Jem…3.

Chapter 3

I was sleeping so well. It was a nice warm bed and fluffy. Guys don’t admit to this but soft and fluffy can be good. I can, yeah I’ve got pink dyed hair and I’m wearing a bra and panties but I wasn’t really caring. I was in a nice smelling bed that smelled of those wonderful girl smells that so reminded me of Mom. Not quite, well not close really but just the smell of perfume and everything else plus the smell of the girl herself lulled me to sleep. Best sleep I’ve had in a long, long time.

*Drum Cymbal smash!*
*Music playing with the very real drumming*

Then the voice of Rush’s lead singer Geddy Lee belting out.

“A modern day warrior.”
“Mean, Mean Stride.”
“Today’s Tom Sawyer.”
“Mean, Mean Pride.”

*Drums…Bada ba dum…bada ba dum*
*Guitar, synth….rhythms*
*Drums…Bada ba dum…bada ba dum*

“Though his mind is not for rent.”
“Don’t put him down as arrogant.”
“His reserve, a quite defense.”
“Riding out the day’s events.”

*Drums Cymbals… smash, smash, smash, smash, smash, smash!*
*More synth,*
*Drums…bada ba dum…bada ba dum…

“THE RIVER!”

I try to drown it out with the pillow over me head but the sheer power of the speakers combined with Roxy’s absolutely insane drumming just made it impossible.

I peek out from under the pillow to see Roxy bouncing up and down on the drum seat and her little arms are almost a blur as she’s actually pulling off with playing along with the song…I almost can’t believe it and I think even Neil Peart would be super impressed by the spunky little asian girl.

Is it that bad that despite how much of a good sleep I was having that I’m getting into the song so much? You know…Canadian, American wherever you’re from there’s stuff in the song about not taking it and not selling out that just still speaks to people today. Good songs are like that. Great tunes are like that.

I sit up in bed watching her in this tiny little lacey place bra and panties as she just goes wild her hair flying insanely as she plays her heart out.

I look around the room and I spot a lighter near an ash try and light it and hold it up.

The song finally finishes and she’s grinning at me like a lunatic and throws both drumsticks at me like I’m the crowd.

“Hey Shit!” I duck into the bed and the covers again. “Roxy!”

She laughs and giggles like a twelve year old all the way to the bathroom I hear the door lock and them more music start playing in the bathroom.

I get up and make the bed catching a look at myself in the mirror in this whole drag thing hiding out here as Jem. I find another drumstick a pack of grape hubba bubba and a bunch of hair elastics and a scunchie.

Given the state of the room, I’m not surprised. I scratch and adjust my bra and the gel inserts and rub under the shoulder straps. I leave Roxy’s room and head out looking for another bathroom in the house and find one downstairs. I actually end up staring at the toilet for a few minutes.

“I just can’t do it. There’s no way that I can pee like a guy dressed like this.” And as weird as it is I kind of tuck and just do it. I mean it’s not all that embarrassing really it’s just really different but then again I don’t really look like me like this. As and after thought I pull some tp and wipe rather than guy shake. I just got my panties back on or mostly when Raven sort of barged in.

“Oh whoa, crap! Sorry!” she’s covering her eyes and I get my panties up the rest of the way.

“Oh uhm…it’s okay? Y’know a new body in the house and everything.” I start washing my hands. I see her in the mirror looking at me and she’s got very little make up on and she’s dressed in a Hellmart smock and a lot of her regular stuff is gone or replaced with tame stuff. She’s looking at me…or staring at my butt? No… I look at her and she looks elsewhere for a second and then furrows he brows.

“Did you actually pee sitting down?” there’s no scorn there but surprise?

“Uhm yeah…It just felt weird to be dressed like this and doing it like a guy.”

“Oh…wow…uhm…thanks?” She looked like she doesn’t know what to do.

“Oh sorry Raven, here I’m done.” I move out of her way and head out into the main part of the house. I hear classic guitar playing as Brooklynn is jamming out a tune dressed in her private school uniform. White blouse completely untucked and hanging out, skirt but really short and knee high socks and some kind of flat shoes. She’s got this red guy’s tie on and it really makes her red hair pop.

I can’t help but get into that tune too as I head upstairs to see about getting dressed. I hear her belting out the song as she’s playing.

“Ooooh my little pretty one, pretty one.”
“When you gonna give me some time, Sharona?”
“Oooh you make my motor run, my motor run.”
“Gun it cummin’ off the line Sharona.”
“Never gonna stop, give it up.”
“Such a dirty mind, get it up, for the touch.”
“Of the younger kind, My, my, my, i…woo! My Sharona!”

I think this older group called The Knack sung this but I’m actually grooving and dancing a little bit. As I’m looking through this bunch of clothes that Roxy had gathered for me to use. I change under things and get into a pair of “Faded and distressed…” jeans and a decent looking sweater but long?

“Seriously?…oh..” I look until I find a belt to put on and I look in the mirror.

“Whoa…, I seriously pass but I need some…”

“Make up!” Roxy kind of bounces up beside me. No, no the boob bounce she is tiny chested but it’s Roxy, she’s one of those springs on her feet girls.

“Uhm yeah, but more to what I might use everyday?” I’m not sure just how long I’m going to be doing this. Huh…wow, this sweater’s actually pretty comfortable.

“Okay, you’re a pale girl Jem, so…..I’d go with this concealer, and maybe this foundation and mascara? Oooh this one and this lippy.”

“Uhm okay?”

“Here…” She turns and hops up onto the dresser flashing me…like Brooklynn she’s got a really short school skirt. Same top but the short sleeved version of it and a black ribbon tie like those anime school girls wear but where Brook’s got those flat shoes Roxy’s got on shiny calf high black leather boots on.

“You’re flashing me.”

“You getting a woody?”

“Not in these jeans.”

(Giggles) “Awww, is Jase feeling all restrained?”

“Not really, remember they gave me a bit of extra room at the hospital.”

“Shit…sorry Jase.”

“Yeah well I’m seriously due some good karma y’know. I mean people are always saying how they’d give one nut or another for something…well I didn’t get anything yet out of it.”

“You got us.”

“Can I get a refund?” I stick my tongue out at her. She does the same. The entire time though she’s been doing my make up. I’m getting it. Concealer is touch up, foundation is like primer paint and the tones are very light. The mascara isn’t too bad you just got to not use a lot and that’s it, well that and this very light pink lipstick.

I actually look pretty good, a bit Jem as a sorta really girly punk mixed with a bit of dressed down preppy. “I look like I could be in a John Hughes Movie.”

Roxy’s grins but squints at me and in a truly asian accent says. “What’s happening hot-stuff?” Hey, watch Sixteen Candles and you’ll get it.

She hops down and fixes her own hair and she’s not goth but she’s so going with that whole anime spank me I’m a bad girl thing. I can’t help but shake my head. I so don’t get the mentality behind wanting to dress like that but. That’s kind of okay, I’m kind of socially retarded.

We head downstairs and Raven’s looking at me again. “You look good…so what’s your plans today?”

“I don’t have a clue yet I’m still trying to figure things out.”

She’s looking at me then Roxy, then me. “Hey, I had Jem crash with me, Rave, nothing happened I just didn’t want her to be alone and stuff.” Roxy hugs me. “I mean C’mon we all heard Invisible…the girl’s seriously hurting.”

Why do they care so much? Is it a girl thing or just human decency? I feel my eyes start to burn and water. “Thanks Kimmie…” I hug her back a little but I’m looking at Raven. Our eye’s meet and somehow there’s this look there that was last night and her wiping tears away.

“Hey, it’s cool. I think the room needs cleaned out of Summer’s Scunt vibes and stuff.” She passes me a mug of coffee. I take it and sip it, make a face. Didn’t mean to but I’m not a sugar in my coffee or tea person. “Sorry?” She say’s. Raven reaches for it but I pull it back.

“Hey, It’s cool I just take it white is all. Besides I am going to drink the first cup of coffee you’ve made me.” I smile at her and do that girl thing I’ve seen where they hold the cup in both hands. She smiles but shakes her head a little.

I sip away at my coffee and watch Raven.

“Wait a minute, It’s Saturday…why are you two going to school?”

“In school suspension.” Brooklynn and Roxy say in stereo. That’s something I heard of, like the all day detention on the weekends some schools have.

“Wow, that’s very Breakfast Club.”

That get’s Brooklynn and Roxy break out into song singing. “Don’t You forget about me…” That Simple Minds tune at the end of the movie. Their so weird and it’s been such a weird morning already and they both leave heading out and I hear the growl of a big engine in a bad mood as Brooklynn takes off with Roxy in an old Monte Carlo gunning the engine and spinning out of the driveway.

“Wow, those two are…”

“Yeah…so, plans?”

“I was thinking I’d try to see Dad and find out what’s going on.”

“You sure, I mean things just went down.”

“Yeah Dad’s got a few cars for sale out by his garage, I’ll pretend I’m looking at them.”

“Okay…You need a ride?”

“Yeah It’s a bit of a hike from here to my place and I’m broke. It won’t make you late for work will it?”

“Not if we leave right now.”

I finish my coffee and Raven get’s me a pair of Ugly? Boots to wear in this fake suede and a sort of raised sole. It feels weird to be taller…kinda nice actually, and I’m finding they make me move a bit more girl like. To be honest with the boots and tucked into girls jeans you really can’t help it. It’s strange feeling how my legs seem to glide together so much further up.

She finds me a purse and some big sunglasses and after a quick check in the mirror I really don’t look like me. I’m not a tran/trans person I’ve never had the want or desire to be like this but you know what? I’m kind of liking Jem. It sort of feels like this vacation from being Jason.

We pile into the van and she drives me home. I’m increasingly nervous and looking for the town cops along the way or Adam’s flunkies but One, the town cops by and large are lazy assholes it’s why they’re the town clowns and Adam’s crowd wouldn’t be up yet at all it’s just after seven in the morning. There's neither around.

Raven stops the van. “You sure you want to do this?”

“Yeah, I’ve got to do something right?”

“Just be careful okay?”

“I will. Raven?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks, this…everything it’s just…it’s more than anything y’know…” I’m kinda blushing, kind of nearly crying…I mean for my life already what they’ve done is huge. Like nothing in my life huge.

“Jase…Look you’re a friend. We might have just started being friends but you’re a friend, my friend….I’ll…I’ll see you after work okay?” She’s digging into her purse and passes me a key tied onto a pink sneaker lace.

“What’s…”

“It’s your house-key….Jem…”

“Oh Raven…I…”

“Oh, just take it already will you?”

“Thank you…” I take it but I’m really choked up. I slip out from the van and stay there and watch her go. Even wave to her as she goes. Is it the clothes the look and the new me…or Jem that’s not me trying to be Jase that has my feelings so stirred up.

I’m still kind of raw as I walk up to the house, dad shouldn’t be working yet but instead of the usual door I use the front porch and press the doorbell.

I’m holding my purse in both hands trying to not be nervous or freaked out I hear his footsteps and he opens the door….Looks at me. “Uhm, can I help you miss?”

“Uhm…Hi Dad.”