t got time for this. If you are ready, I’ll give you lift to school.’

‘Cool, Dad.’

Nan had her back to us, washing dishes. Her shoulders were heaving and I wondered in passing if she was laughing, but I had no more time so I picked up my rucksack and school blazer, I followed Dad out with a cheery ‘bye,’

‘Don’t I get a kiss?’

‘Sorry Nan,’ I replied and then turned back to peck her on the cheek.

She looked at me with a piercing erm, look.

‘Are you winding us up?’ she asked.

‘What do you mean?’

‘All this I am a ‘big manly’ boy nonsense.’

‘No it isn’t a joke.’

‘So, this is the boy who asked me if I liked the dress you bought the other day?’

‘Yes, it’s me. I can’t explain it. I just need to do my thing Nan.’

‘Mmm, don’t hurt you dad. He has a lot to cope with at the moment and the last thing he needs is you messing with his head.’

‘I can’t help what I feel…’

‘Tan…I mean Tommy, are you ready?’ shouted Dad from outside.

‘Coming,’ I called and then turned back to Nan, ‘look Nan, I’ll tell you more after school. I wouldn’t hurt Dad for the world, you know that, but I need to explore who and what I am. ‘

With that, I ran out to the car and we were soon on the way to school.

As we went through the winding lanes, Dad and I didn’t say much. He was no doubt wondering what was going on and I was in a bit of a funk about the coming school ordeal.

It was all get a bit much for me. Despite the promises I made to myself that I would accept my situation and make the most of it, I was still in shock as to what had happened and the extreme changes to my life and the people that I loved.

Before I knew it, we had arrived at school. There were only a few people around as it was still early and the reason why I had to be there at an ungodly hour was that Dad had to be at work for a meeting.

I grabbed my ruckie and turned to Dad.

‘See you later.’

He looked at me and I could see the confusion on his face. Leaning over, I impulsively kissed him on the cheek.

I might be a boy, but I was a loving boy who had just got my dad back.

‘Don’t worry Dad; I’m not mad. We’ll talk after school.’

I smiled and then got out. Standing there for a moment, I saw him go off to work and I wondered what he was thinking. Then, I dismissed it from my mind as I was unceremoniously pushed over from the back.

I was on my feet in seconds and there they were, the two evil boys who had tried to thump me the day before—Mike Furbin and Tony Hart.

‘Well, sissy boy, you caught us by surprise yesterday and no nancy like you is going to get away with that.’

The other one, who looked like some sort of side kick, without the brains to connect two syllables just smirked and said, ‘ Mike, lets do him now.’

Now, I could have left it there, but I didn’t want those animals hounding me all day and making my life a misery, so I took the initiative.

‘You shouldn’t have pushed me,’ I said.

‘Why, girlie-boy?’ asked Furbin whilst Hart cracked his knuckles. ‘gonna hit us with your girlie rucksack?’

I didn’t wait for any more. I wasn’t a violent person, but these characters had to be dealt with and now.

I punched Furbin on the nose and as Hart came up I kneed him in the groin.

They both went down like sacks of potatoes and I just walked past them and went into school. leaving them whimpering behind me

A few boys had been kicking a football in the playground and had stopped to see what was going on.

‘Blimey Tommy, what’s got into you?’ asked one of the boys who came up to me.

I instantly recognised him as Anthony Trollope, a nice boy who, in my other existence, had a crush on me; which was silly really as we were far too young and anyway, I wasn’t into boys and still wasn’t. Unfortunately, even at his age, he was.

‘They were hassling me.’

‘You seem different.’

‘I am.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I won’t be pushed around or called names.’

‘Last week you cried when you broke a nail.’

‘This week is different, my nails can look after themselves.’

‘Two days ago you got stroppy when you forgot to bring conditioner with your scented shower gel and shampoo for after games.’

‘I’ll make do with manly shower gel now.’

‘Yesterday you complained to a teacher that siting by the window would ruin your complexion and turn your face all pruney.’

‘A suntan is cool and a few lines won’t harm me.’

‘You seem different.’

‘I am.’

‘Why?’

‘Because…look I can’t explain it Anthony, but I need to try being more of a boy.’

‘Cool.’

‘That doesn’t mean I like boys that way. Look, I am a bit confused about this boy/girl thing and I need to find out what I want to be, you know?’

‘My mum and dad say that sort of thing to me. ‘You’re too young to think that you are gay, Anthony’. What do they know.’

By this time we had walked into the school. I had ignored the stares as we walked across the playground. There still weren’t that many people around, but I knew that the school grapevine would send out the message that I had done nasty things to Furbin and Hart and I hoped that would mean that others would not try to do anything to me. I wondered if anyone videoed the action and even now had posted it on YouTube or Facebook.

I managed to get rid of Anthony by telling him that I had to use the toilet. Even then he complained about that as, instead of using the disabled toilet, I went to the boys one. I got the impression that Tannie had used the disabled one because she wasn’t allowed in the girls one and as far as she was concerned, the boys toilet was not an option.

As I walked in, there were a few other boys standing at the urinals. I nearly went into a stall, as before, with my girls’ equipment, I had no option; but I grinned slightly as I decided to go to a spare urinal and did my stuff standing up.

After finishing, I went to wash my hands and noted that the other boys hadn’t bothered to do that. To be honest, I found that a bit gross. I might be a boy, but at least I was a clean boy and my hands weren’t going to be covered in germs.

I had already looked at the timetable before leaving for school and I had noticed that all the lessons were the same as what I was used too. With exception to games which instead of netball or tennis, was cricket or tennis. As the word tennis was underlined, I realised that like me, Tannie wasn’t into team sports and I could understand that, as it appeared that neither of us fitted in with the team thing. Not that I was that much good at tennis, but I did try, so that was something.

Anyway, tennis wasn’t until next week, so I would worry about how good or bad I was in this time/space thingie then.

The bell went and I could hear the stampeding wildebeests outside and I went to join the throng, for now, it was time for registration—what joy.

I went to my usual seat, not looking at anyone. Was it my imagination or was there a sort of hush in the room as I walked in?

I went to my usual seat at the back, in the corner and as no one screamed and shouted, I assumed that this was Tannie’s, as well.

Shortly after I took my seat, Furbin walked in with a handkerchief held over his nose. Hart followed him, walking with a limp and with his legs looking slightly bandy. They glanced at me and then, as one, scowled.

They both took their seats, with Hart sitting down rather gingerly.

Just then even the hushed whispers stopped as Miss Busby strode in, her severe, sensible shoes, clip clopping as she went to the front and sat at her desk. Miss Busby was A Disciplinarian. She did not suffer fools, idiots, malcontents or disruptions gladly and thought nothing of dishing out detentions like confetti.

As she read out the names on the register, I was slightly distracted as I tried to work out if this Miss Busby was exactly the same as the one in my dimension and I wondered as she spoke if there were so many hairs on her top lip…

‘Mr Tucker, are you with us?’

I jumped at the sound of my name.

‘Sorry; here Miss.’

Her laser beam eyes dwelled on me for a moment and then passed on to the next person on the register.

When she finished, she closed the register and looked around, her eyes stopping at Furbin and Hart.

‘Mr Furbin, what have you done to your nose?’

‘Fell over Biss,’ he replied rather nasally.

‘You had better see nurse then after registration.’

She didn’t sound all that sympathetic; perhaps if he had lost a limb, she might have, but I wouldn’t put a bet on it.

I had a secret smile at Furbin and Hart’s obvious discomfort. I hoped that they had learnt a lesson and wouldn’t try anything else against me, but being as thick as two short planks, I had a sneaky feeling that they would be back for more and that I would have to watch my back.

The bell went and everyone stood up to go to lessons. My first lesson was history, not a subject I liked, but it was at least better than maths. As we filed out, Miss Busby called out.

‘Mr Tucker, a moment.’

I turned back and she motioned for me to sit at a desk for a moment whilst everyone else left.

I wondered what I had done wrong, or maybe Tannie had done something before I sort of occupied her body. Lets face it; she could have been a mass murderer for all I knew.

Miss Busby marked a few papers and then when all was quiet, she put her pen down and looked up at me.

‘Tommy,’ she said in a surprisingly gentle voice, ‘are you well, you seem distracted today.’

‘I’m fine Miss.’

‘I’m not stupid. I have heard rumours that you had a fight with Hart and Furbin. Are they bullying you again?’

‘No Miss, they erm, wanted too, but I wouldn’t let them.’

She stared at me for a moment and then continued rather hesitantly.

‘You know that your mother was my best friend?’

I looked at her with surprise.

‘No, I didn’t.’

‘You were probably too young when she died to remember much, but I promised her that I would look out for you and in my quiet way, I have. However, as a teacher I do not approve of favouritism and so, whilst you have coped with the problems that you have regarding your identity, I have not interfered, but I can see that you are confused and might need my help at some stage. If you feel that you need any assistance, ring me at home.’

‘Here is a hall pass and note for your teacher, off you go and remember, I am here for you.’

I looked into her eyes and wondered. Did she know more than she was letting on?

With a smile that was warmer than I had ever seen on her face, she gave me a card with her address and phone number. I didn’t know what to say.

‘Off you go Tommy,’

I took the slip of paper and after thanking her; I left to go to the next class.

~*~

The rest of the morning was much as it had been in my other existence and disturbingly, the teachers were all the same ones. Strangely, a few of the kids I did not recognise and some who I thought would be there, weren’t.

I had a pack lunch and I found myself in my favourite spot under one of the trees where there was a wooden bench. I looked to the side of one of the planks forming the bench, expecting to find my initials carved there. I had only done that about a month before.

There were no initials.

I sat eating my sandwich, looking inward and wondering about Miss Busby and the subtle differences in this world to the one I knew, when I looked up and with some surprise, I saw a smiling Charlotte Rhodes.

Charlotte was one of the popular girls in my world and had little to do with me, a social outcast. She was devastatingly pretty even at the tender age of twelve. Older boys and a few even at my age had wanted to be her boy friend, but she was a no go area as far as boys were concerned. Her parents were strict and religious and wouldn’t let her do anything and probably wouldn’t until she was eighteen, at least.

‘Hi Tammie, how are you?’

Tammie, why is she calling me that?

‘Don’t you mean Tommy?’

She looked around and then sat down beside me.

‘What do you mean Tommy; since when have you been Tommy to me?’

I didn’t know what to say. What was going on here?

‘Look Tammie, we both know that you are a girl inside and that we are BFF’s. It’s not one of your silly jokes is it?'

Things were starting to get complicated!

Please leave comments and kudo thingies...thanks! ~Sue