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Image Credits: Title Picture purchased and licensed for publishing from

123rf.com. The model(s) in this image is in / and are no way connected with this story nor supports nor conveys the issues and situations brought up within the story. The model(s) use is solely used for the representation of looks of the main character(s) of this particular story. ~Sephrena

Author's Note: Thanks goes to Hope for her work in editing and to Sephrena for posting this story. I had to get it out of the way so I can continue with The White Wolf. ~Barbara.

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Halloween 1972
 
The Junior in high school was picked on by, it seemed like, everyone. His brothers were not bad, and his sister did try to protect him. Even with the testosterone swirling about his tall skinny frame, he only ever outpaced is younger sister’s size, in height. It seemed every time he was about to hit a growth spurt, his little sister would hit hers a few weeks prior. His brothers and younger sister were always pushing boundaries, but he had to be lead across the boundaries by his siblings. He tried to fit in at school, but no musical talent, no muscles, and average grades kept him out of most groups. Friends would come and go. Some turned on him when they were around others. Being awkward around girls, he had only a few dates.

Living out in country had kept him out of most trouble. He tried to act like his older brother, but he didn't have the attitude, the knowledge, or confidence to make an impression. When he tried, he would fall on his face and offend the boys he was trying to impress.

His family lived several miles from town on a cove off the Tennessee River. He would ride the bus and endure the teasing. It was at the beginning of his junior year that a girl moved into the vacant house across the cove with her mother. This girl was different from the others in the neighborhood. Where the other girls either treated him like a brother or avoided him all together, she sat beside him on the bus. The girl wasn't wearing make-up like the other girls and her outfit was much more conservative than the other girls. Many of the high school girls wore very provocative clothes. His sister often wore what she called a sizzler. This dress was so short that she had to wear matching shorts or bloomers to keep the dress from exposing her lingerie.

“You know if you sit beside me, everybody will tease you.” he said sadly.

“Why?”

“Because they tease me.”

“Why?”

“Because I'm tall and skinny and not very athletic.”

“That's no reason to tease someone. I left a school where anyone caught bullying another was asked to attend counseling or find another school. My name is Mary.”

“I'm Steve. What type of school did you go to? At the high school here, you either get good at fighting or you just take it. I just take it.”

“Well, while I'm around, I won't let anyone pick on you.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Several reasons. I don't like people getting picked on and you seem to need a friend. I know I could use one.”

“But why me?”

“I don't know, maybe it was the way you refused to stare at my breasts. Every other boy on this bus hasn't taken their eyes off them.”

“They are nice, but it's wrong to stare. My mother would be mad.”

“I like you. You're the only boy who has been able to look me in the eyes when they talk to me.”

“What grade are you in?”

“I'm a junior. Maybe I can finish high school here. Even though there was a no bully policy at my last school, some of the girls began to place notes in my locker with nasty comments about me being a lesbian.”

“Are you?”

“Am I what?”

“A lesbian,” he shyly asked.

“No, but no one would believe me. Another girl and I were dancing at a school function when she kissed me. I usually dress in jeans and sweat shirts and I keep my hair short. Maybe the girl who kissed me thought I was a guy,” she shrugged. “What grade are you in?”

“I'm a junior too.”

“Maybe we'll have some classes together. Then I'll have a study buddy.”

“That would be cool.”

“By the way, the real reason that I sat beside you is I thought you were a girl. Your long hair just looks so great.”

“Thank you. I like it long.”

The bus made its last stop to pick up a passenger before heading to the high school. The passenger was the boy named Phil who tormented Steve the most. It was subtle and he very seldom got caught. But some days he could bring Steve to tears either through physical abuse or just plain mental torture.
 
 
As he approached his cronies, he said, “Did you see what was sitting next to the fag? It must be a dike with hair so short. Hey faggot, which of you is going to be the woman?” he laughed.

Mary could see the anger and hurt building in the eyes of the young man. She touched his arm, “Don't let a bully ruin our first meeting. There will be time enough to take care of him. What he doesn't know is that my dad is an Army Ranger, and he started me taking karate classes when I was younger. He taught me a few things too. He told me that a girl must be able to defend herself. There may not be someone around to help her.”

“But he is so big.”

“That works to my advantage.”

“Really! Can you teach me?”

“Sure. It is great exercise.”

The rest of the ride they sat in silence thinking. They got off the bus and went inside. Mary headed to the office to pick up her schedule while Steve walked to his homeroom. The first week is usually the most calm for Steve. Everyone was still getting reacquainted after the summer and didn't have time for the boy. He was pleasantly surprised when he saw Mary walk into his homeroom. She handed a paper to the teacher.

The teacher told her to take a seat, where he could take roll. She sat next to Steve, and answered when her named was called. The teacher stood up before the class. “Now that everyone has heard the names of their classmates, I will give you to the end of homeroom to get acquainted. If you get too loud, I will start class. Tomorrow, we will begin as soon as announcements are finished.”

“What classes did you get?” Steve asked Mary. She showed him her schedule. “We have most of our classes together except for two,” he said.

The bell rang for the end of Homeroom. “Alright class, it's time to get started,” the teacher said. With that, life began to take on the normal routine of school. The bus rides home were the same as the ride in with Phil tormenting the two friends.
 
 
After the first week, Steve's tormenters began their usual nastiness. They would knock his books out of his hands and then kick them down the hall. Other times they would push him into lockers or into girls to embarrass him. Mary decided she had enough of the bullies picking on her friend. She had been wearing jeans and nice blouses, but now it was time to defend a friend.

The next week she began wearing the sweatshirts that she had in her closet. She would recognize one of the school bullies as he approached and she would position herself between the bully and Steve. She couldn't stop them all, but she did slow the torment down. Studying with Steve helped his grades and having a friend like Mary gave the boy more confidence.
 
 
The school Halloween dance was coming up. There would be prizes for best costume, but the two friends decided that they wouldn't compete, but did want to dress up for the event. “What should we dress up as?” asked Mary.

Steve looked shyly at the girl. “What would you think if we went as you being the boy and me as the girl?”

“Are you sure that you want to do that? I mean, the bullies are looking for a reason to pick on you.”

“I know, but they really don't have to have a reason to pick on me. I have been noticing that you have been running interference to keep the them away.”

“But to give them another reason...”

“Mary, I love being with you. I love the feeling of protection I have when I'm around you. Do you remember when you first met Phil on the bus?”

“Yes, he called you a fag and me a dike. He has let up some since then, but I think it is because he is bored with us not reacting to him. And you want to stoke that fire again.”

“No... Him calling me a fag wasn't unusual, but he said something else that got me to thinking. He asked which one of us was going to be the woman.”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“I have to know....” he started shyly and got quieter. He hung his head in shame and was afraid he was going to lose a friend. He couldn't look at the girl he sat on the couch with studying.

She lifted his face to see the tears beginning to form. “What is it you need to know?”

“You will hate me and then I won't have any friends again. I have to go.”

“Wait! You have to know what it's like being a girl, don't ya.” He nodded silently. “Say it,” she said.

“I need to know what being a girl is like. I want to be a girl. There I said it. Are you happy?! Now let me go home where I can cry like the girl I am.”

“I'm not letting you leave just yet,” as she held him by the arm. “I am NOT going to hate you, and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you either. I have as much to lose in this as you. We have been hanging out together for almost two months. If you come out as a girl, I will be labeled as a lesbian or a dike. Besides, I’ve kind of grown fond of you. I never had a boyfriend because we moved so much. I never had a close girlfriend. I told you that my dad is an Army Ranger. He is deployed to Vietnam. But when he is home we did boy stuff like wrestling until these things started growing,” she said lifting her breast.

“When he is home we now do other boy stuff. We go camping, fishing and shooting together. While he likes having a daughter, I think he would have been happier if I was a boy and could have followed him in the Army and became a Ranger. I think he left his dress uniform here when he shipped out. He didn't think he would need it. Come on, lets look in my mom's room to see if it is there.”

She grabbed the boy by the hand and lead him into the room. She opened a closet and started sliding her mother's dresses and nursing uniforms to the side until she found her father's suits. She kept sliding clothes over until she found the uniform she wanted. “If I remember correctly my father was about my height when he was wearing this. Let's see if it fits.” She took out the uniform and laid it on the bed. Then she stripped off the sweatshirt she was wearing and began pulling on the shirt and jacket of the dress uniform. It was tight across her chest, but otherwise fit well enough.

“See it fits. I can bind my boobs with an ace bandage and it will look good. I just have to ask mom if she will let me wear it.

“What about your “costume”? she asked.

“I can see if my sister has a party dress that will fit.”

“Let me call mom and tell her I'm going over to your place where we can talk to your sister.”
 
 
The houses were about a hundred yards apart, but without a boat it was a two mile walk. They got to the house and Steve called to his sister. “Lynn where are you?”

“Downstairs in the playroom watching TV.” The two walked down to the playroom to talk with Lynn.

“Hi Mary, what are you doing here?”

“We came up with an idea for the Halloween dance.”

“Yeah?”

“Go ahead Steve, tell her.”

He nervously looked at his sister. “I am going as a girl and Mary is going in her father's uniform as my date.”

“Are you nuts? I know some of the abuse you take from Phil and others has been less with Mary around, but to dress as a girl is asking to be beat up.”

“I know, but ever since Phil asked us which one of us was the woman when we sat together the first day of school, I can't help thinking that I want to know how it is to be a girl. I'm beginning to think I am a girl, but was born with the wrong body. By going to this dance as a girl, I can get a taste of what it's like to be a girl and get to be pretty.”

“You really want to do this,' his sister said as more of statement than a question. “Mom and dad will freak if you tell them that you are a girl or even going to the dance as a girl.”

Their mother stuck her head into the room when she had heard the teens talking about her. “I'm going to freak over what?” she asked.

Steve screwed his nerves and looked ay his mom. “I'm going to the Halloween Dance with Mary.”

“So, it is about time you took interest in girls.”

“You don't understand, Mom. I am going as the girl and Mary will be dressed in her father's uniform as my date.”

“Oh,” said mom as she sat down. “This is different...” she trailed off.

There was an awkward silence before the mother spoke again. “Are you sure you want to do this? Why don't you wear the uniform?”

“The uniform won't fit me.”

“I see, but there is more to this isn't there.”

“yes” the boy said quietly.

The mother took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “I'm sitting down, so tell me what is really going on.”

“Mom, I can't stand being a boy. I get picked on on the way to school, at school, and on the way back. I see girls who are skinny like me and they get all the friends. Except for Mary, I have no friends. I eat as much as I can and I still can't gain weight. I have been exercising with Mary, and she gets stronger while I don't. I'm so miserable with my life that I am about to just give up. I need to be a girl at least for one dance to see if I'm really a girl” The boy said all of that in one breath afraid that if he stopped he couldn't begin again.

The mother started saying, “Don't be ridiculous. You are a boy...” when her daughter touched her arm.

“Mom, the more I watch Steve interact with Mary the more girly he becomes. I don't think it is Mary so much as he is more comfortable in the female role around her. His voice takes on a feminine quality when he talks to her. I don't know what is going on with him, but I can see the misery when Mary is not about to protect him.”

“Are you sure you want to go to the dance as a girl. I mean your father will have a stroke.”

“If I dress up over at Mary's house, dad won't have to know. And if I do it right, no one will know it's me.”

“What are you going to wear?”

“That is why we came over to ask Lynn if I could borrow a party dress.”

“The closest thing I have to a party dress is that blue satin sizzler. You're welcome to it if it will fit you.”

Mom interrupted again. “If she is seen wearing one of your dresses, they may recognize her. I have a couple of dresses I used to wear when I was in college. Lets see if they will fit.” Lynn, Mary, and Steve followed mom in to her bedroom. She pulled out of her closet an mini-dress with large bright colored squares on it. A square could be twelve inches by twelve inches or bigger to give the dress a more psychedelic look. She reached down to the floor and pulled out a pair of white Go-Go boots. These used to belong to your Aunt Liz.

“What'ya girls think?”

Steve hugged his mother, “This is so cool, mom.”

“If the dress fits it's yours. Go in the bathroom and try it on.”

Steve hurried almost running to the bathroom in his excitement. He stripped down to his briefs and slipped the dress over his head. He had a little difficulty zipping the dress up, but it fit like a glove. He went back into his mom's bedroom to show the women.

“Wow!” said Mary. “That does look good on you. You even have the legs for it.”

“Thank you,” the new girl said hugging her friend.

The little sister walked around the new girl appraising the look. “With the right make-up and hair style, she will look like a girl that is trying a retro look instead of boy pretending to be a girl. The dress is not as short as my sizzlers, but she will have to have an escort to keep the boys at bay.”

“I'm the escort,” said Mary. “No one in their right mind will want to take on an Army Ranger.”

“Okay, it is settled then,” said mom. “I may even take my two daughters to the salon before the dance to make sure no one expects a thing.” Mom went back into her closet to look for something for Lynn. She came out with her old poodle skirt and letter sweater. “What do you think Lynn. Up for a little nostalgia yourself.”

“Do you have the crinolines to go with it and the saddle shoes?”

“Of course. I even have the bobby socks.”

Lynn hugged her mother, “You are the coolest mom.” She started to run off to the phone. “I have to tell Gary that he is going to the dance as a 50's bad boy. T-shirt, jeans, and jacket if he can find one.”

“I may have your father's letter jacket in here,” said mom as she turned back to the closet and pulled out the jacket.”

“We are going to have the coolest costumes on the dance floor,” said the little sister as she ran off.

The next two weeks before the dance were almost routine, except that Steve seemed to stand a little taller and had more confidence. The bullies in the school seemed to leave him alone more as he didn't react to their taunts.
 
 
Finally the day came for the dance. Mom was true to her word and took her daughters to a salon. They wore their outfits into the salon so that the hairdressers could see what they have to work with. Lynn had the split ends on her hair trimmed and then they put her hair up in a high pony tail with a matching bow.

Steve, now being called Stephanie at the salon, had his hair sculpted with flowers in it. By the time he was done, it look like he had stepped out of the 60's. The hairdressers didn't suspect a thing as the new girl had shaved all the hair off her body and they had made realistic looking breasts using old stockings with about a cup of rice in each.
 

It was time for their dates to pick them up. They had agreed that the dates would pick them up at the salon so Stephanie's father wouldn't recognize the new girl.

Mary, now called Mark, arrived first in her mother's car. The little VW bug she normally drove would give away the secret. They opted for a nice dinner at a local Italian restaurant. Mark held the door for his date and generally treated the new girl like a princess. The greeter lead them to a small table in the middle of the restaurant and held the chair for the lovely girl. Stephanie began to feel comfortable in her role as no one paid any attention to the young couple. Even their high school classmates didn't recognize them.

They left in time to be some of the last people to get to the dance. Two students were sitting at the entrance to take up money and check for student ID's. If a teacher hadn't been nearby, Joanne would have laughed out loud at the young woman. She still sneered a little. She was going steady with Phil, who would love to get this information.
 
 
The two juniors walked into the gym and saw where a photographer had set up to take professional pictures of the couples. They wandered over to get their picture taken. The photographer had Stephanie sit on the chair with Mark standing behind her. They could pick up the photos at his shop in a couple of weeks.
 
 
They approached the dance floor noticing that most of the teens were being shy about dancing. A slow song was playing, so Mark led his date onto the floor and started leading her around the room. Soon they were joined by other couples. It wasn't long before a faster song was playing and more couples joined the dance. After a few dances, they decided to sit out a few and get drinks at the concession stand.

Joanne had been so busy checking the last of the students, that she forgot about the boy in the mini-dress and go-go boots. She found her boyfriend and made him dance with her. Meanwhile, Mark walked Stephanie to the restrooms and had her go into the women's. She didn't think it right for the boy to go into the men's where he could be attacked. Stephanie stood in the “pee line” waiting her turn. She sat like the other girls and while she was sitting she heard a couple of girls gushing over Mark in his dress uniform.

“That uniform looks so real, and the boy wearing it is dreamy”

“I know, but I don't recognize who it is. Maybe I can get a dance with him.”

“I don't think you can. Did you see the girl he came with? I wish I had legs like that.”
 
 
The two girls left and Stephanie came out of the stall to wash her hands and fix her make-up. Mark was standing talking to one of the girls who was gushing over him in the restroom when Stephanie came out of the restroom. The girl stopped talking looking embarrassed has she had been trying to talk Mark into dancing with her. Mark held out his arm and walked Steph back into the gym.

Mark said, “I need to go to the restroom you stay here until I get back. Just as he walked out the door, Phil walked over to Stephanie demanding that she dance with him. He walked up with a grin on his face and stated. “You need to dance with a real man. Not some pretend soldier.”

“Leave me alone, my boyfriend will be back in a minute.”

“No he won't. I saw the lines to the restroom. He will be gone for at least two dances and then what is he going to do beat me up.”

“What about your girlfriend? Won't she get mad?”

“She is in the line for the restroom, so she won't know.”

“Please, leave me alone. I don't want to dance with you.”

“I don't care. You are going to dance with me.” The bully pulled the girl from her seat and dragged her on to the floor. A slow song was playing so he wrapped the girl in his arms and began to sway with her trying to push him away. The more she struggled the harder he held her.

“I'm going to show you what a real man can do for you.” He pulled her closer and kissed her hard on the lips. She could feel his growing manhood as he continued kissing her.

“WHAT ARE DOING KISSING MY BOYFRIEND,” shouted Joanne. She had just walked back in the gym to find Phil kissing the new girl. She pulled the girl away from the boy and slapped her hard across the face.

“I didn't kiss him. He was kissing me. I was trying to get away.”

“Joanne, she insisted on dancing with me and KISSED ME.” The girlfriend turned to face the boy and noticed his turgid member.

“YOU KISSED THIS QUEER AND YOUR HARD OVER HIM. WE'RE THROUGH YOU FAGGOT!” With that she started to leave, but the boy grabbed her arm.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, I'M NOT A FAG. I DON”T KISS BOYS!”

“WELL YOU JUST DID. THAT..THAT THING IS THE BOY YOU BULLY ON THE BUS EVERYDAY, AND YOU JUST KISSED HIM.”

The boy turned to the new girl. “Steve?”

“That's right, Steve Monroe. Now I know why you pick on him so much. You must LOVE him,” said the girl. “I hope you two are happy together.” She yanked her arm out of his hand and walked away on the verge of tears.

“I have been waiting for this a long time. Now I'm going to kill you,” growled the bully. He stepped forward and took a swing at the timid girl, but she sidestepped his fist. Before she could put her hands up to defend herself, he took another swing which caught her in the eye. The girl fell to the floor and he started to kick her, when he heard someone yell “STOP.” He turned to see Mark standing there.

“What are you going to do about it soldier boy,” he said with a sneer.

“You touch my girlfriend again, and I'll kick your ass.”

“Why don't I kick yours first then I'll finish off the queer.” A crowd started to gather as the antagonists stared at each other. Mark quickly took off the jacket of the uniform and took up a fighting stance. Phil took a swing which the uniformed boy easily blocked and sent the bully stumbling past him. The bully turned around to face the boy.

“You know you don't have to do this. Just leave and I won’t have to hurt you,” said Mark. For an answer, the bully took another swing at the boy. This time the boy blocked the punch and punched the bully hard in the stomach with a hee-yaw. The bully lost his breath for a second, but stood back up.
 
 
Phil realized that he was in a real fight with the smaller boy, but his pride was on the line now. He feigned a punch and jabbed with the other hand. The smaller boy dodged the jab and punched the larger boy in the mouth which he followed up with a jab of his own to the larger boy's eye. The bully decide to bull rush the smaller boy, but he found himself on his back where the small boy used the bully's weight against him. The bully slowly climb to his feet. One of his cronies grabbed the small boy from behind. Just as the bully was going to punch him the small boy picked up his feet and kicked the bully in the head. He then threw the other boy and landed an elbow in his solar plexus taking the fight out of the other attacker.

The bully pulled a knife and started taking swings at the smaller boy. The boy dodged the first few swings then kicked the knife out of the hand of the bully. Mark had enough of this bully taunting him and his girlfriend. He ducked down delivering a roundhouse kick to the back of the bully's knee. For added measure, he kicked the bully in the head as he was going down.

Phil and his crony were laying on the ground groaning. Mark walked over to the larger boy. “You just got your ass kicked by a girl. If you want to try me again, just let me know. And if I ever hear of you bullying another person, I won’t be so easy on you next time.”

Stephanie broke away from her sister who had been holding her during the fight. She ran over to Mark throwing her arms around his neck kissing him. No one heard the police arrive, and as they broke the kiss, the police approached the combatants. The police cuffed everyone involved and took them down to the police station. Several officers stayed behind to take statements from the witnesses. At the station, the police called the parents of the participants in the fight.
 
 
Steve's parents arrived with Mary's mother. Steve's dad walked up to the dispatch desk not noticing the pretty young woman sitting on a bench with the soldier. “I'm looking for Steve Monroe. I heard he was brought down here after a fight at the school dance. Is he alright? Is he in any trouble?”

The dispatch officer said, “No she isn't in any trouble. The boy who started the fight had to be taken to the hospital to get his leg looked at. It was at an odd angle where your daughter's rescuer dislocated his knee.”

“My daughter?”

“Yes sir, the pretty young woman sitting next to the boy in the uniform.” Stephanie's father slowly turned around to see Mary's mother and his wife sitting next to the couple making sure they weren't hurt. Stephanie's eye was turning black where the bully had punched her. He walked over and knelt in front of his new daughter and asked, “Steve?”

“Yes daddy, but now it's Stephanie.”

He turned to the boy in the uniform. “You must be Mary?”

“Yes sir, but it's Mark now.”

“And you rescued my daughter?”

“Yes sir, she was my date for the evening. I couldn't let some bully hit her.”

“Lets get out of here where we can talk.”

Dad walked back over the the dispatcher's desk. “May I take my family home?”

“Yes sir, they are free to go.”

“Thank you sir.”
 
 
Dad gathered his new daughter in a hug and walked her out to the car with his arm around her as if he was trying to protect and comfort her. Mom and Dad got into the front and Stephanie and Mark got in the back. Mark had placed the jacket from the uniform around the girl's shoulders. His mother sat next to him.

Dad took Mark and his mother home. Stephanie got out with them. Mark kissed the girl. “Call me tomorrow,” she said. The girl got back into the car. Her dad turned around. “Mark is it? Is he a nice boy?”

“Yes daddy.”

“Good, but he needs to come and ask me before he dates MY daughter.” Dad put the car in gear and drove home.
 

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