Becoming A High School Girl - Chapter 15

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"I am still amazed that we were able to get so many people to sign that in such a short period of time. We didn't expect you to be in school on Monday, we thought that we'd get a whole day at school to get it all signed, and so we had to rush around Sunday evening," explained Cat.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, I promised not to tell you, but I think you'd want to know. After you told us you were planning on going to school on Monday, we quickly got the paper and set it up in Guido's and then started calling around. It sort of took on a life of its own after that. Kristen and Tracey took it to school early Monday and got the rest of the school to sign it before you got to school. Mrs. Lee saw what they were doing and made an announcement on the PA. She also passed the word to the staff to expect late arrivals during the first period. Promise me you'll never tell anyone that I told you this!" revealed Cat.

"I promise!" I exclaimed. The value of the banner had just become priceless. It remains one of my most valued possessions to this very day.

"I just wanted you to know that you have a lot of good friends that will be there to support you," explained Cat.

"I know that. But there are people that signed this that I don't even know. I didn't think I was that popular," I stated.

Cat laughed. "They signed it because they wanted to show their support for you. Remember, I told you that our students are protective of girls like you. What happened to you shocked and stunned everyone."

"If I ever start feeling sorry for myself, please remind me to look at this work of art," I remarked. I had to wipe away a tear.

"Agreed! Now that we've gotten this 'Hallmark Moment' out of the way, I need to talk to you about something," said Cat, as she sat on my bed.

I joined her. "What's up?"

"In case you haven't noticed, Laura really likes you," stated Cat.

I nodded. "I thought so."

"I think that you two would be a great couple, and I don't mind one bit if you two go out. It won't have any bearing on our friendship," explained Cat.

"So, is this why you aren't joining us when we go to the club next week?" I asked.

Cat shook her head with a smile. "No, I was serious about hating the music. Look, Erika, don't rush into anything if you don't feel up to it. Laura knows that you are still a little fragile."

"Has she talked to you about me?" I asked.

"No comment," replied a straight-faced Cat, "Let me just say that she knows that I have no problem with you two going out."

I thought about it for a moment. I remembered what Laura had said to me back when she first starting dating Cat. I'd asked her if she still liked boys, and she'd told me that she liked "boys like you."

"Can I ask you something?" I asked.

"Sure, go ahead," replied Cat

"How does Laura see me?" I asked

"She obviously knows that you are still male, but she only knows Erika. She also knows that you want to be a female. I think she is attracted to that," answered Cat.

"How does this fit into the contest?" I asked.

"The rules don't forbid contestants from dating girls. It just doesn't happen all that often."

"Why not?"

"Well, to be honest, it is more a problem for the girls than the contestants. They want a boyfriend who will act and dress like a boy. They don't want a girlfriend. Some are afraid of being labeled a "lesbian." The girls who are lesbian don't want a boyfriend or a pseudo-girlfriend. Not everyone is as liberated and open-minded as Laura and I," she explained.

"So, you are saying that the boys who date the contestants are more open-minded in their views on gender and sexuality?"

"You just opened a whole new topic. Yes, some of the guys are like Paul, and they have enough confidence in themselves to date someone based on feelings of attraction, not the rules of society. Others do it because it's something daring. Then there are the guys who are gay but closeted."

"How far into the closet can they be if they are openly dating a contestant?"

Cat smiled. "A lot! You still see the school social environment with new eyes. For those of us raised around it, we accept certain things and ignore others. No one considers it "gay" if a guy dates a contestant. It is never questioned. It's nice because it allows gays to avoid the harassment that happens in other schools."

"True, my old school was pretty liberal, but the gay students caught a lot of grief," I reminisced.

"Now, again, this didn't happen overnight. Our senior class has been raised with these beliefs, so no one really questions what is going on at school as far as the contest is concerned. Hopefully, this education in acceptance will spread to areas outside the competition and will stick with us when we go out into the world," continued Cat.

Maybe this is the true reason for the contest in the first place, I thought to myself.

I was getting more responsibilities at work. I spent a lot of time behind the counter and running the register, where I was amazed by how much money some people spent there. Cindy told me that December was always their best month, largely due to holiday parties. Some women would spend a bundle on an outfit just for one party.

There were lots of little things that had to be done daily at the store. One thing that I could do only during the day was empty the trash. There was a long back hallway that ran behind all the stores; at the end of the hall was the exit that led to the dumpster. It was a long hallway, and the sound echoed as you walked down it, especially if you were wearing heels. It was a bit creepy during the day; at night, it was frightening, at least to me. I had tried to do it the first week of work and almost had a panic attack. I guess I was carrying around more baggage from the assault than I thought. Cindy and Mel both completely understood, even if I didn't.

I was determined to do this, and Sundays were a good time to practice. I tried to pretend it was night. I felt good when I was able to walk down and dump the trash without feeling too edgy.

While I was walking back, the idiots in the next store decided to play a joke on me. The shop next to us was a leather shop. They had all sorts of really nice jackets. I'd been looking at a cute black leather jacket for the past few weeks. Anyway, as I walked back to our door, one of the salesmen jumped out from their store and grabbed me from behind. I completely freaked out. I start screaming and began kicking backward into his chin and stamping his foot with my heel. He let go, and I turned around and hit him several times, including a solid hit on his nose! Several other people came running to see what was happening.

Needless to say, I was angry and shaken, and he also was really pissed off. I'm not sure what made him most angry, but the fact that I'd given him a bloody nose may have been it. He was yelling at me and calling me all sorts of names. I was yelling right back at him. Cindy came out of our store and told me to go in, that she would handle this.

I needed a minute to calm down before I was able to rejoin Mel out in the store. I told her what had happened. I described the guy who I'd hit.

"Those morons. They are always doing stunts like that to the new employees," she exclaimed. "I went to school with a couple of them. Did you really give Cliff a bloody nose?"

"Yes, I guess I overreacted a little," I replied, a bit sheepishly. I was a bit embarrassed by it all, and I worried that I might lose my job.

"No, you didn't. I only wish I could have seen it!" she replied, with a big smile on her face. "You really punched him in the nose?"

I nodded.

"Good! Maybe they'll start acting their ages now!" She had a big smile on her face.

Then I saw Cindy come back in. She motioned me to meet her in the back.

"I know what happened and, after I talked to them, they felt really bad and extremely sorry that they'd pulled their dim-witted stunt on you. It has been so long since we've had a new employee that I forgot about their pranks. Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes. I'm sorry to cause any problems," I answered.

"You have nothing to apologize, for Erika," she reiterated.

I went back to work and put it behind me. Cindy put me to work putting together gift boxes in the backroom. After an hour of assembling various sized boxes, I was called back into the store.

Standing at the front counter was the guy I had hit. He was standing there with a sheepish look on his face. He was good-looking, even with a slightly swollen nose. He was tall, around 6'2, and had short brown hair, a mustache, and goatee, and blue eyes.

"Hi, I'm Cliff. I really want to apologize for what happened. They told me what happened to you last month, so I can fully understand your reaction. I'm really sorry," he apologized.

I nodded. "Thanks, apology accepted. How is your nose?"

He reached up and touched it. "Sore. By the way, you've got a good right! Oh, I almost forgot, the guys and I got you this. Our way of saying we're sorry."

He handed me a bag. Inside was a small gift basket from the gourmet food shop. I could see all sorts of exotic goodies in it, "Thank you very much. You didn't have to do this," I replied.

"Yes, he did," interrupted Mel, looking into the bag.

He turned around and smiled at Mel. I noticed she didn't return it. He turned and looked at me and shrugged his shoulders, and then winked at me, "Well, nice meeting you under better circumstances. If you ever need anything, please let me know."

I watched him leave. I looked over at Mel, and she was smiling.

"Always good to put men in their place, every now and then. So, let's see what's in the basket," Mel added.

"You like him?" I asked.

"Who, Cliff? He was an immature oaf in high school, and he hasn't changed one bit, and the answer is yes. But don't you dare tell him that!" she said with a big smile.

I decided to put the contents of the basket back in our break area. We still had an hour until closing, and I spent the rest of the time helping Mel set up a new display of seasonal items - mostly stuff like scarves and gloves and a few hats. Cindy told me that these were big sellers, often on impulse due to the temperature outside.

Just before we closed, Cat came in.

"Hi, Erika, you need a lift home?" she asked.

"That would be cool. You don't mind waiting?" I answered.

"No, not at all."

I introduced her to Cindy and Mel.

It took around half an hour to finish up after the store closed. Cindy checked the receipts and then always put the cash drawer in the back. Mel and I cleaned up and wiped down the front counter. Then we had to go change and get back into our own clothes. This was my favorite time of the day, as I was free of my heels, although I was getting more used to them.

On the way home, I told Cat about what had happened.

"You really punched him?" she asked.

"Yes, several times. I feel bad about it now, but at the time, I was so angry at him," I replied

"Did he tell you his last name?" asked Cat.

"No, just his first name. Why?" I asked.

"He's Kristen's older brother. I can't wait to tell her!" Cat informed me.

"Please don't; he said he was sorry," I pleaded.

"Don't worry, he'll probably tell her before we do!"

The next week of school flew by. I was kept very busy, as it seemed every teacher was trying to get in everything possible in the weeks before the holiday break. Work was also starting to get more hectic as we were fully into the party season. I was really looking forward to the weekend, specifically Saturday night. That would be the night that Laura, Caroline, and I were going to the club to see Denise play. Their band was called "The Downfall of Humanity." Yes, it was a dumb name, but they seemed to like it. Paul dropped out, claiming a sudden attack of musical appreciation.

The only other thing of note that week was another meeting with the DA. As before, Mom took me down to see him. I kidded her about the bet. It was a pretty routine meeting to update us on what was happening. He wanted to inform us that the third set of DNA tests confirmed what the first two showed.

I then told him what my support group had said about Martin Turner.

"I wouldn't expect them to have a high opinion of him. Martin has made a lot of enemies through his courtroom tactics. He tries to justify his actions by claiming that he is trying to protect his client, but I think he does it to satisfy his own ego," he stated bluntly.

"Did you know him when you were in Philadelphia?" I asked.

"I thought your friend Cat wanted to be the detective?" he said with a smile. "Yes, I knew him there. When I was on the force, I testified against several of his clients. He was much worse then. He has become more refined and far more dangerous."

"So, what happened?" asked Mom.

He smiled at her; "He tried to refute my testimony during cross-examination and was failing miserably. He kept pressing on a specific point until he was told to stop by the judge. I could tell that he was about to lose his temper, so I just smiled at him when he looked over at me. He snapped and totally lost his temper. He just started ranting and raving, and he was taken out and held in contempt of court. He ended up being fired after that. But he won't make that mistake again."

"Do you think he's working up this way so he can beat you?" asked Mom.

Sam nodded. "Most likely, but he would deny it. What he does not realize is that I know his tricks. I can prepare my case and my witnesses to nullify his strengths. He is an excellent lawyer, but he has been taking cases that he has no chance of winning just to get a shot at me. The problem, in this case, is that the defendant is just as delusional. Our case against them is very strong, and their defense has many holes in it. But they want to go through with it, even though juries will probably give a harsher penalty than what has been offered."

"If Jason did plead guilty today, how long would he be in jail?" I asked.

"If he was well behaved and stayed out of trouble, he would still serve at least twenty years," he explained. "But I doubt he will stay out of trouble; he has a bad temper and a big mouth, a really bad combination."

"Only twenty years?" I queried. "I would have thought he'd get more years."

"His age and the fact that he is a first-time offender will be in his favor during sentencing," explained Sam.

He walked us out to the lobby. I excused myself to use the restroom. I really didn't have to go; I just wanted to give them some time together.

As we drove home, Mom brought up my sudden departure.

"Are you trying to hedge your bet?" she asked.

"I have no idea of what you are talking about. I merely had to go to the bathroom. My, you are suspicious!" I stated as I protested my innocence.

"To be honest, I don't mind if I lose this bet; the consolation prize would be very nice," she smiled.

Caroline and I arrived at Laura's house around 7:30PM. Laura said she wanted time to work on me before we went to the club. Caroline was already ready to go. Her aunt had done her makeup, and she was wearing a very hot-looking red dress.

I put myself completely into Laura's hands. She made my eyes much more dramatic than I had ever seen them. She told me that, due to the lighting in the club, my makeup would have to be a bit heavier and more extreme. I wasn't sure if I believed her, but it sounded logical. She finished my makeup, and then she brushed my hair out and used a styling gel to finish the effect. When I saw myself, I almost didn't recognize my own face.

She told me that the dress was hanging up in the bathroom. It was a very slinky black dress. It was also slightly low cut. She had a push-up bra sitting out on the counter with a note stating, "Try Me!" on it." I was impressed by the fact that, once I had it on, I looked like I actually had breasts. I was very excited by my new look. It wasn't a way I wanted to look all the time, but it was fun getting dressed up.

Laura had changed while I was in the bathroom. She was also in red, and her dress was very similar to the one I was wearing. Before we left for the club, Laura's mom took pictures of us.

We all piled in Laura's car. It only took ten minutes to get to the club. That night there were three other bands playing besides "The Downfall of Humanity." We saw a lot of people from school. I had heard of this place, but this was my first time here. The man who ran it ensured that only eighteen and younger got in. Additionally, he was strict about drugs and underage drinking. He also owned several other clubs in the area that were for adults, including several in the college area.

Laura made sure that we walked around and that everyone saw us. She was having a lot of fun. I was too. It felt really good to do something silly and fun.

We sat down with some friends from school. The first band was playing mostly '80s and '90s dance music. From what we could tell, Denise and her band would be the next band that night. Much to my initial annoyance, I was asked to dance by a guy from school. My dancing skills were no better now than back at Homecoming. Luckily, it was dark, and the dance floor was very crowded.

I have to admit it - I was starting to enjoy dancing. Laura walked over and took my hand, and led me out to the dance floor. Now as you know, girls can dance together in clubs and most people don't even look twice at them. But a blind man could have seen that there was something growing between Laura and me. Fortunately, it wasn't a slow dance, but even dancing apart, there was a deep sense of attraction. We got many knowing looks when we walked back to our seats.

Caroline leaned over and whispered, "Don't take this the wrong way, but watching you and Laura out there was very hot!"

I immediately felt my face blushing. Thankfully, it was too dark for anyone to see. I was feeling very confused. I would have killed to have a girl like Laura when I was back in San Diego. But now, I viewed her so differently. Oh, I was attracted to her, but it felt different. I didn't feel turned on like I had when I had been Eric. Now it was different. Yes, even now, I find it hard to describe, but it did feel very good.

Another cool thing about the club was the variety of kids there. There were people there dressed in many styles ranging from very casual to very dressed up. We sat and waited while they got the stage set for Downfall. They came out and took the stage, and then they started into their first song.

Let me say that I give them a lot of credit for getting up there and playing. I also must admit that they seemed to have their fans. However, their music was very bad, and I don't mean bad in the good sense.

Caroline leaned over and shouted, "They're better than her old band!"

I should also point out that they were also very loud. Actually, loud wasn't a good enough description. Deafening might be a better choice of words.

When they finished, we were trying to come up with words to describe them.

"I think they are missing something," noted Laura.

"Talent?" wisecracked Caroline.

Laura and I laughed. "No, I think they should stick with one style of music," I remarked.

"Which style?" asked Caroline

"Probably punk would fit them best," decided Laura.

I nodded in agreement.

"Here comes Denise, quick, think up some lies!" smiled Caroline.

"Hi everyone. I really appreciate you coming tonight," Denise thanked us. "So, what do you think?"

There was a long pause. No one wanted to go first. Actually, no one wanted to say anything. I looked at Laura and then Caroline. I guess that it was up to me.

"You want some constructive criticism, Denise?" I asked.

"Always," she stated, sitting down next to us.

"Your style is a little too exotic for your audience. I think you should go with something a bit more traditional," I explained. "Maybe just punk, for example."

"So we should play the classics? Like the Ramones or the Sex Pistols, groups like that? That might be a good idea," nodded Denise. "Thanks a lot for being honest. I've always liked that about you. I'll run your idea by the rest of the group. Thanks for coming!"

"You know the other day you were saying that you didn't know what you wanted to do?" queried Laura.

"Yes. What about it?" I asked.

"Try politics. That was very impressive; you basically told her that the band was awful, and she thanked you!" replied Laura.

We all started laughing.

At least The Downfall wasn't the worst band of the evening. The third band tried to be hard rock. The problem was that they couldn't play together, and the lead singer kept forgetting the lyrics. It was so bad that the crowd began to yell the words out to him.

At least the last band could play. The music was similar to the first group and made all cover music of popular songs. At least people could dance to it. I danced a few more dances before Laura monopolized me for the rest of the night. I know we were getting the same amount of stares, but I noticed them less. I particularly enjoyed the last slow dance with her.

A bunch of us decided to meet at a local 24-hour diner. We arrived in several cars and piled into a couple of booths. Everyone was in a great mood. We had less than two full weeks of school left until the break. Only eight school days total. People were sharing their holiday plans. Some were heading out of town, and some were having family visit from far away. A few people asked me if I was looking forward to my first white Christmas. I laughed and told them that I preferred the green ones back in San Diego, but I would survive.

As we drove back to Laura's house, Caroline suggested that Laura should drive me home, as it would be faster. Besides, she said that she lived in the opposite direction. I think she just wanted to let Laura drive me home alone!

I was going to go change, but Laura suggested that I just wear the dress home. She said that my mom would like to see me dressed. So she went in quickly and got my stuff. I stayed in the car and turned up the heater.

"Whoa, how cold are you?" It's like an oven in here," quipped Laura as she got back in the car. She turned it down a bit.

"This dress isn't exactly made for cold weather," I explained.

"I think it's perfect, just like you," replied Laura softly.

On the drive over, I could tell that Laura wanted to say something. I decided to wait. We pulled into my driveway, and she stopped the car and put it in the park. She turned and looked at me.

She reached up and brushed my hair back from my face. "I think you know how I feel about you, Erika. I truly love you. But I know that you may not be ready for this. I don't want to push you. But I want you to know that I will be here for you."

I felt her hand slip to my cheek. I closed my eyes and felt a slight tremble. It wasn't from cold or fear. Rather it was one of those pleasure waves that run through your body when it is experiencing something wonderful.

"I want to be with you too," I answered. "But, I do need to take it slow. I don't want this to burn out quickly."

With those words, she leaned over and gently kissed me. She pulled me closer and held me tight. Now I had kissed girls before, but this was different. First off, it was strange not being the aggressor. Laura had taken charge, and for some reason, this felt very nice. Second, the kissing itself was different. It was more mutual. I felt very much at ease, and things became very clear.

She stopped and sat back. "Well?" she asked with a smile.

I felt myself blushing from excitement. "That was very nice."

Laura smiled. "I will go with your desires, and we'll go slowly. I know that you're going through a lot right now and that the thing I want to do is to make your life more complicated."

I laughed. "Too late. But it is a nice sort of complication. I just don't know if I am ready to get back into a relationship."

"One of the things I love about you, Erika, is your honesty," she added.

"Thanks. I have one question, and please don't take this the wrong way. How much of your attraction for me is the fact that I am going through this transition?" I asked.

From the look on her face, I could tell that my question wasn't exactly a surprise. "I was expecting that one. I admit that I find what you are going through very intriguing, and I can't wait until you go on hormones and to see your true body grow. But my attraction is for you. I love this beautiful girl sitting next to me. I love your personality and your sense of humor. I want to be with you, Erika, no matter what form your body is."

"Thank you. I'd better get inside. I had a great night!"

Laura leaned over and kissed me again. I closed my eyes and returned her passion. I felt myself trembling from excitement as we kissed.

"Goodnight, sweetie," she cooed. "I'll wait until you get inside before I leave."

"Thanks, I appreciate that. Good night," I replied. I hesitated with my next response. "I love you." I felt myself blushing again.

"I love you too," she replied. "By the way, you're really cute when you blush!"

I grabbed my clothes and closed her car door. I walked up to my house and gave her one last look before I went inside. My life had just taken another interesting turn.

Mom was waiting for me as I got in from going to the club.

"Oh, my, you look great!" exclaimed Mom.

"Thanks, I had a lot of fun," I stated as I set down my stuff.

"I can tell!" smiled Mom. "Whoever she was, I like the color of her lipstick."

"Ooops!" I exclaimed as I looked in the mirror and saw Laura's lipstick on my cheeks. "I forgot about that. It's Laura's."

"I see. I take it this was more than just a friendly little kiss. Don't get me, wrong Honey; I am not judging you; I just want you to be happy," stated Mom.

"Thanks, Mom!"

"So, do you want tea or hot chocolate?" asked Mom, knowing that we would be staying up for a while.

"I'll take tea, please," I replied.

We spent an hour or so talking about it. Mom was very understanding. She told me that she expected me to be flexible in my sexuality. She said that Laura would always be welcome in our house. She then asked me how we would be received in school.

"Most of the kids don't seem to care. Laura may get more grief than I do. She did say that she got a note in her locker calling her a dyke, but considering they spelled it D-I-K-E, she didn't really worry about it. You know, I could be one of the first students ever to be called both faggot and dyke in the same school year!" I quipped.

We both laughed about that.

"How do you think her parents will feel about you?"

"Good question. They did warm up slightly to Cat when Laura was dating her, so who knows?"

I went to bed with a lot of questions, but also with a sense of security in knowing that my mom and friends would support me.

The next couple of weeks were a complete blur. The school was busy, work was busy, and my private life was busy. I'll talk about school first.

As I stated earlier, my teachers seemed to be trying to get as much work crammed into our schedule as was possible. My biggest project was my Civics paper. Mr. Kline, my teacher, liked my rough draft. He had me stay after school one afternoon so he could read it and provide constructive criticism.

"Well written paper, but you need to pay closer attention to your grammar and spelling. I recommend that you have someone edit it for you," he suggested. He was sitting on the edge of his desk, drinking a cup of coffee.

"Thanks, I thought I had caught them all. It does bother me when I miss the mistakes; sometimes my mind is running in a faster gear than my typing," I explained. Unfortunately, I still have that problem; some things never change!

"What's new on the trial front?" he said.

I told him about the trial date being set and the issues with the defense lawyer. I appreciated that he treated me like an adult when we talked about the trial.

"Unfortunately, that is one of the necessary evils of having a fair legal system. You must allow the defendant to have a fair trial, and any restrictions on them could sway things too far in favor of the prosecution," he quipped.

We both laughed slightly.

"I understand the need for a fair system. That doesn't make it any easier when I have to be subjected to a public verbal assault," I stated angrily.

"If you feel up to it, I'd like you to address next semester's Civics class. Your insight into the workings of our legal system would be an interesting lecture," he offered.

"You want me to teach a class?" I asked. I was stunned by his request.

"Sure, why not?" he continued. "Think about it; you don't have to make up your mind now. But I think you'd like doing it."

He'd definitely given me something to think about.

Work was going really well, too good. We were swamped, and during our shift, we barely had time to think, let alone take a break. I think my breaking-in period was more to get my feet used to heels than anything else! I was getting a nice paycheck, and it allowed me to get my shopping done without having to borrow from Mom. I did some of my shopping at the store, thanks to my employee discount. Cindy said that we should be getting a great bonus this year.

The guys in the leather goods shop were really nice to me, and they had also become very protective of me. They often walked me out to the parking lot at the end of the day. I was pleased that they watched over me, as I was still a bit uneasy about being alone at night.

One more thing, Mel had started going out with Cliff. They were so different, but they seemed to get along great.

My group meetings were going well. I looked forward to my weekly group session. The initial hostility was a thing of the past. Dana had really taken to me and told me that, if I wanted, she would be in the Court during the trial. I sort of looked at her as a role model. I decided that I wouldn't become as bitter and angry as she had become. It was a shame because that Dana could be such a nice and caring person, but she was carrying around so much anger and hostility. I felt sorry for her, as deep down, I suspected that she wanted to get rid of her rage. I thanked her but told her that it wouldn't be necessary. Karen and I had a long talk about it, and she agreed that I had done the right thing.

Then there was my social life. First off, Paul and Caroline were really becoming close. They went everywhere together. We were still good friends, and my having dated him wasn't an issue.

Laura and I were slowly getting closer. This was due more to my being so busy as anything. I knew that I was falling deeply in love with her and that I was also getting comfortable with her taking the more dominant role in the relationship.

The last day of school before the break was a rather eventful day. We had an impromptu meeting with Ms. B, as she wanted to talk to all of us about the contest and the holidays. She hinted at some sort of reward for everyone who stayed in and reminded us to follow the rules. After the meeting, I stayed around to talk to her.

"I hope you have a good break, Erika. I have really enjoyed having you in the competition this year," she complimented.

"It's been interesting, to say the least. I want to give you this," I stated as I handed her a package.

She took the gift and smiled back at me. "You shouldn't have, Erika! Do you want me to open it now?"

"Yes, please," I replied. "It isn't much, but you have meant a lot to me, and I wanted to give you something."

Ms. B opened the box and took out a charcoal gray scarf. "It's very lovely. This is very thoughtful!"

She gave me a long hug.

The rest of the school day was a lot of fun. Most of the teachers accepted the fact that no one wanted to be there, and we didn't do a lot. The only class that I did any work in was Home Economics, and all we did was make cookies. We made a lot for the scavengers who hung outside the door on the days we cooked. Mrs. Roberts didn't mind as long as they didn't disrupt the class. I looked over and saw Alex peeking in. I picked up a plate of sugar cookies and took them out to him. When I stepped out into the hallway to talk to Alex, I naturally found Mike with him.

"What class are you guys skipping right now?" I asked.

"Shhhh! Actually, if you give us a few extra, we can bribe Mr. Grant and not get into trouble," begged Mike, with a smile.

"Here, take the whole plate. Have a great holiday!" I exclaimed.

Mike took the plate and then gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. Alex did the same, and they took off back to math class.

I walked back into class with a big smile on my face.

"So who was out there today?" asked Mrs. Roberts.

"Just my guardian angels," I told her.

I had to hurry home as Mrs. Lincoln had asked me to work early that week. I had to be in at 4:30 instead of 6:00, but I really didn't mind. I rushed home to shower and change. I had just finished getting dressed when Mom came home.

"Hi, honey, do you need a ride to work?" she asked.

"Yes, please! You're home early. Is everything OK?"

"It's perfect. They let us out early today because of the holidays," she answered. "I also got the promotion!"

I ran over to her and gave her a big hug. "That is so cool. I am so happy for you!"

On the way to work, she told me all about it. She would have to take a few classes at the college, but they were paying for them. It also meant a big pay raise. It was the perfect present!

For the first hour of our shift, we worked with the day people. The only one I knew was the seamstress, Rita, whom I had met during Homecoming. She was working long hours for the holidays and often could get a dress altered immediately, depending on the customer. Certain customers got extra special treatment from Mrs. Lincoln. I know what you are thinking, but it wasn't because they were rich or had just spent a lot of money in the store. Some customers just ended up on Mrs. Lincoln's "A" list and were treated extra special.

I carried the trash out by myself that night. It was the first time that I did it alone without feeling really frightened. It was a small step, but at least I was moving forward.

The mall stayed open until 10:00, and we had customers in the store until almost 10:30. Mrs. Lincoln's policy was that you never turn a customer away. Fortunately, they all spent a lot of money, so it was worth it.

It took longer to close down the store. Mel and I spent almost 40 minutes straightening up the stacks of clothes. It was almost 11:30 before we had changed and were ready to go home. I was impressed that Mrs. Lincoln was there the whole time. Before we left, she called us over and handed each of us an envelope.

"Now, here are your bonuses. I want to thank each of you for getting through another hectic holiday season, but don't forget that we still have the New Year to deal with."

I was stunned to see a check for $500.00. I didn't expect that much of a bonus as I had only been there for a few weeks. Still, it was the thought that counted.

"This must be a mistake, Mrs. Lincoln," I explained.

"Excuse, me young lady, but I never make mistakes," she replied sternly. "You have worked very hard since you got here, and I want to make sure that you stay with us. However, I want you to put some of that away for college."

"Thank you so much," I replied. I then gave her a hug.

"Have a wonderful Christmas, but don't forget I will need you all in for the New Year's Eve rush," she added.

Cindy drove me home, and we talked a little about Mrs. Lincoln, the store, and the holidays. We gave each other a big hug as she dropped me off at home.

As I walked up the sidewalk, I noticed how still everything was. There were a few inches of snow on the ground, and the sky was clear and totally free of clouds. The air was cold and clean. I hesitated before going inside. I looked up at the stars. The sky was filled with them, and they looked so close. I was snapped out of my trance by Cindy, who was waiting for me to go in.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Yes, everything is fine. Happy Holidays!" I waved goodnight, and I entered the house.

Mom was waiting for me by the front door, "What's up?" she asked. "I heard Cindy's car pull up, and I didn't hear you come in, so I got a little concerned."

"I'm fine. I was just taking in the beautiful night. I no longer feel afraid of the dark."

"That's wonderful, honey," she exclaimed, and we hugged. I knew she was more worried about me than she let on.

It was amazing; the fear that had gripped me when I was outside at night had just vanished. I can't explain it, but it was like a big weight had been taken off my shoulders.