School was now much harder then before. There where now so many ways for my mind to slip and then I'd find myself do girly things. But the good thing about it was that I was in the same boat as everyone else knowledge wise and would not have to fake knowing the stuff presented in class.
After school was over I tried to walk home, but Mrs. Hawthorne took me by the hand and guiding me onto the bus, she said to me, "I want none of your shenanigans today, Marcus Ericson."
Home, I took off for one of the closest places I knew that Thomas liked to hang out at; the local park and batting cages. Arriving there in no time, it didn't take me long before I found him and then discovered that he was hanging out with a bunch of other kids from Junior high.
Running up to him, I stopped when a glint caught my eye. Looking I saw that Thomas was wearing the amulet and that it was no longer cracked. Looking at Thomas, I said, "I need to speak with you."
Several of the kids laughed at this and one of them said, "Hey Thomas, you know this pipsqueak, because there is a stench I recognize as being something from the elementary school." This earned more laughter from the group and several of them began to high-five each other.
Ignoring them, I pushed onward. "Thomas, you need to listen to me. You and I have been best friends since about the first grade. Plus, the amulet you have on, you and I found it quite some time ago and you need to listen to what I’m trying to tell you because it's dangerous." His face darkened and several of the others began to jeer as well as laugh at me.
Storm clouds spreading across his face, he replied, "I don't know you and nor have I ever met you. You say that we met in the first grade, but the problem is that you look to be about nine or ten. So I say this to your flight of fantasy; leave now or I'll beat you up for your lunch money."
Unsure how to respond, I decided to press on and try it from another angle. "The amulet, it's dangerous. You have to listen to me, because it could bring you harm."
Thomas laughs at this and looking at me, he replies in a derisive tone, "Oh, big scary amulet I found in the gutter is going to bring me harm. Oh no, what ever shall I do? You’re just saying that because you want it. You want it?" and before I could reply, he walked across the park and chucked the amulet into the river and than said, "Then go get it."
This got a bunch of laughs from his friends and with tears welling up in my eyes, not understanding what was going on here or why Thomas was acting the way he was, I turned and ran home as fast as my nine year old legs could carry me.
-----------
Had I stuck around, I would have seen Thomas and his friends laughing and joking some more, mostly about me. And then he took from inside his coat sleeve the amulet and turning to his friends said, "Stupid brat doesn't know the difference between a rock and this amulet." This earned him some more laughs and the party left the park, Thomas returning the amulet to around his neck and this time tucking it into his shirt.
-----------
Home, I dumped my backpack in the front hall and looking in the mirror, I saw a scared nine year old looking back; well, a very effeminate nine year old boy that is.
Before I could go anywhere, mommy came rushing into the front hall and looking at me, demanded, "Where have you been Marcus. You were supposed to come home right away after school. Your grandparents are in town and want to see you and Katherine. I just wish you father was still around to help out."
I brushed a strand of brown hair from my face and opening my mouth to say something, mommy cuts me off with, "No arguments. I've laid out you best dress and I expect you be to come to the kitchen, dressed and ready for dinner. Do I make myself clear?"
Not sure what to say, I nodded and headed up to my room. It was now even more girlish and there was stuffed animal of Angelina Ballerina lying on my bed next to the doll. The sheets and comforter where now pink, purple and teal with images of Hello Kitty on them and laying on top of the comforter was a dress and a pair of white tights with pink hearts on them; something that looked like what Katherine had worn when she was around the age of three.
Picking them up, I began to get undressed, my mind slipping, but not before I shook my head and thought, "Is this what will eventually happen to me. I one day wake up to find myself a year younger than Katherine?" Unable to come up with an answer, I dumped my clothes in the hamper in the closet, stopped when I noticed something else.
Now there were dresses hanging in my closet and my mind almost took another slip. What finally pushed it over for the time being were the cubbyholes. A new label read 'Tights' and there were several folded up inside. Running my hand over the silky smooth fabric, I thought of what a pretty girl I was whenever I'd get to wear them. With that thought in mind, I closed the closet, pulled on a pair of Angelina Ballerina panties, almost slipped back when I saw my penis and testicles, but stayed in the female frame of mind when I pulled on the tights and dress.
Thinking, "I'm a pretty girl and grandma and grandpa with think so," I skipped out of my room and greeted Katherine, also exiting her room and together we went downstairs to get our hair braided by mommy.