That was the moment. The instant I realised I was a woman. I was glad of it and knew it was what I wanted to be.

Keean couldn't pick me up for school the next morning. His father needed the truck to sort out where they would live. I caught the bus with Katie. My mind was too occupied to have a proper conversation with her. As the bus pulled up I saw Keean standing waiting for me across the road, leaning casually against the school fence. My heart surged. I couldn't wait to get off the bus. He moved forward to stand on the edge of the road and waved as I stepped towards him.

He held up his hands and yelled, "Stop!"

I knew instantly from the look on his face something was terribly wrong. His hand stilled in mid-air.

Katie screamed my name. "Charlie..!"

I saw it all as if in slow motion. Keean's strides as he leapt towards me. His face as it contorted in horror. Then I felt the jolt hard against my hip and thigh. I struggled to breathe from the impact. I flew into the air, then plummeted and flopped like a wet rag on the bonnet of the car. Every ounce of air was forced from my lungs. I slid up against the windscreen and tumbled onto the road. I heard the screech of tyres and people's screams.

 Through all the chaos Keean's voice calling my name was the only one I concentrated on as the world went black....

Copyright © 2017 by Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.