I hope everyone enjoys this offering to the great folks here at BC. Still trying to work out where I'd really like to go with all of this so your comments and suggestions are appreciated. I know what happens is not legal in the real world, but I thought it might be an interesting punishment.

I licked the cut in my lip for what had to be the fiftieth time. I relished the pain of it, and even wore the puffy cheek with honor. The cut in my lip and the black eye really didn't fit with the suit I wore. I looked at my hands as I again teased the cut with my tongue.

I smiled, seemingly at the cuts in my hands. I'd bruised the knuckles on my right hand against someone's teeth, and the other had gotten one of the studs from a collar stuck in it. It had been a group of punks that I'd been fighting last week, but that didn't matter. It was the fight that I enjoyed. Dropping an opponent with a well placed knee to the groin or a forehead to their nose was just a bonus.

For the first time I really looked beyond the little scars and the new cuts and examined my hands. They were small for my size, which wasn't that big to begin with. That's part of the reason I started fighting. At 4'10" I was officially termed a midget.

If I'd had the musculature people usually associate with 'little people' they might have left me alone. Nope. Pencil-necked-geek comes to mind.

I was 105 pounds, and had no hope of bulking up. For some reason I was blessed to be one of those individuals that never bulk up, they just get stronger. Not that I was bench-pressing a truck, but I was able to hold my own.

For all that my last name is Smith, I am pretty sure I have a good portion of Irish blood in me from somewhere. I have the red hair and milky complexion, at least.

My lawyer nudged me and I looked up. The defendant's table was empty for the first time in three hours and he was making his way through the opening in the half wall that separated the gallery from the court proper. He made his way over to the table and sat down. I joined him and decided to look at the man who would be deciding my fate.

My parents were the only ones still sitting in the benches, and one of the glorified security guards closed the door. Then something strange happened: he locked the door, and then went and did the same to the one which the judge had entered through what seemed an eternity ago.

"Aaron, how many times have you been in my court for assault?"

"Fourteen times, your honor."

"Fourteen times. You've spent almost a year in juvenile detention since the age of eleven. Somehow it doesn't seem to me that sending you to the detention center again will do any good, since eight of the times I saw you were for fighting in the detention center."

I knew that Judge Anderson really didn't want to hear anything from me right now so I kept my mouth shut.

"It seems that your violence against women is escalating."

"That's only because you have to do more damage to convince them to stay down, your honor. A swift kick to the boys takes the fight out of most men," I said with a smirk.

Judge Anderson paled. Point to me.

"Aaron, I'm hearing rumors."

What's going on? "You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

"Hard not to, given your past."

"Look, I fought off a group of thugs last week. Simple as that. Sure, I sent a couple of the girls to the hospital, but they fought back. It was a fair fight."

"Aaron, no fight you're involved in is fair. Have you ever lost?"

Normally I'd be right there telling him that the last time I lost I'd been ten years old and they'd put me in the hospital. For some reason people are convinced I am gay. Now, the fact that I'm aroused by guys has nothing to do with it.

When I admitted this to a 'friend', he cornered me with his older brother and some of their high school friends. When I got out of the hospital I rectified the situation. I wasn't ever going to be hurt like that again.

To date I hadn't been.

"You need a change of attitude, Aaron. You need a change of life. So, with the agreement of your parents I've come up with a...unique...punishment."

I looked back at my mom, but she turned away from me. My dad, however, looked me in the eyes. I'd gotten good over the years at reading the nuances in his looks of disapproval. This one said, clear as day, that I was going to hate this punishment.

"Starting next Monday, you will be attending a new school. You will be under a modified house arrest as well. Should you choose to keep presenting the same old Aaron Smith to the world, then you are not allowed to leave the confines of your house. You will be wearing a GPS anklet. You will be using the online portal for your new school. You will be allowed one visitor per week."

"Where's the choice in that?" I said on the border of indignance. Only the border, mind you, since I didn't want a contempt charge again on top of my other punishments.

"I was getting to that. I've been known to hand down appropriate and creative punishments before. In this case I really feel it's appropriate. Two of the girls you beat last week are still in a coma."

The fact that one of them had been the one who gave me the black eye didn't enter into it, I'm sure, but hey, it made it even in my book. You hurt me, I stop you. Period.

"You have something to say about it?"

"Those girls were as ready to beat the crap out of me as any of the guys."

"You started that fight, Aaron. It's time you learned a different way to approach things than with your fists. If you choose to leave the house, you will do so as a girl. You will attend school as a girl. You will go to the movies as a girl. As far as anyone in your new school is concerned, you will be a girl."

"You can't do that! It's not legal."

"There is nothing in the legal code that prevents me from specifying dress to you. In prison, we tell you exactly what to wear. Think of it as giving a little leeway in our proscriptions. What style of clothing is up to you, as long as you wear feminine styles and cuts."

I looked back at my dad, the one I figured would have the greatest problem with this, and he just nodded at me. I guess it was more palatable to him that I be a girl attracted to guys than a guy attracted to them.

"Those are my only two choices? How long?"

"To your first question, yes. Those are the two choices you have: dress and act as a demure girl, or stay home. As for how long, we'll be reviewing this after the school year is over to determine how much longer you have to continue."

Nine months! "Send me to Juvie, your honor. Please."

"That is not an option. This is my sentence. The bailiff will fit you with a tracking anklet and you'll be able to return home with your parents."

.-.. .. -. . -... .-. . .- -.-
I lay on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I still wore the anklet. I just wasn't going to go out of the house, well not in the way that they wanted me to. School was over for the week, and I have to admit that it was an interesting experience to say the least.

I played with my braid as I thought about it. I always kept my hair in a thick braid. I thought of it as my own personal queue, without the forehead shaving. It was about two inches in diameter and three feet long. I wrapped it around my neck when I fought to provide some protection there, and it had saved me a couple of times already.

Of course the braid was part of the problem right now. Everyone in the school, at least in my classes, thought I was a girl. That could be because I was registered as a girl. After I brought it up to mom on Monday, I'd been forbidden from correcting people. That was part of the punishment.

When some of the girls found out I'd never cut my hair, I became a bit of a sensation. Apparently I had the longest hair in the school. I didn't care to tell them that it was actually longer than I was tall when I let it loose.

I hated most aspects of my physical appearance, but one of the few I took pride in was my hair.

It was also the bane of my existence currently.

It had all started during chemistry on Monday...

"I'd like everyone online and in class today to welcome AJ Smith to class. She'll be with us through the end of this year. AJ, why don't you introduce yourself to the class?"

Classes were held in a hybrid video and classroom chat session. The students in the classroom shared a single camera at the front of the room. The students online were split into multiple windows on a projection screen everyone in the classroom could see.

Even so, there were only ten people in the classroom and another five online including me. Most of my classes were small like this one.

"I'm under house arrest because I was arrested for assault..."

I didn't want to make friends in this school. I didn't tell them that I was a boy, but I let them know that I was the proverbial bad-boy...er bad-girl. I'd already done this five other times today, so I was emphasizing points with the tip of my braid and then I started twirling it a bit as I got to the end of the over-rehearsed speech.

"How long is your hair? Is that really your hair?" The girl who asked the question was another of the online students like I was. She had a darker complexion than most of the other students and really thick curly hair that was either dark brown or light black.

I smiled for the camera and I slowly displayed the entire length of it until it was obvious that it went into the back of my head. I gave a hard enough jerk at that point to snap my head around.

"My braid is three feet long. Well, three feet, two inches, and three sixteenths of an inch long."

"That's so cool. When was the last time you had your hair cut?"

"Never, except for a few trims here and there..."

"AJ, Jasmine, that's enough from you ladies for now. You two can gossip about hair secrets on your own time."

The teacher had a smile on his face, but his tone was firm. I blushed to the roots of my hair, and I was glad when I noticed that Jasmine did the same.

Class was the normal introduction that you get at the beginning of any high school course. After the class ended, I was about to log out, as this was my last class of the day, when Jasmine pinged me requesting a private chat session. I shrugged my shoulders and accepted. All private sessions using the school's system were recorded. It’s supposed to keep our hormones in check or some such nonsense.

"Hey, AJ. That was my last class of the day, how 'bout you?"

"Yep. I was just going to log off and do some homework."

"Great. Can I come over and we could do some homework together?"

"I'm under restriction for a while. I can only have visitors once a week. Not sure I want to blow that on Monday."

She got a strange look on her face. "You mean you were really arrested for assault?"

"Yeah."

"Who did you attack?"

"Whole gang of leather bound freaks."

At that, her eyes got a little large. "That was you?"

"What was me?"

"Kelly's brother is really into the whole industrial rock scene. She said that he told her that his entire group of friends were attacked by some midget from hell."

"Well, I am only 4'10" so I guess that name applies," I said with a smirk. I loved my reputation.

"Damn, girl. Richard is like 6'11" or something. Well, at least 6'5"."

"When the primary target is at eye level, makes it a lot easier to hit."

She laughed at this. Hey, I could get to like this girl. She was cool, and there were few cool people at my old school.

"So, when can I come over?"

I said something about thinking it over, and signed off.

Tuesday after class it was worse.

"AJ, this is Kelly, the girl who I told you about."

Kelly was the opposite of Jasmine. Blonde, blue eyes, I figured she'd probably be leggy and tall as well. I hated her immediately.

"Hi."

"So, you beat up my brother and his friends, huh?"

"Yep."

"Cool. He deserved it. He was a real punk before that. It put him even more in his place when I told him you were a girl. He remembers the braid apparently," she said with a giggle.

"Well, glad to be memorable."

"You know, AJ, you really don't seem like that big of a bad ass," Jasmine said.

"Jasmine!" Kelly said in indignation.

"Well, what would you call her?"

"Um, well, now that you mention it...kick...um...okay. Bad ass."

"I'm right here, ladies."

That set them off giggling again, and I joined in with them. I was laughing, though, not giggling.

"That's my point, AJ. You sort of fade into the background, in a good way. You don't seem to...swagger? Yeah, swagger."

"When you're as good as I am, there's no need to swagger."

"Wow, conceited much?" Jasmine asked.

"I haven't lost a fight in five years."

Their eyes bugged out at this.

"Girl, that's the thing. You talk a good game...when you remember. Usually you're just a normal girl in class."

"Yeah, and so I suggested to Jasmine that maybe we need to perform an intervention."

I got a little worried at this, "Intervention?"

"You explain it to her, Kelly. It's your idea after all." Jasmine didn't seem too convinced with whatever idea that Kelly had concocted.

"So, what I was thinking was that the whole tomboy thing needs to go. You act tough, but there is someone special waiting to come out. I can feel it. I want to perform a makeover on you."

"I'll think about it."

I'd signed off and hadn't accepted a direct connection from either of them for the rest of the week. The problem was that I was seriously considering their offer. Sure, Kelly grated along my nerves like rusty rebar, but Jasmine wasn't half bad. If I had to put up with Kelly to be friends with Jasmine–so be it.

But a makeover? I was still in my house because I refused to go out dressed as a girl. Because of that, I could only have one person into my house per week. Did I really want that one person to be Kelly? And did I truly want her to see I was really a boy?
I was staring at the ceiling some more, and thinking some more, when my mom knocked on the door.

"Aaron?"

"It's AJ now, didn't you hear?" I said bitterly.

"There's a Kelly at the door. Did you want to see her?"

Crap. I jumped out of bed to grab the sweatshirt I was wearing earlier. It was baggy and would hide my apparent lack of curves. I made sure that my other clothing was in the hamper and that my room was more or less clean and turned to my mom.

"Yeah, let her come up."

I was a little excited at what might happen next. Why was I excited? She was about to try and make me into a girl.

"Hey, AJ."

"Hey, Kelly. Look. This really isn't me. I'm just not the girly type."

"Neither was I. But I figure you just need a good teacher. Jasmine helped me, so I've decided it's my turn to lend a hand."

I sighed and shrugged my shoulders. "Okay, I guess."

She squealed and jumped up and down a couple of times. I smiled at her.

"Have you ever considered cutting your hair?"

I think my shocked look told her what she needed to know.

"It was just a suggestion."

"A bad one. I really like my hair. It's about the only thing I really like about myself."

"Well, you have pretty green eyes, and wonderful bone structure. I'd kill for your face and skin."

I smirked and shook my head.

"No really. You have open pores and clear skin. Your tone is even and will only need the lightest of base if at all. I mean, you have the sort of face where you could get away with a lip gloss and maybe some eye shadow for a night clubbing. As soon as your black eye fades, that is."

"I'm only sixteen. When will I be going clubbing?"

"Not to mention under house arrest."

My expression must have darkened because she started stumbling over herself to apologize, "I didn't mean..."

"Kelly, you are the only person I get to have over this week. So, can we get this started? I want to get it over with so we can maybe figure something more fun to do."

Kelly got a bit uncomfortable and looked anywhere but at me, "I'm sorry if you thought that..."

"Huh?"

"You and I..."

"You're not my type, Kelly."

"Jasmine?"

"I like boys."

"Really? But I thought..."

"What did you think?"

"Well, that you were macho or something. Fighting and all."

I couldn't help it. I laughed. I guess it made sense in her world where everything was cut and dried, but the real world rarely ever conformed to that ideal.

"Kelly, I've always liked boys as long as I recognized that there was such a thing as physical attraction. Nothing but. That's..." I was about to let slip part of the real truth. I am gay. But to tell her that, I'd have to tell her I was a boy.

Easier to be the girl she thought me for the moment.

"So what do you have planned?"

"Well, I'd love to get you to a mall to try a bunch of styles on you, but barring that, I'd like to do your makeup and teach you how to do it on your own."

I sighed again.

"Okay, fine."

She started in on my face. I sat there and let her work me over.

"Is there a specific reason my back is to the mirror?"

"Yes, because it is easier for me to work with your dresser behind you."

I had a short dresser with a big mirror on it. It was the main place I stared at my face. I can tell you where every scar there came from.

She kept up a steady stream of chatter that I paid as much attention to as she did, which is to say not much at all.

"So, are you ready to see?"

I was, but I didn't want to let her know that so I shrugged and turned around.

There was a pretty teenager in the mirror and I turned around quickly. I felt stupid as I turned back to the mirror. Yes, it was me. I could see myself in the features...but wow.

I mean, seriously wow.

Kelly must have plucked my eyebrows at some point during the makeup application, but I didn't notice it. I had a pretty good pain tolerance. They'd gone from a fairly thick mess into an elegant curve. My eyes seemed to pop from my face, and the color on my lips simply shimmered.

"AJ, I hate you even more right now. You're prettier than I am."

"Huh?"
"I mean, you're a boy and you make a better girl than I do."

"Um..."

She giggled at me.

"Don't worry, AJ. I'm not going to tell anyone. You can't tell on the camera. The lighting and resolution defeat that, but no girl ever lived in this room."

"Thanks, I think."

"When I came in here, and saw you were a boy..."

"I'm gay, Kelly."

"I got that, AJ. Though, if you were a girl, then that makes...would make you straight like me."

I laughed at the thought.

I really liked the way the makeup looked. On impulse I gave Kelly a hug. She tensed up for a moment and then relaxed into it.

"What was that for?"

"You not taking my crap. Can you show me how to put this on?"

"Of course, since that's why I came."

We went through half of the cleaning supplies she'd brought, but by the end of the evening I'd perfected the simple makeup that she put on me the first time.

I was really sad to see her leave.

If I could always look like the girl I'd seen in the mirror...

After Kelly left, I went in search of my mom.

"Mom? If I dress as a girl, do I have the same restrictions on people coming over?"

"No, that's only a restriction on you if you keep with your current presentation. If you present as a girl, then the restrictions are removed."

"Okay."

Now I had even more to think about. I lay down on my bed staring at the ceiling. I really needed to paint something up there more interesting than the flat, smooth, white paint I saw.