Finding Julia - Chapter 11

By Julie D Cole

I had no idea what suddenly came over me to agree to wear a dress but it looked good and Eve said it fitted perfectly although it was low cut at the front, quite short in length and sleeveless. There hardly seemed enough material to fit me anywhere.

I felt quite awkward because the dress was so short if I bent over my panties would show but that seemed amusing to Eve. She just said not to worry as some of the others would have short dresses too.

‘Why can’t I just wear shorts’

‘Don’t let’s go there again. You look cute like that and you should enjoy the experience. It’s nice to get admiring looks.‘

‘But I’m a guy in a dress and you are dressed in shorts. Why am I wearing your dress anyway if shorts are allowed?’

‘Well that’s because I’d be wearing a dress if I felt OK because I like to look nice. I’ve just started my period and I’m too uncomfortable. That’s a discomfort you don’t have to go through.’

‘Oh I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t worry about it honey I know how to deal with my tummy ache by now. You will find most of the gang wear dresses and I’ll be out of place. You wouldn’t want to feel out of place as well would you.’

‘No I suppose not but it’s a strange feeling to be going out like this.’

‘Just enjoy and we just have time to take a few shots before we go.’

Eve said she had always wanted to take photos of me dressed like this and she had me doing several poses standing and seated out on the balcony. I was keen to look at them but she said to wait as we had to meet the girls and she wanted to send them by WhatsApp to mum and sis. We hadn’t got out of our room before sis responded with thumbs up Emojis and she said she wished she was with us to see her ‘sis’ in the flesh.

‘See I told you that you look good. I’ve sent them to your phone as well. Come on let’s go have some fun.’

‘Do you think I’ll be OK dressed like this when we leave the hotel? I won’t get arrested will I?’

‘Don’t be silly not where we are going it’s a bar and club that will be filled with people just like us.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘We are a couple so just stick together and in any case nobody will challenge you dressed like this because you are Julie aren’t you?’

‘Yes I didn’t think I was a girl but it seems like I am.’

‘Yes you are and we are girlfriends and don’t forget we are engaged so if anybody tries it on let me know. Especially if it’s Alex. She’s been getting a bit too fond and I think she’s on heat.’

‘I don’t encourage her. She just appears from nowhere.’

‘Well don’t worry because if you stick with me you’ll be fine. Anyway if I know her she will be like a kid at a candy store with all the young chicks about.’

When we arrived downstairs at the bar most of the girls were seated with an array of drinks. They were waving and calling us as soon as we entered and moved around to give us too seats together. They made a fuss of me saying how my dress suited me and I guess I blushed. Eve took my hand and whispered not to be nervous or embarrassed and to take care to cross my legs when I sat down. It wasn’t like I had chance to think about anything since I was fussed over so much. Before I knew it I had a drink forced into my hand that I eventually had chance to sip. It tasted very fruity but it had a kick. Eve indicated I should take care not to spoil my lipstick.

The drinks seemed to be flowing and soon I had several in front of me. Nobody was paying because we were on an all-inclusive package and I was a bit worried in case anybody couldn’t handle the alcohol but to be fair it seemed they could all drink me under the table. Our party got louder as the drinks were consumed and Eve tried to maintain some control. It was a new experience for me seeing women behaving in such a boisterous way but I found myself laughing so much I was spilling my drinks.
Once the girls were well lubricated taxis were called. I already felt a little wobbly myself since I was not used to alcohol so I hung onto Eve. Everybody formed a line for the taxis and we filled each one to save on fares. I soon found myself sitting squeezed between two girls who I’d met for the first time over the drinks. They had arrived that afternoon and the introduced themselves as a couple Emma and Claire. We were squashed into the back seat of our taxi since both were much bigger than me but neither seemed concerned about their choice of dresses. My two legs were like matchsticks compared to theirs and neither had chance to sunbathe so they were marble white.

They directed Eve into the front seat to communicate with the driver in her best impression of a Greek accent that was funny. Luckily the driver understood the name of our venue Senses Music Bar in Rhodes Old Town. As we made the journey he kept looking me in the eye through his driver rear mirror. I tried to ignore him as best I could but his gaze was fixed. He was not much older than us and I wondered what was attracting him since I was a man like him.

Claire must have noticed so she cut in and said that she was ready to party and hoped we were. She’d been preparing her speech for the following day since she was one of the speakers. I wasn’t sure what sort of a seminar this was going to be or why Eve had registered us other than it was a subsidised vacation. I hoped Claire would be careful since I could never stand in front of an audience sober never mind with a hangover.

However one good thing was that she was twice as big as me with seemingly endless capacity for alcohol. Maybe her body could absorb it more easily so it wouldn’t affect her as much as it seemed to be doing to me. I already felt I was slurring my speech and I’d had just 3 drinks.

All the taxis arrived one after the other as if we’d travelled in convoy so it must have been quite a sight for locals with all the legs on view. The bar was busy with music inside and lots of people standing as well as seated outside. It seemed to be an equal split of men and women that made Emma happy since only 2 years previously it was a gay bar full of men with some dressed as women. There didn’t seem to be any segregation but we found an area that was almost 100% female.

We all contributed to the drinks kitty with Eve taking charge and she kindly put in my share whilst instructing me to watch my bag and my credit cards. I wasn’t used to carrying a bag so I’d no idea how to hang onto it. Eventually I slung it across my body with the strap between my bosoms.

Luckily the bar was still serving food as well so we ordered some snacks and set them out like a small buffet. Of course it attracted a few visitors, mostly girls, but nobody misbehaved.

When Eve went to the bathroom I was looking at a drinks list when I was approached by two other girls who were on vacation. They were English and they were regulars at the bar. Since it was my first time they warned me that Rhodes was still anti- gay and lesbian and I should take care outside the bar but this was the safest bar in town for the LBGT community that was left alone by angry residents in the area. It sometimes got raided by the police if anti-gay residents caused a fuss and complained.

I didn’t want to end up in a cell overnight so I hoped we’d picked a quiet night. I looked at my image in one of the large mirrors. What was on earth was I doing dressed like this with a gang of strangers?

The girls chatted again and told me that in recent years more younger locals were visiting the bar and liked the scene. Unlike a generation before females in Rhodes were becoming a lot more independent and not taking up jobs as skivvies in hotels and bars. Some were very beautiful and left Rhodes for the mainland and it seemed that lots were looking for education and friendships overseas. Any chance to leave a prejudiced place like Rhodes. This vacation was getting more weird by the hour. I was getting more and more confused.

When Eve arrived back the girls introduced themselves and asked who we all were and where we lived. Eve explained that this was a seminar/vacation package and we were all from different parts of the UK.

They were in a relationship and they were interested to find out more about the seminar so Eve suggested they come to the hotel the following day and find us. They were nice but I was feeling a bit out of place and a little bit dizzy. Eve took my arm and looked me in the eye asking if I could follow her finger. ‘Julia would you like to sit down it might be all the excitement and the alcohol so just let me get your drinks so I know they aren’t being laced.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well looking around I can see a few might try it on lacing your drinks and hoping to get into your knickers.’

I seemed to recover quickly and decided to drink some water to dilute the booze. After a while we danced together since some of our gang had already started and the dance floor was already half full.

I had no idea how to dance and I felt nervous and awkward. Eve encouraged me to try. I was looking around at others and I tried to copy their style that made Eve laugh. Then she explained that I should slow down a bit and follow the music.

The dance floor seemed to fill and we were into our third dance when I felt someone behind us and two hands took hold of my waist and whispered to my ear. ‘Hi gorgeous you look beautiful, can we cut in?’

I turned around. It was Alex with one of the female entertainment staff from the hotel called Victoria who was working at the hotel through the summer. She was a fitness instructor who ran the exercise classes and was a lifeguard at the pool. She was gorgeous.

‘Sorry to miss out on the pre-drinks but Vicky and I were distracted a bit whilst getting ready. It’s her day off tomorrow so we are here to have some fun. Who wants a drink?’

Eve jumped in ‘It’s OK we are in a kitty with the girls so best we stick with them.’

‘It’s only one drink so come on let yourselves go.’

‘ We are all at the seminar tomorrow so we can’t go mad thanks.’

‘So am I if I manage to get up. It depends on Vicky here since I am hoping she asks me to stay over.’

Vicky chipped in ‘ I might if you are lucky but remember that I have a boyfriend.’

‘Well he is welcome to join us if he wants but he won’t get a look in I can assure you.’

Eve and I looked at each other. I couldn’t believe these two. Surely Vicky had more respect for her boyfriend. What was the world coming to?