Winning the World at a Carnival.

Spencer Smith had a secret.

Not a little one like he had hidden Ryan’s sidekick for 2 days (because that had totally been Brendon). No, his secret was a lot worse. Only his parents, sisters and Ryan were the ones who knew it.

Spencer Smith was born female.

Spencer Jamiee Smith to be exact.

Up until Spencer was 9, only mere weeks from being 10, he had been a girl. It was when Spencer and Ryan had gone to their first carnival alone that everything was going to change.

It was summer, the middle of summer vacation, so it was still light, and Ryan and Spencer were giggling about something that Ryan had said.

“Spence, do you wanna go on the ferris wheel?” Ryan asked.

“Sure.” Spencer replied. They got in the queue and it was a few minutes later that they got on the ride.

“Wow, you can almost see my school from us here.” Ryan said, pointing.

Spencer and Ryan, although best friends, weren’t currently at the same school. Their parents didn’t want to change their schools, but had agreed that they could both go to the same high school. The two of them were really happy about it.

“I’m glad it’s really warm tonight.” Spencer said, laying her head on Ryan’s shoulder. Ryan put his arm around her and they both smiled.

When the ride was over, they got off and walked towards the carousel.

“Oh look, Ross has got a little girlfriend!” They heard someone jeer behind them. They turned to see some of Ryan’s class mates.

“She’s my friend, not my girlfriend.” Ryan said, blushing.

The boys just kept laughing and saying things at them.

Spencer hated this. Just because her best friend was a boy didn’t mean that he was her boyfriend. She was only 9, nearly 10 (she always reminded people about that), she didn’t want a boyfriend. All she wanted was a best friend.

Sometimes, she just wished that she had been born a boy. She wouldn’t have to suffer anyone yelling things at her and Ryan. It got her down sometimes, so much that sometimes she would just lay on her bed and cry silently, praying for everyone to leave her and Ryan alone.

“Spence, look, come look at this!” Ryan said, knocking her away from her thoughts and dragging her by her arm.

He pulled her to a hoopla, where there was a very old, wise looking woman standing there.

“Where’s the prizes?” Ryan asked.

“There is only one prize.” The woman told them. “Throw three hoops onto this spike, and you will receive a wish.”

“A wish? We pay whatever, and we get a wish?” Ryan asked.

“It is free, but you only get one attempt.”

Spencer and Ryan looked at each other. It was worth doing. It was free after all. And Spencer was thinking of the wish. If Spencer got a wish, maybe she could become a boy. She could be Ryan’s friend without always being thought of as his girlfriend.

The woman passed them both 3 hoops. “After you Spence.”

“No, you go first.” Spencer said. Ryan shrugged.

He threw the first hoop and managed to get it on the hoop. He smiled. He threw the next one and missed it by a fraction.

“You’ve lost.” The woman said. Ryan put the last hoop down, slightly dejected.

“It’s all on you now Spence.” Ryan said.

Spencer concentrated. She wasn’t the best in gym, but she’d try her best. She threw her first hoop at the spike next to the one Ryan had thrown at and surprised herself by getting it on. She threw the next one and got it on. She didn’t want to mess this up on the last one. She threw it carefully and it hit the spike, falling onto it.

“Whoa, way to go Spence!” Ryan hugged her.

“You have one wish. Use it carefully.” The woman said.

Spencer looked her Ryan and then back at the woman. “I wish I was a boy.”

“What?” Ryan asked, looking at her confused.

“So be it. It will last 10 years.” The woman said. Then she walked behind the screen.

“Spence, why would you wish that?” Ryan asked as they walked away from the stall.

“Because I hate being called your girlfriend. I just want to be seen as your friend for once.” Spencer said, wrapping her arms around herself. It had suddenly got a lot colder.

“You’ll always be my friend Spence.”

“Can we head home Ry?” Spencer asked.

“Sure.”

The two of them walked home. The carnival wasn’t far from their houses so their parents let them walk home.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then yeah?” Ryan said when they were outside Spencer’s house. Spencer nodded.

“Come over about 12.”

The two of them said goodbye and Spencer walked into her house. On the way home, she had got a headache, one worse than she had ever had before.

“Hi, sweetie, how was the carnival?” Her mom asked.

“It was fine. Can I have some aspirin please? I have a headache.”

“Sure sweetie.” Her mom went to get an aspirin while Spencer sat down. Her head hurt a lot. “How was Ryan today? Spencer?” Her mom walked back in but Spencer felt really weird and the last thing she realised was her mom running towards her, calling her name.

Then she blacked out.