Out of the Rabbit Hole

Chapter 2

"How was therapy Andy?"

My dad digs into his coleslaw then wipes his mouth for an answer.

"Fine."

"Oh." I see that he is expecting more but it was just fine. There's nothing interesting to tell to them, only that I have three more sessions left. Mandy snickers, making us all look in wonder. She's smiling down at her lap. See, no good at hiding.

"Mandy, put the phone away now." Mom demands, making a point that she is losing her patience.

She's not one who likes to be disobeyed. Dad is softer on us though. The time Mandy came home drunk off her ass, late in the night, she was lucky that dad was the one who got up. Mom would have locked her up in her room and buried her phone in the backyard again. Mandy huffs but complies anyways.

" So dweeb, are you finally happy with being a drag queen?" Mandy pops a piece of steak in her mouth and chews obnoxiously, staring at me with a smirk.

"Mandy don't say that to your brother, I mean sister. " Dad tries to stand up for me but he's already lost. It's fine I mean Mandy always does this to me.

It's hard on dad, since he always wanted a son that he could mold to be like him. A head strong dentist ready to tackle any cavity.

" May I be excused?" I stand up, take my plate, and head to my room.

" Why can't you be that lady-like Mandy?" I hear mom say from downstairs. There's a screech of chair legs and a smash of Mandy's dish in the sink.

She hates to be compared to me, a confused little boy-girl.I feel flattered but it's awkward considering she was originally what I want to be. I decide to complete my homework tonight. It's only Pre-Cal and Chemistry work that needs to be finished, so I plop down in my computer chair. Usually I'd do it while waiting for therapy, but I wanted to listen to some Robby Hunter instead.

When I get about twenty minutes into my homework, my house phone starts buzzing from my bed. I walk to it and watch the caller ID flash CECIL in bright blue.

"Hello?"

"Hey Andy, it's me."

"I know."

"Don't sound too happy about it." He laughs lightly.

"I'm doing homework so not necessarily."

Cecil is one of my closest friends and has been since we were floating in our mothers' wombs. He's tall, handsome, and very nice to me. He also accepts the fact that I'm supposed to be female. Cecil always knew I had a strange fascination with dressing up and acting like my sister. And he's fine with me liking men, because he knows that I wouldn't go for him. Not that he's bad looking or anything, but it would be like hooking up with your brother.

"I see, so that's why you're talking more than usual. I could just get by with a simple 'hello' then 'bye', when I talk to you."

I walk back to my desk and finish my homework. Cecil talks on as I come to an end and through me getting ready for bed.

"Cecil?"

"Yeah."

"I'm tired so I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning okay?" I climb into my bed, nestling in the floral print cover.

"Fine. Goodnight Andy."

"Goodnight." With that we hang up and I fall asleep in no time.

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"Bye Andy! I can't pick you up today and your father has to work late! Ask Mandy or Cecil okay?!" Mom shouts from the metal chair she sits in as she drinks her tea.

I nod and wave to her, then walk down the street to wait for Cecil to come. He pulls up in his black Range Rover his dad got him for Christmas two years ago. His family's rich so this was nothing. I hop in and we speed out my neighborhood. Mandy catches a ride with her boyfriend Jake, so we don't worry about her. We both have our licenses yet we can't decide on a car together and dad won't let us use his.

"So did you finish the work?"

"Hmm?" I look at Cecil. His hair is a little flattened on one side and he skipped a button on his school shirt.

"That homework you so badly thought was more important than me." He smiles and reaches for the radio station. Opera blares from the speakers. He loves listening to this kind of music, says it helps him think. What it does is give people a headache.

"Finished."

"Good, good." It stays silent for a few songs, then Cecil speaks again. " I like your headband."

I think back to what I picked; a black head band with a bright burgundy bow, the color of my uniform skirt.

"Thank you, it's Mandy's." I squeak out to him. I feel happy that he asked about it, took me a lot of begging to get it from her.

"Yeah, well it fits you now that you look more like a female then a man in drag.You know, since you got the surgery." Cecil tries not to offend me by the comment, but it makes me smile.

It's true, I look like a girl more than ever. I would go to school with a skirt on, and get sideways glances but with my breast, it's not so much an issue. I still get looks from the people before the surgery, because I'd stuff my bra. I've lost friends from the change, but I still have Cecil and my family to support me, so it doesn't matter to me. Plus no one at school is really my friend, but Cecil.

"You're right."

"Any guy would want to date you, you're very beautiful Andy." My face heats from the embarrassment of his words and the awesome reality that I may just be pretty. I silently take it in,sitting back until we get to school.

________________________________________

I get weird glances from some people as I walk away from my locker, and head to homeroom. Cecil left me as soon as we got in the building, saying that the coach asked him yesterday to clean the Lacrosse gear for the team. He's the captain so he has to help out a lot.

I walk into homeroom and sit in a seat towards the back like always. I take out a book and quietly read until class starts. I over hear some girls talking about me and giving conspicuous stares my way.

This always happens.

"Okay class settle down. We have a new student joining us." I continue reading but I feel the amazement from the class radiating.

"But it's the middle of the year!" A guy shouts out, receiving a round of laughs from everyone.

"Yes we know Mr. James so please don't speak out again. He's moved here from Michigan, but he lived here before. Isn't that right Mr. Reynolds?"

I ruffle my bangs then focus back on my book.

"Um yeah that's right." A deep voice sounds off my ears.

" Would you care to introduce yourself to the class?"

"Uh well hi, I'm Simon Reynolds and I like all things you." Girls squeak and the guys boo him for his horrible pass.

That's when I look up to this Simon guy and realize it's the same guy.

That same cute boy who complimented me on a headband in third grade.

A/N

There's a picture of Cecil.