G11

by Sarah Bayen

Part Eight

 

Steve woke the next morning feeling rather snug and cosy in his bed. True, his nightie had decided to ride up in the night, and was rather uncomfortably gathered around his neck, but once he had straightened it out, he felt warm and comfortable just lying there, knowing that he didn't have to rush to get up.

He did rise eventually, however, and decided that he wanted to have a shower. He thought about warning Jeanette, as she had asked, but it seemed an unnecessary burden, particularly as it was quite early. Like him, she had had a late night, and he certainly didn't want to wake her up without just cause. He slipped off his nightie, and put it into the recycling chute, briefly pausing to wonder what he should wear that day. The evening was sorted; he would be wearing his lovely white dress that he had designed the day before. Daywear was more problematic, but he decided that a decision could wait until he was clean, and went into the shower.

The warm water felt delicious against his skin, and he let it rain down upon him for several minutes, closing his eyes in sheer hedonistic pleasure, as the jets massaged him on his back and legs. He bent his head under the streams, and allowed them to soak his hair, cleaning it, and making it feel nice to his touch.

Suddenly the door on the other side opened. It was Jeanette. Quickly he picked up the nearest thing to hand, a pink shower scrub he used to clean himself, and used this to cover his modesty. "Oh gosh Steve!" she exclaimed. "I didn't know you were in here. Sorry!"

"That's all right," he replied, acutely aware of how small his penis seemed these days. Hopefully Jeanette hadn't seen it. His body didn't seem to interest her however. She was looking in one of the cabinets that hung from the far wall. He had guessed that one of these was for him, but he had never put anything into it. He hadn't intended to be showering in here for too long before being reassigned as a boy.

"I'm just looking for some eyeliner," Jeanette went on. "You haven't got any have you?"

"Err, no." he replied, turning his back to her, and beginning to wash himself again.

"I'm sure I had some in here," Jeanette went on. "It was a nice colour too. Still, I can always get some more I suppose."

She seemed unusually at ease with sharing a bathroom with him, particularly in view of her initial objections, and insistence that he should let her know when he intended to use it. "Sorry I didn't let you know I was going to take a shower," he told her shyly. "I didn't want to wake you."

"Oh that's all right. I'll have mine when you've finished. Oh here it is! Good!" She had obviously found the errant item of make up at the back of the cabinet. "Tut, that's just typical!" she added, after something of a pause.

"What is?" he asked.

"Wouldn't you know it? The day of the dance; Stuart's asked to be my escort, and I'm bloody well on! I wouldn't mind so much, but it always brings me out in spots!"

The casual reference to menstruation made him blush, even hiding in the shower. "Oh dear!" he responded, hoping this was the right thing to say.

"Well it can't be helped, I'll have to make the best of it," she went on. "Let me know when you've finished will you, there's a darling!"

"Yes, and I'm sorry I didn't forewarn you."

"Oh that's all right, I don't mind."

"No, but you did say I should let you know."

"Well yes, but that was before……….," she stopped herself suddenly.

"Before what?" Steve asked after a pause.

"Well, just before. Give me a shout when you're done!"

Steve was quite flustered by the interruption, and hurried to finish showering himself, and washing his hair. Once he had done, he wrapped a towel around himself, and padded over to the door that led to Jeanette's bedroom. He knocked on it nervously. "I've finished," he shouted, although his voice rather piped the message in a silly falsetto.

"Okay, see you for breakfast!" he heard through the door. Relieved, he went back to his own room, and dried himself off properly, before sitting down in front of the Interface, to decide what to wear. Skirts, skirts and more skirts presented themselves to him. Still, he shouldn't complain. This was his lot for the time being, and he had to make the most of it, he reminded himself. More than make the most in fact, he had to be proud!

A noise made him jump, and he turned around. It was Sarah, standing by the door to the toilet they shared. "Hi Steve!" she said brightly. "I didn't mean to startle you!"

"It's all right," he said, returning her smile. He immediately became aware of the towel he had draped around himself, and tugged it up a little, to cover his nipples.

"I was just wondering how we were going to dress today," she went on. Steve noticed that she was just wearing bra and panties. "Only we were so funky last night, I wondered if we were going to do that again!"

Steve looked at her. "I don't think so," he said at last. "I was just going to pick something fairly plain and simple. We can wow them later at the dance tonight."

"Good idea!" Sarah said excitedly. She smiled again, swaying her hips a little. "I'm going to prove to Malcolm that I've got more to offer him than Eddie."

Steve felt a pang of sadness for his friend. He had serious doubts that Malcolm's sexuality would be as easily swayed as Sarah's hips. Nevertheless he smiled his approval at her plan. "See you for breakfast in a minute," she said again, and disappeared back through the toilet. Steve stared at the door after she had gone. It was going to take a bit of getting used to, this popping in and out of each other's rooms half naked. Still, Jeanette and Sarah were his friends. He would try and overcome his shyness for their sake if nothing else.

In the end he chose himself a simple black skirt. It wasn't too short, about four or five inches above the knee, and a light blue round necked top. Once he had it on, it made him look a bit, well, chesty, especially with the bra he had picked out for himself, but he shrugged to himself. It wasn't his fault he had to dress as a girl, so no one could really blame him for looking a bit chesty. He did without tights, but picked out a nice pair of black boots to match the skirt, with laces down the front, and ending just below his knees. They had a bit of a heel, which was good, even if it made it difficult for him to walk. He would now be as taller than Richard, and probably as tall as Bryn. That would make them treat him with a bit more respect!

He fussed around with his hair for a little bit, and then left his room, and knocked for Jeanette. Sarah joined them soon afterwards, and, true to her words, had dressed down in a pair of jeans and simple white T-shirt. The three of them left the girls' sleeping quarters, and walked through the long plain corridors to the Refectory.

They had a simple breakfast, gossiping about the dance, and who might fancy whom. Sarah had heard that Janet, Steve's erstwhile next-door neighbour, had a crush on Bryn of all people! Bryn would have been delighted to know, vain creature that he was, and it was a matter of speculation whether Janet would be able to attract his attention enough, particularly if Jacquie decided to make a play for him.

Conversation then turned to what they should do that day. Steve inadvertently admitted that he wasn't too confident at dancing. Sarah immediately thought that they should do something about that, and before he could object, it was arranged that they would spend the next hour or two practicing steps in the Gym. Steve was reluctant, not least because he guessed that the boys would be playing football in there, and would no doubt taunt him both for doing dance practice, and for whatever he decided to wear. Jeanette told him to be bold about it, like he had the night before. She and Sarah agreed that they would wear leotards as well, if that was all the Machine was prepared to offer Steve, so that he wouldn't feel too different from anyone else. Steve smiled his thanks, and it was agreed.

They chatted some more about jewellery, and what they should wear to the dance. It hadn't really occurred to Steve that he ought to have jewellery, but the excitement and enthusiasm of his friends for the subject swayed him almost instantly to the idea. They were about to get up and go back to their bedrooms to change when Richard came stumbling over to them nervously.

"Err," he began, looking down at his shoes. "I was wondering if I could have a word Steve."

Steve looked at him, and toyed with the idea of haughtily walking away with a refusal. He decided in the end to be magnanimous instead. "You two go ahead," he said to his friends. "I'll catch up with you in a minute."

Jeanette and Sarah looked from him, to Richard with looks of disapproval on their faces, before nodding, and walking away towards the girls' sleeping area. Richard waited until they were entirely out of sight and earshot before speaking again.

"Listen," he said, stumbling with his words, and staring intently at the table. "Me and Bryn, well, that is, we, well, we wanted to say how sorry we were."

"I see," said Steve, a little icily. Richard's discomfort was plain to see. Good, thought Steve, his own discomfort at having his knickers stared at the day before had been pretty evident to everyone except the culprits!

Richard grimaced at the tone of Steve's response, and shuffled uneasily in his chair. "We shouldn't have done it," he went on. "It was stupid."

Steve glared at him, his lips pressed together. "Yes it was," he said at last. "It was stupid and childish."

"I know," said a penitent Richard.

Steve glared at him some more and wondered how long he should make him suffer. Something was distracting him though, a sort of vinegary musty smell. He sniffed once or twice trying to work out what it was before carrying on. "Have you any idea how I felt when I realised why you two were crawling around under the table? Have you any idea at all?"

Richard looked even more uncomfortable, and held his head downwards. "It was just supposed to be a laugh," he said by way of mitigation.

"Well I didn't think it was funny," Steve stated. He sniffed again, there was definitely a strange smell coming from somewhere. "Have you had a shower this morning?" he asked.

Richard, for the first time, looked at him, a quizzical look on his face. "No," he said. "I don't shower every day. No-one does."

"I do," Steve said thoughtfully.

Richard looked even more uncomfortable, as Steve screwed up his nose once more. Undeterred, however, he continued. "Well like I said, I just wanted to say sorry. Is that all right?"

Steve sniffed once more. "Well I suppose it'll have to be," he said dismissively. "I just hope that nothing like it happens again."

"It won't" Richard promised. He paused for a while, unwilling to leave. "I got your rejection," he said.

"Oh right," Steve replied, now feeling a little guilty himself for refusing Richard the right to be his escort. But he had promised Charles now; there was no going back on that.

"Well, if you change your mind," Richard began, and then stood to leave. Steve stood too, making sure his skirt was smoothed down. He certainly didn't want to expose his knickers to Richard again!

"I don't think I will. I've agreed to let someone else escort me anyway," he said, checking his hair for any stray strands.

"Who?" Richard demanded.

"Wait and see." With this Steve walked off to the girls' sleeping quarters, leaving the other boy standing with his mouth open, and watching him disappear from the Refectory. Once alone in the corridor, Steve couldn't resist giggling to himself. He had certainly made Richard suffer for his apology, still, it served him right. He felt cross that Bryn hadn't bothered to apologise in person, and determined that he wasn't going to be included in the clemency he had decided to offer. With a skip in his step, he came to the Archway, and went through to his room.

Almost immediately the door announced that Jeanette and Sarah wanted to come in. He pushed the panel, and his two friends stepped through, both carrying pink bags. "Is everything all right Steve?" Jeanette asked with concern in her voice. "I was a bit worried about leaving you alone with Richard after what happened yesterday."

"Yes," Sarah put in. "Boys can be such pigs sometimes."

Steve smiled at them. "No, it was all right. He just wanted to apologise."

"Well I hope you made him suffer!" Jeanette said.

Steve grinned back. "I did!" he confessed.

"Good for you!" Sarah exclaimed. "Now come on, we need to get down to the Gym to do our dance practice!"

Steve went over to the Interface, and ordered himself a gym kit. The leotard, little skirt, and pink trainers arrived quickly enough. "You need a kit bag as well," Sarah told him. "It's on the same page I think."

Steve found it quickly enough, and, barely pausing to think, ordered a pink one to match Sarah and Jeanette's. He packed it with the leotard and skirt, and, at Sarah's suggestion, a drink, and off they went along the corridors to the Gym. When they got there, a few of the boys were wandering in and out of their changing room. They stared briefly at Steve and the two girls, but did not comment, although Steve was sure that Martin, a friend of the dreaded Colin, looked askance at his pink gym bag. It was only at that moment that Steve realised that he would have to use the girls' changing facilities, and what's more, would have to get changed in front of Jeanette and Sarah.

"Come on Steve!" Sarah urged, as she and Jeanette went through the door, which sported a dark silhouette wearing a dress. Steve breathed deeply to calm his fears, and followed them through. He looked around in panic once through the door. The layout was exactly the same as the boys' room, although the décor was pink instead of blue, and rather than the smell of stale sweat and bodies, and the pervading odour of the urinals, the room was rather pleasantly scented. Jeanette and Sarah had picked out pegs next to each other, and, with some hesitation, he walked over to join them.

"Did you see Stuart looking at me when we came in?" Jeanette asked them, as she took off her T-shirt, revealing a plain white bra, and within it, her rather well developed breasts.

"Yes!" Sarah replied, removing her own shirt. "I'm sure he smiled at you."
"I know he did!" Jeanette exclaimed. She was now undoing the flies on her jeans, as was Sarah. Steve decided that he'd better take off his top, and, with some awkwardness, began to do so.

"Oh that's nice!" Sarah said. Steve turned to check that she was talking to him.

"What is?" he asked.

"Your bra!" she explained. "I like those ones with the lace detail, they're good."

"Yes," Jeanette agreed. "But you might be better off with a sports bra like this for dancing," she said, indicating the plain white one she was wearing.

Steve felt a little foolish that they had discovered his conceit of wearing a bra. Putting one on when he got dressed had become something of a habit. It had started really as part of his pride campaign, but that morning, he had hardly thought about it at all. The two girls didn't seem fazed by it, however. On the contrary, they seemed to think it was a perfectly normal thing for him to do. "Well it doesn't really matter, I can take it off," he said, preparing to do so.

"Are you sure?" Jeanette asked him, putting on her jogging bottoms. Obviously while the Machine thought that a leotard was the only proper gym clothing for him, the other two had been offered more options. "I mean, you might be grateful for the support."

"Yes," Sarah agreed, likewise slipping herself into a pair of dark blue shorts.

"You mean wear a bra to do gym?" he asked.

"Yes," Jeanette went on, slipping a plain white shirt over her head. "It stops you jigging about so much. It can be a bit uncomfortable."
Steve looked down at his chest. In spite of the illusion given by the bra itself, he didn't really have boobs, he thought to himself. "Well I don't think I'll jiggle all that much to be honest."

Jeanette's head emerged from the shirt, and she looked at him. "Well you're not so big as me, that's true."

"Nor am I!" Sarah put in ruefully. Jeanette poked her tongue out at the other girl in response. Sarah went on. "Still, I'm keeping mine on. All that bouncing around can make them sore."

Steve hesitated. He was eternally grateful for the friendship that Jeanette and Sarah had shown him over the last few days. Without them, his new status as a girl would have been a nightmare. They did seem to have forgotten however, that underneath it all, he was still a boy however. He didn't have any boobs to get sore, or to jiggle up and down while he danced. They were both now putting on their trainers, and he was falling behind. He bit his bottom lip for a moment while he thought, and then made his decision. Leaving his bra in place, he took off his black skirt, and stepped into the legs of his pale blue leotard, pulling it up over his bra and knickers as if that was what he had intended all along.

He pulled the leotard over his arms, and immediately felt it tight across his entire body. He had never worn anything like this before, and looked down at himself. The outline of his bra and knickers were still visible, the former giving him something of the impression of a bust, although, in spite of Jeanette's warning, it was unlikely to jiggle, however much he exercised. His arms looked silly and thin emerging from the half sleeves of Lycra. He rather wished he was a little more muscely to impress the two girls, but there was nothing he could about it now. His groin was even more disappointing. There was no powerful bulge sticking out from his front, just a rather pathetic looking bump. He was getting more and more convinced that the Machine, in diverting his wee away from his Willy, had somehow made it shrink. Glancing across to see if Jeanette or Sarah had noticed his shameful smallness, he quickly picked up the skirt to wrap around himself.

"Are we all ready then?" Jeanette asked brightly, oblivious to his concerns. He smiled, and nodded in reply, and they went through to the gym area. The main room was full of boys kicking a football around. Steve fixed his gaze firmly ahead, as the three of them walked around the outside of the pitch towards the smaller hall at the back. He was aware of several pairs of eyes on them, and, once they had passed the halfway point, a few catcalls and wolf whistles echoed around the hall, to general laughter. "Ignore them," advised Jeanette haughtily.

They walked through the door to the smaller hall, and put their drinks down against one wall. Steve hadn't really been in this room before. The boys had always monopolised the larger room for their incessant games of football, and this room was generally thought of as a girls only exercise area. He looked around. All along one wall was a mirror. He vaguely remembered Bryn mentioning this before, and saying how it proved that all girls were vain. Jeanette and Sarah lined up facing it, and suddenly the music started. He quickly skipped across to join them, and tried to mimic their steps and routines as the music pumped out.

The whole thing was exhausting, and Steve found himself sweating and breathless after only a few minutes. Jeanette and Sarah ploughed on, however, and he reluctantly did the same. He was really pleased when Jeanette said they should have a break after around fifteen minutes of constant activity.

"You're not as bad as you made out!" she accused Steve. "He's quite the little mover, isn't he Sarah?"

"Yes," the other girl said, and then took a swig from her drink. "You've got some natural rhythm."

"Yes, and quite a good swing on your hips!" Jeanette added, giggling. In the mirror, Steve noticed someone coming through the door to the main hall. Steve looked over to see who it was. It was Mandy, Karen's friend; the one she had decided to escort to the dance instead of him, he remembered ungenerously. She looked worried, and walked slowly over to them.

"Steve," she said. "They said you were in here. I need your help."

Steve's first thought was that she was going to ask him to design her a dress for the evening. He looked up at her. "What can I do for you?" he asked.

"Not for me, for Karen. She's really upset," the girl with the wispy mousy coloured hair went on. "I thought perhaps you could cheer her up a bit."

"Have the boys been teasing her?" Jeanette asked, menacingly. Mandy turned her gaze from Steve to his friend, and shook her head.

"No," she said. "It's," she paused, and turned back to Steve. "Something else. Can you come along and talk to her?"

Steve looked to Jeanette and Sarah for guidance, but they both looked as confused as him. "I guess so," he said, "but why do you think I can help?"

Mandy pulled a bit of a face. "Because you're in the same boat as her, only the other way around if you see what I mean. She's upset," she paused again. "Because of something the Machine's done to her. Can you come now, she's getting quite worked up?"

Steve looked at Jeanette and Sarah again. "I'd better go and see what the matter is," he said. They both nodded approvingly. "I'll come back if it doesn't take too long."

"Well if you're not back before we leave, I'll take your clothes back to your room," Sarah suggested. She looked over to the door through to the main hall where the boys were shouting as a prelude to their soccer match. "You won't want to face that lot on your own!"

Steve smiled in gratitude. "Thanks," he said.

Mandy was standing impatiently. "Come on," she urged him. "Let's get there as quickly as we can." She led Steve through the main hall, and out into the corridors at a breathtaking speed. Even in his flat trainers, he found it hard to keep up with her, and had to trot at several points along the route. They seemed to be heading off towards the classrooms, which on a day when there were no lessons, seemed a little odd.

"Slow down!" he urged at last, and rested by leaning against the wall. Mandy indeed did stop, and turned to face him, but she had a look of someone who wanted to get on with the task. Breathless, Steve decided to buy some time to rest by asking her some questions. "What's this all about?" he asked. "I need to know before I get there, otherwise I won't be much use."
Mandy looked at him dubiously. "She made me promise not to tell anyone."

Still gasping for breath, Steve looked at her. "Well unless I know what's upsetting her, I can't really help much."

Mandy hesitated before responding. "I suppose that's true," she said at last. "All right, I'll tell you. It's her hair."

"Her hair?" Steve asked, shaking his head. "She's got nice hair."

Mandy grimaced. "Yes she did have. The bloody Machine's gone and cut it all off."

Steve's mouth fell open. He had had some dodgy haircuts himself from the Machine from time to time, but he recognised that for a girl, loosing all her hair would be far worse. "She went in to have it tidied up for the dance tonight," Mandy went on. "And the stupid bloody thing decided she should have a hair style that was what it called suitable."

"Oh my God!" Steve exclaimed, his mouth still open. "She must be devastated!"

"I don't know about that," Mandy went on. "She's bloody furious. She's in the Science lab now, smashing things up!"

The image of Karen rampaging around the laboratory smashing things about came to Steve's mind. "She shouldn't do that," he said, and realised how ineffective it sounded almost immediately. Mandy stared at him.

"No," she agreed at length. "She's not normally violent like this, but ever since this stupid business about her being a boy, well, she seems to have gone a bit moody."

"Yes," Steve agreed, although he hadn't had as much contact with Karen as he might have liked, and therefore wasn't really in a position to tell. He began to feel a bit nervous about facing a rampant Karen in that sort of temper.

"I just thought you might have more luck calming her down that I did," Mandy went on, beginning to think to herself that it might have been a mistake. After all, her friend had just lost one of the most important symbols of her femininity, and seeing this boy, wearing what she had to admit was quite a pretty pale blue leotard and gym skirt might just push her the wrong way. She decided that the die was cast however. "I mean, you seem to have coped quite well with having to be a girl," she told him.

Steve stared at her, and wondered whether to be pleased or insulted. He shrugged. "Well I put up with it," he mumbled.

"Well perhaps you could just have a few words with her," Mandy went on. "Come on, it's just down here."

"I know," Steve said, feeling more than a little nervous.

Their frantic march began again, and Steve trotted along behind Mandy until they came to a door he recognised as the Science Lab. Mandy looked at him and nodded before opening the door. It was dark in the lab, and it took Steve's eyes some time to adjust to the gloom.

"Karen?" Mandy said quietly. There was no response. As Steve looked around, he could see that the floor was liberally sprinkled with broken glass, and wondered for a second whether his shoes would be sturdy enough to protect his feet from the shards.

"Karen?" Mandy repeated a little louder.

"Over here," Steve heard her voice from the far end of the room. He and Mandy walked gingerly between the workbenches, trying to avoid the worst of the debris, and, when the reached the final bench, Steve saw what to all the world looked like the figure of a rather tall young man, sitting on the floor with his back to them.

"I've brought Steve," Mandy ventured.

Karen briefly looked around, and, in spite of himself, Steve gasped at what he saw. Her lovely long hair had been shorn almost completely, and, although her eyes and face looked familiar, it was almost as if it was a stranger looking at him. Her eyes looked pained and wretched. "Well take him away again," she snapped. "I told you I didn't want anyone to see me."

She looked away again, and Steve wondered what he should do. He stepped forward slowly. "Karen," he said quietly. "I'm so sorry."

Her head hang down towards her knees, and she rocked it to and fro. "What are you sorry for?" she snapped. "Is it your fault then?"

Steve winced. "No," he whispered. "I didn't mean that. I meant I was sorry about your hair. It was so lovely!"

She turned to him again, straightening up. In spite of himself, Steve took a step backwards. "Well it's not now is it? I look a right mess."

"It'll grow again," Mandy suggested.

"Like in about three years!" Karen snapped back at her, with fire in her blue eyes. Mandy turned away, and put her hand to her mouth, biting the knuckles in despair. Karen slumped forward again, and threw a glass jar against the far wall, causing a loud explosion of broken glass.

"Well that's not going to help is it?" said Steve, aware that it sounded a little prim almost as soon as the words left his mouth. Hesitantly, he stepped forward, and, with his heart in his mouth, sat down next to the girl. He immediately felt dwarfed by her, both in height and in width. She seemed larger somehow, sitting there in the dark. "This isn't easy is it?" he said, quietly and calmly, despite his thumping heart. "I mean, I know it's not easy me being a girl, so I guess it must be just as hard for you to be a boy."

She was silent for a while, and picked up another test tube, and played with it in her hands. "No it's not," she admitted eventually. "I hate it!"

"Me too," Steve assured her.

She turned to face him, looking down at him, sitting beside her. "Well you seem to be coping better than me," she grumbled. "You've made some friends, and you look pretty comfortable in the clothes."

"Well Jeanette and Sarah have been nice to me," he admitted. "I guess out of pity or something." She did not respond. "And as for the clothes," he went on. "Well, I have to wear them don't I? So like I told you yesterday, I've just decided to make the best of it. I don't want the Machine to think it's ground me down, or the boys to think they can tease me about wearing skirts for ever." She continued to play with the test tube without responding. "I mean it's silly really isn't it?" Steve went on. "I'm sitting here in a tiny little gym skirt and a leotard, and trying to pretend everything is normal." For the first time, she smiled a little. He felt encouraged to go on. "And if you must know, I'm even wearing a bra and pretty little knickers as well. How's that for silly?"

She smiled again. "You probably look all right in them," she said.

"I don't know about that," he said dismissively. "You'd have to ask Bryn and Richard."

She looked at him quizzically for a moment, and then remembered the incident. "Oh yes," she said. "That couldn't have been much fun for you."
"It wasn't," he admitted. "I felt awful."

She nodded. "I never wear short skirts," she mused. "Especially being so tall, it's just too much of an invitation for boys to gawp up there."

Steve nodded as well, and felt a pang of shame. He could hardly put his hand on his heart and say that he wouldn't have felt tempted to have a look if she had. "Well," he said at last. "At least you don't have to worry about that for a while."

Karen looked hard at him, and he wondered for a moment whether he had been too flippant about the situation. Then she smiled. "No. I can't say I miss wearing skirts really, short or long. Trousers are much more practical."

"Yes but it's good to put on something nice on special occasions," Mandy said. Steve looked around. He had almost forgotten the other girl was there.

"I don't know about that," Karen went on. "I think it's over rated."

"But I am sorry about your hair," Steve went on, looking at Karen's shaven head. "I shall miss it."

She looked at him oddly again, and he wondered whether it had been right to remind her of her recent loss. "Me too," she said, quietly. "Still, I know what you mean about showing the Machine that it can't grind us down with all this. Maybe I should just put on a brave face, and pretend I had it cut on purpose."

"You could do," Steve agreed. "It would certainly stop anyone trying to tease you about it."
"Yes," she agreed. "I don't think the boys like me much, especially in the sleeping quarters. One or two have tried to get into my room, but I just shoved them back out again."

"Good for you!" Steve told her, and gave her a smile that reached into her soul. She looked at him carefully, sitting there, calming her down and offering simple advice. The Steve she remembered from their youth would never have done that. He would have laughed at her lack of hair, and quickly gone to bring all his other friends to look and laugh as well. Being a girl had certainly improved him.

"You've been playing football too," he reminded her. "That should get them on your side."

She laughed. "Well maybe, but they don't like me tackling them that's for sure."

"They don't like being shown up by a girl," Mandy suggested. Steve and Karen looked at her again. Her comment had reminded them of her presence once more. "Well, you seem to have cheered up a bit," she said eventually to Karen. "Good."

Steve looked at Karen again. She certainly did seem a little less off her head with the red mist that had enveloped her. "Look at the mess in here," he admonished, deciding to keep up with the flippancy.

"You sound just like my mother," Karen wailed theatrically. Steve remembered Karen's mother. She was tall, like her daughter, and always seemed to know what she was doing. No doubt Karen missed her, like he missed his own.

"Well we can't stay sitting here all day," he went on. "Have you summoned the cleaning robots to clear up?" Karen shook her head. "Well I'm worried that if I stay sat here much longer, I'll end up with a piece of glass in my bum!"

Karen looked down at his rump. He was immediately aware that his skirt was slit on that side, and was exposing his thigh to her. He felt her eyes on his flesh, and was at once both excited and ashamed. A tingle went through his stomach.

"I don't know about silly," she said, still looking. "They look nice."

Steve was confused. "What do?" he asked.

Karen grinned sheepishly. "Your knickers," she said, nodding towards his thigh. "I can see them under your leotard."

Steve felt embarrassed, and tugged at the leg to cover himself up. Recovering his composure, he stood up. "Well I'd best get along," he said, as brightly as he could. "I'm supposed to be practicing my dancing for tonight." For a moment, he was looking down at the figure of Karen. Slowly, she unravelled herself, and stood up, electrifyingly close to him, and taller by several inches.

"Dancing?" she said.

"Yes," he replied, a little nervous that the butterflies he felt in his stomach must be evident on his face. "There's a dance tonight, remember?"

"I know," Karen went on, and looked across at Mandy, obviously thinking. "I'm not sure I want to go now."

"Oh we have to!" Mandy put in, her arms folded. "You don't want everyone to know that the Machine's beaten you do you?"

Karen considered this. "You ought to go," Steve weighed in. "I am, even though I've got to wear a dress."

She looked at him, imagining what he might look like in something more formal. "Okay," she said at last. "I'll go."

"Just as well," Mandy put in. "Otherwise I'd have no escort!"

The three of them smiled at this, and Steve made his way to leave. "Hang on," Karen said to him. "We'd best go with you, especially dressed like that."

Steve looked down at himself, seeing yards of his legs exposed by the tiny wrap around skirt. He hated to admit it, but Karen was right. He shouldn't really be wandering around the corridors of the ship wearing so little. The two girls got themselves together, and led him out of the door, and out into the corridor.

They chatted pleasantly enough as they walked along. It did occur to Steve that Jeanette and Sarah's practice session might well be over by now, but he still wanted to check. As they neared the Gym he heard the unmistakable sound of male laughter. They turned a corner and saw Colin, and his cronies, Martin and David, larking about in the corridor in front of them. All three turned to see who was approaching, and their mouths fell open when they saw Karen's hair cut for the first time.

"Jesus wept!" Colin exclaimed, the first to find his voice. "Won't you look at her hair?" The other two did, and started to snigger. Steve and the two girls, after a momentary pause, continued to walk towards them.

"And look at his bloody skirt as well," Martin added, pointing at Steve's legs as they got nearer. "It's a right fucking freak show!"

"Yeah," agreed David, a fat and rather ugly boy with glasses. "Make way for the freaks!" There was another burst of mocking laughter.

"Ignore them," suggested Mandy.

"Nobody ignores us!" Colin snapped, jumping out in front of her, causing her to stop, and take a step back. "Especially not two lesbians and a bloody poof!" His two friends laughed again, and Steve could sense Karen tensing by the side of him. The three boys were now blocking the corridor, facing Steve and the two girls, and refusing them further progress.

"Look at you," Colin said, inches from Steve's face. "Wearing a pretty little leotard, I bet you think you're great don't you?"

"Not particularly," Steve replied, his voice trembling a little.

Colin sneered, and once again, Steve detected the vague odour of vinegar and sweat. The boy's eyes fell onto his chest, and Steve felt his lips quivering. "So you think you're a girl now do you? We'll see about that!" His hands flashed out, and grabbed at Steve's chest, squeezing maliciously at his flesh through his clothing. Steve felt a stab of pain, particularly on his left hand side, and let out a squeal of pain.

"Christ almighty!" Colin exclaimed. "He's wearing a sodding bra!"

Karen stepped forward and pushed the boy away fiercely, and for a moment, the two of them squared up to each other, fists by their sides. "Oh the pretty little girly has got a butch protector now!" Colin sneered. Karen jolted, and her hands raised still further.

"Ignore them," Mandy suggested again, touching Karen's back.

Still wincing from the pain in his left nipple, Steve tried to get between them. "It's all right Karen," he said quietly. "It's just a childish prank."

Colin turned his eyes briefly to Steve. "Freak!" he screamed. "Freak who wears a bra!" His two companions laughed at the taunt, but slowly moved aside to allow Steve and his two companions past. Mandy and Steve made to move forward, but Karen stood still, glaring at Colin with fury burning from her eyes.

"You leave him alone," she growled.
"Or what?" Colin retorted. "I'm not scared of lesbians you know."

"And I'm not scared of idiots," Karen said, in a hoarse whisper. The two of them glared at each other for a few more seconds, and then Karen moved nonchalantly forward, her shoulder bumping firmly into Colin's as she passed, and the three of them walked off down the corridor, and out of the sight of the boys.

Immediately Steve began rubbing his injured nipple. "Are you all right?" Mandy asked him. He nodded, although she could see the pain on his face. "Are you hurt?"

"Just a little bit," Steve admitted. "I didn't know nipples could be so sensitive!"

Mandy and Karen exchanged glances, concern etched on their faces. "Well they're not built for that sort of treatment," Mandy said at last. "I expect it'll be all right in a minute."

After a brief pause, they continued their passage through to the Gym. The main hall was mercifully empty. The smaller room was too. Sarah and Jeanette must have given up waiting on him. Steve checked the changing rooms, and found them empty, apart from a short note from Jeanette to say that she and Sarah had gone back to the girls' sleeping area, and taken his clothes with them.

In spite of his assurances that he would be all right, Karen and Mandy insisted on escorting him back to the girls' archway. When they got there, he thanked them, and quickly went through to his room. True to their word, Jeanette and Sarah had left his clothes in a neat pile on his bed. He took the leotard off his shoulders, and struggling with the clasp at the back, removed his bra to examine his nipple. There was an ugly red weal above it where one of Colin's nails had dug into him, but it ended a good inch above his nipple, and didn't really explain why it hurt so much. Gingerly, he felt around it, and was surprised to feel something gristly behind it. He was sure it hadn't been there before, and it seemed to be the source of the dull ache he was feeling. It was some sort of bruise caused by Colin grabbing him, he decided, and, because he still felt tender, decided that it might be a good idea to put his bra back on, to offer himself some protection against it getting rubbed by his clothes.

He had just finished dressing, when the door announced that Jeanette and Sarah were waiting to see him. He skipped over to the door eagerly to let them in. "What was up with Karen?" Jeanette asked him. "We waited for a long time, but decided to go in the end."

Steve wondered whether he should tell them. Still, he reasoned, they would find out soon enough at the dance. "She's had her hair cut," he told them, although they looked none the wiser for this. "Well, the Machine got a bit carried away, because it thinks she's a boy," he said.

"Oh God!" exclaimed Sarah, holding her hand over her mouth in horror. "You mean it's cut it really short?" Steve nodded.

"Oh poor Karen, no wonder she was distraught!" Jeanette put in. "Did you manage to cheer her up at all?"

"A bit," Steve admitted, wincing as his nipple sent another dull ache through his chest. He rubbed at himself to try and ease it.

"What's the matter?" Jeanette asked him, following his hand movement. "Have you hurt yourself?"

"A bit," he replied. "We bumped into Colin on the way back, and he decided to grab at my chest."
"Oh I hate it when boys do that," Jeanette exclaimed. "They wouldn't like it if we kept grabbing at their balls would they?"

"No," Sarah agreed emphatically. Steve grimaced a little at the thought, but reckoned his balls were safe enough for the moment, encased in his knickers as they were.

"But he must have hurt you if you keep rubbing yourself," Jeanette went on. "He's not damaged you has he?"

Steve shrugged. "I've got a little scratch, but I think he's bruised me somehow. I've got a little lump just underneath the nipple on this side."

Jeanette looked concerned. "Do you want us to have a look to check?" she asked.

"No," Steve replied, dismissively. The thought of exposing his chest, even to his new friends, did not appeal.

"You don't normally get a lump when you bruise yourself there," Sarah mused. "Perhaps you should go to the Medical centre and get it checked."

"It's nothing," Steve replied. "It'll be gone in a couple of days."

"Well if it's not, you should get it checked out," Sarah went on. "You can't be too careful with things like that."

"No," Jeanette agreed, still looking at Steve with concern on her face. "Still, it might just be a bud."

Sarah looked alarmed for a second, and almost imperceptibly shook her head at Jeanette. Steve was confused. "A bud?" he asked.

"Yes," Jeanette went on. "You often get a little hard thing under there just before they begin to grow." She had not taken Sarah's hint to drop the subject. The other girl decided to intervene before Steve got too alarmed.

"Well I doubt it's that," Sarah said, with forced emphasis. "I mean, Steve's not that sort of girl is he? Not the sort that would grow boobs anyway."

Jeanette looked at Sarah, and then at Steve. "No, I suppose not. God, sorry Steve, I'd sort of forgotten after the last few days. You must think I'm awfully rude, suggesting you'd grow boobs!"

Steve's mouth had gone dry in alarm at the mention of growing boobs. Surely that could never happen? He bit his bottom lip for a second. No, it was impossible. It was just the bruising. "It's all right," he said to Jeanette, smiling. "It's my fault. I've been trying so hard to fit in, I suppose you're bound to think I'm a girl from time to time."

Jeanette smiled back at him. "Yes," she agreed. "Anyway, what shall we do now? We'll need about three hours to get ready for the dance, but we've got a couple of hours to kill before we need to think about that."

"Three hours?" Steve said in amazement. "But we've already sorted out what to wear!"

"I know!" Jeanette replied. "But we've got to do our hair, and our make up, and stuff like that. It'll take a good three hours, won't it Sarah?"

"I should think so," the other girl agreed. Steve was still surprised at the estimate, but decided to go along with their better judgement. There had been formal dances before, when their parents were still with them. No doubt Jeanette and Sarah had some experience of how long it took to get ready. Not that his hair would take long, just a wash, and a couple of quick brushes. A bit like Karen's, he thought to himself. Nor was he going to indulge in any make up either, although he was happy to watch his friends put it on themselves.

"I know what we could do!" Sarah exclaimed. "Let's watch a movie on Steve's interface! If we pick something nice, it'll put us in the mood for the dance!"

"Good idea!" Jeanette agreed.

Sarah went over to the Interface, and quickly picked out a movie she had seen before. It was new to Steve and Jeanette, and the three of them snuggled themselves down comfortably on Steve's bed to watch it together.

It was a romantic tale of unrequited love, hardly Steve's usual choice. A young girl went to work as a servant in a big house, where the master's son and heir was a handsome man in his twenties. Naturally enough, these two fell deeply and passionately in love, much to the chagrin of the young man's father. He sent the son off to work in the big city, and sacked the girl, who was reduced to begging in the streets. When the young man returned, his father told him the girl was dead, and in the end he married a woman of his own social class. Several years later, and a widower, he bumped into the heroine, now working as a prostitute in a local bar, and recognised her. They made love in a raunchy scene near the end of the film. The girl was so upset by what she had lost that she killed herself, only just before the hero came riding into town in a carriage to take her back to his big house.

The three of them sat on the bed sobbing profusely. Steve was surprised how much the story had moved him; he wasn't normally given to weeping at things like that. They looked at each other sheepishly through their tears, and said how much they had enjoyed the film. Steve rubbed his nipple again, as it sent yet another dull ache through his body.

"Well," said Jeanette, drying her eyes and sniffing. "I guess it's time to get ready!"

"Oh yes!" Sarah agreed. "We all need showers, and I'm going first!"

"Well why don't you use yours," Jeanette suggested, "And Steve and I can share this one?" Sarah thought about this, and, for a moment, looked as if she felt excluded from the girly pleasures of sharing a shower that Jeanette.

"All right," Sarah conceded. "As long as Gloria isn't in there."

"She won't be yet," Jeanette said.

"I'll go and check." Sarah took the short cut to her room through the toilet she shared with Steve. Jeanette opened the door to the shower she and the boy shared, and they went on through.

Steve somehow agreed that there was an urgent need for showering, and stood up, before suddenly wondering whether Richard would bother. He had said that he didn't bother to shower every day. Neither had Steve, until the Machine had given him the number G11. Why did he suddenly feel the need to wash so often? Still, he had been exercising earlier, and you couldn't be too clean could you, especially for a dance?

  

  

  

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