How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

Note to readers: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday Evening in the “Benton Evening Post” The story focuses on the the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Anderson as she strides to adopted to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hills and the delta. The strong chronicles her daily life and sometimes that of her aunt Flora. And possibly her now boyfriend Andrew “Jack” Jackson.

-13-
Puppy Love

Jack was stunned, he really was stunned as he peered toward me, and I only grinned as I started to pull him along. It was a little past eleven now, and the mall was now filled with people. I'd not long finished my double vanilla frappe with extra whipping cream that had been drizzled with chocolate sauce and I could feel the rising effects of a sugar rush. I felt a little sorry for Jack.

“So.” He said blushing as he peered toward me. “Is this kind of like our first date or something?” He inquired as he shifted his eyes about.

His question caused me to pause and to stop dead in my tracks and turn around and gaze at him. Slowly I blinked, kind of like a cat does, when the cat is showing you it wants to be friends. I'd never considered this being a date, not in the true sense of the word. A date to me would be Jack, wearing a nice pair of dust colored slacks, a white button down shirt, with brown buttons, and maybe a navy blue sports coat or something, and me, well I would wearing the shortest dress Aunt Flora would allow me out of the house in with my highest heels.

“I mean, I don't know.” I said blushing a little. “I thought you had to hang out with somebody a few times one on one before you decided to go on a date with them.” I paused and then felt my cheeks starting to color. “Let's consider this a trial run. Not a date, but maybe something that could lead to a date if we agree that we kind of want to spend some more romantic time together in a more personal setting?”

I figured Jack would fall on his bottom and laugh his head off at that. Instead he nodded his head and smiled a little.

“Sure.” He said. “If at the end of our trail run if we agree to give this a chance or a shot I'll give you my phone number.” He said in a hopeful tone of voice. “Maybe you'll give me yours as well?”

I paused. “Maybe we should hold off on exchanging numbers till the end of the second trial run!” I said blushing. You see, while I did have a phone, a personal phone. Aunt Flora paid the bill and she had no idea that I was developing a crush. Well I really had no idea what she knew.

Jack looked like somebody had taken a hammer and knocked him upside the head. His face fell, he slumped over like he had just taken a bullet. A look of utter devastation dawned on his face and he looked absolutely crestfallen. Looking into his eyes I felt like my heart had been rendered into a billion and one pieces. Then those billion and one tiny pieces had been tossed into a roaring furnace and then reduced to nothing but ash and that ash had then shoveled up and tossed into the ocean.
“But, you live next door to me right? Maybe we could hang out sometimes. Maybe I could introduce you to my aunt, she would love to meet you!” I said smiling.

“Oh.” He said blushing a little. “Okay.. and I guess I should introduce you to my mom and sisters too. They would want to meet you too.” His eyes seemed to regain a little of their shine and the look of total ruin was starting to lift a little.

“Sisters?” I said tilting my head to the side. If this was a popular Saturday anime, I'm sure there would be a huge, neon red question mark appearing to the side of my head right above my head at this very second or the other. Maybe to the side.

“Yes, I have two, two older sisters, their twins, one is older than the other by like a few seconds I think. The first one is named Emma, she is a brunette and the second one is named Dee, she is blonde. I kind of can't date anybody unless they approve of them.. Cause like they say any future girlfriend could be a possible sister-in-law or something to that effect. I don't really know how this stuff works!” Jack said blushing.

“Well, in that case maybe one day I should meet them before we decided to take things a step further.” I then paused and once more kissed Jack on the cheeks, I think he deserved that. You know something to cheer him up, after all boy's were really simple creatures. And Jack kind of reminded me of a puppy, a puppy that just wanted to be petted, and talked gently too and treated it with tenderness. At this point I had to stop myself, well I had to catch myself. Where did that thought come from? Maybe I've been watching way too many romantic anime's.

“Cool, we can do that.” Jack paused. “So, like since we're talking and stuff. I was wondering if you would like to go to the Summer Carnival this coming Saturday? The local chapter of the Stonecutters is putting it on. And well there is not much to do in this town besides hang out at the mall. I figured, we could play a few games and ride a few rides and maybe check out the Tunnel of Love.” He said moving in, his eyebrows wiggled a little and that crestfallen look was all by a memory now.

“Sure!” I said without thinking about what I'd just agreed to.

“Cool. Would you mind volunteering for like a one hour shift in the dunking booth? My mom is running the dunking booth and she needs a few more volunteers. I would like to volunteer but I'll be helping my dad with the grill. He'll be grilling like steak on sticks to help raise some money for the hospital or something.” Jack said as turned his face around and looked down at the ground. He then quickly added.

“Plus I would love to see you in a bathing suit?” He whispered the last part.

I paused and then started to think of a way to turn the tables on Jack. Now, I knew about the Summer Carnival, it was the talk of the town. But till now, I'd never had a reason to concern myself with it. Because let's face it, my aunt could be working that day and normally you and a group of friends would go to one of those. And up till now, I had no friends, save for a few hundred random people I talked to on a daily basis on Bonfire. But they were scattered across sixteen different time zones.

“So.. if I volunteer for the dunking booth would you volunteer for the first annual Womanless Beauty Pageant they will be hosting!” I said, smiling toward him.

“Sure..” Jack paused as he looked away, and oh my God he was blushing!
“I'm sure Emma and Dee won't mind helping me.. but that thing is kind of supposed to be a joke right? Like it's supposed to mock real beauty pageants right?” He said blushing as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“For some yes.” I said, smirking a little as I wiggled my finger in front of his face. “But for you! I want you to make an effort to look good. That means no five o' clock shadows. Tasteful make-up and nail polish, and a fitting, and in date gown.” I said smiling as I then leaned in and folded my hands behind me black. I formed a smile and tilted my head to the side.

“Sure.” Jack said, pausing a little. “I got that.. Just know I'm going to dunk you!” I could tell he was reaching for straws. He was reaching for straws but the straws were slipping out of his hands. He was fighting and losing an uphill battle. I'd gotten him on the run and I planned on soon routing him from the field. And while that sounds cruel, like Jack and I were waging some kind of war, it was not, it was fun. I found myself enjoying teasing him and I quite hoped he would tease me back.

“Honey child.” I said, smiling a little. “Don't try to break those pretty little nails!” I said, smirking as I skipped off. My heart was fluttering in my chest. Was this the dawn of a sweet summer romance? Was this the first bit of the forbidden fruit called love that my maiden heart had been allowed to have? Was this the same thrill Eve had felt when she had bitten into the apple in the garden and she had felt her mind expand with knowledge and understanding?

-14-
Pretty Celestial Soldier: Revenge of the Yuki-Hime the Snow Princess!
Tokyo is at her icy mercy!

After that little teasing session Jack and I made our way around the mall. A peaceful silence had fallen between us. Then something happened that I did not expect. Now, toward the middle of the mall, on the north side there was a small two screen theater. It was right across from the bookstore. As we passed the movie theater I paused. And peered toward one of the film posters that were displayed out front. These posters were used to promote and advertise the films being shown. And one caught my attention right off the bat.

This one showed a girl who was dressed in a very showy outfit, a short sparkling pink skirt, pink white blouse that looked like the blouse worn by Japanese school girls with a pink bow in the middle and pink boots. She also had long, bridal-like gloves on. And in her hand she held a small wand. The shaft of the wand was bright red and topped with a golden encrusted sapphire that was glowing like a nightlight.

The girl was facing a woman, who had blue skin, she was dressed in a sparkling blue dress, huge snowflakes swirled around her and her almond shaped eyes seemed dark as coal and she had a grin a mile long on her face peered toward the girl who was facing her. In the background, one could see the city of Tokyo, encased in ice and covered with snow.

“JACK!” I said a little too loud. My voice echoed. I blame the sugar. “We should see this!” I said pointing toward the poster. “Like TODAY!” Again I blame the sugar.

Jack paused and peered toward the movie poster. He smiled a little as he shrugged his shoulders.

“I thought we were taking things slowly.” He said in a teasing tone of voice.

“That was before I saw this movie poster!” I said almost pleading.

“Listen! I want to see this movie! We're here together! Let's see it together! You buy the popcorn and I'll buy the drinks! Heck I would buy your ticket for you!” I said as I bounced upon my heel. Again I blame the sugar.

“I think you had too much coffee..” Jack said, sweat dropping a little as he peered at me. “I think you've had way too much coffee to drink!” He said looking down at the ground and then back at me. “But, I guess the movie does look kind of cool! And I kind of like anime..”

“YES!” I said bouncing again as I reached up and pulled him toward the ticket box. A few minutes later, Jack and I found ourselves standing in front of a very bored and dull looking clerk who I guess was still trying to get into the groove of working. He had this kind of dead fish look to him, and he seemed tired.

“Welcome to Pecan Mall Theater..” He said in a dull tone of voice.

“TWO TICKETS FOR 'PRETTY CELESTIAL SOLDIER: REVENGE OF YUKI-HIME THE ICE PRINCESS!' PLEASE.” Now, I know somebody out there is telling me I should have used my inside voice. And normally I would have used my inside voice. But when your favorite anime is getting a movie and that movie is playing at your local theater and you've just swallowed thirty two ounces of ice, coffee, sugar, chocolate, and cream it's almost impossible to use your inside voice.

Poor Jack looked tone deaf and the clerk looked like somebody had blown him over. And the glass windows out front now had a few more cracks in them. I was almost foaming at the mouth as the clerk just peered at me.

“Okay, that would be twenty dollars..” He said as he pushed a button. And two tickets came up. Without thinking I reached down into my wallet and pulled out my bank card. Now I could have paid in cash, but I was saving my cash for something. At that moment I'd forgotten my bank card at my old name printed on it 'Emil Anderson' instead of my newer, prettier name 'Emily Anderson'.

The clerked looked at the bank card and then looked at me. I swallowed hard and felt myself starting to sweat a little. After a few seconds he shrugged his shoulders and ran the card.

“Kay.. movie starts in like fifteen or twenty minutes..” He muttered as handed my card back to me. “Have a good one.. Emil..” He added with a sneer as he pulled out his phone and started to peck at the buttons.

Neither Jack or I heard the last part because I was pulling Jack toward the snack stand!

“Okay! I'll buy the snacks! I'll buy the snacks!” He said blushing. “God you go hard on the first date!”

-15-
A little Trolling
(Pecan Movie Theaters Ticket Clerk Point of View)

Life is dull in this town. There is nothing going on, I only got this job because mom and dad have been riding my ass to get a job so I can help out around the house. Dad wanted me to get a job at Sunflower. He knows the manager Jim Peoples and said he could get hired as a bagboy, he said if I applied myself and worked really hard I could make a career out of it and get promoted from bagboy to stockboy.

Fuck that noise, only the losers go to work at Sunflower or Kay's. That is not a 'Cool' job. Now what I have is a 'Cool' job. My hours don't change. I work four days a week, from eleven o' clock in the morning till around nine o' clock at night when the theater closes. I get paid weekly, I get an employee discount at the snack bar and once a month I'm allowed to see one movie on the  house. I could also hook people up with sweet employee discounts. The poor bastards at Sunflower or Kay's gotta work from dawn till dusk in all kinds of weather. While Jim Peoples rides their asses hard.

My boss is cool, laid back, and a bit of a stoner. But still cool. And this work is easy, but sometimes we get real freaks in here. Like this girl and her friend, she was so hyper and shit, man she really got under my skin with her voice. And the thing is she sounded like a guy, like really sounded like a guy.

And she looked kind of weird too. Like she was wearing this kind of old-fashion dress, like who wears a dress to the mall? Maybe she was Catholic or something? Catholics are weird as fuck too! They all worship a girl named Mary and gotta ask for a priest to forgive them of their sins and they drink like wine at church. Only thing I know about them is the girls that go to the local Catholic school are hot and my bruhs all agree they're hot.

Anyway, this girl paid with her card, but the name on the card was 'Emil' so it's weird right? Like that guy's name. So I called my friend who works at this coffee shop and asked her if a weird girl had been there today, she said she had. I asked for her name. She said something that sounded like 'Emily' but she had paid with a bank card that had the name 'Emil' printed on it.

Like I said, life is dull in this town. And I kind of want to know more about this 'Emil' who seems to be hanging around the mall. Why? Because, I need something to do. She looks like a gamer. I get my home boy at the GameXChange a heads up and see if he can't trick her into showing her ID and if she does, to snap a picture of it. Why? Because what can be more entertaining than exposing a tranny for who they really are! Might even get a medal or something! Plus maybe this would spice things up a little.