This Is Me

Chapter 3

Italic means flashback

I stare at her in shock, "You want me to do what?" "I just wanted you to give me some pointers" Lea said. "No offense but we have been going to the same school for years and you're just now talking to me" I say, "Why don't you just ask Bob and Jalen to help you?" "Because they are helping Cherri train" Lea says, "Please Osiris." "I'm sure you can find someone else to help you" I reply walking to my next class. "But you're the best" Lea says, "Come on." "Fine" I say annoyed, "Meet me in the gym after school." "Thank you so much" Lea says smiling hugging me before walking off. Why now and why me?

Freshman year I was the new kid at Cliffmont High along with my two sisters and I was nervous. More than just the normal first day, new kid on the street nervous. You see during the summer I had both top and bottom surgery. I had already been taking T-shots for a few years and surgery was the next step. My parents had decided to help the transition run smoother and less chance of being outed and/or bullied, they would transfer me to a new school where no one knew me and I didn't know anyone.

The only people I knew were my sister's Kali who was a freshman like me and Artemis who was a sophomore. Freshman year was honestly uneventful, which I was fine with because I didn't want people finding out I was trans and just wanted them to get to know me as me. I joined the basketball team and even though I was the best player, I wasn't very popular because everyone thought I was weird for one reason or another. My sisters befriended two girls, Zoey and Sofia on the first day of school. Artemis and Sofia became official a week later when Artemis asked Sofia to be her girlfriend.

It took a month for Kali and Zoey to become official because they were scared to ask each other and ruin the friendship. Zoey was the one to make the first move and ask Kali to be her girlfriend. I met Waylon at a party that Zoey threw on prom night for the younger students of Cliffmont High. They told me that prom was only for juniors and seniors but I knew they weren't going because I was single and didn't have a date or any friends I could go with. And they also didn't want me to be a fifth wheel. Zoey and Kali were playing beer pong and wanted to play against me but Artemis and Sofia were nowhere to be seen so Kali grabbed a random guy from the crowd. The rest was history.

Zoey, Sofia, and Waylon found out during summer while we were all hanging out one day that I was trans. Waylon said that it didn't change anything. Zoey and Sofia said they didn't care and were glad I was being true to myself. That summer I also met my sister's boyfriend Derek for the first time who already knew because Helen wasn't going to get in a serious relationship with someone if he didn't accept me. Derek was just excited to get a brother because he always wanted one. When he found out I played basketball, he took me outside and gave me some points and tips.

Sophomore year had started the same as my freshman year with the exception that along with my sisters I also had Zoey, Sofia, and Waylon. It was a couple of months into the year when I first met her Lea Richards, the most popular girl in my year. Which I thought was a little weird because we had been going to school together for a year, but I still agreed for some reason. I was walking to lunch with Kali, Zoey, Waylon, Artemis, and Sofia, "So Lea approached me today and me to give her some pointers for when she plays Cherri." "Oh yeah" Sofia says, "I heard about that."

"Why didn't she just ask one of the guys from the team that she talk with to help her" Artemis asks. "Cuz apparently Bob and Jalen are helping Cherri practice" I say, "And I'm the best player." "So why did you agree" Kali asks, "It took her over a year to talk to you." "She wouldn't leave me alone" I say, "And I figure the quicker I agree, the quicker we will go back to a world where I don't exist." "So when are you meeting up with her" Zoey asks. "After school in the gym" I say.

For the next week I taught Lea the basics and trained with her. The day of the pick up game, I found Lea waiting by my locker. "What are you doing here" I ask. "I just wanted to thank you for helping me" Lea says, "And make sure you're coming to the game." "No problem and no" I say opening my locker. "Why not" Lea asks. "Because I could care less" I say. "Come on" Lea says, "You just spent the last week training me." "Still don't care" I say. "Please" Lea asks. "Why do you care if I'm there or not" I ask closing my locker and looking at her. "What" Lea asks. "It took you over a year to talk to me" I say, "But I know you're always hanging out with the team, especially Bob and Jalen."

"Well neither did you" Lea says. "Because I'm content with the friends I have" I say, "I'd rather have a few true friends than a hundred fake friends." "Will you just come" Lea asks. "No" I say walking off, "But good luck." Later that day when I'm walking to the cafeteria for lunch, I feel an arm over my shoulder guiding me somewhere. I look up and see Bob and Jalen. "Osiris right" Jalen asks. "Yes" I say, "Where are you taking me? Do we have a mandatory meeting or practice I didn't hear about?" "I'm Bob" Bob says, "And that's Jalen." "I know" I say, "We are all on the team." "We were just bringing you to the game" Jalen says as we enter the gym.

"You made it" Lea says. "I didn't really have a choice" I say. I claim a seat by Zoey. "I thought you weren't coming" Zoey says. "I wasn't" I say. I ignore the game and end up talking with Zoey the whole time. The next thing I know is that I feel arms wrap around me. "So how was I" Lea asks. "You were great" I say. "I couldn't have won without you" Lea says, "Let's go out and celebrate."

Thanks for reading.  Sorry for the long wait for an update.  What did you think?  What do you think will happen next?  What do you want to happen next?  As always votes and comments are appreciated.