The fact that Kyle looked so much more alive and animated as a girl convinced him that this was the only true avenue open to them. How best to follow that avenue was now the primary concern.
“Kyle, how would you like us to call you?” he asked.
Kyle smiled, and Jake’s heart hurt a little as he took in exactly how pretty a girl he appeared to be.
“I don’t care. I’m so overwhelmed at the moment, I’m just happy with whatever you feel appropriate.”
“I am assuming that you will be spending time as each gender, until things get more settled. I don’t know if I like Kylie, it’s not a name I’d choose for a daughter, so when you are like this, would you mind if I called you Kayla?”
Kayla shook ‘her’ head and smiled again.
“As far as school is concerned, you go as Kyle, clear?”
“Yes Dad.”
“At home, if you want to spend time like this, that’s fine. But, after we tell your brothers, and the rest of the family. I do not want anyone getting a shock by walking in and being faced with a girl without prior warning. We have to be prepared for different reactions from folk, so we tread carefully and gently, okay?”
Kayla smiled, and it was such a warm smile, Jake felt tears sting his eyes.
“Oh, you are too damn pretty to have ever been a boy!” he said.
Kyle slept better that night than at any time within recent times.
4.
“Hi Kayla.”
“Sally, shh!” Kyle said, looking around furtively.
“Oh, no one’s around. How are you today?”
Kyle smiled, and Sally thought she could see the girl within.
“Brilliant. Or I will be once all this pretending is over. My parents are happy for me to be Kayla most of the time at home. I just have to be Kyle at school and with family until everyone has been told.”
They walked into school together. Sally noticed that Kyle still kept his scruffy look, but no longer looked quite so miserable.
“Are you free this afternoon?” she asked.
Kyle grinned and nodded.
“I can’t afford to go shopping, though. I owe you forty odd quid anyway.”
“I thought we could go out to a film, and then grab something to eat. How does that grab you?”
“Fine, where?”
“Oxford again, okay?”
Kyle just grinned.
He nodded and went off to his class.
Sally smiled, only now she had to find a way to get a partner for the ball, and one for her friend Kayla.
Kyle was in a better mood than he had been for some time, and nearly everyone he came across noted something different in the lad. The art teacher was delighted, as he managed to produce a wonderfully cheerful piece of work. Compared to the dark and rather gloomy offerings he normally produced, the ballerina was a delight in colour and grace.
Inside, he was really excited. The prospect of being Kayla again was almost too much for him to bear. He had worked through his guilt with his parents, and recognised that he must be so careful not to bring scandal on either himself or the family. He knew enough that society was unforgiving towards those who were different.
The two ‘girls’ stepped off the bus in the centre of Oxford at one thirty. To a casual observer, the taller blonde had a more confident smile and seemed to have an extra spring in her step compared to the previous day.
They went to the Nosebag, a trendy little restaurant/coffee shop that catered for busy people on the move, ordering a light lunch with cappuccinos.
“Are you okay?” Sally asked and was rewarded with a huge grin.
“So, shopping or a film?” she asked.
“I don’t have any spare cash, not if I owe you for you know what.”
“Okay, then a movie. Any preference?”
Kyle shook his head. He was just so content being Kayla he wasn’t bothered. Every minute he was accepted without question by the world around him, increased his confidence and sense of belonging.
Sally was quite surprised at the differences just in twenty-four hours. Kayla was relaxed and smiled nearly all the time, and spent too long admiring her reflection in every shop window. All ‘her’ mannerisms were completely natural and feminine. So much so, Sally had enormous difficulty remembering that Kyle was under there, somewhere.
They ate their meal, chatting in the manner teenage girls chat the world over. Certainly, no one ever suspected that the tall pretty blonde girl was anything other than what she appeared.
After lunch, they walked the short distance to the cinema. Just as they were entering, they heard a shout.
“Sally!”
They turned and Kyle’s heart sank. It was Roger and Pete. There were three other lads with them, Kyle didn’t know them, but was aware they went to his school.
“Hi, fancy seeing you here. What are you going to see?” Pete asked.
“Not sure. I just needed a break from assignments,” Sally said.
Kyle was pretending he was invisible. When you appear to be an attractive blonde girl, over five foot nine, wearing a short skirt and high heels, it is not an easy thing to do. Particularly when surrounded by five young men all straining to see what you look like!
“Who’s this?” Pete asked.
Kyle smiled, shyly.
“This is a friend. She’s over here from Sweden and I’m looking after her for the day. Her name’s Kayla Olsen.”
(Shit Sally, do not go there, that bloody accent!) Kyle thought, and smiled again.
“Well, hi Kayla. That is one beautiful name!” said Roger, holding out his hand.
Kyle smiled and took his hand.
“A beautiful name for a beautiful girl,” said Pete, almost knocking Roger out of the way to shake ‘her’ hand next.
“I’m Peter Groves, but everyone calls me Pete,” he said, shaking ‘her’ hand. He retained it for rather too long, Kyle thought.
“I yam plized to meet you,” Kyle stammered, staring daggers at Sally.
“Woah! That is one gorgeous accent you have. Are you over here long?”
“Pliz?” Kyle asked, pretending to speak less English, in the hope they’d bugger off and leave them alone.
Pete repeated the question slowly and as if, she were deaf.
‘She’ shook her head.
“No. I tink, I go back to Sweden soon,” Kyle replied, making his voice melodic as well.
“That’s a great shame. Well, shall we go in?” he said, making no effort to introduce the others to the girls.
They ended up paying to see the third Matrix film, and somehow Pete contrived to sit beside ‘Kayla’.
To give him his due, he did not try anything, but was attentive and even explained the dialogue when he felt that the Scandinavian girl might have difficulty following it.
Sally, sitting on the other side of Kyle, was trying hard not to laugh. She found it really funny that Pete was taking so much trouble to chat up another boy!
The movie ended and they all left the cinema together. It was half past five, so the rush hour was well under way.
“What are you two up to now?” Pete asked, standing very close to the tall Swedish girl. He was still taller than she was, yet he liked the way she held herself. This was a girl he’d love to be seen with.
“I don’t know. Kayla, do you want to do some shopping? There are still some shops open,” Sally asked.
“Ja, if you want,” Kyle said, hoping that the boys would run a mile rather than go shopping with two girls.
“Hey, cool. Can we come along?” Pete asked.
The three strangers decided not to and that left Pete and Roger with the ‘girls’.
“Maybe, we better go home?” ‘Kayla’ said.
“Okay. We can come again another day,” Sally said, understanding her friend’s concerns.