Backwards Dance

by Jennifer White

 

Mark Lombard was always the loser. He was smart at school, but not very popular. He was too shy and quiet. And while the other guys all were all macho and tough, that just wasn't it for him. He looked longingly as some stupid guy who was overly aggressive and mean, had a girl walking by his side, while he was alone. The guy wasn't even all that nice to her, but she went steady with him. Why couldn't a pretty girl like that see that he was such a jerk, and that Mark would be a better choice for her? But it was not to be. He was a junior in high school, and he still hadn't had a proper date yet.

Mark didn't go out for the sports teams either. Lots of guys got the girls interested in them because of how good they were at football or basketball. But Mark was too small for any of those, and not really coordinated enough to try out for something like golf or tennis. All he did was go to classes, then hurry home. He wished that he had a girlfriend! But he was too shy to approach the pretty girls and talk to them.

The guys often picked on him, and teased him mercilessly. Because he didn't have a girlfriend, some of the guys at school called him names, and said he was queer. But that wasn't true! He wanted a girlfriend so much that he would do anything to get one. Anything but approach a girl and talk to her, that is.

 

* * *

 

It was just another day at school. Mark was walking from his 2nd class of the day, math, which he loved the most. But now he had to attend his English class, which he hated. It was stupid reading and analyzing Shakespeare and old books like that. The teacher was boring, and it was the worst class of the day for him. But little did he realize that he was about to find a real surprise in store for him in class that day.

The regular teacher, Mr. Smith, was out sick. That meant they got a substitute. It was some young guy, just out of college. He taught for twenty minutes, then told the class that they could do their homework, talk, or whatever they wanted, as long as they weren't too loud.

"I'm going out for a smoke. I'll be back in five minutes" he said.

Mark started doing his math homework, while most everyone else was talking. At least that was fun to do. He felt that someone was watching him, and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up. He heard footsteps. Was it going to be one of the guys coming to torture him, now that the teacher wasn't around? He tensed up.

But Mark was startled when he saw who it was that came over, and sat down in the empty desk next to him. It was Gina Thomas. Gina! One of the prettiest girls in the whole school! Her face was so pretty, her long black hair so full and shiny. She was well developed for a high school girl, and the gentle mounds on her chest pushed out against her tight burgundy sweater. Mark looked into her eyes, and was speechless. Gina was sitting next to him!

"Hi" she said, in her pretty voice. Even the way she talked was just so exciting, so wonderful!

"Hi" said Mark, with an audible tremble in his voice. He had never been so nervous in his life. Gina was talking to him! This was like his ultimate fantasy come true. One of the prettiest girls in the whole school, coming over to him!

"You know" said Gina, "I've seen the way you look at me. And I've seen how you avert your glance when I look back at you. I know you have a crush on me."

"Well...I...um..." stammered Mark.

"Don't worry" she said, putting her hand on his reassuringly. Mark almost jumped out of his skin. She was touching him!

"Yes" he admitted, "I do really like you. I've wanted to meet you, but..."

"But you were too shy" she said. "That's all right! I think its really cute."

Mark smiled at the praise. Him, cute to Gina? He blushed. Gina was smiling too, looking right at him.

"I just broke up with Bob" she said. "And we have the big 'backwards dance' coming up this Friday. I don't have anyone to go with me, so I figured, I'd take a chance and see if you had a date for it already."

"Backwards dance?" said Mark, unfamiliar with the term.

"You don't know about the backwards dance?" said Gina. "Well, its an old school tradition. You know about the powder-puff football game, right?"

"Yeah, where the girls play touch football, and the jocks are the cheerleaders?"

"Exactly. Well, this is something just like that. The girls and the guys trade places. And its kind of like Sadie Hawkins day too. The girls ask out the guys."

"What do you mean 'trade places'?" said Mark.

"Well, the girls go dressed up in guy's clothes. And the guys wear dresses. Its all a lot of fun. And I don't have a date."

Gina looked him right in the eyes and squeezed his hand.

"Mark, will you go on a date to the backwards dance?" she said. The look on her face was one of hopeful anticipation, as if his refusal would break her heart, or his acceptance would please her enormously.

"Sure Gina" said Mark, still with a tremor in his voice. Gina had just asked him to the dance! He was going to have a date with Gina!

"Wonderful. I'm so happy you agreed" she said, smiling.

"What time is it?" asked Mark.

"The dance starts at 7:30. But we'll need some time to prepare you. Unless you already know how to dress up in a gown, and do your makeup."

"Um, no" said Mark.

"Why don't we get together on Thursday night to practice? You can come over to my house, and I'll teach you. Won't that be fun?"

"Sure!" said Mark. He was going to get a chance to be alone with Gina, at her house! This was unbelievable. The best day in his life.

"Here's my address. Be there at 8 on Thursday."

"I'll be there" he replied.

 

The substitute teacher returned from his smoke break.

"Okay class, we need to read a little more now. Everyone return to your seats and open your books to page 247...."

 

* * *

 

Later that day, Mark thought about what Gina had said about the backwards dance. He had never heard of it. But then again, he never was in the popular crowd, and he never attended school dances. But that sounded really weird, with the boys and girls trading places. He was very shy though, and it was hard for him to just walk up to someone and ask.

At lunch, he had seen Gina eating with her friend Susan. Gina had smiled and waved to him. That was such a thrill to feel. Her table was full, so he ate alone as usual, on the far wall. But after lunch, he saw Susan in the hall next to her locker. He did something that even a few hours ago would have been unthinkable for him: he approached Susan and spoke to her.

"Hi Susan" he said.

"Oh Mark! How are you doing today?"

"Really great" he replied. It was true. It was the best day of his life. The day he got a date with Gina.

"Listen, I had a question about the dance this Friday" he said.

"I heard that Gina asked you to go with her. I'm so glad she got rid of that loser Bob. I think you'll make a much better boyfriend for her."

Mark blushed, and had to look away from her. But he had just learned something important: Susan had confirmed the fact that Gina had dropped Bob, and that she really was looking for a new boyfriend. Him.

"It's about this dance. I never heard of a backwards dance before..." he said.

"That's because you don't come to enough dances. There were flyers and posters in the gym when we had the last one. Wait! I think I still have one" she said.

Susan rummaged through her backpack, and pulled out a flyer. It was a typical computer generated handout, with a standard clip-art picture of a couple dancing. It read:

 

The 27th Annual Backwards Dance!

-Friday, 7:30 at the Jackson Memorial Gymnasium

-Cost: $10 per couple

-Trade places with your partner for this fun school tradition

-Refreshments provided

-School students only!

 

 

"What's that last line about?" said Mark.

"Oh, there were some college kids who were dating seniors, and there was trouble with them. So only school students are allowed at dances anymore."

"I see" he said. "Do you mind if I keep this?"

"No problem. Look, I've got to run. Biology is in the east wing, and I'm going to be late if we talk anymore."

"I understand. Thank you very much" said Mark, as he reread the flyer. Now he was feeling much better. This wasn't some elaborate practical joke they were playing on him. There really was a backwards dance. And Gina was going to take him there, and be his date!

 

* * *

 

The hours, the minute, the seconds dragged on and on. It was bad enough getting through the day Wednesday, but Thursday was even worse. Mark was going over to Gina's house, and it seemed like the time was stuck, and he would never get there. Even math class dragged on for what seemed like hours.

In English class, Gina was very friendly to Mark. While the teacher was reading aloud, the girl sitting behind Mark tapped him on the shoulder, and passed him a note. He carefully opened it, so as to be quiet and not let the teacher hear him. He looked down at it, and read what it said. It was in a red ink, with a really 'girly' writing style. The dots on the letter 'i' for example, were drawn as hearts. The note read:

 

Dear Mark,

I am *so* looking forward to tonight. I can't wait. Make sure

you shave your legs, chest, and underarms! See you at eight.

 

Gina

XXX OOO

 

 

Mark read it over and over. She signed it with X's and O's! And hearts in the characters. He felt tingly all over. She really did like him. Mark put the note into his book bag. He would be sure to do as she asked. If he had to wear a dress for the backwards dance, it made sense that he would need to shave. He would do that as soon as he got home.

 

* * *

 

After dinner, Mark showered and shaved as Gina had asked him. It was weird to see his legs all smooth, and not to have any hair under his arms. Gina would be proud of him, that he had remembered. He got on his bike, and rode ten blocks south, then look a left onto Webster Street. Then it was four blocks to Sullivan Street, where he went right. Gina's house was the fifth one in, on the left side. It was a two story white house, with a nice lawn, well kept flower beds, and surrounded by several tall trees.

He put his bike in the driveway, walked up, and rang the doorbell. He held his breath, waiting. A few moments later the door swung open, and there was Gina! She was wearing a pair of tight blue jeans, and a skimpy pink top with thin straps over her shoulders. She was so beautiful!

"Mark, right on time! Come on in. Did you do what I asked you to?"

"Of course" he said.

Gina gave him a quick hug, and a peck on the cheek. He could feel her breasts press up against him when he hugged her. Wow! He had imagined that feeling all his life, but that was the first time he ever was hugged and kissed by a girl (other than his mom, his grandma or his aunt! And they didn't count!).

"Come on, my room is the one upstairs in the front."

He followed her up the stairs, and could not help but to stare at her perfect butt as it swayed back and forth inside her tight jeans. Soon they reached her room. Everything was decorated in a style very befitting for a girl. The walls were bright yellow and pink, with posters of her favorite movie stars and rock bands all over the place. Mostly guys with their shirts off, wearing tight pants.

The dresser had stuffed teddy bears and dolls nicely arranged on it. There were also stuffed animals laid out on her canopy bed, on the pillows with their frilly shams. The ceiling above her desk was covered with photographs of Gina and her girlfriends. The computer on her desk had several pop-up windows going, from the instant messaging conversations she was involved with.

"Let me sign off, so I can devote all my attention to you" she said, typing rapidly. She shut down the computer, and turned on her stereo.

"Do you like Prince?" she asked, putting on Purple Rain, and shutting the door to her room.

"Whatever you want to listen to" said Mark.

"This was my mom's CD, but its really cool" she said. "Now lets get down to business. Tomorrow is the dance, and you're going to need to attend as the girl. That means you need to dress up for a formal dance, like a girl would. And I'm going to teach you how to do that."

"I don't own a dress or anything" said Mark.

"Don't worry. I've taken care of everything for you. Here. This is what you'll be wearing" said Gina, as she swung open the door to her walk-in closet. There, on a hanger, was a baby blue gown. It shimmered in the light. The front had sparkles across where a girl's breasts would be inside it. There were no straps over the shoulders, and it looked like it would come down to almost the ankles.

Gina held it up in front of Mark.

"Yes, I think this will be just the right size for you."

Mark was intimidated by the dress. He didn't know what to do.

"I'm going to turn my back" said Gina. "You undress, and put these on."

She pointed over to the bed, where she had laid out a pair of frilly white panties, and a pair of dark nylons. She turned her back, and put her hands over her eyes.

It was hard for Mark to make himself undress. But once his clothes were off, he hurried to get the panties and nylons on. He felt very funny wearing them. It was embarrassing. Gina would see him like this! But he had to do it, if he was to accompany her to the dance. So he just forced himself to take a deep breath, and continue on.

"Ready" he said.

Gina turned around, and Mark expected her to laugh out loud, or tease him. But she just smiled warmly, and went into her closet. She came out a few moments later with a box, which she proceeded to open.

"These are breast forms" she said. "You're going to wear a strapless dress, so you're relying on your boobs to hold it up. You don't have boobs, so we need to use some fake ones."

She pulled them out of the box. They looked like real women's breasts, with a large nipple at the end and everything. Mark didn't want those on him! That wasn't what he had in mind!
"I don't know..." he said.

"Oh come on, they won't hurt you. Would you rather have your dress slip off, and expose your panties to the whole crowd?"

"No!" said Mark.

"Okay, then you need boobs. These attach with a drop of this special glue. I'll put them in place, and you hold them for a minute while the glue sets."

Mark held the left one, then the right one, after Gina added a few drops of glue, and put the breast forms in place. In the mirror, he looked at himself. It looked like he had real boobs, and was covering them up with his hands.

"Now for this" said Gina, handing him a strapless bra. Mark fumbled with it, and started to put it on upside down.

"No silly, this end goes up. See how they cup under your boobs this way?"

She helped Mark get the bra on, then she made him take it off, and practice a few times until he got better at it. Mark didn't like how you could see the top of his fake boobs in the mirror. The bra only covered the lower two thirds of them. It felt very intimidating to see himself with boobs, a bra, panties and nylons.

"This is a petticoat" said Gina. "It will give more volume and fullness to your skirt."

Mark stepped into it, and pulled it up. It was white, with several layers of thin material that wanted to puff up away from him. Now when Gina put him into the gown, instead of the skirt hanging down against his legs, it puffed out fuller. This made it look more like he had womanly curves. Being in a dress was very scary! He felt *so* intimidated.

Gina kept telling him what to do, and Mark just obeyed her without resistance. He was normally shy, and would have a hard time turning down any request she made. But the more she dressed him up, the more passive he became. He felt as if he was in her power now, and that he would do anything she told him. It made him feel weak, while she was powerful. He felt like she had him in the palm of her hand, and it was like he belonged to her now.

But Gina was being kind an gentle to him, which reinforced the feelings of love for her that were swelling within Mark's heart. Here he was, in a position where she could really do anything to him, and she was being nice! She didn't try to embarrass him. She didn't try to make him feel uncomfortable. Instead, she was kind, gentle, and treating this as a learning experience for him. She was teaching him how to get ready for a dance like she would teach a younger sister.

 

"Now I have this for you" said Gina, going into her walk-in closet, and returning with a blond wig. "I was Brittany Spears for Halloween last year, and I still have the wig."

She put it on Mark, and as he looked at himself in the mirror, he was feeling lost in all the long blond hair falling down around his face and onto his bare shoulders. He looked down. He saw the tops of his fake boobs still exposed. He saw the skirt poofing out around him. Every time he moved, the petticoat brushed lightly against his nylons, sending shivers all through him.

"Now you're going to learn how to put on makeup" said Gina. For the next hour, Mark had to practice putting on and taking off makeup. He had a 'baby' face, so it was actually pretty easy to make himself look pretty. Gina showed him how to put on some glitter to his cheeks as a final touch.

"But not too much! Just a shimmer" she said.

She put a necklace over Mark's head, and attached bracelets to his wrists. Then she put clip-on earrings onto him. Then she put long red 'press on' nails onto his fingers. The final piece of the puzzle was the shoes, with their high heel and pointy toe. They matched the gown, and really completed the look.

"Oh, and you'll need a purse to bring your student ID in" she said, rummaging through her collection of bags to find just the right one for him. She showed him how to hold it, then she looked him up and down and smiled. She led him by the hand to the full length mirror in her walk-in closet.

"Say hello to Dawn" she said, as he gaped at himself in the mirror. He looked like a real girl! It was unbelievable! With all the little touches she had helped him with, the illusion was remarkable. He could pass for a girl!

"Dawn?" he said.

"Yes. All the boys will wear tags with girl's names, and vice-versa. I registered us as "Greg and Dawn".

Gina helped Mark learn how to walk in heels. They also practiced dancing to a few songs.

"Remember, I'm the guy, so *I* lead" she said. "You just hold on, and go wherever I lead you."

 

After a few songs, Mark's feet were already hurting. He needed to sit down, and take a break. Gina made him practice a few times, how to sit like a girl.

"Now lets see you dressed up" said Mark.

"That would take too long. Its getting late, and it's a school night."

"Yeah, you're right" he said, somewhat disappointed. She had seen him in just his panties. He had sort of hoped to get a peek at her in just boxers and an undershirt or something.

 

Gina helped Mark undress, and she carefully put everything into a suitcase.

"What's the travel bag for?" said Mark.

"You need to dress up at home. I'll meet you at the dance."

"What, can't I come to pick you up?"

"Well, first of all, you're the girl, remember? So *I* would pick *you* up. But I have a doctor's appointment after school tomorrow. By the time I get done with that, have dinner, and get ready, I might be late. So I'll just meet you there. Is that okay sweetie?"

"Of course" said Mark, unable to deny any request from this angel who had rescued him from loneliness.

"Can you manage that suitcase on your bike? Or should I drive you home?" said Gina.

"No, I can manage. It's not too far" replied Mark.

"When you get home, hang up the gown right away! You don't want to get it wrinkled, do you?"

"Of course not" he said.

At the door, Gina gave Mark another hug, and a peck on the cheek. He was floating on air as he rode his bike home.

 

* * *

 

Friday went by even slower than the past two days had! Mark could only think of Gina, and how wonderful it was going to be that night. He was very disappointed when she didn't show up for English class. But she had said something about a doctor's appointment, so he decided it must have something to do with that.

The day dragged on and on. Even when school was done, and he tore home as fast as he could on his bike, he still had many hours to kill before the dance. Mark laid everything out on his bed, so he could start dressing up. It took quite a while to get everything on, so he wanted to be prepared.

But as he looked at the dress, he realized something: there was no way he could ride his bike there. He needed a ride. Gina wasn't able to pick him up, and he didn't own a car. So he had no choice but to ask his parents. Mark went downstairs, with the flyer for the dance in hand, and spoke to his mother.

"Mom, I need a ride to the dance" he said.

He hadn't told her about Gina yet, but she was so excited that a girl was going to the dance with her son.

"It sounds fun" she said.

"I'm sure it will be. But I can't ride there on my bike, in a dress".

"I understand" replied his mother. "And I'm glad you told me about this. Your father and I would have gone nuts if we saw you trying to walk out of the house dressed up as a girl! Why don't you go get ready, and I'll help you with your makeup."

Mark went upstairs, and started getting ready. He put on everything like Gina had taught him how to do. He called to his mother when he was ready for the makeup. She had an expert hand, and made his face look even prettier than Gina had. And she sprayed him all over with perfume, making him smell pretty and feminine. She also got out a few rings from her jewelry box, for his fingers.

"This one was my mothers, then mine. I was going to give it to my daughter, but you're my only child. So I guess you get to be my daughter tonight, and you can wear the ring."

"Thanks mom" said Mark.

His mother felt strange about seeing her son all dressed up like a girl. But she had always wanted a daughter, so for this one night at least, she could live out *her* fantasy of having a little girl.

 

Mark put his student ID card into his purse, and went downstairs with his mother.

"Let me take a picture of my little girl" she said. "You're so pretty honey."

She snapped several pictures before Mark's father put a stop to it. Mark followed his mother out to the car, and the drove over to the school. It was getting dark out by now. There were couples walking hand in hard, over to the entrance.

"Some of those guys really went all out to look like girls" said his mother. "But you're even prettier than any of them. Have fun!"

"I will mom. Thanks of the lift. I'll ride home with Gina."

"Sure honey. We were going to visit the Johnson's tonight anyway, so we'll be out late."

"Bye!"

"Bye!"

 

Mark walked up to the entrance where everyone else was coming in. There was a table full of name tags set out there. He looked, until he found the ones for "Dawn" and "Greg". Just as Gina had said. He picked up the one that read "Dawn", and put it onto the front of his gown.

He took a deep breath, and walked down the hallway towards the gym. Inside, the lights were down low. There were different colored lights flashing, and a "disco ball" hanging from the ceiling sending off splashes of light all around the room. There must have been thirty couples there already, holding each other and slow dancing. Mark went over to the refreshment table to get a drink, while he waited for Gina.

The swirling lights were hypnotic. He watched the couples, and marveled at how good everyone had been at making themselves look like a member of the opposite sex. Most of the 'guys' were even taller than their dates. He wondered how they had done that.

 

The lights came up a bit, and the music changed. Most of the crowd on the dance floor broke up, and headed towards the refreshment table. Mark moved aside, and kept looking a the doorway to wait for Gina's arrival. It was almost eight now. She was late. Had she stood him up?

He looked back, and did a double take when he saw *them*. Gina, in a pretty dress, along with Bob! No! That was impossible! This was the backwards dance, and she was supposed to be dressed as a guy. And she was supposed to be *his* date! Mark's eyes opened wide in a panic. No. This could not be happening.

"Oh Hi Dawn!" said Gina. She rushed over and did a fake kiss on each of Mark's cheeks, the way girls do to each other.

"We need to talk" said Mark.

"Excuse me Bob, but Dawn needs to use the little girls room. So I'm going with her."

"I'll never understand you women. You always have to go together" he said, shaking his head.

Gina and Mark walked side by side. Gina had to almost pull Mark into the bathroom. He was in the *girl's* room now. Real girls were going in and out. They paid him no attention. They just thought he was a girl too.

"What is going on? Why are you here with Bob?" said Mark.

"Why Dawn, because he asked me to the dance, silly."

"I thought this was the 'backwards' dance."

"Backwards dance? Where did you come up with *that* one?" she said.

"But you invited me to the dance! Then you went with Bob!"

"I invited you to come to the dance, but I never said 'with me'. I just asked you to come here."

"But Gina, you made me get all dressed up, and..."

"That's because girls always get all dressed up for fancy dances like this, Dawn."

"Stop calling me Dawn!" said Mark.

"That's what your name tag says."

Gina moved closer to Mark and whispered in his ear.

"You are a girl now, and your name is Dawn. Don't ever argue with me again!"

Mark felt sick to his stomach. If before he felt weak and passive, now it was like ten times stronger of a feeling. He felt trapped inside his gown. He felt constricted by the bra. He felt so vulnerable and scared.

"Why did you do all this?" said Mark.

"Well Dawn, look at you. You were lonely, you were shy. I'm helping to bring you out of your shell, and helping you to join up with the popular crowd."

"Yeah, I'll be real popular after today" said Mark.

"Look. Greg is a very popular guy. But he was lonely, so I fixed him up with you. He goes for girls just like *you*. You are going to get out there, and dance with him. He's been waiting to meet you all night."

"I can't dance with a guy!"

"You can, and you will. You're a girl, and that's what we do. We dance with the guys. Your date is waiting for you Dawn. Lets go out and meet him."

Mark felt helpless as Gina made him follow her down the hall, and over to the corner where Greg was waiting. He wore a nice suit, like all the other guys did. He smiled warmly when he saw Mark.

"Greg, this is Dawn. She is just dying to meet you."

"Hello Dawn" said Greg.

"Hello" replied Mark, meekly.

"She is very docile" said Gina to Greg. "She will do whatever you tell her. Just be firm with her, and she will obey."

"Thanks Gina. I owe you one" said Greg, as he put the corsage he had bought onto Mark's wrist.

"You're welcome. Have fun."

"Come one Dawn, lets go dance" said Greg.

Mark could do nothing but follow him onto the dance floor. He tried to think of what in the world he could do to get out of this. He couldn't walk away; it was too far home, *and* he was in heels. He didn't have money for a taxi ride. So he was stuck there. That left him one choice: stay with Greg.

 

* * *

 

When Greg dropped off 'Dawn' at home, it was late. Mark's head was swimming. After Greg had offered to get him a cup of the fruit punch, and spike it with rum, the evening went much easier. The drunk loosened up Mark, and he asked Greg to get him another.

After that, they had danced and talked the whole night. Greg was smart and easy to get along with. Mark fit in perfectly as a meek, quiet girl. Greg took control of the relationship, and told 'her' what to do, for everything. And Mark found it very easy to just let himself slip into Greg's control, and go along for the ride.

Greg was one of the most popular guys in the whole school. Even though everyone knew that Greg didn't like girls, his intelligence, his sparkling personality, his humor and his quick wit made him a person that everyone was drawn to. All the girls liked a guy who could talk to them in their terms. And because girls flocked to him, the guys reluctantly wanted to hang around with him. But he was with 'Dawn' now. Mark could not believe that he was on a date with one of the most popular kids in the whole school.

 

It just seemed to fly by, but suddenly, it was curfew time, and the dance had to end. Mark never wanted the moment to end. He wanted it to go on and on forever. Greg drove him back to his house. He even had a car. Wow. It was just a first date, so Greg only gave 'Dawn' a peck on the cheek as he squeezed 'her' and said good-bye to 'her'.

"You're going out with me next week too Dawn" he said. "You will be ready at 7:00 on Friday, for me to pick you up. Do you understand?"

"Yes" said Mark.

"Good. See you then" said Greg, giving Mark a pat on the butt as he walked up the steps to his house.

It was the strangest night in his whole life, and he felt confused. He had gone to his first dance. He had his first date. But he was a girl in the relationship. And he had not only dated, but danced with and kissed a guy. Mark didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

 

* * *

 

On Monday, Gina and Susan were sitting together in English class, waiting for loser Mark to walk in. Oh the fun they would have at his expense! Word was that his date with Greg had gone well, and Greg wanted to go steady with him now. Greg told Gina that he had called Mark, and talked to him for hours over the weekend.

The girls whispered to each other, as they waited for the loser to show up. They were all stunned at what they saw when Mark final arrived in the classroom. He was wearing a pair of tight girl's jeans, and must have had on some sort of girdle with padding, to give him curves. He wore a tight pink shirt, that showed off the large fake boobs underneath. He was still wearing the wig, and had makeup on, and he even had his ears pierced.

He sat down as the teacher started to take attendance. Everyone was whispering to each other as the teacher went through the roll call. At last he reached Mark.

"Dawn Lombard" he said.

"Here!" replied Mark.

Gina looked at Susan. What was going on? He had *stayed* as Dawn. He hadn't come back! How could they make fun of him if he was so into being a girl that he was even going to one in class? And it was not just some prank. Even the school called him 'Dawn' now. What was going on?

 

After class, Gina cornered 'Dawn' in the hall.

"Mark? Why are you still acting like Dawn?
"I *am* Dawn now" was the reply.

"But it was supposed to be a joke. Just for the dance."

"Not for me it wasn't. I never knew it, but this is my *true* self. Look at how things have changed for me! I'm dating a really cut guy, who is even more popular than *you*. Greg is just so dreamy, and we're both in love already."

"You're acting like a girl!" threw in Susan.

"That's because I *am* a girl, silly" replied Dawn.

"Your parents are okay with this?"

"My dad went ballistic when I told him I was a girl now, but my mom was very supportive. She used her wifely ways on him, and now he's being supportive too. I'm going to see the doctor tomorrow, so I can get on hormones. Soon I'll have real boobs of my own, and I won't need these falsies anymore."

Susan and Gina looked at each other, in total shock and amazement.

"I want to thank you" said Dawn.

"Thank me?"

"For opening this door for me. If it wasn't for you, I never would have discovered what I really am. Being a girl brought me out of my shell. It made me *live* for the first time. I had kept all this bottled up inside me, but hadn't even known it on a conscious level. But now I know who I am. For the first time in my life, I am truly happy. And it is all thanks to you."

Dawn went over to Gina, and gave her a hug.

"I hope that we can be girlfriends" said Dawn. "That would be very special for me."

"Sure" said Gina, feeling flushed with guilt. She had never intended it to go this far. But not only was Mark okay with it, he was *glad*.

"It would be super to have you as a friend too" said Dawn to Susan.

"Sure" replied Susan, in an equal state of shock.

"Listen" said Gina. "I'm going to have some of the girls over to my place on Saturday, so we can discuss the float we're designing for the homecoming parade. Do you want to join us?"

"Wow, that sounds cool" said Dawn. "Let me check with Greg, to make sure he hasn't planned anything for that day yet, and I'll get back with you. Okay?"

"Sure" said Dawn, not used to anyone putting her off. When a popular girl invited someone over, whether a guy or a girl, you don't 'check your calendar'. You say 'yes' right away! She realized that Dawn's relationship with Greg was more important to her than was being with the popular crowd. Her! She had just thought of Dawn as 'her' already!

The bell rang, and all three girls realized they were going to be tardy for their next class. They all took off down the hall, and waved good-bye to each other. It was time to quit the girl talk, and get back to class....

  

  

  

*********************************************
© 2004 by Jennifer White. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, and compilation design) may be printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without the express written consent of StorySite and the copyright holder.