Stuck in a Rut.
By Rosalie Redd

Casey Church is a normal 13 year old girl, But in a world where there hasn’t been a girl born in over 100 years, Casey adjusts to her new life as a girl. Can Casey cope with everything that comes with being a girl, or will others conspire to ruin her life?

Chapter 41

Janie fussed over my make-up as I sat impatiently. Luna had jokingly suggested that she use water-proof mascara, as I was still a weeping, emotional wreck. When DeShaun had come home, he was clearly in a bad mood. Amy had been very touchy-feely and clingy, which annoyed us both greatly. I so needed to befriend a girl that was bigger than she was, because I so wanted her head knocked off. (Figuratively, of course.)

I finally managed to stop squirming, to Janie’s satisfaction, and she applied my make-up for me. I could handle daily routine make-up, but extravagant formal make-up was still a touch beyond me. Urgh, there are so many things you have to learn as a girl. I was lucky that I figured out the proper way to sit in a skirt without incident. I’d heard too many horror stories about new girls flashing their panties.

I styled my hair giving the ends that slight curl with the curling iron. Mom was there to assist, and she thought I looked lovely. It’s strange. I didn’t really want to be a girl, I still would rather be a boy. But I do have to admit that I make a MUCH better looking girl. I wasn’t ugly as a boy, heck no. But I was not handsome.

That’s why this whole mess is so infuriating, I think. People just see the new me and go overboard. So what if I’m good looking? It’s not important to me. Sure, I wouldn’t want to be ugly… but what I mean is I’m not shallow and hung up on popularity. I just want to hang out with my friends, and all these other girls are envious and Jealous. Hell, if not for the fact I’m going to lose him, the fact DeShaun is leaving at the end of November makes it easier on me.

All these girls hate me for being his. Hell, not my fault. Fuck it. You had guys that were probably hot or smart, or had some other great quality. Actually, now that it occurs to me…

I looked over at Luna, as she sat off to my left. Janie was doing an elaborate braid in her long hair, interweaving ribbons into the braiding.

“Luna, can I ask you a question?”, I asked.

Trying not to laugh, she said “You just did”.

I rolled my eyes. “I never really thought about it until just now, but whatever happened to the boys that the twins were with?”

Trying to keep her head still, Luna laughed. “What do you think? A few days after each of their ruts, they beat their partners up.”

I would have facepalmed, if not for the fact I might smear or mess something up. Wow, I guess it’s a good thing I was smaller and weaker than DeShaun to begin with. I probably would have done that, myself.

Mom finished my hair, and I bent my head down, so she could put my tourmaline necklace on. With her help zipping me up, I was finished. I grabbed the violet clutch that matched my dress, and carefully put on my shoes. I really love this dress, the padding makes it look like I actually have boobs, even if they would be smaller than Luna’s A-cup. Still, I feel pretty.

As a boy, I never had any thing about me that was impressive. I was scrawny, had mo muscles, wasn’t that tall. Granted I’m shorter now, but it actually makes me cuter… go figure that out. Sure, I’m as flat as Kansas, but I have more Junk in the trunk than Sanford and Son. And for someone small, I have long legs...or so my sweetie says. Love him.

I went downstairs, or was descending them, at least. That’s when I heard the clicks. Noooo… Daaad… no pictures. DAD…. Grrrr…

I sighed and stepped off the stairs, smiling. Best to get it over with, I guess. Well, at least until DeShaun gets down here and he insists on couples pictures. * sigh* Couples… I hope the Bitch-Queen...oops, sorry...Princess, doesn’t try to hog all his time, though I know she will.
I carefully sat down on the couch, extra sure not to wrinkle my dress.

Luna and Janie came down, hand in hand. Luna was wearing a corsage with a black rose and white bellflower accents, that went with her dress. She had on her collar, of course. And some white teardrop earrings. Janie had on her dress, she was fidgeting with the sleeves, but she looked beautiful. Luna had given her a corsage of bluebonnets.

It amused me that the ladies were the first ones dressed and ready, given the cliché about how we take so long getting ready. When DeShaun came down the stairs, the three of us were wide-eyed. He looked sooo yummy in his black tux, with the white accents and the red bow tie. Given that he went all out and got the jacket with tails, I nearly swooned. He walked over to me, and gallantly helped me up. Lifting my hand, he kissed the back of it, like in those movies about royalty. I swear, I nearly swooned.

If the parents hadn’t been there, I would have said ‘fuck the dance’, and stripped him naked, and given him the mother of all bjs right there. I looked over at Janie and Luna, and could tell they were thinking similar things, only because they were anatomically complete, what they were thinking was likely much, much less tame.

Managing to avoid blushing, I stepped beside him, as Dad took pictures. Mom stood behind him, saying “Ohhh… my baby”, over and over. She looked like she was going to start crying any moment. I had to turn away, or I likely would have as well.

Dad walked us out to his car, and drove us to the gymnasium. Coach Mom was a chaperon, so Dad had on a nice suit and tie, and she had a black sequined dress with spaghetti straps and a white belt at the waist. Well… With Mom there, and if Ms. Petri was there as well, none of us girls would get any looks from our dates. Then again... DeShaun, Janie, and Luna had spent enough time around Mom that they had probably built up an immunity to her MILF-factor. But for any OTHER girls, all hope of their dates looking at their bodies was gone.

Each couple was photographed as they entered, a keepsake that would be available when the yearbooks were sold. As for the yearbooks, it was required that the Homecoming Royalty also have pictures taken that would be included in the books. I had been hoping that Amy Wilder had been run over by an errant parade float, but no such luck. I saw her sauntering over towards us. She had… somehow used a sausage casing machine to stuff herself into a ridiculously tight red sequined dress that reminded me of Jessica Rabbit. That image was re-enforced by the ridiculous amount of pushing up and padding and augmenting that the dress was doing to her boobs and her butt. Hey, I know that there are pigeons with bigger breasts than me, but at least my rear is all me.

She slipped up next to DeShaun, body-checking me out of the way like she was Wayne Gretzky. She took his arm, and hung on it like some ugly accessory. Clinging and hanging onto him, she kept “accidentally” blinking at the wrong time, so that they would have to take the picture over and over. I stood off to the side, out of the way fuming. My damn hormones were running crazy, and I wanted to weep, but I fought the feeling off as hard as I could. I couldn’t let her see I was upset, but more importantly, I couldn’t ruin my make-up.

I was feeling cranky at that point, so I headed to the punch bowl. Mom was very obviously standing guard of it. She was making small talk with Miss Petri, so of course all male (and a fair share of female) eyes were cast that direction. I slipped in, gave Mom a quick half-hearted smile, and grabbed some punch.

I spotted Janie and Luna happily dancing to a slow jam, and smiled. The adorkable Dark Queen of Goth was resting her head against Janie’s chest, with a look of pure bliss. Seeing that made me feel somewhat better.

DeShaun had FINALLY managed to extricate himself from the photo fiasco, and had headed over to me. I put my empty cup down, and took his hand. He led me onto the dance floor. I was grateful for the crash course that Dad had given me in slow dancing. I nuzzled my head against him, and closed my eyes, only to feel a tapping on my shoulder.

“Excuse me peasant, it’s time for the royalty to dance.”, Amy said with a sneer.

I looked her over, and laughed. “I’m surprised you can dance in that ridiculous dress. I’m sure there’s some girl working some street corner in Downtown Minneapolis that wants it back.”, I replied to her.

She glared at me, and probably would have hauled off and hit me, if not for the fact that there were too many witnesses. Not to mention that she knew DeShaun would be angry. The DJ announced that it was the Royalty Dance, and that all other dancers needed to clear the floor. Reluctantly, I followed Janie and Luna to the punch table. Mom had moved off to the other side of the gym, Dad in tow. I nodded to Miss Petri, who was leaning against Miss Adelaine, her arm around the taller woman, and a smile on her face.

I smiled and nodded to the two teachers.

“Miss Church, how are you?”, Miss Petri asked.

“I could be better, someone is using this royalty thing to keep me away from my boyfriend.”, I replied with a sigh.

Looking me in the eye, Miss Petri responded. “Yes, I heard about it from your Mother. Principal Lewis is looking into things, but honestly none of the faculty members know how the vote could have been rigged, nor how it is that your circle of friends was excluded from getting ballots… or how they kept you from learning about the nominations or elections in the first place.”

Miss Adelaide nodded and she spoke up. “The election is run by the student council, but they swear up and down that ballots were printed for you four, and that they were delivered to your respective homerooms, along with the rest of the ballots.”

Miss Petri gave me a hug. “I’m sorry that this happened. You are a nice girl, and certainly don’t deserve this.”

I thanked her for the kind words, and we headed off to wait for the royalty dance to end. I watched DeShaun, and took comfort in the fact that even while she was pressed in tightly to him, Amy couldn’t see the look of disinterest in his face. Mercifully, the song FINALLY ended, and I rushed over and cut in. Amy tried to refuse, but fortunately a certain tall blonde substitute gym teacher was dancing nearby with her husband. When Amy refused, that teacher happened to clear her throat very clearly.

Ninja Mom to the rescue. Back with my sweetie, I pressed in tight to him again, and closed my eyes. I was in Heaven. I was back with DeShaun. I danced with him for a couple more songs, and Amy tried once again to butt in, but thankfully Luna cut in first. I danced with Janie, and was happy as she lead me around the dance floor. Oh well... at least I’m taller than Luna, and will get my turn to lead when I dance with her.