September

I heard the doorbell ring, and after a few moments mom called from downstairs: “Girls! Roger’s here! Hurry up, or you’ll be late!”

“Coming!” I shouted back. One final check of my hair and make-up, and I was on my way.

“Hi Lexi,” Roger said with a smile when I reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Hiya Rog,” I replied, and rose to my tip-toes to give him a peck on the cheek. “Sleep well?”

“I dreamed of you, so it was the perfect night,” he answered with a cheeky grin.

I blushed. More than three months since we’d officially gotten together, and he still found ways to fluster me. “Oh, you,” I said, and punched him lightly on the shoulder.

“Are you two done flirting yet, or do I need to give you a couple more minutes?” Lena asked, coming down the stairs.

Roger and I looked at each other. “We’re done for now, I think,” I replied. “What do you say, Rog?”

“Hmmmmm…” he said, putting his finger to his chin. Then he reached over, pulled me close to him, and gave me a peck on the lips, before breaking the embrace. “There. Now we’re done.”

Lena just rolled her eyes. “Come on, I don’t want to be late for my first day of college,” she said, and hurried out of the door; Roger and I followed her.

“Have a nice day!” mom called after us.

It was the first day of the new semester; me and Roger were officially beginning our sophomore year, while Lena was just starting her first. We’d decided to walk to the university, since it was a nice, sunny day, and it was only about half an hour away on foot; while we walked, we kept chatting, about nothing in particular.

After I’d been discharged from the hospital the police interviewed me, Roger, and everyone else who’d been present about what had happened the previous evening; after listening to all witnesses they put out a warrant and searched Charlie’s dorm room, finding a stash of date rape drugs and other stuff (including some performance enhancers, which he’d apparently used all along while on the triathlon team). He’d been charged with multiple counts of drug possession, and also with drugging me. The prosecutor hadn’t been able to prove any specifics beyond that, there wasn’t enough evidence, but him roofing me was still a felony.

In the end he got ten years, without possibility of parole, and a large fine; apparently that was a light sentence considering all he did, since he was a first-time offender. First-time gotten caught, more likely. (Also, he’d obviously been prevented from sitting for his finals, so he hadn’t graduated.)

Roger and I had gotten closer. Much closer. I won’t go into details, suffice to say we often didn’t stop at hugs; the hormonal treatment had begun to have its intended effect, and we were both enjoying the changes in my body, very much so.

I’d broken up with Molly. Sort of. We were never really officially together, but I still felt bad that she’d asked me out, and I’d basically brushed her off and gotten together with Roger. However, she just smiled and told me not to worry, that she’d figured it out after the first time we went out as a group, that it was clear “you only had eyes for Roger, and he only had eyes for you” – her exact words. We were still good friends, and we saw each other a couple times per week, while working at Silvia’s restaurant.

During the summer break mom, dad, Lena and I went to visit aunt Abby and her family; we spent a nice long weekend just hanging out with them, and she and I compared experiences. I got quite a few pointers – what to do and what not to do – from her.

I was still seeing Miriam once every two weeks, and she was helping me find my way through the more difficult and emotional parts of transition. Not that I needed much help, it had been surprisingly smooth sailing, but it was nice to talk with someone whom I was sure wasn’t going to judge me, and with whom I could just chat about whatever.

Miriam and my mom had also helped me navigate the university’s obscure bureaucracy, and we’d managed to get my name and gender changed in the records; so I would officially be Lexi Hamilton starting from the very first day of the new academic year.

While I was chatting and reminiscing, Roger, Lena and I had reached our destination, and were standing in front of the classroom for my first class of the day; it was time to part ways.

“Have a good first day, Lena,” I said. “Don’t be intimidated by all the new stuff, I know you’ll get a handle on it soon.”

“Of course,” she nodded. “Well, I think my first class is this way,” she continued, pointing along a corridor. “What about you?”

“Mine’s in the same direction, I’ll come with you,” Roger replied. “I’ll see you this afternoon at the team meeting, Lexi.”

I nodded. The coach had called for a general team meeting on the very first day of class, to get everyone up to speed after the summer break, and to introduce the new team members who would be starting this year.

“Alright, see you,” I said.

Roger turned to leave with Lena; after a couple moments, I loudly cleared my throat.

He turned around. “What?”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” I asked.

He looked puzzled. “I… Don’t think so?” he replied.

I sighed. “Oh, come here you,” I said, and I pulled him down and kissed him. A long, passionate kiss, not minding everyone else staring at us.

“Whoa, get a room you two,” Lena said with a chuckle when we broke the kiss.

“Okay, now you can go, handsome,” I said, smiling impishly. “Have a good day.”

Roger returned the smile. “You too, Lexi,” he replied, and he was off.

I looked at him leaving for a few seconds, then turned around and entered the classroom; I found a free seat and sat down, just in time: the professor was about to start the lesson.

“Alright, since it’s a new year and a new semester, I’m going to start with a roll call,” he said.

As he started listing off names, I took a deep breath.

This was officially the first day of my new life. And I couldn’t wait to see where it would take me.

“Lexi Hamilton?”

I raised my hand. “Yes, I’m here!”

The end.