It Will All Work Out (Intersex gxg)

Chapter 15

I kept to my plan and wore the dress on the first day of school. I only had two pairs of shoes for school, and as I slipped on my black converse to go with the dress, I realized I was going to need to replace them soon, as they were getting a little tight in the toes too. I just sighed and added it to the list of things I'd need to buy with upcoming paychecks. with that done, I was about as ready as I could be for my first day of High School.

I'd gotten up early and done the whole shower routine. I had stuck to my recent habit of using all the bubblegum scented items, if only because that was all I had in the shower now and I needed to use them all up. I packed myself a simple turkey sandwich for lunch, and then headed to the bus stop, which was between my street and Shay's and serviced the houses from both of them. I'd completely forgotten that until I turned the corner towards it and saw Shay standing down at the stop with a couple of other kids that I didn't know. My heart sank at the sight of her, and yet I was happy to see her standing on her own, with no sign of Nicky, Lynn or Leigh.

I took my time getting to the bus stop, and I could see her looking at me the entire time. I stopped maybe ten feet from her, and then turned to face the street. The other kids were older, probably juniors like Shay, or seniors that didn't have cars. I heard pebbles on the sidewalk crunch a little as footsteps approached, and I knew it was Shay without having to look. She had had dressed in some loose fit stonewashed jeans and a nice button down black shirt with a pair of high top blue converse. No, I hadn't looked when I was walking to the stop. Much. Damnit. But my nose worked too, and I could smell a lovely spicy cologne that made me want to bury my face in her neck and take a deep breath of it.

"Hey, princess," she said softly.

"No," I replied instantly. "Don't call me that. I'm just Amber." I didn't look back at her, because I was afraid that I'd see hurt in her eyes, and I was already struggling just seeing her again. But I'd gone through that myself, and I didn't need her sweet nicknames getting me to fall for her again.

"Please? Princess, just talk to me. I'm so sorry, you have no idea."

This time I did turn to her. "I said don't call me that!" I hissed. "Before you left me alone in your pool the other night, I wanted desperately to be your princess. But if you're just trying to use that to be cute or something, then stop. Don't give me a title like that if you have no intention of having me be it. Amber is perfectly fine." As soon as I was done talking, I whirled around and looked back out at the street.

"I really am sorry. I wish things were different, I wish I could have said everything I wanted to and made you happy. I want to, but I'm... I'm scared to fuck everything up. I guess I already did that though." She was silent for a moment, and I didn't reply. I wasn't sure what to even say to that. She did what she did and said what she said. "The dress really looks beautiful on you," she finally added.

"Thank you. And thank you again for the prints. I don't know what I'll do with them yet, but they're gorgeous." Like her,  I wanted to get a nice frame for them while I was in my own place, but not in my current house, and I really couldn't afford to do that right now even if I wanted to.

She was silent for a bit, then I heard her move closer until she spoke in a whisper. "Can I ask a favor?"

I turned my head towards her and could see her lovely blue eyes downcast. I was afraid to say yes, but she was looking so vulnerable right now that I did anyway. "What do you need?"

She looked back up at me and gave me a small smile. "Hang onto those prints for me. Someday, I want you to help me hang them."

I didn't know what to say to that. "So, I'm just a caretaker for those right now?"