Chapter 23 : Questions

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On the Monday after the Halloween party, school had been in session for a full eight weeks. Angelo was finally becoming more comfortable with his classes and his schoolmates.

He wanted to return to school as a girl that day, but his foster mom explained how she thought he should wait until he returned to school following the summer. She finally relented and told him if he insisted, she would allow him to do so following Christmas break.

Mary Elizabeth did tell Angelo that he could start acting more feminine and wearing more unisex clothing in order to soften the blow when he does show up as a girl.

In the weeks to follow, the fact that he was becoming an increasing feminine-acting boy seemed to pass without notice for most students. After all, he and Eric seemed to be getting along fine with being among the few kids that thought of them as "sissies" or "faggots" or "fairies." And the other kids, well, they accepted it without question.

The Arts School was also known for being safer for boys like Angelo and Eric because it didn't have the bigger bullies that populated the mainstream schools.

Of all his classes, Angelo enjoyed ballet class the most, even though it was physically exhausting. He had never been a strong or active boy, but as the school year continued he found he was able to keep up with the girls.

The group was now beginning rehearsals to perform several dances at the school's Christmas program, including several scenes from the "Nutcracker Suite."

Angelo and Eric were to dance as girls and the other girls in the class completely accepted their presence without comment.

By now the two boys were being called, in dance class, by the girl's names they adopted, "Angela" and "Erin." The one exception continuing to be Crystal who would occasionally scowl at Angelo or Eric as they performed.

After class on Monday, Cecilie, who was perhaps Angelo's closest friend in the class, told him, "I feel like you should use the name, Angelica. That sounds just like you and you are such an angel. It would fit you perfectly."

Angelo smiled, "I like that name."

"You're so feminine, and the name is so pretty. You'll be Angelica from now on, in ballet class."

"Cecilie, it's nice of you to think of me as another girl."

"You seem to enjoy being a girl, don't you?"

"Cecilie, to be truthful, I do. You think I'm kind of weird, eh?"

"Not really, Angelica," she said, using his new feminine name. "It seems to be so natural with you. There's nothing masculine about you at all."

"Thank you, Cecilie. You are so understanding."

As the two walked to the cafeteria for their lunch, Angelo spotted Jason standing in the hallway, as if he were waiting for someone.

"I want to talk with you," Jason said firmly, pointing at Angelo.

A pang of fear coursed through Angelo's soul as he feared that Jason might have finally realized that Angelo and the girl in the mall and at the Halloween Party were one and the same. What else could he possibly want, Angelo thought.

"I'll go on ahead," Cecilie said. "See you two at the lunch table."

Jason put his hands on Angelo's arm and led him to a janitor's closet.

Once inside, he began, "Now, I want some answers. What are you? A boy, or a girl?"

Angelo's lips quivered. "Ah . . . what do you mean? I . . . er . . . er . . . am a boy, of course."

"Yeah? Maybe so, but you're also the girl I met in the mall and the girl at the dance, Cinderella. You are, aren't you?"

Angelo turned his head and attempted to walk out of the closet, away from Jason, but his firm grasp on Angelo's arm made that impossible.

Angelo still didn't answer.

"You are that girl," Jason persisted.

"I'm a boy," Angelo replied quietly.

Jason was growing exasperated and squeezed Angelo's slender arm harder.

"You know I have thought of no one but you since we first met in the mall. Angela is just about the prettiest girl I've ever met. Her, err, your eyes are just mesmerizing. I fell for Angela and the whole time it was you and you were deceiving me?"

"Jason, but Marie's your girlfriend," Angelo said, referring to their lunch mate.

"Yeah, she's nice but she's just a friend. That's all," Jason said, tears beginning to form. "It's Angela I think about constantly, but now I . . . I'm confused. Ha-have I fallen in love with a boy?"

Jason's eyes were flowing with tears now.

"Jason,  I'm a boy. I don't know who Angela is," Angelo said, trying to deny being Angela. "You're wrong. You're wrong for thinking I'm Angela and wrong to string Marie along if you have feelings for someone else . . . We better get to lunch, Jason, and you need to tell Marie about Angela. It's not fair to her."

Jason seemed to regain his composure. He smiled and replied," Okay Angelo, you may deny it now, but I think I'm right. Well, I hope so, cause if not, I just made a fool of myself."

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