I felt relieved when my big sis Mary entered my room. I wanted to talk to her about this private school idea and about her and Alyssa making out.

“Hey, sis. Finally, we can talk. I am not sure what to think about going to a private school. It would open a lot of opportunities but I think I would miss Sammy, mom and dad and our town too much. I don’t want to just run away.” I told Mary, feeling unsure about how to proceed.

“I understand, babe. This will be a tough decision. At a private school, you could get a fresh start. I know there are two private schools within under an hour drive away from here. So, if you would go to one of those schools, you would still have time to see Sammy and her friends. Besides, I bet you would look cute in one of those little skirts and you could wear pantyhose, tights or stockings.” Mary said while smiling at me.

“Haha! Yeah, I think I would look cute in one of those. While we are talking about looking cute and flirting, what’s with you and Alyssa? Are you two dating? Since when did you know that you like girls?” I asked her impatiently.

“No, I am not dating Alyssa but we feel affection for one another. I think I discovered liking girls when I was 14. I had a crush on this super cute girl in one of my art classes. I never made a move though. I just admired her silently.” Mary confessed.

“OMG! That is adorable. I had no idea but I understand you. Girls are awesome.”I said feeling proud.

“We are. No doubt about it. I can tell that you have a lot of affection for Sammy. I think it’s great that you two are girlfriends. I hope she loves you as much as you love her.” Mary said sounding a bit thoughtful.

“I hope so too. Anyways, what about this young man you are seeing back in Portland. Can I ask some questions regarding this manner?” I asked her.

“Sure. You are the only one who is allowed to ask. He is nice and fun to be around but I don’t think we are going to have a long term relationship.” Mary said while moving closer to me and putting one arm around my hip.

“Babe, you are my only true love.” Mary said declaring her love and loyalty to me.

The next moment, Mary burst out with laughter and started tickling me. I laughed so hard, it was amazing. My big sister is just the most amazing person I know. After our short but intense tickle session, we returned to normal and snuggled on the bed. All of a sudden, I started feeling sad. The thought of Mary leaving soon overcame me.

“What is going on, babe? Mary seeming concerned suddenly.

“I am sad that you will be leaving again.” I told her honestly getting teary-eyed.

“I know. It has been amazing to get to know my baby sister Riley. Do not despair though. I will be back home soon again and then we will have more time together. There is a cute girl named Sammy waiting to spend more time with you.” she said smiling at me.

“You are right.” I said thoughtfully wiping away my tears. I felt better again. My big sister always knows how to cheer me up when I am upset. I decided to get up and give her a hug.

“What is that for?” Mary asked me while hugging me back.

“Just because you are the best.” I told her.

“Aren’t you the cutest thing.” Mary assured me.

“I know.” I replied with a grin on my face.

“So, do you want to come with me and dad tomorrow to the airport or would you prefer a quick good-bye. I think it will be tough for both of us either way.” Mary pointed out seeming sad now.

“We should probably just say good-bye here. It will be just like ripping off a band-aid. The pain will be intense but hopefully, it will pass quickly.” I said having a lot of mixed emotions.

Mary nodded and agreed. We kissed each other and said goodnight. I undressed and got ready for bed. I decided to put on one of the nightgowns Alyssa gave me amongst other clothes. It was pink and a bit long for me but I loved the way wearing it felt. When I was back in my bed my brain seemed in overdrive.

My thoughts were putting me on a roller coaster ride and everything and everyone was invited to ride along. I thought about Mary and how much love I had for her. I thought about my mom and dad and how happy I am that they are supporting me now. About my girlfriend Sammy, my new friend Alyssa and about Michelle which made me sad and angry at the same time. And I thought about my first encounter with Sammy at the pantyhose section at Macy's. I eventually fell asleep.

It was rough to say good-bye to Mary the next morning. I hugged her tightly, kissed her and let go of her hand. She gave me another look over her shoulder before she stepped out of the door. It was a reassuring look. A look that said: Don’t worry little sis. It will be okay. Mary got into my dad’s car and the next minute she was gone. Fortunately, mom was there and realized I could use a big hug.

After hugging for a while and crying a little bit, mom asked me to sit with her at the kitchen table.

“Once the day will begin, I will call your school and dad and I will hopefully be able to meet with the principal to discuss our situation. Does that sound okay to you?” mom asked me.

I nodded. “Sure. That sounds good. However, I am not sure how I feel about going back to school as a girl. I was not accepted as Randy. I am also very worried about threats, bullying or worse.” I pointed out feeling nervous.

Mom walked over to me to give me another hug and whispered in my ear.

“I won’t let anything happen to my baby girl.” she said gently.

It felt really good to hear her say the words baby girl. I took a deep breath and after our conversation, I went back to my bedroom. I asked mom if she would mind if I try on some of the clothes Alyssa gave me and she had no objections. Mom told me that she will call the school as soon as possible and request a meeting with the principal.

I tried on a few skirts and tops. I particularly liked a navy blue skirt with a flower pattern on it. I looked at myself in the mirror and admired how pretty I looked. I wondered how this outfit would look like with black sheer pantyhose. I didn’t wait much longer and tried on a pair with the skirt. The silky feeling on my legs made me giddy. I looked at myself in the mirror again and thought about how much I loved the fashion shows with the girls. We got to have another one once everyone is back together.

After a little while more of trying on different outfits, I decided to take a break and lounge on my bed. Soon mom called me down for breakfast. I forgot how hungry I was. Mom and I enjoyed breakfast together and then she wanted to talk to me.

“I love the skirt you are wearing with the flowers.. Looks especially good with the black sheer pantyhose, honey.” mom complimented me and smiled.

“Thanks, mom. Have you talked to my school?” I asked her feeling anxious.

“Yes I have. The principal is willing to meet with us but he seemed bothered and annoyed because I did not want to reveal the nature of our meeting. I thought it was too personal to discuss on the phone.” mom told me.

“Thank you! I appreciate that you are trying to protect me. When will the meeting take place?” I asked her.

“Tomorrow morning at 9 AM in the principal’s office. I want you to stay home that day too. Maybe Sammy can get your homework?” mom suggested.

“Good idea, mom. If Sammy wants, can she hang out too? Maybe even stay for dinner?” I asked mom giving her a big smile.

“Oh, all right. Your cute little smile there is dangerous. You already know how to work it.” mom pointed out also smiling.

I went right to my room and grabbed my phone so I could text Sammy about the meeting with the principal and ask her about getting my homework. Sammy happily agreed to this. Later that day we talked on the phone.

“Hey sweetie! It's your girlfriend Riley.” I said feeling that I recovered from Mary's departure.

“Hey darling. I got your homework. Lucky you. I missed you today in school. You said in your text that the meeting with your parents and the principal will happen tomorrow morning. How do you feel about this?” Sammy asked me.

“I feel okay, I guess. My mom said that she did not reveal the nature of the meeting request because she thought it was too personal to discuss on the phone. So, it will be hard to say how they are going to react. The good news is that my parents have a plan in place if this doesn't work out.” I said feeling a bit anxious.

“That sounds good. Your family is just wonderful. I know you had a bit of a tough time with them when you first revealed that you are a girl. I think they have come around though.” Sammy pointed out.

“I would agree. I am very lucky. Anyways, I wanted to ask you if you would like to stay until dinner and spend some more time with me?” I asked her hoping she would say yes.

“Of course. I will ask my mom but I am sure it will be okay. I could bring some more clothes we could try on if you want.” Sammy suggested.

“That is a great idea. I will see you soon.” I told her.

We said goodbye soon after that. I felt giddy and excited. I texted my big sister about Sammy coming over and I also asked her when she thinks that she will be back at College. Mary didn't respond for a while because she was still traveling. I decided to keep wearing the Navy blue skirt and the black sheer pantyhose.

Soon Sammy was there with a big bag of what seemed to be clothes. I felt excited at the prospect of trying on more outfits with my girlfriend. We hugged each other tightly and kissed a bit. Sammy was also wearing a dark skirt with some nice black tights.

“You are looking cute, girly” Sammy complimented me.

“You too. Let's try on some clothes. I was thinking a bit about some different I saw when flipping through an issue of Cosmo the other day. I don’t have any high-end stuff but with your old clothes and a little bit of creativity we can make it work.” I declared in an almost festive manner.”

“You are so amazing. I love your enthusiasm and willingness to work around problems Now let’s have some fun..” Sammy insisted.

We tried on a million different outfits and had so much fun doing it. I felt like such a girly girl and I loved feeling so close to Sammy. After trying every possible combination of skirts, tops, dresses, pantyhose, and tights we were exhausted from our fashion show and decided to take a break.

“I hope your parents’ meeting with the principal will go well. I am worried that he might not care about you and your transformation to girlhood.” Sammy said seeming concerned.

“I know what you mean. But I also know that my parents will protect me at all costs. Even if that means switching schools. Maybe we can find a private school that is not super expensive and will take me.” I said letting my thoughts

“I really like your optimistic attitude. It's contagious. Though I have to say that thinking about you leaving our school makes me very sad. I mean, I know you need to do what is best for you and I support that. Especially if you don’t feel safe at our school. I just would really miss you a lot.” Sammy told me looking upset.

I leaned over and gave her a big hug.

“I know. I would miss you like crazy. I guess we just have to wait and see what happens.” I pointed out feeling thoughtful.

I loved that Sammy and I could have light-hearted fun together but also were able to have deep and meaningful conversations. I felt really close and connected to her. We talked and laughed for a while more and soon it was supper time.

Sammy sat in Mary’s seat which I offered to her. Sammy, my parents and I had some nice conversations. Meanwhile, Mary texted us that she was back in Oregon and was going to take a nap. I was glad she arrived safely but also missed my big sister like crazy already. After supper, Sammy and I kissed good-bye. I promised to text her after my parents meeting with the principal. I helped clean up after supper and soon my parents and I decided to relax in the living room. My dad read a science magazine, my mom decided to knit and I wanted to read “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” a bit more. It felt refreshing to leave the TV turned off.

After a while of relaxing and reading I decided to sit next to my dad.

“Dad, I wanted to thank you again for the “birthday cake”. Before I fainted I suggested that just the two of us could go do something. Are you still interested?” I asked him, hoping he would say yes.

“Absolutely. What do you want to do, sweetie?” he asked me with a big smile on my face.

“I thought we could go to Hansen’s bookstore and after that, we could maybe get a piece of pie at Claire’s Cafe.” I suggested.

“That sounds great. It’s a daddy-daughter date.” he said cheerfully.

My heart jumped for joy. I gave my dad a big hug. From the corner of my eyes, I could see my mom smiling.

“Riley, your mom and I wanted to talk to you about some important things. This will be a meeting that concerns the whole family. We want your big sister to be a part of this. Would it be okay for you if she joins us via Skype?” my dad asked me.

“Of course. She might have just woken up from her nap but I am sure she wants to be a part of this.” I pointed out feeling a little anxious.

My mom asked me to use our smart TV to get in touch with Mary. Soon enough, her beautiful and a bit tired looking face was on our TV.

“Hey sis!” I said feeling excited to see my soul mate.

“Hey babe. Hello mom and dad. How is everyone doing over there? I terribly miss all of you already.” Mary told us.

“We miss you too. I am asking dad to start.” mom replied.

“Yes, let’s have our meeting. First, we think it is a good idea to take that letter to the police. We would be foolish to take this threat lightly. Your mom and I talked about this earlier in the afternoon. What do you two think?” he asked Mary and me.

“Agreed. I think that’s probably the best move. What do you think, babe?” Mary asked me seeming a bit nervous.

“Yes, that is probably what’s best.” I said feeling a bit gloomy now.

“Okay. Your dad and I will stop by the police first thing in the morning before we go to your school.” mom said sounding concerned.

“Meanwhile, I researched the internet a bit and I found a good therapist who works with young adults who identify as transgender. She has been highly recommended. Her name is Dr. Green. Would you like to give that a try?” dad asked me.

“Sure. That sounds good. I think this can help me. Where is her office?” I asked my parents.

“Well, that is a problem. It’s in Boston.” mom said.

“How is Riley going to get there on a regular basis with having to go to school here?” Mary wanted to know.
“Well, I thought about that too. I found and contacted two private schools in or near Boston. They are both very interested in you, Riley.” dad told us.

I was astonished. How did he pull that off so quickly?

“Sounds great, dad. My only question is how will I get there on a regular basis?” I asked looking at both of my parents. I exchanged glances with Mary who seemed puzzled too.

“They are boarding schools.” mom pointed out.

“You mean that Riley would live there?” Mary asked seeming more confused.

“Exactly. Now there are a few hurdles to overcome before we can start thinking about it. Only if you want to consider going there, Riley.” dad pointed out.

“I am not sure what to say or think. What are some of those hurdles?” I asked while a million thoughts were going through my head.

“First, I got to see if we can finance it. Your mom and I were running some numbers and we think we can do it. Second, they must accept that you are transgender and protect your privacy. Third, you have to pass an entrance exam and lastly, you have to like it of course. You have to be okay with living there without us. Of course, you would be home throughout the summers and holidays.” dad said looking at me seeming eager to hear my answer.

I was stunned, puzzled and overwhelmed. All of a sudden, Mary spoke.

“Those are all good ideas. I request a private sibling conference. Riley, transfer our call to your smartphone, please. My babe and I need to talk.” Mary requested.

“Sounds like a good idea. We will resume this tomorrow evening. Then we can talk about the meeting with Riley’s principal and our encounter with the police. Everybody okay with that?” mom asked.

Everyone agreed. I gave mom and dad hugs and kissed them goodnight. I carried my big sister up the stairs who was smiling at me through my smartphone. We had lots to talk about and I could not wait to share my thoughts and ideas with the best sister in the world.