“What am I going to do with you? You’d sleep right through school wouldn’t you?”

“No no, speak your French to someone else.” I said hiding under the pillow. “My offices don’t open till 10am .”

“Whatever you’re saying, I hope it’s a lot of regret for last night. You’re lucky I’m in a good mood this morning.”

Once again I felt the covers stripped from my body. I curled up and shivered, Angélique’s house could get soo cold during the night.

She was in her sing-song voice this morning, actually, she was in her sing-song voice every morning. She was just one of those morning people. And like the day before, I felt a hand patting my diapered bottom.

“Abuse abuse!” I said moving myself away and groping a blind hand over my back to stop the intrusion, and possibly regain my warm covers.

“You said that yesterday morning too… What is this ‘abuse’ mean?”

“Yes yes, abuse! You’re repeating it, but somehow I don’t think you’ll stop it.” When her hand was away, I patted myself down there. My diaper was wet and brought a frown to my face. I didn’t really expect it to be any other way, but I could always hope.

“Today you start school! You’re picking up French with good progress, which makes me want to think you’re smart for a runaway. Hopefully you won’t be too far behind my class.”

I heard “français” somewhere in her morning complaints of my sleeping habits; she wanted me to get started on our lessons. “Fine, French lessons later. I don’t see any reason why we have to get up so early for it now.”

The pillow protecting my head was being pulled free. I gripped my hands onto it, flopping over so that I had the pillow firmly as Angélique tugged it away from me. I dug my heals into the edge of the bed as I put my back to the wall. What a sight we must have been. Me with heels dug into the bed, resisting my removal from it with all my might. I saw a smirk growing on Angélique’s face, and just as I was about to let go, she beat me to it. The force of my resistance returned to me and sent me hard into the wall I’d been leaning against; I fumbled with the pillow a moment before throwing it in frustration at Angélique. She ducked the pillow with ease and giggled.

“Wash and get dressed, I’ll start on breakfast.”

Angélique left a towel on my dresser and opened one of the drawers on her way out. It was her non-verbal hint for me to bathe and dress. I waited till she was gone before gathering my bedding from the floor and heaping them back on my bed. I started the water in the bathroom at the end of the hall.

I untaped the wet diaper I was wearing and balled it up to throw away in the trashcan. Just out of hope I sat on the toilet, but nothing really happened, I just sat there and realized there was no communication between my lower half and my upper half as far as bathroom habits went. Sighing, I got in the tub and cleaned up.

I got dressed for the day; I figured it would be prudent to wear pull-ups, so I did. Wearing them allowed me to still hide my problem even when wearing plain slacks. I put on a bra for my A barely B cup, followed by a t-shirt with a flower on it. Looking in the mirror, my hair still damp, I frowned at my reality.

“Another day… and I’m still a girl,” I said unhappily. “Day 3, here we go.”

Angélique had breakfast waiting on the table. I noticed she was dressed up nicer then she had been on Saturday. She was a step down from church Sunday, but still better then casual. Made me wonder what today had in store.

“We’ll have to get your uniform when we get to school.”

“Yes, whatever, breakfast is fine.”

I picked at my food. Something didn’t seem right. I couldn’t put my finger on it. When we’d finished eating, we left the house. Angélique packed up a lot of the books scattered around her desk and we headed into town. I let myself be taken, I couldn’t really dictate what we were to do anyway.

“I think Sophie used to take English lessons, so that should help us out a lot. I’ll make sure you sit by her in class.”

I mostly ignored Angélique and just let my eyes wander lazily around the town. It was waking up and getting ready for the day as we walked through it. People were driving out of the little place in their cars and kids were walking up the street in the direction we were heading.

As we neared the school and I noticed a lot of kids walking into the yard, I realized something. A lot of those kids were my age, and Angélique was taking me in that direction.

“OH NO! I am not going to school!” I said suddenly putting on the brakes and trying to tug away from Angélique.

“Merd… I knew this would happen. You didn’t understand a word I’d said did you? I don’t care, you’re going to school. A girl your age needs to be in school!”

“No! No school!”

Any of the kids still on their way to school, or talking in the yard began to look my way. We were making a scene, and I was a new face.

“That’s the girl who was arrested outside my house last night!” said one girl excitedly.

“Why is she fighting with our teacher?” asked another.

“She’s just American,” Papillon said with modest disinterest. “She’s living with our teacher for a little while.”

The voices and eyes of my peers began to make me feel a little nervous. I stopped resisting. Angélique tugged at my hand and caused me to stumble a little behind her as we headed up the sidewalk between groups of students to the school. A few looked me over, sizing me up, seeing what new show had just entered their midst. Seeing how I was being dragged by Angélique, a few just laughed.

Angélique called to one of the girls in the yard. She came up to us a little shyly. “Sophie, I could use your help. Please come here a moment.”

A girl with glasses and reddish-brown hair cautiously approached Angelique. She didn't say anything, but just stared expectantly, probably waiting for the reason she'd been beckoned.

"This is Aluoette, she's a new student in my class. Could you take her to the headmistress?"

The girl had a voice just above a whisper, like she was afraid to talk with it. "Why me?"

"Your dad told me that you used to take English lessons at your old school. Aluoette here can't speak any French, she only speaks English and I'd really appreciate if you'd help me by translating."

The girl looked at me. Her blue eyes scanned me behind the safety of her glasses, but she quickly returned her eyes to the floor when she noticed me returning the inspection.

“My name’s Sophie,” she said with a slight accent. “Teacher said she’ll need my help talking to you.”

I hugged her. It surprised her a bit, but finding another person speaking English made me very happy. Up till now, only a-hole policemen spoke English around here. Finding this girl elevated her to Queen of the country in my eyes.

“I’m Andy!”

“Andy? It’s not Alouette?” she said in her quiet whisper.

“Oh, yeah, I was only kidding, it’s Alouette,” I said cursing myself for the slip inside. “But you said… teacher? Is Angélique your teacher?”

“She’s your teacher too.”

Angélique smiled at us both. “I’m going to let you be a little late to class, please take her to the headmistress’ office. I’m so glad you’re doing this for me Sophie. I’ll be sure to give you extra credit.”

“Merci,” replied Sophie with a little curtsey. Angélique left us and headed down the hall.

“She’s a teacher?” I said looking dumbfounded as she walked away.

Sophie looked in the same direction as me, and nodded. Then she turned and started walking the other way down the hall, I jogged to catch up. She broke the silence in her timid accented voice. “Was it true you were arrested last night?”

“Um… that’s a long story.”

“I think… we’ll have time. Teacher said we could be late to class so that you could meet the headmistress and get a uniform.”

I looked at Sophie a little oddly, but then realized that she and every other student here had been dressed exactly alike. The boys all had the same slacks and polo shirt, and the girls had identical outfits except with a skirt instead of slacks. When I’d walked into the school yard today, I must have looked even more an outsider being dressed a little boyishly in slacks with a t-shirt.

I did my best to explain the business with the dumb inspectors last night to Sophie. I decided it would be best not to tell her why the police were chasing me, but rather modify the story to say “they thought I was running away again.” Which I’d hoped would lesson any opinions of me as a wino.

For the most part, Sophie seemed like a nice girl. I couldn’t really catch much in the way of emotions, she seemed sort of like a shy and kind of spacey girl. She was also a little shorter then me, but just as skinny.

“Papa said you have a drinking problem,” Sophie said as we neared the end of the hall. The question made me flinch. So everyone in the town knew about it already I guess.

“No… it’s a bad miss understanding.”

“I don’t think so. My Papa is a police officer.”

My mouth dropped… “You’re last name’s not… Bedeau or Facet is it?”

“No no no, my dad is the desk man, he’s not an inspector.”

The events at the station two days ago flashed back to my head. “Oh right… I did meet him.”

We got to the end of the hall and Sophie opened the door to a small office for me. An elderly lady with horn rimmed glasses sat behind a desk, next to another door.

“Can I help you?”

“A new girl to see the headmistress.”

“Take a seat, she’ll be with you both momentarily.”

Sophie took my hand and led me to sit down with her in a few chairs. First day and I was essentially in the Principle’s office. It was high school all over again, like I had rewound the clock 7 years. I looked about and saw a few catholic icons. This was apparently a religious school, which made sense being attached to the church and all. Still it would be interesting to be in a school again. Maybe not even that hard since I’d done all this before… only… in English.

I felt my pull-up get a little warm and I frowned, then I panicked a little. I didn’t have a spare one. Luckily it seemed like a tiny wet, but if this school was like any other, it was going to be a long day ahead of me. This might be a little tricky.

“She’ll see you both now…” The elderly lady said opening the office door.

Sophie led me into the office and we found a nun looking over some papers. She looked up and smiled at me warmly.

“Hello Sophie, who’s this?”

Sophie had that same nervous twitch and found it even harder to speak now. “A new student, her name is Aluoette.”

“Ah… Aluoette,” she said nodding at me. I shyly waved my hand. “Angélique called about you yesterday.” Her warm smile turned to a frown. “Inspector Facet also called about you yesterday.”

I heard “Inspector Facet,” and immediately knew I was boned. My reputation preceded me.

“Parlez-vous français?” the Nun asked at me continuing her scowl. I shook my head no. She turned to Sophie, making the connection.

“Tell her that if I so much as smell wine on her breath at any time here, I’m going to march her straight to Inspector Facet’s office.”

Sophie looked a little nervous and didn’t say anything for a moment. The nun shouted at her and she delivered the threat to me. Honestly I could have guessed it hearing the key words “Vin” and “Inspector Facet.”

The nun proceeded to list off the ten commandments of the school. I began to wonder where she’d conjured up that smile as we’d walked in, because there was no hint of it now. She plowed right on through the justice system of her little school. Everything began with her, and ended with her kicking you to the curb. That’s at least what I got out of it. Sophie seemed to be in a rather uncomfortable spot. It sounded like the Nun was yelling at her, even though the yells were meant for me, and really didn’t have the desired effect, because the relay spoke to me like a French mouse.

Finally the nun got up from her desk and went to a closet and returned with a few garments neatly folded in a stack.

“They’re your size, and if they aren’t too bad.”

She opened the door for us to leave. I was holding my new uniform and just left as quickly as I could with Sophie. The old lady at the desk was trying to hide a smirk as we left.

“That wasn’t the nicest welcome I’ve gotten so far…” I said a little flatly as I tipped my clothes to look at them a little better. Seemed to be an exact replica of Sophie’s. The lady at the desk rolled her eyes at me, and I realized she couldn’t understand what I’d said. I smiled “You have ugly glasses.” I said turning to walk out of the room. She nodded, and Sophie started to translate, but I quickly yanked her out into the hall with me.

“Where can I get changed?”

“You told me you didn’t have a problem with wine,” Sophie said in her quiet way.

“I don’t…”

“Then why was the headmistress so mad?”

“Because she talked to Inspector Facet, he’s a jerk. Anyone who talks to him gets mad.”

Sophie seemed to weigh what I’d just said in her head. While she was still deciding she started walking down another hallway again. I hurried after her.

We came to a gymnasium. It wasn’t really big. Only one basketball court sized room. No bleachers, a few scattered folding chairs, and some aerobic mats stacked in the corner. Sophie kept walking and led me to two doors.

“The bathroom here is where we change for PE she said,” she went in one of the doors. I turned and went for the other. “WHAT-ARE-YOU-DOING?” she exclaimed. Her accent caused her words to mash together in her hurry to get them out. Her voice also nearly rose to a normal level. I stopped mid-step and retracted my hand from the door, noticing the little blue circle with a white stick-figure man on it.

“Ohhh right,” I said feeling stupid once more. She grabbed my hand and tugged me into the girl’s room. I felt a little nervous; being a girl was one thing, entering their world was another. Luckily there was no one in the room.

I put the pile of clothes down on a bench in the middle of some locker rows. I started to unbutton my pants, then… noticed what I was wearing underneath. I quickly re-buttoned them and sighed in relief that Sophie wasn’t paying attention to my undergarments. I grabbed the bundle of clothes and scurried to one of the bathroom stalls. I immerged a few moments later in my white shirt and pleated skirt.

“Here she is, Miss Stupid-looking me!” I said doing a little twirl, before the big mirrors near the sinks.

“Why are you wearing your skirt like that?” Sophie asked from behind me. I had to ask her to repeat it because her voice didn’t carry but two feet.

“Wearing it like what?”

“You’re… you’re supposed to roll the top up a few times, so that the skirt is shorter. The way you’re wearing it is prude.”

“Prude? No, its practical, I don’t want anyone to see up it.”

Sophie looked a little hesitant at me. I realized she had her skirt on the way she was talking about, with the end of it just above her knees. Mine went down just below them.

“I don’t want anyone to see up my skirt either,” she said softly. “But giving the boys a little to look at is what all the girls do. Don’t you ever want a boyfriend?” She asked. I could tell that she wasn’t as comfortable with this idea as she wanted to portray she was. She was just going along with what had become fashion standard.

I thought of the slightly damp pull-up thinly concealed by this skirt. “Umm… no. I don’t want a boyfriend… and I DEFFINATELY don’t want anyone looking up my skirt.”

“Um… I’d always heard Americans were exactly the opposite of you.”

“Consider me the exception.”

I felt a finger poke my chest. I quickly covered it with my arm and swatted her hand away.

“HEY!” I yelped. “They’re real okay?”

“Are you a boy?”

I felt like I’d just been punched with words. They knocked the wind straight out of me, but it was the happiest verbal KO I’d ever felt. I wanted to hug her again, but as I took a step toward her she stepped back. Instead of a hug I smiled broadly.

“Why are you smiling?” she asked looking at me weirdly.

“Why did you ask that question?”

“First you said you’re name was Andy. Then you walked into the boy’s room, and now you just said you don’t even like boys.”

I laughed a little. I was tempted to tell her my crazy story. Maybe she’d believe it, but I decided to hold it back. I’d get to know her better. I unbuttoned my shirt a little, and showed her my chest concealed in its small bra.

“Satisfied?” I asked with a smirk.

“Do you… like girls?” she asked taking another step away.

My smirk faded and I rolled my eyes; should have seen this one coming. I buttoned my shirt back up. “I only said I didn’t want a boyfriend,” I said. “I still like…” I had to force myself to say this one. “I like boys.”

Sophie seemed to calm a little. “You don’t think you’re ready for a relationship?”

“No, I already had a lot, they were all crap.”

“I take back what I said earlier, you are like every American I’ve heard about.”

I rolled my eyes, and mouthed the word “thanks.” She led me out of the little room and onward to our class. I hoped that I could figure out what to do with my pull-up.