The sun was hanging high over the township of Benton. The hours of the day were getting longer and longer with each passing day. All across Benton, both teachers and students were counting down the days till the sweet release of Summer. With bated breath, they waited for that final bell that would grant them freedom from the desk, freedom from homework and pop quiz’s and exams. Many dreamed of long, lazy summer afternoons spent playing in the grassy fields, or sitting by a cool shady spot down by the river.
And the students of Benton Academy were getting ready to wrap up another year. The whole school was silent as a mouse. It was exam time, and the pressure was starting to get to the students. One could tell as they snuffed their feet from the exam station to the next exam station. Some muttering math equations under there breath as they clutched there textbooks. Others a prayer as they held there rosaries. And still, others had nothing but blank expressions on there face.
And one of those students, who moved from class to class was a young girl with shoulder length blonde hair, pretty blue eyes and slightly develop breast. Her name was Jamie Sarah Potter, and for the first time since school started that year, she moved a ghost. Jamie was at first a boy called James until a series of strange events happen. And while it was true, that people like Jamie were often singled out to be teased or bullied, the truth of the matter was this. Most of the students now were too concerned about the approaching summer holiday and most were concerned about passing the exams. Benton Academy was a private school after all.
Jamie took a deep breath as she moved through the hallway. Since being released from the Hospital, her life had kind of gotten settled down. People no longer cared to stick their noses into her personal business. The novelty of having a transgender classmate had faded with the coming of spring. She was now pretty much a one girl island. All but a few of her fellow girls shunned her, and most of the boys save her lovely boyfriend Ben just seemed to forget she was there. Even the lunch lady failed to notice her.
Nobody really seemed to notice her at all. And she hated that. She really hated that. She felt like she needed to do something in order to get noticed. Or to end the school year on a bang. A small blush color her cheeks as she reached down and took a sip her carton of milk. The milk was warm and had the hint of sourness to it. She shivered as she felt the milk roll down her throat and splashdown.
Today’s lunch was a portion of mystery meat, a small cup of chewy white rice, stewed green beans, and dinner rolled that was harder than a stone. Jamie takes taken a bite or two of the meat before deciding it was better to just leave it along. The rice was undercooked and the roll could be used as a lethal projectile if push came to shove. But what could you expect? Certainly not a gourmet meal, not with the school about to close down and most of the kitchen staff about to draw relief wages till school resumed at the end of Summer. Nope, not by a long shot, the quality of food had peeked around Thanksgiving and had been on a steady downhill slide since.
“Okay, I know that look.” A voice said. The voice belonged to an older teen who looked just like Jamie. Only she was tanned and Jamie was white as a sheet. The teen eased her plastic tray down in front of Jamie and peered toward her. Her pale blue eyes searching every square inch of her face for some kind of clue, or hint to what her sister was thinking about. “So, what on your mind girl. Besides dates, names and math equations.”
“Nothing,” Jamie said as she picked up her plastic fork and started to play with the rice. She gave up trying to eat the stuff. Heck, even the starving children in Africa would have second thoughts about eating this stuff. Even the imitates at Parchman State Farms where feed better than the students.
“Okay, I’ve known you, like your whole life. Like even changed your diapers and feed you from a bottle. You can’t keep secrets from me. Like, I’m not fussy as mom, so, if your thinking about doing what you're thinking about doing. Just, maybe try to use some kind of lotion. KY Jelly works wonders.” The teen said. “And in your case, cause you’re a very special case you're going to need a lot of it.” She said in a sage, older sister tone of voice. She quickly added. “Because trust me, going on personal experience, the first time is really awkward and can be painful. And as always an ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure. Or like a stitch in time saves nine.”
Jamie blinked and blinked again as she felt her face starting to grow red. If her life was a popular Saturday morning anime. Her face would be glowing redder than coal in hell and white-hot steam would be shooting out of her ears. The girl sitting across from her, just giggled as she started to drink her milk. Warm it might be, it was still better than the water from the fountain.
“I mean, you two have been going together for what, like six or seven months. Since Homecoming, its time girl. You’ve kissed him, you’ve served with him at Mass, its time you get a little.”
“Lily, I’m not thinking about that..” Jamie finally said as she collected herself.
“Oh.” Lily clearly sounded disappointed. She was hoping to have one of those big sister talks with Jamie. She enjoyed watching the girl wiggle around as she laid down the facts of life. “Okay, if not banging your boyfriends on your mind, then what is? Robin agreed to hire you after she tasted one of your home-made apple pies. Everybody pretty much forgot the fact that you were once a boy. You have a wonderful boyfriend, you're making straight A’s and B’s Honesty I think you're in far better shape than most.”
Jamie sighed and started to sink down in her seat.
“It's not that,” Jamie said taking a deep breath. “I need to do something. Something that will cause people to remember me. Something that will make a name for myself.”
Lily blinked and blinked again.
“You could always volunteer for the school’s dunking booth. They need four girls, one from each year. You could be the freshman volunteer. I’m thinking about being the Junior volunteer. Heck is a cheerleader I’m almost required to go in.” Lily said as she took another sip of her milk. A few seconds later she shivered as she tasted the milk, the milk had gone bad. A frown crossed Lily face as she closed the lid of her milk and tossed it into a nearby trashcan.
“No thank you, getting gunged twice this year been enough for me,” Jamie said sighing. “Plus, I think there a fetish for that kind of stuff. And if it is, It's not one I really like!” Jamie said blushing as she peered toward her big sister.
Lily blinked and blinked again as she pushed her tray away from her. She then peered toward her little sister, a look of confusion and concern crossed her face. Sighing she placed her hands over her face and shook her head. Through her fingers, she muttered something as she tried to collect her thoughts. She had no idea how to respond to that.
“Okay, first off. We’ll talk about that later. Second, despite my teasing, I think your really too young to think about things like. I mean, listen I’m not going to knock what you like. Cause, like I still like Barbie and I still kind of collect American Girl dolls. But, it's hard you know. Cause one on the side, I have my ‘Unicorn Warrior Princess’ loving little sister. Who I love and cherish above all else. And well on the other side, I know what she going through some really big changes. An emotional rollercoaster, and despite what mom and dad wish to believe. Where both kind of testing the water if you will.”
Jamie sighed and shook her head.
“Lily, stop for a minute... I’m not thinking about sex at all okay? Ben and I are taking things slow okay... What I’m thinking about is pulling some kind of prank you know. Its like tradition you know, for students to pull pranks on each other and the school toward the end of the year. Heck, I remember last year somebody even hacked the school’s website and made it seem like school was canceled for the day. Everybody got a free day!” Jamie paused, “That like the stuff of legends right there.”
Lily nodded her head.
“So, what your plan?” She asked.
Before Jamie could answer, the school bell rung, signaling the end of the lunch period. Both girls stood up, Jamie followed by Lily, the two then carried their foam trays over to the nearby trash cans. The two girls then tossed the foam trays into the trashcan and started to walk away.
“Hey, Sis. Real talk now. Don’t do anything dumb okay. Like our new headmaster or mistress is really cracking down. Like, you know she meant business when her first order of business was to purge the school of all those old fossils. Like Mr. Henderson and a few others. And so far she has been on your side. Just keep your head low okay and if you gotta do something. Try not to get caught.”
Jamie blinked and blinked again.
“Oh trust me, I have a plan.” Jamie said shifting her eyes, “I always have a plan.”
Lily sighed and shook her head as she returned to class. Sometimes, she had to wonder about her little sister.
***
Jamie took a deep breath as she peered toward the rising moon. Full darkness had fallen, the three-stories, brick building stood silent as the grave as the full, silver moon hung beside it. In front of the two main doors in the middle, there could be seen a large, concrete fountain that was filled with clear water. The sound of water splashing over the side of the concrete walls and onto the paving stones sounded almost like a melody.
Jamie, despite the heat of the early summer night, was dressed from head to toe in black. Form-fitting black jeans, black socks, and black shoes, black gloves and finally topping it off a black ski mask. And in her hand a large sack. She felt something like a thief, no in her mind was a ninja princess deep. And she was on a top, secret mission... A mission deep behind enemy lines. And so creeping up to the fountain, she took a deep a deep breath. Crossing herself she reached into her bag and one by one she pulled plastic models of fish, very realistic looking models. The models had waited for bottoms, so they stood up on their own power when placed down. Carefully, Jamie climbed into the fountain and placed the fish around the concrete bottom. She wanted to give the appearance that the high-quality plastic models where swimming on their own power.
As she worked, she dropped something. A piece of plastic around the size of your average credit card dropped from her pocket and floated down into the fountain. Written on index card piece of plastic was the following “Benton Academy Student ID” The letters where all capital and written in red ink. Followed by “Jamie Sarah Potter” below the name was a photo of Jamie wearing a nice floral print dress. Her golden blonde hair styled curls and waves. As the piece of plastic settled on the concrete bottom of the fountain. Jamie finished her work and started to climb over the edge.
“Perfect.” She said as she peered at the dozen or so models of largemouth bass floating around the fountain. “Jamie girl, I think you’ve made school history!” And so patting herself on the back, she slipped away and vanished into the night.
