Becoming A High School Girl - Chapter 44

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I actually went home and studied that evening. I had my Child Development final in the morning. Mrs. Roberts had said that it would be a 100 question multiple-choice test. I really didn't like multiple-guess tests, as I always seemed to read too much into the answers. I also had my Law & Enforcement final tomorrow. I had misread the finals schedule earlier, one of those 'blonde' moments. Mr. Kline said that the test would be half multiple choice and half essay. It was a pain having two finals back to back, but the good thing about it was that I only had one final after that. American Lit was first thing Friday morning. Thursday would be a do-nothing day since Photography and PE didn't have finals. I was worried most about the American Lit final, but I had a solid A going into the test. My Steinbeck paper had been very well received. My teacher had said that it was obvious that I was getting my work to proofread now, as there were fewer errors in my writing. I noticed that she only said that there were less errors and not that it was error-free!

I won't bore you with a test-by-test commentary, but I did pretty well on my finals on Wednesday. I scored a ninety-one on my Child Development final. I should have done better, but I thought too much on several questions and missed a few answers that I should have gotten right. I got a ninety-eight on the Law & Enforcement final! I aced the essay question, thanks to having the inside track. We had a choice of essay questions to answer, and I'd selected the one that asked for a description of the criminal trial process. Sam would be happy! I only missed two multiple guess questions. Again, reading too much into the questions got me.

After finals, most of us hung around the school and signed yearbooks. I went by Ms. B's office and handed her my book. She wrote a very long write-up in my book.

"Here you go, Erika. It's been a real pleasure watching you bloom this year."

I read her write-up in my book. It was very emotional and personal. I felt tears forming in my eyes as I read it. They were the tears of joy you get when you know that someone close to you truly loves and supports you. I put the book down and hugged Ms. B for several minutes.

"Now it's your turn." She handed me a yearbook. "I like to keep one myself for all my favorite students and especially the contestants."

I sat down and tried to express my true feelings for her. She had helped me through some of the most trying experiences in my life and helped me to grow and discover my true self. I don't know if I truly expressed my feelings, but she seemed to approve of what I wrote. We hugged again and went through some more Kleenex.

I collected a few more faculty signatures before I caught up with Cat and Laura. The plan was to go home and study for a while and then go over to the pizza place for the little signing party.

I actually did some studying. I had a low A going into the final, and I really wanted it to stay that way. I really wanted to get straight A's for the semester. I'd never done that before, and I thought it would be a great graduation gift to Mom and Sam.

Around 5:00, Cat and Laura came over, and we headed to Guido's. I'd been looking forward to this all day.

As we pulled in, we saw Caroline and Paul walking across the parking lot with Mike and Tracey. Alex and Kristen were already inside. There were some others from school there, mostly jocks, cheerleaders, and student government types.

As the 'official good luck charm' of the football team, I was in high demand by the football players. I still find that thought amusing.

I really took my time writing my responses in the books of my closest friends. Those people had been there for me through some very trying times, and I wanted to tell them how much they meant to me. I noticed that my new emotional loosening allowed me to truly express my appreciation and love for these people.

Of all the ones I had to write, Paul's write-up was the hardest. I guess you never really get over your first love. Thankfully, we were still great friends, but I thought there would always be a feeling of 'what if?' between us.

Laura's wasn't hard to write at all. The only problem I had was keeping it short and not getting too mushy.

I really took my time with Cat's write-up. I still had some feelings for her, but I knew that they'd never be acted on. What existed between us was deeper than just friendship, and I guess you could call us sisters.

Kristen did a great job in setting up the party, and she ensured that everyone got a chance at all the books.

The second half of the party consisted of us reading the write-ups in our own books. Mike's was pretty good. He said that there'd always be a ticket for me at any game he was playing in. He's kept his word too, and that's how I ended up with forty-yard line seats for the last two Super Bowls!

I won't go into all the write-ups, but let's just say that I went through my share of Kleenex that night.

The party broke up around nine, and we headed home. I felt a bit melancholy as I sat at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of tea. Mom and I were looking through the yearbook. Sam walked in and joined us; he was, of course, drinking his coffee.

"You'd feel better if you were drinking coffee!" His sly smile told me that he was trying to cheer me up.

"The concept of being totally at peace with oneself originated around a teapot," I responded with a smile.

"Where did that come from?" asked Sam.

"From a tea box," I replied.

"Ah propaganda from the tea people," stated Sam as he started to laugh.

Our little tea-coffee banter cheered me up.

"Thanks. I was just a little sad over the end of school and the splitting up of my friends."

"It's all part of life. I think that you'll stay in touch with many of your friends," remarked Mom.

"I hope so," I answered.

Sam excused himself and went back to working on the case. Mom and I sat and continued looking at my yearbook. Mom was relaxed, as her classes were over for now. She wouldn't have another class until the fall, and that suited her fine. It would be cool to be going to college with Mom. Granted, we wouldn't be in the same classes or anything like that, but still, it was neat that we'd be able to tell people we were classmates!

Thursday, as expected, was a breeze. Not having any finals was pretty cool. In Photography, we showed each other our portfolios, a fun way to spend the period. I haven't talked much about my photographic skills, but I took a ton of shots during the school year. Sam took great joy in kidding me about my purse actually being a camera bag!

My other class that day was PE. Coach Chambers had us play volleyball while she signed our yearbooks. Thankfully I'd 'studied' for the final during the Memorial Day picnic!

I went home and studied for my American Lit final. I got in several hours of good studying while sitting out on the deck in my bikini. It was such a nice day that I'd decided to study while working on my tan. I also wanted to become more at ease in my bathing suit.

Work went very fast that night. Cindy kept Mel and me very busy the whole night. We spent a lot of time working on setting up new items. Mrs. Lincoln was starting to sell the fall line. It seemed strange that it wasn't even summering yet, and yet we were selling fall clothing, but that's how the retail business works. I did get to see several of the items that I'd initially seen in NYC back in April.

Mrs. Lincoln mentioned to me that it was time for me to begin acquiring a few items with a more adult look, as there'd be more occasions in college where I'd want to present a mature and professional image. She pointed out a very stylish dark green business suit, with a slim, just-above-the-knee skirt and a smartly tailored jacket that could be worn either unbuttoned with a blouse or buttoned up without one.

"I think this would become you very nicely, my dear. It complements your hair perfectly," she stated. "What's more, it's very well made and is unlikely to go out of style. I'll put it aside for you if you like."

I tried it on and liked the suit a lot. Mel said it gave me a really classy look. I thanked Mrs. Lincoln and said I'd definitely buy it. I still have it and still get compliments whenever I wear it.

I spent a couple more hours studying before going to bed. I really wanted to do well on the final. I also thought about the senior picnic at the pool. I checked the weather on the late news, and they said it would be the nicest day of the year, sunny and warm. So much for the rain!

My American Lit final was difficult, but there was nothing unexpected. I'd correctly figured out the topics of the essay questions, and I thought I'd written good answers. Jumping ahead, I got a 90 on the final and ended up with an A in the course! I only wished that I had been that focused academically earlier in my life.

As a TA I didn't have a final for Mr. Kline's class. Instead, he put me to work grading his tests. The tests were multiple-choice, so it wasn't difficult. I got a lot of tests graded for him, and he was very grateful.

I caught up with Cat and Laura, and we drove back to my house to get ready for the pool party. Cat and Laura had no problems changing in front of me. They did pay attention to my breasts when I got undressed. I was just another girl to them.

"You're really growing out nicely," remarked Cat. "You must be up to an A cup by now."

"I know. It's amazing how well they've grown. My doctor will be very pleased when he sees me at the end of the month." I picked up my bikini top and slipped it on.

"I'm impressed now," stated Laura with a laugh.

"Your girlfriend is so oversexed!" noted Cat.

"You should know!" said Laura winking at me.

We all broke out laughing.

I did go into the bathroom to slip on my bikini bottom. I wasn't quite ready to do that in front of them.

I examined myself and saw that my maleness was sufficiently hidden. I was nervous that some idiot at the picnic would try to pull my suit down.

We finished packing up our beach bags and headed over to the pool. I expressed my fears on the way over, and Cat told me not to worry about it - it was taken care of. She didn't go into any details.

As we entered the pool area, Cat saw Kristen and Tracey, and we walked over and joined them. Of course, Alex and Mike were there as well as Caroline and Paul. I decided to get it over with and took off my shorts and t-shirt.

Alex, Mike, and Paul all stared without saying a word. Kristen smiled and broke the ice. "Don't let these Neanderthals worry you, Erika; you look great. I really love your suit!" complimented Kristen.

That brought everyone back to normal, and I soon felt at ease around them. I did notice Cat talking to Alex, and he was nodding. He got up and walked over to see some of his friends.

"Alex is putting the word out that if anyone bothers Denise, Caroline, or you, they'll have to answer to the team. I wouldn't worry about anyone pulling your suit off other than Laura." Cat smiled.

"Hey, I heard that!" laughed Laura. She was smiling at me.

It did much to ease my anxiety.

The picnic was a great time. We had the whole pool to ourselves, so we weren't bothering anyone else.

Denise showed up in a fairly normal bathing suit. I'd forgotten about all the tattoos on her body. I was still amazed that she was transgender, but looking back, I should have seen it. However, I didn't feel too bad, as she had even fooled Sherlock Cat!

The picnic lasted all afternoon and into the evening. It was a great day, and I was glad that I'd gone. The threat from Alex and the team apparently spread out to cover all the girls at the picnic since no one had their suit pulled off.

We sat there talking about the remaining events in our high school careers. Monday, we'd have graduation practice at the stadium. We'd also pick up our caps and gowns. Then that evening, we'd have our senior night award/talent show. Graduation would be at 5:00 PM Tuesday, and then the parties would begin.

Laura said that the grad night at the school would be a great party. The school, parents, and local businesses had set it up, and it was designed to provide a safe place for us. It would start at ten and would last until morning. In addition to games, music, and free food, there'd also be plenty of excellent door prizes.

My little circle of friends planned to go to a party at Alex's barn, then head over to the grad night party later on. I also thought about my upcoming dinner with Ms. B and hopefully getting answers to so many of my questions.

Early Saturday morning, I was sitting out on the deck reading the paper. Sam and Mom were still asleep. I was glad that they were resting, as Sam had been working so late this week. It was nice to have a free weekend without any plans or problems.

I was surprised at how some birds would go to the feeder and not mind me being only twenty feet away, while other species wouldn't come close. The rabbits didn't seem to mind my presence, as long as I didn't move too suddenly. The squirrels were also oblivious to me.

I was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a t-shirt. I was pleased with my tan so far. My legs were nicely tanned all over. Laura had suggested that if the weather was nice, we should go to the pool again. Judging by the weather, it seemed like it was a great idea. I decided to go for a run, so I went upstairs to change. Actually, I was hoping Sam would be up so he could join me.

I switched to my running gear. I was starting to need the sports bra now; it no longer was just part of my disguise. I went downstairs and started on my warm-up stretches. Sam came down and asked me if I wanted some company. I quickly agreed.

We stuck to the same route as we'd used the previous time.

"So, how do you feel about graduating?" asked Sam.

"Excited, scared, happy, sad - the usual range of emotions."

"Good. I'm glad to see that everything is normal."

I looked over, and he smiled at me. I loved his smile. I started to giggle a little, which can really mess up your breathing when you're running.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. So, have you and Mom decided where you're going on your honeymoon?"

"We've narrowed down our choices." We made the turn at the high school.

"Well, don't worry about me."

"Who?"

I glanced over and caught another smile.

"We know you'll be okay. Actually, we may delay the big honeymoon until next year. We're thinking of taking an Alaskan cruise next June. So, it looks like we might just take a long weekend trip to New York."

"That's cool."

"So, are you okay with the surgery?"

"A little worried."

"Just a little?"

It was my turn to smile back.

"Well, I'm glad you'll have Jill and your friends up there with you."

"I know you want to be there."

"Yes, I'd love to be able to go."

I got such a warm feeling knowing how much he cared about me.

"I know." We glanced over at each other and nodded.

"I'll be there when you have your SRS."

"Really?" I hadn't really thought about that. It was so cool that he wanted to be there.

"Sure. I wasn't there when you were born, so it'll be the next best thing."

I was speechless. Sam was likening my SRS to be being born. Maybe he was right? I was silent, thinking about it as we ran the last mile.

"Thank you. I love you, Dad." I was too choked up to say anything else.

He smiled at and me and gave me a hug. I didn't even mind the fact that we were both soaked in sweat.

Later that morning, we were all out on the deck. Mom suggested that we go out to dinner that night, just the three of us. It had been a while since we'd done something like that. Sam called in a reservation at one of his favorite restaurants. We had 7:30 reservations.

I told them that we were going to the pool and that I'd be home in plenty of time to get ready for dinner.

Laura came by with Caroline and Paul. We were soon joined by Cat and Matt, and we all piled into Laura's car. Matt had skipped the senior pool party to spend the day with Tom Bell at the police station. Sam had arranged it all.

The pool wasn't too crowded when we arrived, although they expected it to be full by mid-afternoon.

"Erika, I really appreciate your dad setting me up with the police yesterday. I learned so much. For a small town force, they are very modern. The officers I talked to give a lot of credit to your dad. They said that the DA's office insisted that they improve their processes," explained Matt.

"That's good to hear. So, when do you have to be down in Philly?"

"Wednesday. I'm looking forward to starting."

"Cat, are you going down there this summer?" asked Caroline.

"Yes, I'm heading down there sometime in late July for a week. I'll be looking for a place to stay for college, but I'll be back up here for the wedding," replied Cat.

"I can't believe we'll all be splitting apart in a few weeks," said Paul.

"I know. I've only known you guys for less than a year, but I feel like I've known you my whole life," I confessed.

"Well, Erika, that's true," replied Cat.

In so many ways, Cat was right; my life had started over when we came here. Sometimes you DO get a second chance.

The conversation ranged from grad night to our trip to NYC. Caroline was a little bummed out that she wasn't going. I told her that we'd have to go together sometime in the future.

Matt then got a brainstorm. "Hey! You know how I told you once that my family goes over to the Jersey shore for a few weeks every summer? Well, I forgot to tell you that we actually own the house at the shore. I'll check with my parents and see if we can get it sometime this summer. You could all come down and stay there. What do you think?" he asked.

We all thought it was a great idea. Cat, however, acted as the voice of reason, damn her!

"I seriously doubt if our families would allow us to be there unsupervised. They still see us as kids," reminded Cat.

"I might be able to get my aunt to come down and act as a chaperone," offered Caroline.

"Well, let's see if we can get someone to 'watch over us' first," suggested Cat. "We can ask our families tomorrow afternoon."

I hoped we could pull it off, as I missed the ocean, even if it was just the Atlantic!

Laura's parents were throwing a barbecue tomorrow, and all of our families were invited.

"Even if we can't do it this year, there's always next year," added Matt. "It will be a standing invitation."

The rest of the afternoon was very relaxing. We left around 4:30, and they dropped me off at my house. Laura said that she'd see me tomorrow and we kissed goodbye.

I went upstairs and took a long shower to wash away the smell of chlorine. I also rinsed out my suit and hung it up. My hair was getting lighter and my skin darker. My tan line was very distinct now. I stood there and looked at myself in the mirror. With the exception of my maleness, I looked like a girl. When I covered it up, there was no doubt that I was a girl. I wished that my surgery this coming week wasn't on my nose but the 'nip & tuck' on my maleness.

I grabbed a short nap before getting ready for dinner. I decided that I'd wear my black sleeveless dress. Mrs. Lincoln said that it was appropriate for all occasions. I wore a pair of gold hoop earrings and a plain gold chain. Simple but elegant, as Mrs. Lincoln said.

I went downstairs and joined Sam and Mom. They were both very impressed.

"Oh, honey! You look lovely," exclaimed Mom.

Sam stood there and smiled and nodded his head in approval. "Very nice, Erika."

We had a wonderful evening together. It was fun seeing the heads turn as we walked in. Sam was very well known in the community, and many were glad to see that he was settling down. Mom enjoyed the attention too. I was so happy that they were a couple. I was also proud to be their daughter.

Sam pointed out several lawyers and politicians in the room. Then I saw someone who I wasn't happy to see - Martin Turner. He walked over to our table. Actually, a better description would be that he staggered over to our table.

"Hi Sham, how're you this evening?" slurred Martin Turner. He obviously had been drinking. He stood between Mom and Sam.

"Good evening, Martin; I'm well, thank you. I believe you know Jill and Erika," replied Sam.

"Yes, of course. Congratulations on the engagement, Jill," he stated. He was very loud, and people were staring at him. "How are you this evening, Erika?" I could smell the alcohol on him as he leaned over to speak to me.

Mom just sat there seething.

"I'm fine, thank you. I see you correctly remembered my name this evening," I replied. I was trying really, really hard to be pleasant. But my eyes gave away my true feelings. I also felt Mom gently kick me under the table.

"Well, I see that she still holds a grudge! ... Sham, you should teach her some manners and teach her that I wash only doing my job. There's no reason to take what I said in court so seriously." He was having trouble standing steady, and he had to use the table to steady himself.

"I'd love to continue this, but your presence is upsetting my family, so why don't you leave?" asked Sam. He then smiled at Martin Turner. Then speaking softly yet firmly, "If you stay, I can't guarantee your safety."

"Ohhh... your family! Some family! You know, I could take what you just said as a threat!" shouted Martin Turner, slurring his words. "Well... I can tell where I'm not wanted!"

With that, he turned to walk away, but he tripped and fell flat on his face, taking down a serving cart of food with him. The staff immediately rushed over to help him up and assist him out of the restaurant. There was some applause as he was escorted out.

Sam was struggling to hold in his laughter. Mom was sitting there as if nothing had happened and went back to eating her dinner. I was happy that Martin Turner had left and that he'd made a public spectacle of himself, but I had the feeling that I'd missed something.

When we left, there were all sorts of smiles, winks, and thumbs up to us. Apparently, Martin Turner wasn't much liked by anyone in the community.

I noticed Mom and Sam giving each other looks.

"So, what happened back there?" I asked.

Sam started laughing. "Martin didn't fall on his own; your mother tripped him as he turned to leave!"

"Really? That's so cool, Mom!" I broke out in a huge smile.

"I don't know what Sam's talking about," proclaimed Mom, all innocent.

Sam and I looked at her and began to laugh.

Mom couldn't keep her face straight, and she soon was laughing too. "I'm sorry, but that SOB had it coming!"

It might have been wrong, but we laughed the whole way home.

Sunday was my last day at work for a while. I was called back into Mrs. Lincoln's office for a little talk. Mrs. Lincoln said that my return date would be a group decision.

"This will be more painful than you may imagine, Erika, and I'd rather you take some time off and then come back at 100%," suggested Mrs. Lincoln.

"I understand." Hey, it was better to agree than argue a point I had absolutely no chance of winning.

"Good. I'm pleased to see that you know what battles to fight and when to concede defeat. Trust me, young lady, I am only concerned about your well-being," replied Mrs. Lincoln. She had a slight smile on her face.

I was beginning to wonder if she could read my mind! "I know that. I'd like to say something to you; I really appreciate everything you've done for me this year. I've learned that just because someone is related to you that doesn't mean that they care about you. I've also learned that total strangers can one day become closer than you could ever imagine. I feel that way with my dad, and I feel that way about you. I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I see you as my grandmother." I hoped that she didn't take this as an insult. I hoped that my words were adequate.

"That's a very lovely thought. I am very fond of you too. When Nancy initially brought you to my attention, I saw something in you that was special. You will accomplish some wonderful things in your life. I like to say that what I'm doing is giving you guidance and a jumpstart. The rest is up to you. As for you thinking of me as a grandmother figure, I guess that's acceptable, although I don't see myself as the right age quite yet." She actually laughed slightly!

There were things I wanted to ask her about but knew not to ask. I was content to be given some more insight into everything that had happened this past year. "Thank you, Mrs. Lincoln." I could tell that she was moved by my confession.

"Now, I understand Anthony will be picking you and your entourage up on Thursday morning. You must have made quite an impression on him, as he insisted on personally driving you to and from the city. Here is my cell phone number. If you have any problems, you are to call me immediately."

"I will. I smiled. I liked the way she made her help 'an order'; any other way would have been out of character. Thank you again."

After we closed, Cindy and Mel called me to the back room.

"I have a little gift for you in honor of your impending surgery," announced Mel as she handed me a wrapped box.

I took the gift and unwrapped it; inside was a Mrs. Potato Head toy. We all broke out laughing. "Thank you so much."

"I figured that it might help you select your nose," Mel informed me.

"I'm glad you didn't say 'pick my nose,'" I quipped. That caused another round of laughter.

"On the more serious side, we'd like to give you this as a graduation present," added Cindy. She handed me a small box.

I opened it and found it contained a pair of diamond stud earrings. I was overwhelmed by their generosity.

"They're beautiful, but you shouldn't have." I could feel my eyes tearing up.

"Don't worry about it; we used our mall employee discount," Cindy replied with a smile on her face.

"Thank you very much!" We all hugged. I immediately changed my earrings. They did look lovely. "So, what do you think?" I stood there modeling their gift.

"Very nice, Erika," replied Cindy. Mel stood there nodding in agreement. Both of them were smiling.

"I really don't deserve friends like you two!"

"That's true, but you're getting there," smiled Mel. We hugged again.

I asked if they wanted anything from NYC. Cindy joked that a cheesecake would be nice. I told them I'd see what I could do. I couldn't wait until I could start working again. I'd miss working with them.

I got home, and Mom and Sam were both very impressed with my earrings. I also showed them my Mrs. Potato Head which they both thoughts was hysterically funny.

"We're heading over to Laura's house in a half an hour, so you have time to change," reminded Mom.

I changed into a floral skirt and a matching cotton top. Naturally, I was wearing sandals! I kept my new earrings in to show Laura and Cat.

I was glad that Laura's parents had become friendly with Mom and Sam. I also liked the fact that they were becoming more accepting of Laura being out. I still felt Laura's mom wasn't sure of me yet.

We brought a huge tossed salad to the party. Mom had made her 'secret recipe' salad dressing that had always been my favorite. It was like a vinaigrette but made with fresh-squeezed orange juice and just a hint of garlic.

The Adams had invited nearly twenty people for the barbecue. I was pleased to see Paul and his parents. Caroline was with them, along with her aunt. Apparently, her parents were still working out their issues with her. It was their loss because Caroline was such a great person. Apparently, the groundwork I had laid with Paul's parents had carried over with Caroline. Paul told me that she'd become one of the family.

Paul's parents saw me and greeted me warmly. "How have you been, Erika?" asked Paul's father.

"I'm doing well, Mr. Brady, thanks for asking." I then received a hug from Mrs. Brady.

"Paul told us that you're going to New York this week for surgery. I want to give you our best wishes," Mrs. Brady replied.

"Thank you, that means a lot!" I responded.

I slowly made my way through the adults, then eventually escaped and joined my friends out in the backyard.

"Hey, she made it through the gauntlet!" announced Laura, who came over and gave me a kiss.

"I don't mind that much; it does show that they accept me," I replied.

"Oooh, new earrings! When did you get those?" asked Cat.

I went on to tell them about the gifts from Cindy and Mel.

"Damn! I wish I'd thought of the Mrs. Potato Head!" stated Paul.

"There, there, Paul," comforted Caroline, "you can't be the only one in town with an immature sense of humor."

We all started laughing. It felt very good to just hang out with friends and not worry about the future.

"Where's Matt?" asked Laura.

"He's talking to Sam. He's getting some contacts in the Philly PD," answered Cat.

We talked about bringing up the idea of the trip to the shore later on. Cat said that Matt's family had said that we could use the house the week before Labor Day. That worked well for everyone's schedule. It was after the wedding and two weeks before Cat's classes started. She had the earliest starting classes. Caroline's aunt Kathy said that she'd be able to chaperone us. She was twenty-six, and she worked at the same computer company as Mom and Terri in a different department. Kathy was a programmer, but she knew both Terri and Mom.

We decided to present the idea all at once and go for a consolidated attack, hoping to win them over before they could plan a coordinated defense.

Matt came over and joined in our discussion. He said that the house had four large bedrooms and was within walking distance of the beach.

We continued our planning and worked up answers to their possible objections. After dinner, when everyone was relaxed, we sprung it on them.

We let Cat be our spokesperson, and she did a pretty good job. At least no one was totally against the idea. Sam and Mom didn't see a problem, as long as Kathy was with us. Terri also had no problems with the idea. She vouched for Kathy to the other parents. Paul's father had a few questions, but he then went along with those voting for the trip. Paul's mom thought it would be a wonderful time. Laura's mom wanted to know the sleeping accommodations, but when she heard that the couples would all be separated, she reluctantly agreed. Mr. Adams had no problem with the idea and said that he totally trusted Laura and me.

I think we were a bit disappointed that we didn't have a chance to use all our well-worked-out arguments in favor of the trip. We were startled to see that our families were beginning to see us as adults.

We thanked them all, and then we left them to go and start the planning.

"Well, that caught me off guard!" exclaimed Paul.

"Yes, just when you think you've got them figured out, they go and surprise you!" added Laura.

That brought on some more laughing. We spent the next hour talking about the week. It would be a nice way to end the summer.

"By the way, Kristen asked me to remind you guys about breakfast tomorrow. She's getting a bunch of us together at the pancake house before graduation practice," said Cat.

"Sounds good, what time?" asked Paul.

"She wants us there around 8:30," added Cat.

We all agreed to go. Graduation practice started at 10:00 and was supposed to be over by noon. The award night wasn't supposed to start until 5:00. Laura whispered to me that we could make up for lost time this past weekend!

Breakfast was a blast. Fortunately, the breakfast rush was over by the time we got there, and they were a bit more tolerant of a large, loud group of high school students than they might have been if we'd gotten there earlier.

I was developing a little problem, a nice one, but a problem nevertheless. My breasts had grown to the point where my bras were a bit too small when I also used my boob pads. However, my bras were still too big and loose without them. I was showing cleavage for the first time in my life! Laura and Cat found this very amusing and told me that at the rate I was growing, I could ditch the pads soon.

I had to admit that I did like the looks and the attention that I was receiving. It also made me feel more secure, knowing that it made me look more like a natural-born female.

One of the nice things about going to breakfast with our group was that no food went to waste. Alex and Mike were training heavily and had huge appetites. They ate everyone's leftovers. Kristen joked that it was better than having a dog.

I was looking forward to going to some of their games this year. Sam was a big football fan, and between us, we were working on Mom to join us on some road trips to see some games. If she didn't want to go to the games, that was fine, but we at least wanted her to join us on the trip down to state. She said she'd think about it.

The practice was organized confusion at best. We would be going up in alphabetical order. I'd be one of the last ones to get their diploma. Our graduating class would be right around 600 students. The exact number wasn't out yet, as a few students' grades were still in question. Cat had just missed out on being the class valedictorian. She didn't mind, as she didn't want to give a speech anyway. Laura, being class president, would have to make a speech, and she was looking forward to it. Laura was born to be a politician, and she loved being in the spotlight.

After the practice, we went to pick up our caps and gowns. The school had shifted to basic black a few years ago. The tassel was in the school's colors, a mixture of silver and red threads with our class year on it. We were told not to mark our outfits in any way unless we wanted to pay for them. Thankfully, they'd all been pressed by volunteers, so we wouldn't have to worry about that. I thought it was ironic that the gown was a unisex garment.

After dropping Cat off, Laura and I went into my house and went upstairs to my room. At least she waited until I hung up my gown before pulling me to the bed! She unbuttoned my top and slipped it off. My bra and boob pads soon joined it on the floor. Laura then slowly removed her top and bra. She then pulled me close, and we began to kiss. I felt her hand on my nipples, gently rubbing and massaging them. The sensation drove me crazy, and I returned the favor. She then slipped down and began to kiss and lick my nipples. I was on my back, and she was lying next to me, her tongue flicking at my very hard and erect nipples. The sensations of pleasure she produced in me drove deep down into my body, causing me to tremble in excitement. She seemed to know exactly how fast and where to touch and lick to drive me wild.

She then guided my head down to her breasts, and I repeated the moves that she'd just taught me. I learned that gentle works better than hard, and that pleasure didn't need to be fast.

She then slowly brought me back down, and then we lay together in each other's arms. I felt so relaxed after coming down from the high she'd given me.

"How was that, my love?" she whispered in my ear.

"Incredible. I never knew it could feel like that," I responded. I cuddled up closer to her.

"That was just the next step. I have so much to teach you."

We just lay there for a long time, holding on to each other. It was a very sharing moment, and it didn't need conversation or questions. Laura was exposing me to another side of my growing femininity.

"You made the right decision, Erika; you really are a girl," announced Laura as she got dressed. "Your responses are so feminine."

"Thanks. It all feels so natural."

"So, no desire to pull out your maleness?"

I picked up a pillow and threw it at her, which started a five-minute pillow fight that left us laughing hysterically on my bed.

Laura needed to go home to change before senior night. She said that she'd come by around 4:30 to pick up Cat and me. We kissed goodbye, and I watched her drive off.