It wasn't my Fault The chess club - Part 5

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I woke up early like I've been doing lately on weekdays, so instead of lying in bed, I got up, washed my face and had breakfast, and got dressed in my white blouse with the school crest, then my pleated skirt and white knee socks.  I ensured my merry Janes were clean like I do every Monday and gave them a clean. Then I put them on and carried my school blazer beret downstairs until it was time to leave for school.

Mum said you look brilliant in your uniform. I thanked Mom, but by her face, she wasn't convinced I was being sincere. She said let's get you to school. As we pulled up, I knew I wouldn't see Jennifer as we were earlier than usual, but I did see Ben.

I thanked Mum for the lift and how much I appreciated her for doing it, and how much I loved her for looking after me. I could tell she knew I meant it Because even though she was doing this to me, I knew her heart was in the right place. She was just a-bit miss guided. I walked up to Ben and asked him how was his weekend?

About average, Ben said, but I did get a message from Stacy he said with a smile. Yes, she told me a pretty girl asked after me.

You wouldn't know who that was.  I said yes, it was me, as I sat down at the chessboard already set up. Ben held up his two fists, and I tapped one. Ben opened it.

I said white it is and took the piece, and I opened with the standard opening move. As we played, I told Ben about my weekend, the stuff mum bought me and her sending me to the shops, and me finding out that it was run by his friend Stacy.

I told Ben. She's not very trusting, is she?

Ben said. No, she's not. Not since she found out about me being petticoated, she's done a lot of research and found out the same things you did in how female siblings help the mother petticoat their brothers 90 percent of the time, So she's a little protective of me. I said that's good; at least you've got an adult in your corner. I checked his king and asked.

So where do you live?

Ben blocked my bishop and answered just up the road from the shop, about three streets from you. I moved my knight to box his king in. and said cool, I didn't know I had a friend so close. Ben tried to do the same to my king to distract me from his king and told me that I had a friend who lived closer than he did.

I asked who and where?

Ben said Jennifer lives across the park at the end of your street. I'll let her tell you exactly where. I smiled at that information and asked when does her bus get here. Ben said in about ten minutes  Ben looked at the board and saw that the game was over.

Yes, he had moved, but it would only result in me chasing his king around the board. It was better to resign and save face and have another enjoyable game. We set the board up again. He picked this time and got white.

We were four moves in when Jennifer's bus pulled up, and she saw me with Ben and came straight to us and said she couldn't stay long as Miss Bright emailed me last night telling me she wanted to see me. I am telling you so I don't lose you as a friend like I lost Jay.

Ben said you haven't last, Jay. He's starting to see the reason that it wasn't you who dobbed on him. And by the end of this week, I should know who did get Jay in trouble.  Ben said I may need you, Jennifer, as well as Sam and Tom as well, when I know who it was.

You better get going. You don't want to keep her waiting as she knows when you're bus gets in.

I said I trust you, Jennifer. I'll meet you here, or if it's close to the bell, I'll be at our lockers.  Ben and I had another game then we headed to our lockers. We met Jennifer as we got to the front entryway.

As she looked around the door and said I was going to see if you were still outside, but I have to go to the girl's room and hinted we should go as well. Ben checked the stalls and gave the all-clear. Jennifer told us what happened with Miss Bright  She definitely wants me to spy on you, and she was fishing for why we kept going outside. I asked Jennifer did she really ask her to spy on us. Jennifer said she didn't come straight out and say it.

She said things like if I see the girls do anything not girly or Butch, to tell her immediately. She said we should be careful not to get too much sun and be sure to eat our lunch inside as there are a lot of flies around at this time of year, but she mixed it in with all this sly flirty stuff like if you're on my team, I'll help you with your classes and help me get into a good law college and sissy girls are ok, and we should help them be the girls there meant to be, but girls should always come first.

Alex asked what did you say? I told her, of course, girls should always come first.

I told her how I was helping you act like a girl by telling you about fashion and that Samantha and Tammy have been helping you a great deal with that as well, plus helping you with your school work.

I said you and the other girls liked it outside as theirs no sniggering by some of the students and to stay away from the bullies like the Brents She was very shocked and said there couldn't be any bullies in her school.

I told her about the Brent family and their standover tactics.  Ben said yar, she wants you to be her girl on the inside, you should do it but tell her stuff we want her to know, and I'm glad you dropped the Brent family into it. You wouldn't think they were a minister's kids.

I think you should take her advice and stay inside and talk girly crap and do school work for the first break, and have your lunch inside now and then to keep her happy and stop her from nosing around.

What do you two think? Jennifer said I'm willing; how about you, Alex

Alex said he'd do it, Ben said, ok, then you two get a table with a bug, and I'll talk to the girls as their lockers are close to mine. If they’re agreeable, they will sit with you at the first break, and if not at their table, I’ll also let them know what you told Bright; now let's get out of here.

Jennifer and I headed for our lockers and dropped off what we didn't need, and headed to our first class; it was an enjoyable first two classes, as I have always enjoyed school. Then Jennifer and I headed to the lunchroom I asked Jennifer what will we talk about.  Jennifer said.

Well, your weekend and any girly stuff you did, as well as work on the Classes you're behind in, and we can play chess, of course. I hope that will satisfy your new friend, I say to Jennifer.

Jennifer gave me a foul look at that idea, then we walked into the lunchroom, and we noticed that over half of the tables have new wooden caddy's, and we sat at one table with a good bit of distance from the other tables. As we sat down, I say to Jennifer I wonder where they got these as mum has been looking for a metal one for home, and I don't mean the wire ones they normally have, as I just turned it enough to see the holes under the handle. Then Sam and Tom sit down with us.

Tom asked how was your weekend?

Tom said I thought I saw you, Alex, at the mall getting some new clothes. I said yes Mum took me there to get a couple of new dresses and some other clothes  Jennifer asked what did you get?

I told them about the new dresses, and what they looked like and the shoes I got and I described the tops I got and the 3 Denim skirts I got as well.

I told them how uncomfortable I felt when I was dressed when out shopping like this gesturing to my skirt. Sam and Tom both said. You'll get used to it, especially as how pretty you look, Alex. Tom said I was so scared the first time out in public I thought everyone was watching me, but I soon realized it was all in my head. Now I'm being watched as boys are starting to check me out.

I asked doesn't that feel strange. Sam said no, it's normal boys see something they like, and they look at it. Most don't even know why they are looking or why they like it.

They know they like it, so they look. In a year or two, they'll understand why they look. That's when the trouble can start. Tom asked what makeup did you get? Alex told them what he knew but said he got more but didn't know what it was for as he was still learning about it.

Jennifer told Alex about different types of makeup and colors and when to wear them. Sam and Tom told Alex how she should Match her nail polish with her lipstick. They also helped Alex and Jennifer with their schoolwork.

As they headed to class, Jennifer said in the hallway, I hope she liked that. See you at lunch; then we'll go outside and get some air away from the crowd. Ben said, I might have news as he walked past the four of us, but we said nothing. We just separated and headed to our next class.

As we walked, I said to Jennifer Ben told me you live near the park at the end of my street Jennifer asked what street did I live on, I told her I lived on Winston Street, close to the park, which runs into Tudor Park. Jennifer said yes, I live almost directly opposite your street.  I love walking in the park on the weekends.

I told her my mum likes to do the same, but I've stopped going as I'm afraid of what will happen if someone recognizes me Jennifer said if you're with someone else, you'll be fine. I'd love to go with you. Then afterward I could come over to your place and teach you more about makeup and clothes.

I told her I'd like you to come over, but I'm unsure about going for a walk.  My mom is unhappy that I didn't go with her last weekend. I know Mum will want to take me shopping next Saturday. I don't know why I need more clothes.

Jennifer said girls always need more clothes as we can mix and Match colors and style Alex was feeling very depressed. I don't think I'll ever get this girly stuff. I just wanted to be an ordinary boy, not the girl his mum was trying to turn me into. I may need Jennifer to help him with being a girl, We got to our next class, and I had something else to think about As Jennifer and I head for lunch.

Jennifer asked me if I was alright? I said yes, I'm fine. Why? Why do you ask? When we're not in class, you're very quiet I told her that I was ok. I'm just thinking that's all. I didn't want to say what I was thinking. I was trying to sort this all out. It's not really been the same since my dad died, I think Mum had dealt with the loss more or less, and so had I more or less.

Now I've got this to deal with. Everything was changing, and it would never be the same again. It was making me feel sad and not want to be around anyone. I couldn't shake the feeling, but I couldn't tell Jennifer that. In later years, I often wondered if somehow I knew what was coming as back then I was feeling very depressed, and I had foreboding feelings about the future I knew Jennifer picked up on it but never brought it up, but she always tried to keep me smiling.