Tami walked down the halls of Southdale Middle School. She stopped right after passing two girls.
"I'm serious!" The first was saying. "The shooting range here is amazing. They even have a special field for archery. You know you love shooting arrows."
Tami turned around & gasped. "What are you wearing?" She asked, pointed to one of the girls' shirts.
The first girl had black hair & red eyes. She wore a red sleeveless turtleneck that showed her stomach, red sailor miniskirt with large black buttons, black knee-length leggings & red knee-high boots with black wedge heels on the bottom.
The second had auburn hair & hazel eyes. She was wearing a dark green sleeveless polo, dark green arm warmer on one arm & black-and-white fingerless glove on the other, dark green jazz pants with black swirls on the left leg, brown leather belt, & black & white tennis shoes.
"Which one?" The noirette asked.
"Both of you." Tami exclaimed. "Are those designer Antanasia Moore classics? They cost hundreds!"
"Antanasia Moore? Yeah, that's my grandmother. She gives us these a week before they get put out in stores. Why?" The second girl said.
Tami smiled. "I'm Tami. Let me show you around the school."
The black haired girl shook her head. "Thanks, but Megan Clark said she would do it. I'm Aria Wolff, by the way. That's Griffon Moore."
"Trust me, the Clarks are no good. Stick with me if you want to make it through the day." Tami instructed. "Where's your first class?"
"Advanced Math with Mrs. Woods." Griffon said.
Aria pulled out her schedule. "Uh, Geography with Ms. Adkins."
"Okay, come with me Aria. Griffon, your class is just down the hall. Third door on the left." Tami instructed.
Griffon nodded. "Thanks."
At lunch Marc stared down at his book, not paying attention to his siblings. Megan waved a hand in front of his face. "Marc, what's on your mind?"
Marc looked up & over to Tami's table. "Her…" He sighed.
Everyone followed his eyes. "Tami?"
"No, Griffon." Marc corrected. He chuckled when everyone gave him blank looks. "The redhead. She's in my classes. Unfortunately Tami said hanging out with us Clarks is a bad thing."
"Why did Tami take her in?" Lee wondered.
Marc thought. "Um…I think it's because her grandmother is a world-class designer."
"Oh, so she just wants something out of it." Megan concluded. "Figures."
"How did you know that?" Tony asked.
Marc smirked. "Griffon isn't one for following orders either."
"So, you talked to her? When?" Megan leaned across the table.
"Oh, well, at first it was only in advanced math, but so far we've had all but one class together. And now that everyone's seen her with Tami, they're too freaked out to talk to her." Marc explained sadly. "It doesn't help that a kid whose cousin goes to her old school says she could take down Hercules."
Lee looked back over to the table. "Sweet. I'd like to see her play sports."
Suddenly, Griffon sat up swiftly & ran over to a boy that looked almost identical to her. "Hi Harry!" She smiled & hugged him.
"Haddy, where've you been all day?" He asked. "I liked it better when our classes were the same."
"I miss having you in my classes. No one will talk to me, Harry." She sighed. "Grandpa said it would be the same as the old school."
Harry smirked & leaned close. "At the old school, no one knew a Harry. And there was only a male Griffon, not female."
"Shh!" Griffon hissed. "Be careful, someone might hear you."
"What?" Harry asked. "I don't see anything wrong with the way we choose to dress & act."
"People don't like us whenever they find out about us. That's why we move all the time." She looked to Harry expectantly. "But Grandpa Jerry's gadgets will help. Won't they?"
Harry lifted a hand & ruffled Griffon's hair. "Of course, sis."
Tami walked up. "Hey, who's this?"
"My brother Harry." Griffon claimed.
"Oh, well Harry, would you like to join me after school?" Tami wondered.
Harry kept his face emotionless. "Are you asking me out?"
Tami nodded. "Basically."
The Clarks seemed to lean closer for the answer. "Not interested. Besides, Haddy & I have a lot of martial arts lessons after school. Plus she has an archery competition, & I could never pass up supporting my little sissy."
Griffon crossed her arms & leant against him. "I'm older, Harry. You should know that by now."
Harry snickered. "But you're shorter & smaller. That's why I said little instead of younger."
Griffon leaned up & whispered to him. He grimaced & got up.
"Besides, uh…Tami?" He asked. "Well, my sister & I believe that we shouldn't be isolated to one group. So don't get offended whether or not she decides to hang out with people you don't like." He sent a glare toward the blonde before walking out. "Tony, hai sa mergem."
Tony stood up & joined Harry as he left. "See ya later."
"Where are you going?" Lee wondered.
"Outside." He answered. "Harry's gonna teach me tai chi."
Marc nodded & looked over at Griffon again. "Well, they sure aren't afraid to admit their religion."
"Huh?" The remaining Clarks asked.
Marc pointed over at Griffon. "Both of them are wearing those arm bands."
"So?" Megan asked.
"The symbol on it gives away their religion. See the Star of David? It most likely means that they're Jewish." Marc pointed out.
"Brainiac." Lee grumbled.
Marc snickered. "Hmm, that may be so, but we all know the real reason you're so pissed is because Aqua is skipping school to help her friends move into their new house."
Outside, Tony gasped as he accidentally knocked Harry down. The 'boy' fell to the ground, his hat falling off in the process. "Uh, you're a-a-a-"
"A transvestite?" Harry guessed, looking down at her long auburn hair as it fell past her shoulders. "Yeah, go run & tell everyone & laugh at me already."
"Why would I do that?" Tony asked. "Everyone likes different things. Whether it's dressing like a guy or a guy doing ballet or a girl playing football. It doesn't really matter to me. So, what's your real name?" He held out a hand to pull her up.
Harry grabbed his hand & hid her hair under her hat again. "Hikari-Graeae. Harry is pretty much what it sounds like if you take out the first 'I' & 'K' in Hikari. My friends call me Kari."
"Okay, that's fine. In public, I call you Harry. When we're alone, I can call you Kari, can't I?" Tony asked.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I guess."
"So, how do you not look like your sister?" Tony wondered.
Harry laughed. "I have special heels built into the inside of my shoes so that it looks normal & I'm taller than her. Plus, I have special padding to get rid of my curves & make me look like more of a guy."
"Why?" Tony started back inside with the girl in disguise.
"My sister & I really like guns & comics & gross stuff & everything else that's expected of boys. So we got looks from everyone else whenever we did that. We got teased & messed with & harassed. Then one year, we noticed that only girls get stared at for liking that junk so when we moved, we went to school dressed as guys & everyone believed it. We were able to do all the stuff we liked except we didn't get picked on for being girls because they thought we were guys." Harry explained. "We like it, but we still want to be girls, so we only do it when we don't wanna get judged."
"Well, I won't judge you, but I would like to see you without your padding." Tony informed her.
"Okay, next time we meet, I'll show you how I look when I'm not playing the Haruhi Card." Harry laughs at her joke a little. She noticed Tony's look of confusion. "Watch the anime 'Ouran High School Host Club' & you'll understand."
Tony nodded. "Okay, I'll try & find it."
Griffon rushed past them, stopped & turned back around. She grabbed Harry's arm & dragged her away. "Dude, the Clarks almost caught you. Hikari-Graeae, you have to be careful."
"Sorry." Harry muttered. "I guess you're better at doing this than I am."
"Look, maybe we should just get rid of Harry & have Kari come home." Griffon suggested. "Harry will only have to be around whenever we go to the shooting range."
Harry smiled. "Thank you so much Griffon. I really don't want to come off as gay."
Griffon nodded & smiled. "Look, school is almost over. What do you say to going home & getting you prettied up?"
Harry nodded again & pulled out a device. Marc stopped & watched as Harry tore her cap off to let her hair cascade down. "Grandpa Jerry? I don't feel very good. Can you pick me & Haddy up."
"Sure thing girls." Grandpa Jerry agreed.
Harry & Griffon held their breath as they were sucked into WOOHP. Marc's jaw dropped open. "Whoa! They're spies?"
"Who?" Lee asked, popping up behind his brother.
"Huh?" Marc shook his head. "No one. I'm just seeing things." He lied.