Becoming A High School Girl - Chapter 45

OTHER CHAPTERS | ALL STORY LIST

I showered and changed. I selected a green summer dress. I was just about dressed when Cat called. She asked if she could come over and wait with me. Of course, I said yes.

Cat looked very nice; she was wearing a red and white summer dress. We grabbed a couple of sodas and then sat out on the deck to enjoy the afternoon sun.

"So, have you and Laura talked much about the upcoming separation?" asked Cat.

"No, not really. I don't think that either of us wants to think about it," I replied.

"I know how you feel. It's very hard being in a long-distance relationship."

"So, how do you and Matt make it work?" I took a sip of my soda.

"Well, e-mail helps. It's nice just being able to trade messages. Matt also phones me at least once a week. I think we make it work because we're so honest with each other."

"That makes sense."

"I've known Laura my whole life, and I can tell you that you can trust her. If she decides that she wants to see someone else, she'll tell you first."

"I know. I want to be equally honest with her, not that I'm planning on messing around on her."

"I know you won't, Erika. That's why I think you two make such a great couple. I loved my little fling with her. It taught me a lot about myself. I'm also glad that we've remained friends."

"Did you know that she wanted to date me?" I asked.

"Yes. We talked about many things when we were together. You fascinated her from the moment she met you in school. She really thought you were a girl, and I had to set the record straight."

"I see. So when did you know that I was transgender and not just dressing to get the scholarship?" I asked.

"I suspected right away, but I wasn't positive until that first football game and saw how you reacted to being attacked. It was very clear that you were a girl, no matter what your body was like."

"Mom said she knew the first day I dressed," I replied.

We both sat there silent for a moment.

"Do you still consider yourself bisexual?" asked Cat, breaking the silence.

I thought about it for a second. "Yes, I suppose I do. Sexually, I am female. I can't even imagine trying to be sexual as a male."

"That makes sense. So, do you think you could have sex with a guy?"

The nice thing about our relationship was that we had total honesty.

"I have to admit that I'm a bit curious about it. I want to know what it feels like when it's with someone I want to be with. I don't consider what Jason did to me to be sex. I'm not looking or anything, just curious."

"That makes sense. Just be careful when you do it; be sure it's a partner who you can trust."

"I will; it's not like it's going to happen anytime soon," I replied, "at least, not until after I've had my SRS."

"I think you should explore your sexuality. As much as you and Laura make a wonderful couple, you looked pretty happy with Paul."

"I know. Our relationship was another casualty of the assault. I sometimes wonder what might have been, but then again, we've remained friends, and he and Caroline really seem to be in love."

"It's okay to have regrets; you're only human."

"Thanks. I don't know how I could have made it through this year without your help."

She smiled and reached over and took my hands in hers. "The way you successfully overcame so much this past year has been an inspiration to me. I want to thank you for that."

We said there looking at each other and holding each other's hands. It was a very special moment that further bonded our friendship.

We were snapped back into reality by the doorbell and the sound of Laura's voice. "Hello!" announced Laura.

We smiled and got up to join her.

I was impressed that almost the entire senior class and most of the faculty showed up for the senior night. Laura was one of the MCs, so Cat and I sat down together with Kristen, Alex, Tracey, and Mike. Cat told me that Paul and Caroline were part of the program.

The first part of the evening was filled with students getting a variety of awards. They ranged from high GPAs to perfect attendance. Everyone was totally blown away when the award for the greatest improvement in GPA went to Denise! They also announced the spring sports awards. The next part was announcing the winners of various scholarships and academic awards. They called out each name, and the stage crew put a spotlight on the winners. Cat and Laura were both called up for being awarded full academic scholarships. They also had our athletes who had won scholarships stand up. That group included Alex, Mike, and Rachael. Then they called out my name along with Denise and Caroline as finalists for the scholarship competition. It was pointed out that we'd have to show up at graduation in order to win. That caused some laughter. By now, everyone in our class knew that all three of us were transgender.

After a bunch of other awards, they got to the fun stuff. They announced the real senior class awards. Paul was named as the class clown. That was a shock! Kristen and Alex won most popular, again no surprise. Cat won for being seen as most successful after graduation. I couldn't argue with that. Mike and Kristen won for the students most likely to become famous. Alex was a bit pissed over that choice. They went through a whole bunch of those. Some were very funny, and others were very complimentary. Laura and Alex won as best leaders. I was stunned when they called my name out as most inspirational. I'd never seen myself as an inspiration to others. I was just trying to survive.

Thankfully, they didn't linger on those. There was a short musical break. They had some of the best musicians play together on the stage. I was pleased to see Charlie up there playing the piano. He started off playing classical and then shifted to more modern songs. Someone in the audience yelled out, "You rule, Schroeder!" referring to the cartoon character, and without missing a beat, Charlie went into "Linus and Lucy" from the Peanuts cartoons. He got an instant standing ovation. I was so happy for him! It was one of the highlights of the evening.

However, The highlight of the evening was the PowerPoint presentation from Paul and Caroline. They had created a hysterical presentation that showed many of us at our 20th reunion. They showed a photo of the person, then there was a cartoon drawing of them at the reunion. No one was spared in their show. In the spirit of the evening, no one took what they'd done seriously, and we all joined in the joke. None of the depictions were mean-spirited.

They covered many people in our class, and I'll try to describe some of them. I was laughing so hard at most of them that it's hard to remember them all!

They showed a photo of Alex playing QB. Then they cut to a slightly overweight Alex in the TV booth at a football game. The commentary reported that after a career in football, he'd made the switch to TV commentator. They noted that he was slowly growing into both the legacy and extra-large suit of his mentor, John Madden.

Mike wasn't spared either. They noted that after a successful career in the NFL, he skipped the chance to join Alex in the TV booth and instead became an action movie star. They said that he specialized in making films that never did all that well in the theater but got lots of airplay on FOX at 2:00 AM. The picture showed him swinging through a glass window on a rope with a rocket launcher under his arm.

Laura was shown as a future United States Senator and future presidential candidate. They said she'd be running on a platform to end "idiotic meetings just for the sake of having meetings"! I guess her complaints about so many meetings had been noted. Laura laughed hardest at that one.

Next, they showed a photo of Denise playing the drums for The Downfall. That got a lot of cheers, as the band had become very popular. The drawing showed her as a conductor. Of course, she was shown wearing a leather tux. They said that she was leading a successful thirty-city tour with her orchestra and their tribute to the Ramones.

The cat wasn't spared either. They showed her a photo and told her how she was going to college to study criminal investigation. The drawing showed her with the title "CSI Golden Hill" above her. The show was the 220th edition of the successful series and followed the real-life adventures of Cat as she tracked down criminals.

Caroline and Paul even poked fun at themselves. They started a promising career in cartooning that ended when they both had a massive case of writer's block. The commentary stated that this didn't stop them from being successful in the comic industry. Their cartoon showed them as clerks in a comic book store.

They received a large ovation from the class when they finished. Caroline later told me that every idea that they'd had for me was too much of an inside joke and could have been taken the wrong way. I appreciated their concern, but I still would've liked to see how they'd roast me.

The rest of the evening was filled with other performances and musical acts. They ended the evening with a slide show set to music. It was a visual history of our class with an emphasis on our senior year. It lasted nearly twenty minutes, and it brought back so many memories. It was all very moving as we watched the images on the screen. There were candid shots taken at school and off-campus. The music was perfect. The team that put it together did a great job.

I was glad that the lights were off as my emotions were very loose. When they showed a picture of the banner and me when I came back after the attack, I let my tears flow. I was also hit by the cheering and applause that happened when they showed it. I felt Cat's hand take hold of mine.

I was also happy that the presentation lasted twelve more minutes so I could regain my composure. When they were done, they announced that copies of the slide and the PowerPoint shows on CDs were available for $5.00 after in the lobby afterward. I definitely wanted a copy of it, as it was a nice complement to the yearbook.

Our group got together at Guido's after senior night. Paul and Caroline gave out the original cartoons to those who'd been roasted. They also had caricatures of the rest of us. It was a nice touch.

We sat and talked about how good a job they'd done with the whole show. We also talked about graduation and our plans afterward. We already had each other's e-mail addresses, and we all promised to stay in touch. Alex reminded us about the 4th of July party at the barn. He said that both he and Mike would be back up here for it. I also reminded everyone about Mom's wedding and reception.

We sat in there until they closed. No one wanted to leave. I guess we all wanted to stay together just a bit longer. We stood out in the parking lot and hugged and kissed and cried. Yes, we'd see each other tomorrow and at future events, but this was the last time we definitely knew that we'd all be together. We all knew how important we were to each other. Even today, I get a bit emotional thinking about it.

I actually slept on Tuesday morning. I figured that I wouldn't be getting much sleep during the next twenty-four hours, so I might as well sleep when I could. When I finally got up, it was almost 9 AM. I decided to get in a run since it might be my last chance for a while to run my neighborhood route.

As I ran, I thought about the previous night. The feeling that we'd had in the parking lot after Guido's closed still gave me a warm rush. I also thought about the surgery. I wasn't really afraid, just deeply concerned! I had no doubt that Dr. Ayres was an excellent surgeon. I'd found several articles on him online, and they all considered him to be one of the best. I think it was just the normal anxiety that one got before any sort of operation. I smiled and wondered if I was this nervous before getting my nose worked on, then how bad would I be before my SRS or my penis inversion, as Laura called it.

I also thought about Laura and the last time we'd been alone together. I was blown away by the new sensations she'd introduced me to. The feelings were so deep. It really confirmed that this was the right thing to do.

As I continued my run, I became more aware of my breasts. True, they weren't very big yet, but I could feel them bounce as I ran. There was no way I could run without a bra now.

I arrived home after working up a great sweat. As I did my cool down, I walked around the yard. The bush was doing very nicely. It was in full bloom, and there were even some new shoots. I loved that it was transforming a place of violence into a place of life and growth.

I went in and showered. The water felt very good as it hit my nipples. The combination of running and the rubbing in my bra had already left them a bit stimulated. The shower just finished the job. I was so glad that I had one of those massage showerheads!

Part of me was still worried about being made as a male. I know that was stupid, but it was a concern. We are always more critical about our own appearance than others are. I saw every defect and masculine trait, even if no one else did! I don't think that I've ever completely lost this concern, even though I've been living as a woman for years. The little things helped me to ease my concerns, and the tan lines were one of these little things.

I was also looking forward to having my breasts grow to the point where I wouldn't need boob pads. I'd be very satisfied with a B- cup, although I hoped to reach C! It's funny; in school, A's are a good thing.

I had a nice dress to wear that evening. It was sleeveless, and the floral pattern looked like it was from a Hawaiian shirt. The post-graduation party's theme was a tropical luau or at least a Pennsylvanian idea of what a tropical luau was like!

I basically took it easy the rest of the day until it was time to go to graduation.

Laura picked up Cat and me, and we drove over to the school to get ready for graduation. We were all wearing summer party dresses, so we could go right to the parties. Mom, Sam, Matt, and Terri were going together and were planning on sitting with Laura's parents. We'd selected a meeting place to have our pictures taken afterward.

I felt I looked pretty good, and even Laura admitted that my makeup was near perfect. We slipped on our gowns and adjusted our caps. Thankfully, it wasn't too hot. The faculty worked hard to get us all into correct order to walk out onto the field. Graduation was being held in the football stadium, and we would walk in along the track and then take our seats. The stage was set up in the end zone.

We gave each other a quick inspection. It was finally here! Suddenly the line began to move, and we were on our way.

It was all sort of a blur to me. I was suddenly overwhelmed by the realization that I was about to graduate from high school as Erika Jean Warren. That name had been unknown to me a year ago, but now it was my identity, and I loved it! It also hit me that I'd just won a full four-year scholarship.

Thankfully at moments like that, the body takes over while the mind is wandering. I have no memory of walking into the stadium or sitting down. My mind was rewinding the events of the past year and all I had been through. I got up and followed the person in front of me, and walked up to the stage. I know I did this because I was snapped back into reality when I heard 'Erika Jean Warren' being announced on the PA system. I received my diploma and broke out into a huge smile. My main goal was to make it back to my seat and not lose it emotionally! I looked down at my diploma and saw my name in Old English font. It was another of those real moments!

The ceremony ended, and we tossed our caps up in the air. I quickly retrieved mine. I then sought out friends to congratulate, hug, and in some cases, kiss. I worked my way through the crowd and found Cat and Laura. We had a big group hug and kiss.

Sam and Mom came over, and we hugged and kissed. They both said they were so proud of me. We then posed for a series of photographs in our caps and gowns. I think Mom shot an entire roll of film of us afterward.

Cat, Matt, Laura, and I then said goodbye and took off to go to Alex's party. We removed our caps and gowns and put them in the trunk. We had to return them tomorrow. However, we had a whole night of celebrating to go through first.

Laura hung up her tassel on the mirror in her car. I hadn't made up my mind if I was going to do that with mine. I asked Cat and Laura what they remembered about the ceremony, and like me, they barely remembered a thing! I was glad that I wasn't the only one who'd zoned out.

We arrived at Alex's and went through another round of kisses and hugs. Another sign that I was totally accepted as a girl was that the boys had no problem with kissing me. I was just another girl at the party.

I had several people that I wanted to thank that evening. I didn't want to risk not thanking them personally. The first person I found was Alex.

I walked over and gave him a hug and a kiss. "I just want to thank you for everything; you really helped me be accepted at Central!"

He smiled back. "It was a pleasure. At first, I did it because Cat asked me to, but I was proud to be your friend as I got to know you. I think it's cool that you are finding your true self."

Kristen walked over, and we hugged. "I was just thanking Alex for helping me so much this year, and I wanted to do the same with you. I know you had a lot to do with my being so accepted at Central. I really appreciate it!"

"I didn't do anything that special. I merely opened the door; you deserve a lot of credit yourself," replied Kristen modestly.

I smiled. I knew some of the things she'd done for me and suspected that there were many other things that I'd never know about. "Still, I want to thank you!"

I repeated this with several other people, including Mike, Tracey, and Rachael. I then ran into Caroline and Paul.

"I still can't believe we did it!" exclaimed Caroline, and we hugged.

"Congrats, Erika!" added Paul, and we hugged and kissed.

"It's amazing how fast the year went by!" I replied. "It sometimes feels like a dream."

I then found Cat, Matt, and Laura.

"It looks like we'll all be going to college now," announced Laura. "Now that your financial issues are solved."

"I still can't believe it. Last year at this time, I doubted that I'd be going to college, and now I have a full scholarship!" I exclaimed.

"That and a nicer wardrobe," added Laura.

I smiled and kissed her. "Don't forget all my wonderful new friends and family."

We talked for a while. Matt was heading back to Philly on Thursday morning. He had stayed a bit longer than he'd originally expected to. I could tell that he was deeply in love with Cat. Who could blame him?

Laura said that she'd have to go to the graduation party at the school early. She was expected to be there when it opened. It would be her last duty as class president.

I rode over with her. Cat and Matt said they'd ride over with Paul and Caroline. I hoped that Caroline was driving her car, as I couldn't imagine all four of them in Paul's VW bug.

"So, was your senior year exciting enough?" asked Laura.

"I'd say so. I can't imagine what it would have been like to have gone through it without you," I replied.

"I figure you would have managed. You're a survivor."

"Maybe, but it wouldn't have been as much fun without you."

"That's true!"

We sat there in silence for a while. I think we were both thinking about the upcoming separation.

"You know, it won't be that bad. We'll only be five hours apart by car," remarked Laura.

"I know. Still, it won't be easy."

"No, it won't. That's for another day; we still have the rest of the summer to be together!"

"True, anything can happen. Who knows? Maybe you'll hate my new nose and want to break up with me!" I tried to add some humor to the situation.

"That's possible; I only love you for your nose!" quipped Laura.

We pulled into the parking lot and walked into the school. They had what looked like a carnival set up in the gym. The gym was decorated to look like a tropical playground. They even had fake palm trees! There was a DJ setting up in one corner. There was also a whole area set up outside with food booths and games.

"This must have cost a lot to set up," I stated.

"Part came from the senior class and the rest from the PTA and the local auto club. We also got donations from many local businesses," stated Laura.

We walked over to a table filled with all sorts of electronic goodies. There were stereos, CD players, digital cameras, and lots of other things.

"Are they really going to raffle all this stuff off?" I asked.

"Yep! Everyone who comes in gets one ticket. In addition to this stuff, they have a bunch of gift certificates for local businesses. I think we have almost 100 prizes."

"Impressive," I replied.

We walked around the gym and then outside to look at the various games and food stands. We found time to slip into the shadows for a quick kiss and cuddle!

"I know you'll be busy tomorrow between packing and the dinner with Ms. B, but I'd love to get alone with you for a while," confessed Laura.

"True, it will be your last shot at me with my present nose!" I answered with a laugh.

I won't bore you with everything that happened the rest of the night. The crowd was huge, and many stayed until sunrise. I won a portable CD player! It would come in handy as I lay in bed for a couple of days following my nose job.

By the time we left, everyone had been beaten. Laura dropped us off at my house, and we got our stuff out of her car. I kissed Laura goodbye and made her promise to call me when she got home. I went inside, and after Laura called, I went immediately to bed. I was surprised that I was able to fall asleep so easily!

I didn't sleep the whole day. I was up by one, and after lunch, I drove over to the school to drop off my cap and gown. The school seemed strangely silent. There were a few teachers there, cleaning out their rooms. I didn't hang around very long.

I packed up my suitcases for the trip to NYC. I only needed nice clothes for a few days, and I ended up packing much less than I did for the trip with Mrs. Lincoln. By the time I was done, Mom was getting home.

I went downstairs and told her about the last night's parties. She was glad that I'd gone to the one at the school.

"Tony called today, and he said that he'd be by at 8:00 to pick us up," stated Mom.

"Cool! Tony is really cool!"

We talked until Sam came in. He said that Martin Turner had called him and apologized for his behavior the other night. "Apparently, he has no clue about how he ended up on the floor."

"Did you tell him that he was looking for a rock to crawl under?" asked Mom.

"Hey, you're lucky I don't have to prosecute you for assault," joked Sam, breaking out in laughter.

Mom and I joined him. I'm not a violent person, but I felt Martin Turner deserved far worse than falling on his face.

I drove over to Ms. B's home. She lived downtown in an old mill building that had been converted into condos. She lived on the third floor and had a great view of the town and the park.

I got there first and joined her in the kitchen. I helped her prepare a chicken stir-fry.

"I took a course on oriental cooking last summer. It was something I'd always wanted to do," explained Ms. B. "By the way, since you're no longer a student at Central, you can call me Nancy now; even Ms. B sounds too formal."

"That may take some getting used to. Thanks... Nancy."

She smiled at me. "I have a feeling that we'll become good friends over the years."

"I have one question to ask before the others arrive; when did you know that I was transgender?" I asked.

Nancy looked at me. "I suspected the first day we met, but I wasn't sure until after the initial Jason incident. Is that what others have told you?"

"Pretty much the same. I guess I was the last to know again."

"There's nothing wrong with that. Self-discovery takes time," remarked Nancy.

Just then, Caroline and Denise arrived. Nancy greeted them and told them the same thing about calling her, Nancy.

Dinner was a very informal affair. We sat around her living room, eating and talking. Nancy's stir-fry was excellent, better than most Chinese restaurants.

"So, tell us about the true purpose of the scholarship program?" I asked.

"Jumping right to the big questions! As you've guessed, there is a deeper purpose than to just have some male students learn about the opposite gender."

We all nodded.

"The ultimate goal of the program was to teach tolerance and acceptance of diversity. As the contest progressed each year, the effects have spread out through the entire school and into the community. This year, due to some unforeseen circumstances, we reached out much further than we ever could have imagined," explained Nancy. "As horrible as the assault on you was, Erika, it did have a positive effect on the community. It showed the town that we could have diversity without anyone losing their values. Eventually, we want to spread the program to other towns."

"So everything that happened to me sort of sped up the process?" I asked.

"Yes, that's true. The scholarship committee had been very pleased with the progress we'd been making in the school. The contest had become mainstream, and the contestants were accepted by the rest of the student body and most of the town. We knew we were starting to make inroads into the community, but the whole trial and dealing with the Rev really moved up the timetable. I only wish that you, or any student, hadn't had to go through such horrible experiences."

"I'm glad some good came out of it," I replied.

"It's also obvious that you were prepared to help us as we came out as transgender. Was that part of the program?" asked Caroline.

"The program wasn't designed to produce transgender students, but we did realize that we'd attract students who might have gender issues. We made sure that services would be available. I know you're all seeing Jenny McCall now. The scholarship committee sought her out and helped her establish her practice here. We sought doctors who were open-minded towards gender issues. We also set up the loan program for SRS," explained Nancy.

"So, we're just a fringe benefit of the program?" asked Denise.

"I don't know if that's the right phrase, but helping people resolve identity issues is important. We didn't make you transgender, but we provided you a safe environment to transition. Again, I want to apologize for the Jason incidents."

"You don't have to apologize," I stated.

"We'll be screening the contestants more in the future. Jason should never have been allowed to enter. We are also discovering the need for more counseling for all the contestants. We learned a lot this year from the length of the contest, and we saw many things we could improve on. One immediate change will be that there will be weekly meetings starting the first week of school. We'll also do a one-on-one with each contestant weekly."

"You said that the addition of an FTM scholarship was planned for years, but you were waiting for us to go a whole year; why?" asked Caroline.

"We wanted to see how the class as a whole responded first. Again, with the exception of Jason, the overall response of your class was exceptional," stated Nancy.

"Will your job change have an effect on the contest?" I asked.

Nancy smiled. "Somewhat. I'll be moving up to Assistant Principal next year. However, I'll still be involved with the scholarship program. We already have a new counselor coming in as my replacement. She was hired because of her background and training; in fact, she was a student here ten years ago."

"Is she like us?" asked Denise.

Nancy smiled. "No, she isn't transgender."

"Too bad," stated Caroline softly.

"Well, I think there may be a transgender faculty member a Central someday," announced Nancy.

Caroline and Denise immediately looked at me.

"Erika, you'll get the highest consideration for any opening upon the completion of your degree and earning your teaching credentials. That is also part of the scholarship program. We don't stop helping you after you graduate. We keep an eye on those special people who show great promise. That includes all of you," continued Nancy.

"You said earlier that the scholarship committee wanted to spread out to other towns. So how much money does this group have?" asked Caroline.

"A lot! The woman who set this up was extremely wealthy and very intelligent about finances. She set it up so that the fund grows every year. The three scholarships given this year don't even make a dent in the account. Additionally, other people have contributed to the fund. Our goal is to eventually spread out and set up similar scholarships in other communities. We've several towns in mind, and we should be able to get started in a year or so."

"Sounds like a big experiment," stated Denise

"In some ways, that's correct. Our benefactor believed that society could change for the better. The scholarship program allows males and females to be more accepting and understanding of each other. This has a rippling effect across the community. We are far from done here in Golden Hill, but in less than twenty years, we've made some great progress."

We stayed around and asked some more questions. I hung around until Caroline and Denise left, as I had a few more questions. There were some that were more private in nature that I wanted to talk about.

"Did you recommend me to Mrs. Lincoln," I asked as I helped her clean up?

"Not exactly; I did tell her about you when you were selected for the homecoming court. But it was strictly her decision to hire you," explained Nancy.

"I appreciate the good word you put in for me," I replied.

"She is really a good person, and she was really hurt when my brother died. She was also very angry that he was driven to his death by ignorance. She became involved in the scholarship program as a way of helping to prevent any further tragedies," announced Nancy.

"Well, I really feel honored that she thinks so highly of me," I stated.

"I'm a bit jealous of you, Erika, as she wouldn't hire me to work in her store, and we're related!" joked Nancy.

We both started laughing.

"Look, Erika, I know you will have some more questions, so feel free.

To call me. We can get together and talk."

"Thank you, Nancy!"

It was good knowing some of the answers about the scholarship program. I felt better about the future, now that I knew more about the past.

I drove over to Laura's house. She was happy to see me, and we went over to Spencer's.

"So, did you get all your questions answered?" asked Laura as we plopped down on the couch.

I took a sip of my cappuccino. "A lot of them. Nancy was pretty cool."

"Nancy? Hmm, so you are on a first-name basis now?" asked Laura.

"Sure, she sees me as a responsible young adult now!" I replied, tongue firmly planted in cheek.

"She's a minority around here," quipped Laura, trying to hide her smirk.

I mouthed 'smartass' to her.

"Unfortunately my parents stayed in this evening. While they accept my status as an 'almost college freshman,' they would still freak if they knew I was taking you upstairs to make out," Laura confessed.

"Oooh, I have to use that one, an 'almost college freshman," I said with a laugh.

"So, are you ready for the operation?" asked Laura.

"I guess so. I just wish it was over. I'm so sick and tired of being reminded of what Jason did to me."

Laura leaned over and kissed me. I trembled slightly as her lips touched mine. We kissed for what seemed like minutes.

"That is so cool that you still have that little vibe when we kiss," cooed Laura.

"I hope that I never lose it."

Due to the lack of a make-out place that evening, we sat and talked a while longer in Spencer's.

We decided to call it a night, and I drove her home. We kissed one more time, and I watched her walk in.

As I drove home, I thought about how much I loved her. I also thought about how at this time last year, I was angry that we were moving to 'a nothing little town in the middle of nowhere, and now I was legally Erika Warren, and I had a lesbian girlfriend. I almost wished I could go back to my old neighborhood and hang out with Laura, just to see if anyone recognized me.

Tony arrived around 7:30, and Mom invited him in for coffee. He smiled and said that never happened with Mrs. Lincoln.

"So you get your nose operated on? You sure you don't want me to pass on some of the pain to you-know-who?" asked Tony. He had a sly smile on his face.

I was taking a sip of tea and almost spit it back up as I watched Mom and Sam's reaction to Tony's remarks.

"Tony, this is Sam Warren, my dad, and the town's DA," I announced, holding back a smile.

"No kidding? That's great. Hey, we're just joking here," backtracked Tony, taking a quick sip of his coffee.

"That's okay; I've sometimes wished there could be 'additional punishment,'" added Sam. He then smiled at me and shook his head.

Laura arrived a few minutes later, followed closely by Cat, Matt, and Terri.

Tony grabbed our bags and soon had the limo ready to go. I have to admit that I loved watching the neighbors slow down as they drove by our house and looked at the big stretch limo in our driveway.

Matt and Cat had a tearful goodbye. It was strange seeing her so emotional. Mom and Sam also kissed goodbye. He also gave me a long hug goodbye.

"Call when you get in," ordered Sam.

"We will. I love you," replied Mom, as she got in the limo.

With those goodbyes, we were on the road.

I rehashed my dinner with Nancy. I did leave out some key points about the scholarship. They didn't need to know everything, and some things only ought to be known by the few transgender participants.

We had a long talk about what sights we should see. Tony said that we'd have a driver on call at all times, but he wanted to give us the fifty-cent tour.

"I thought I got that one already?" I asked with a laugh.

"No, you only got the ten-cent tour," replied Tony.

We discussed with him which things we should see each day. He suggested that we if we wanted to go out to the Statue of Liberty, then we should do that on Friday and avoid the weekend crowds. Mom and Terri got in a long conversation on things to see and to avoid.

I talked with Cat and Laura for a while. However, I was overcome by my lack of sleep and soon dozed off.

I don't know how long I slept, but when I woke up, we were in New Jersey. Cat and Laura were getting more and more excited as we got closer to New York. I think I'd have been more excited except for the primary reason we were going there.

Our hotel was nice. We were in one of those suite hotels, and we had a little kitchen area. It wasn't a penthouse suite, but then again, Mom isn't Mrs. Lincoln! However, we did get a FOML (Friend of Mrs. Lincoln) discount. Apparently, the same people who owned the really nice hotel that we'd stayed in last time also owned this one.

We still had a view of the city. We had three connected rooms, so it was like staying in a very strangely shaped apartment building! There were three bedrooms, each with double beds. Mom and Terri took the middle bedroom, Cat and Laura took one, and I had a room by myself. Although, it really didn't matter, as the only times we were separate were when we were asleep. Actually, Cat and Laura were always with me, keeping an eye on me. I knew that Jenny had called Mom over the weekend and had a long talk with her. I had to admit that I didn't mind the added attention. I was a bit worried about the return of my posttraumatic stress.

The first night we went to a small family-run Italian restaurant owned by friends of Tony. Our driver that night was Tony's cousin Nick. He was a lot like Tony.

The owners of the restaurant treated us like we were old family friends. Apparently, Tony called ahead and told them we were FOML.

I'm sure that most of this special treatment was because of my association with Mrs. Lincoln. Still, part of me thought that it might also have something to do with Tony liking me personally.

The dinner was wonderful, make that fantastic! I had the best Chicken Parmesan in my short life. The owners joined us for coffee and dessert. I mean nothing against Spencer's, but the cappuccino that night was ten times better. Maybe it was just the sense of excitement of being in NYC with family and friends! I really had a good time, and it did a lot to take my mind off my worries.

I also enjoyed driving around in a limo. True, in NYC, a limo doesn't attract as much attention as it would in Golden Hill, but it was still pretty cool.

Everyone went to bed early, a combination of being tired from the trip and the huge meal. I repeated the act of my last trip to the city. I made a cup of tea and sat looking out the window. Granted, it wasn't as good a view, but it was still pretty cool. I finally went to sleep. I'm pleased to say that I didn't have a single nightmare.