Not One Of The Girls - Part 12

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As Lunch began, I separated from Cass and Kyle to grab a couple of things from my locker. I entered the cafeteria alone and after collecting my lunch, I headed towards my usual table, I was about two-thirds of the way there when I was ambushed by Emily and Chloe. "Not today miss, you're one of us now" Chloe insisted as the two girls hooked my arms on either side. "One of us! One of us!" Emily chanted jokingly as the two of them guided me toward their table.

I swallowed nervously, there were at least a dozen people at the table that I hadn't met yet. All eyes were on me as I was guided to a seat beside Kiera, I sighed lightly before placing my tray onto the table whilst Emily took the seat on my left, leaving Chloe to wander around the table and drop down beside Cass and Kat. "So Alex, what caused the sudden burst of femininity?" Travis demanded before I'd even managed to sit down fully. "Pardon?" I gasped as I looked up at him.

God I really hated the way he leered at me. "Well, you always dressed so tomboyish, to the point there are actually rumors that you might be a guy" I blushed as he continued, then you transform over a weekend.

It's all very Jekyll and Hyde and I for one, am curious as to what caused such a drastic change?". There were a few murmurs of agreement from some of the others around the table. I thought for a moment before stating, "Well, I, uh I lost a bet with Kiera and the girls" I shifted anxiously as I looked around at the girls for confirmation. I was going to leave it at that, but the incredulous looks I got from some of the athletes made me sigh heavily before explaining,

"When Kickstarter gave us that six degrees assignment; Kee asked me to tutor the squad on the subject somehow I managed to get coerced into taking a bet with them. I lost and my forfeit was that the girls were to give me a makeover". I took a bite of my chicken salad as Kyle gave me a puzzled look and stated, "But that assignment was weeks ago?". "Yeah" I grumbled as I toyed with my salad for a moment "it took me some time to really admit it to myself, but I ended up having so much fun that day; I figured I'd give it a go, full-time"

I shrugged as I finished explaining. "Bet that shocked a few people?" Carter said softly. "You don't know the half of it" I growled as I thought of my dad. I felt a light nudge from Kiera and turned to look at her. "You Ok?" she asked quietly, I nodded slowly. "I had a bit of a disagreement with Damien this morning.

I understand what he was getting at, but it still hurt to hear him say it" I mumbled so that only Kee heard me. "Yeah, Cass said you were upset with him, but she didn't know why though. What did he say to you?". I frowned for a second as I noticed a dark-haired girl further along the table watching me, she seemed to be listening keenly, trying to overhear our conversation. "I'll tell you later" I grumbled nodding my head to indicate why I didn't want to say more. Kiera looked up to see the girl look away and begin chaffing with the two girls beside her. "Demi!" Kiera growled softly as I looked across the table to answer a question that Kat asked me.

As lunch drew on, I was surprised at how well I continued to fit in with the group, I began to wonder about the old movie tropes of cheerleaders and jocks being cliquey and asshole-ish, it may just be because I was friends with the cheerleaders, but I seemed so readily accepted by the rest of the athletes.

At one point Kyle made the mistake of making a comment about Dozer and Cabbott getting detention, which ended up with Dozer  A six-foot-five colored guy that was pretty much a wall of sheer muscle - grabbing Kyle in a head-lock so tight that after some time the smaller guy began to turn purple. To be fair to him; he did hold out for a while, but as he began to take on a dopey look through the lack of oxygen going to his brain, Emily stopped laughing long enough to ask Dozer to let her boyfriend go, as the giant of a man obliged and returned to his seat, the other guy's taunted Kyle about being rescued by his girlfriend.

He blushed as he argued that he would've been fine, that just made everyone laugh more. There seemed to be a lot of showing off like that between the guys, which was really funny to watch, I didn't realize it at first, but after a while Kiera nudged me and indicated that a couple of the guys were actually showing off to try and impress me, that made me blush furiously, to which the girls laughed heartily. When the bell rang for the end of lunch, I was bid farewell by the guys and pulled into tight hugs by the girls. "I'll meet you after school and we'll walk home together" Kiera insisted as she let go of me.

I nodded quickly as she disappeared with the rest of her class, this time, I wasn't just joined by Cass and Kyle, I found myself being swallowed up into a group of about ten people, all laughing and joking as we headed off towards our next class.

As I dumped my books into my locker at the end of the day, I sensed somebody walking up behind me. I turned and came face to face with Demi Aldridge, "Um can I help you?" I asked quietly to which she sneered, "So, you're the new girl. Alex, right? Is that short for Alexandria?". I really didn't like the emphasis she put on the word 'girl' it put me on edge. "It's Alexis, but Alex is fine" I murmured cautiously. "I'm Demi, this is Laura and Annette" she indicated the two girls stood just behind her. "I know who you are," I said as I transferred books between my bag and my locker. Demi walked around me and leaned back against the locker beside mine. "Yeah, I bet Kiera and the others told you a good deal about me, huh?" she purred. I stopped swapping my books out and looked over at the girl. "Only to an introductory capacity" I responded.

I felt a cold rush as the hair on the back of my neck stood up, I felt really uncomfortable just talking to this girl. "That's kinda vague, don't you think?" she inquired snippily as she began to inspect her nails. I frowned. "Not particularly, it was one of those 'That's Demi and they are Laura and Annette' moments, Kee didn't feel the need to express any further information" I growled in response. Demi just stared at me nonchalantly. "Uh-huh.

So, you lost a bet with the cheerleader and that led to your burst of femininity. Am I understanding that right?" she demanded. I nodded slowly, "Yep, that's about the long and short of it" I shrugged as I swapped out the last couple of the books from my locker. Demi looked thoughtful for a moment before declaring,

"No, there's definitely something 'off about you and that explanation is weak by any standard". She stepped away from the locker and peered at me critically, I rolled my eyes; her obstinacy was beginning to irritate me. "Is this the part where you tell me you've got your eye on me?" I rebuffed confidently, closing my locker with a dull clunk before looking directly at her. "You know, you actually remind me of someone" I grinned "I think it was" I pondered as I swung my bag up onto my shoulder.

"Yeah, that's it, you have this super intense chick flick villain vibe going on" I decided as Demi glared at me as though I'd lost the plot. "I will figure out what it is with you " she insisted "This isn't over" she snarled as she turned on her heel and began stalking away with her lemmings in tow. "You realize you're a walking cliché, right?" I called after her with a dark chuckle before looking down at my watch, "Ah, god damn it!" I hissed as I saw I was now running late. I dashed between the students milling about and headed out of the main door and down the cobblestone steps, to see Kiera chatting with Damien Lynch of all people.

I skidded to a halt beside the redhead with a frown on my face as Damien looked at me with a shy and apologetic smile. "I'm sorry I'm late Kee, Demi ambushed me, what's" I began to ask, but she cut me off. "I'm sorry I completely forgot that I'd arranged to head out with Emily this afternoon" she gushed in an overly dramatized way "I just bumped into Damien though, and he's agreed to walk you home". Between the embarrassed look on Damien's face and the determined look on Kee's, I didn't believe a word that she had just `bumped into' him.

"I'll walk to school with you in the morning, we can catch up then" she insisted before hugging me tightly and disappearing over to where Emily was waiting by her mom's truck with a sly grin on her face. As the two of them climbed into the vehicle and disappeared, I turned to face Damien with an irritated frown. "We were set up, huh?" I mumbled as I began walking along the road. "Yes. Yes, we were" he replied stoically as he fell in step with me. "So, what did she have to say?" I asked nonchalantly as I jabbed my thumb over my shoulder, indicating the vehicle that was pulling away. "Well, she ambushed me and gave me a severe tongue lashing for upsetting her friend. You know I always thought the redhead's temper was a myth, turns out that it's genuinely a thing".

I grinned knowingly as we crossed the road and walked slowly towards the park, we walked in silence for a while, but as we approached the gate into the park, Damien stopped and turned to look at me. "Look, I'm really sorry that I upset you this morning," he said earnestly, he grabbed my forearm, which slowed me to a stop too.

I turned to look him in the face as he sighed, "I think you're really brave, honestly, but Kiera told me about what happened with your dad yesterday I felt my eyes stinging at the reminder "It kinda reinforces my point about making sure that you cover the necessary tracks though. Not everyone is going to accept your situation and people can be assholes at the best of times. I just don't want to see you hurt because of something that we could've dealt with" he insisted.

I smiled shyly as we continued walking, I didn't realize it at the time, but I'd hooked my arm around his as we began walking in tandem through the park. "I know that you're just looking out for me" I sighed "and everything you're saying totally makes sense. I think I just got myself so worked up about how my family would react, I didn't really take the time to consider the other stuff. I'll need to be more careful" I decided as we exited the park at the other end. Damien just nodded his agreement before changing the subject.

He began to quiz me about the jocks, he seemed surprised when I insisted; they weren't as douchey as they came across as. "They might not be to you" he growled "but you're hot and you're friends with the alpha females so" I felt a little pride that he'd referred to me as 'hot' but I was a little bothered that he'd used a 'tribal' slur for my friends. "That's not exactly fair, they aren't Neanderthals" I grumbled. "Ah, but you can't deny that they tend to have a 'pack' mentality" he insisted. My cheeks turned pink as I nodded slowly. "Well, yeah I guess you could say that" I giggled.

Eventually, we stopped outside of my house, there was a moment of awkwardness as the two of us just stood facing each other, neither of us knowing what to say or do. "Wait! Didn't you ride your bike to school today?" I blurted as I suddenly remembered the crotch rocket parked up outside of the school. Damien just nodded with a wry smile. "You're going to have to walk all the way back to school to ride home" I murmured as I looked down at my feet. "It's fine, honestly I'm just glad that you're ok. After this morning, I was genuinely worried that you might never talk to me again.

Besides, I wouldn't want to earn Kiera's ire again and she flatly told me I was to walk you home" Damien admitted. I smiled shyly up at him as I grumbled, "I'm sorry about that, she's fiercely protective of her friends. I wouldn't have stayed mad at you for long, it's just, what you said this morning hit home and it hit hard. It made me realize that I have a lot more to think about in the long term. Honestly, though, I should be thanking you, I'll need to figure out what to do about that paperwork". I returned to staring at my feet as Damien responded, "It's cool like I said; I just want you to be safe".

There was an awkward pause before Damien sighed heavily, I looked up into his eyes as he brought his hand up and brushed some stray hair back behind my ear. "So, I'll see you tomorrow, I guess" he murmured. I nodded slowly before turning towards my front door, I saw the curtain in the entrance hall shift slightly and frowned as I looked back at my friend.

"Thank you for walking me home today," I said softly as I stepped forward and hugged him gently, I was expecting him to tense up at my hug as Damien Lynch was not a hugger, but to my surprise, he relaxed into the hug and wrapped his arms around me to return it as he grumbled, "Anytime" then as he let go of me, he squeezed my shoulders gently before turning and walking back towards the park. I watched after him, not even realizing that I was gently chewing my bottom lip.

I found out that Morn had received a call from Dr Baxter's assistant during the day Monday and as she had a cancellation on a Thursday afternoon, I had been slotted in for my initial meet and greet with the therapist. Although it was several days away, I was already nervous as hell, add to that, when I got home on Monday, I had spoken to my mom and Ellie about the conversation with Damien about my school records. El then went into fill-blown 'Eleanor' mode, she called the school and insisted that I needed a meeting with the headmistress; Mrs. Carmadie, the following day. The assistant tried to tell Ellie that the head was busy through the morning, but my aunt insisted that it was an important meeting and needed to be attended.

So, when Tuesday rolled around, Kiera walked with me to school again, she wanted to know the details about my walk home with Damien. She seemed a little disappointed that we had just reconciled and chatted, though she perked up some when I told her that we had hugged. As we arrived at the gates of Ryden High, I had to peel away from my friend and head to the main office. Feeling nervous and a little sick, I spoke with the assistant and she made a light-hearted joke about the aggressiveness with which my aunt had insisted on this meeting. I smiled shyly in response and explained that my Aunt Ellie was a force of nature and that it would take an act of God or perhaps some higher deity to prevent her from achieving her intended goal.

The woman laughed heartily and invited me to take a seat which I did, though I couldn't stop fidgeting nervously, most people that knew of my situation had been accepting so far, but my dad's reaction still had me rattled and it made me feel anxious about telling new people. My fidgeting was so bad, that eventually, the assistant told me flatly that if I didn't stop, she was going to glue me to the chair, I giggled nervously, it was such a trivial comment and I doubted she would go through with such a thing, but it did calm me down.

I was eventually called into the office and as I entered Mrs Carmadie looked up, "So young lady, what exactly is so important that you would need to demand my time?" she asked bluntly. She had what I assumed was my school file on the desk before her, she flicked it open as she spoke and glanced over it. "Oh" she muttered as she looked from the file back up to me, she looked down at the thin folder again before sighing and closing it.

"Take a seat Alex" she offered, I lowered myself into the proffered seat and watched the principal nervously as she spent a moment just peering over her glasses at me. "I'm assuming you're here to ask me to 'correct' your school records?" she inquired. I nodded quickly at the woman's words. "Yes ma'am" I murmured, flushing pink. "You know I'm obligated to inform the parents of the other students about this kind of situation, right?" she asked politely as she continued to watch me.

I swallowed hard before nodding quickly, "Very much ma'am, although I would ask if there's any way that you can actually avoid telling other people about my 'situation' I would be eternally grateful. I'm having enough issues with my dad not accepting me this way, I could do without becoming the school 'freak' too" I said softly, causing Mrs Carmadie to purse her lips. "I'm sorry to hear that your father isn't very understanding, but even though I pride myself on being an open-minded and accepting individual, and will protect your privacy as much as my limited power will allow. I must press certain obligations, it's a matter of safety, as much for you as for the other students". "You mean things like bathroom usage, right?" I offered helpfully; Mrs. Carmadie nodded slowly. "Yes, locker rooms too" she grumbled.

I smiled as I stated, "Um, with regards to bathrooms, I'll generally be with my friends when I use them, so I wouldn't be able to be a 'peeping tom' even if I wanted to. And if I'm being completely honest, the idea of betraying that kind of intimate trust genuinely disturbs me. "As for the locker rooms, as I maintain a four-point oh, you've kindly obliged me an exemption from the gym, so I have little need to use them" I insisted as I smiled shyly. Mrs. Carmadie continued to observe me silently for a minute, she looked as though she was going to ask me something but changed her mind.

She looked back down at my file before leaning on her desk and locking eyes with me. "I'm going to ask Ms. Havendish to adjust your records; appropriately and discreetly, what are you changing your name to?" the principal asked softly. I felt myself blushing as I responded, "Uh it's Alexis Jane ma'am" I replied, wringing my hands nervously in my lap. "That's a very pretty name dear" she stated as she wrote a reminder on a sticky note.

"Um thank you, it was my grandmother's and my great aunt's names" I explained as the woman peered at me over her glasses again. "Nov, regarding letting other people know; I will not be making your transition public knowledge" I smiled appreciatively but she hadn't quite finished "As I stated though, I am obliged to inform certain people of your situation and you need to understand that in not doing so; I may be risking my job so consider this fair warning Miss Evans, as much as I respect and support your decision, any untoward behavior in regard to the privileges you have been afforded will be met with extreme prejudice, am I clear on that?".

I nodded quickly. "Abundantly clear, Mrs Carmadie" I insisted as the bell rang to signal the start of the school day. "Very well then, you'd better get going young lady; before you're late for class," the headmistress said with the slightest trace of a kind smile on her face. "Yes ma'am um, thank you" I mumbled as I climbed to my feet and left the office. I rushed to my locker to organize my books and was only a couple of minutes late to class, I gave a hurried explanation that I had a meeting with the headmistress which the teacher begrudgingly accepted, before taking a seat beside Damien. I looked over at him and he winked at me playfully, I smiled shyly as I turned my attention to the teacher as the lesson began.

I joined the athletes for lunch and several of them were eager to know why I wasn't in the courtyard that morning. I blushed furiously as I explained that I had to attend a meeting with the principal, this explanation did little to help my cause "Of course, I do baby doll, I don't eat all of this food just because I'm a big guy and I like my food. I have to pack away the calories to maintain my stamina". I frowned. "Is it really worth it though?" I asked quietly.

He nodded determinedly, "It will be. The fact that I play both Offense and Defence, means that I'm more likely to get scouted than these wimps" he jabbed a thumb to indicate his comrades, receiving a couple of jeers and snarky comments in response. "Add in my insane stopping power. I'm going all the way to the top, baby" he winked at me, before once again returning to his lunch.

I squirmed slightly at the thought of somebody his size slamming into me at full speed, "It's certainly something to behold" Aaron chuckled, seemingly reading the look on my face. His statement prompted Kiera to say, "It definitely is. Hey Allie, we have a game this Friday, you should tag along. See us all in action". I frowned as I looked around at her, I was hesitant, sports were never really my thing, and sitting and watching a game was not really my idea of fun.

I received earnest looks from the girls as they all begged that I tag along and even a few of the guys joined in until I sighed heavily and agreed to go. Once again, I was enjoying my time with the group and really came to respect the dynamic between them all, although they were all athletes, their physical activities were one of the few things they all had in common.

They were all vastly different people, and some were outgoing and sociable; like Kiera and Carter, who enjoyed hanging out in groups and attending parties. Some; like Dozer and Cass were a lot more reserved and seemed to prefer an evening in with a good book, the rest of the group generally fell somewhere within this scale. I learned so much about the group just by chatting and joking with them and I opened up to them more than I had with pretty much anybody at any of the schools I had attended before, although I was careful not to reveal the truth about my erm genetic disorder, I was able to tell some funny stories from my childhood with only minor manipulations to the facts.

Even the cheerleaders; with whom I was becoming firm friends, were surprised and awed at some of the pranks that I'd pulled over the years. "So, Alexis are you planning on joining the cheer squad?" Demi asked bluntly from along the table. I looked around at the expectant faces of the athletes and shook my head slowly. "I'm not too sure, I'm super clumsy, so I'm probably better off keeping both feet on the ground" I murmured causing some scattered laughs across the table. "So do you play any sports at all? I mean this is the athlete's table after all" Demi demanded.

A couple of the assembled group made comments about Demi barely being an athlete herself, but she adamantly ignored the snipes and leered at me. I thought about it for a moment before smiling coolly and stating, "Well, I play a mean game of pool. Does that count?".

A couple of the guys in the group looked surprised at the revelation and more than a few of them chuckled at my sarcastic response. "I don't think" Demi began, but she was cut off by Kiera as she snarled, "Oh, for god's sake Demi, if you're just going to constantly be a bitch towards Allie, just piss off, will you!?". Once again, an awkward silence fell over the table. After a short time of Demi just glaring at Kiera, she slowly climbed to her feet, and along with her lemmings, she huffed away. "God! She is such an asshole sometimes" Kiera hissed as Demi disappeared. "Seriously; what is her issue?" I asked softly. "Maybe it's that time of the month?" Travis quipped, receiving a,

"Shut up Travis!" from the girls collectively. The rest of my Tuesday was uneventful, Damien again walked me home; it was a little less awkward than the previous day and we were back to bantering and joking as we had the previous week.