Expatkiwi's Chapter

Up in Fairy world, it was a normal day for the students of Carl Poofy-Pants High School. On this particular day, the various student groups were utilizing the recreation period.

In the Gymnasium, the cheerleader squad had just finished their latest routine for the upcoming football game against Harry Houdini Prep.

"Okay, Girls." Timantha said "I think we've nailed it this time. Let's call it a day."

Nodding, the other cheerleaders broke up and headed for the exit to the locker room. However, one of the cheerleaders floated close to Timantha with an unpleasant smile on her face. Timantha recognized the expression.

"What is it now, Amber?" Timantha tiredly asked. "I thought you'd be pleased. After all, this new routine was your idea."

"Just wondering if you'd rather be on the football squad." Amber replied. "After all, your clone down in Dimmsdale is playing well on his school team and since you can't go back to being physically male, you can't emulate him. Cheerleading must make it a bit of a come-down for you."

Timantha looked at Amber. If it weren't for her expression, she would almost be sounding sincere.

"Well, I'm stuck being female, which means this is the nearest thing to being on the field that I can be. Still, the fact that I made captain of the squad means I must be doing something right." Timantha pointed out, to Amber's displeasure.

"You can captain the squad as perfectly as you can, but it doesn't make you one of us, regardless of your physical situation." Amber tartly retorted. "How Brendan can see you as a girl when the girls can't is beyond me."

Timantha knew that Amber was incredibly jealous of her being Brendan's girlfriend. Since Brendan was not only the star quarterback, but also an incredibly handsome male fairy, quite a few of the girls were envious of her.

Amber though seemed to take it further than the others.

"Before Remy Buxaplenty pulled his crap on me, Brendan and I were best friends. We still are." Timantha replied. "Which is probably why we are doing so well. You just want him for his looks. We both know something more about each other than that."

"Brendan will soon some to his senses, Timantha." Amber grated out. "So enjoy the time you have left with him. It won't be for much longer." With that, Amber floated over to the exit doors and POOF-ed her way through them (the "doors" actually being painted on the wall).

Sighing, Timantha picked up her pom-poms and started to float over to the exit when another cheerleader floated up to her.

"What is it, Stella?" Timantha asked tiredly. "Come to rub in some more of what Amber already said?"

"Actually, no." Stella replied, surprising Timantha.

"Come again?" Timantha asked.

"You got to ignore what Amber says, Timantha. It's not doing you any good." Stella advised with some concern on her face.

"How can I?" Timantha asked. "Amber and the others make it clear what they think of me. If the voting had been up to them, I wouldn't be on the cheerleading team, let alone captaining it. I hear the snide remarks in the locker room and the girls bathroom."

"So do I." Stella pointed out. "And the main reason for that is Brendan. He's a total hunk and the fact that you used to be a boy gives them something to ride you on."

"Tell me something I don't know." Timantha asked.

"You're actually a lot more popular than you think." Stella said.

"After all, they are not grumbling "apart from Amber" about your cheerleading ability. You really have lit a fire under all of us to do well."

"I thought that was because they didn't want to be shown up by a former boy." Timantha answered. "After all, I have to maintain an edge in order to keep my captaining position, and you don't exactly make it easy for me to do so."

"Any cheerleading captain has to maintain an edge. Cheerleading is more competitive than football, don't you know?" Stella asked rhetorically.

"And keeping them at bay makes me popular with them?" Timantha asked. "I would have thought otherwise."

"Competitive juices are what makes cheerleading teams do well." Stella replied. "And even though a lot of them won't admit it to you in person, they appreciate your efforts in motivating them."

Timantha thought about that, then nodded. "That's nice to know, but I won't be holding my breath for their compliments. Amber alone will see that none are forthcoming." Timantha said.

"As captain, you can request that she be dumped from the team." Stella said, "So why haven't you?"

"Because she's a damn good cheerleader, and her routines are brilliant." Timantha replied. "We may have personal grudges, but I try and keep the personal and professional separate. The team needs her."

"Better not let her hear you say that." Stella advised. "Her head may swell up so much, it'll explode!"

Both girls giggled at that, then Timantha asked. "Seriously though, Stella: you think my being captain is a good idea?"

"Well, for a start, it makes you popular with the boys. For your information, a lot of the guys are envious that you already have a boyfriend. True, you were forced into that female body for eternity, but that body of yours has really developed. Though that has not helped your case with a lot of the girls either."

Timantha nodded. When she hit puberty in the last year of the Fairy Academy Prep School, she had really rounded out in the right places. She was a really beautiful and sexy fairy now, and a lot of the guys in school loved seeing her float down the corridors between classes.

"I'm aware of that last point." Timantha replied, sighing. "You don't know how lonely it is not to have a circle of girl friends to chat with at lunch, or in the dorm room. I certainly don't mind lunching with Brendan, or getting compliments from the other boys, but not having much in the way of female company makes me feel like a pariah. My mother had to show me how to style my hair and put on make-up, as well as other girl things. I haven't ever been invited for a sleepover. It does hurt."

Stella floated over to Timantha and hugged her. Timantha was briefly

Taken aback, but she returned the hug.

"Now you've got female company. I hope you can count me as one of your friends now, Timantha." Stella said. "After all, we are supposed to be teammates. Right?"

Timantha nodded with a broadening smile. Stella returned the smile. Still, Timantha needed to set Stella straight.

"Are you sure that you want to be friends with me? It might result in you getting some unwelcome comments from the others." Timantha asked.

"So?" Stella retorted. "Let them. I choose my friends carefully. Anyway, we'd better get ourselves changed and cleaned up before the next class period." Stella suggested, gesturing to the painted exit doors.

Nodding, Timantha accompanied her new friend out of the gym and over to the locker room. When they POOFed into the locker room, several of the other cheerleaders looked surprised at Timantha being with Stella, but they didn't comment. Amber however, floated over to Stella after she had gotten back into her school clothes.

"You want to sit with us at lunch, Stella?" Amber asked, making sure that her voice was loud enough for Timantha to hear. "We wouldn't want to make you feel alone while you eat."

"No thank you, Amber." Stella replied. "I'm going to be with Timantha. A one-on-one girl-to-girl thing. I hope you understand."

Amber looked surprised. Stella was being friends with Timantha?!!

"Stella, she's not really a girl, you know." Amber pointed out.

"Actually she is a girl." Stella shot back. "And she's been a girl for the last four years. She's not only a teammate, she's the team captain, and she's my friend."

Amber looked at Stella, then Timantha, then back at Stella. The look in Stella's eyes made Amber pause.

"Well, enjoy your lunch." Amber mumbled before floating back over to her locker.

Stella turned and winked at Timantha, who smiled back.

Disclaimer: This chapter is Expatkiwi's idea and so is Stella. Please review.