Another Side of My Life
Chapter 11
By Julie D Cole

Maggie was in charge as usual, so she led to way directing us all the way to the platform for the Circle Line where we were to take a tube train to our next destination. She informed us that in case we got separated we were to alight at Westminster that was just a few stops. Jack couldn’t resist a leg pull ‘Unless you point us to the wrong platform and we end up going the way around the circle.’

‘That’s why you are with us Jack. Local Knowledge.’

The underground was busy but not as manic as during the midweek rush-hour periods. It seemed to be crowds of visitors and site-seers with lots of groups with tour guides. Jack suggested it would have been safer if Maggie had a sign or an umbrella like their guides had.’

We boarded the nearest carriage that had a few empty seats but as the doors were closing somebody held them open. Through one door down the carriage a crowd of Japanese tourists entered. Then a crowd of guys about our age entered through the nearest doors to where were grouped together. They were all very excitable and boisterous laughing and pushing each other to be first through the doors. As they found space by handrails one stood on my toe causing me to cry out. It wasn’t a shriek but more of my normal more masculine cry. Oops.

‘Sorry Miss it was him what did, it he pushed me.’ I recognised the Northern accent and the football scarves. It seemed that there was a soccer game in town and they had travelled down for the match. It was my home town club but I didn’t follow the sport so I had no idea about the game or the venue. A few were carrying cans of beer and they were enjoying themselves and they were down for the day. They were lively but not offensive but for safety I stood closer to Jack who put one arm around my waist.

The guy who had stepped on my foot whispered something to me to apologise again and he was openly staring at me and smiling. His face seemed familiar. He repeated what he had said but a little louder. ‘Excuse me love but do I know you.’

‘Sorry I don’t think so.’ It was my best feminine voice whilst trying to disguise my accent. I looked into his face and I did feel I might know him from somewhere. I hoped he wouldn’t persevere and get back to laughing and joking with his friends. If my true identity was exposed now I’d just die.
Luckily Maggie, Debs and Sarah tried to deflect their attention and engage Jack and I in conversation. I felt really awkward not having experience of close encounters like this with groups of guys so I put on my sunglasses hoping the guy would stop staring. Jack tried to position himself between me and the group and I wished I’d taken a spare seat before the carriage filled with the Japanese tourists.

The guy then introduced himself and started chatting in a friendly to Jack offering his apologies again for standing on my toe. He didn’t seem an aggressive type and was genuine in his apology. I realised that all there group looked like sportsmen and they towered over Jack, Debs and I.

Whilst things calmed for me Sarah seemed to be a bit uncomfortable with the male bodies encircling us. She was trying to move away from one of their party who was a brute of a guy and he was a good 6” taller than his friends. The comical thing was that Maggie stepped in between them to confront him using every inch of her 5’-4” to try to look him in the eye. It caused him to burst out laughing and he crouched as best he could and feigned fear. He apologised for the misunderstanding and said he just thought Sarah was beautiful and didn’t mean any harm. All was calm as we pulled up at the next stop that caused us all to surge forward a bit and he caught Sarah to stop her falling into his group. They looked at each other and she said thank you and smiled. He shook her hand and introduced himself as Jeremy or Jez to his friends. I knew a Jeremy from schooldays but he wasn’t a giant like this guy. He did look familiar though. They all started chatting with us on the way to the next stop that was our destination and we all disembarked.

Man mountain slowed to walk alongside Sarah and they talked all the way to street level where Jez passed his phone number to Sarah and asked her to message him sometime. She put the piece of paper in her bag and gave an encouraging smile. I was so pleased for her since she’d appeared so shy and disappointed at the lack of a man in her life. Maggie and Debs were full of encouragement and pressed her to send him a text later. Jacks assessment was that it seemed safe and they weren’t a bad bunch as far as he could see. Then he took my hand as we looked around for landmarks. It was weird since there I was holding hands with another guy and 3 girls were without the security.

When I recalled the Jeremy I knew from school I realised that I might have known some of this group from my schooldays. I never mixed much with the boys in my class since I was a loner but I did hang around with two of the girls who lived in the same street as me. I was only allowed to participate in certain activities so I was more like a fly on the wall all through early school years. I guess the two girls, Amy and Joanne did first introduce me to crossdressing that eventually became an obsession and a part of my life that I kept secret from anybody.

‘Earth to Jules, Earth to Jules come in please.’ Jack brought me out of my deep thoughts and I apologised. What a life I’d had through school. Some bullying but nothing severe enough to report and inferences that I was gay as I reached my teen years that I always denied. Strange because now I was becoming attracted to Jack and I knew nothing about him. This group had adopted me as if I’d known them all my life.

I had been nervous on the tube in case any of them got fresh or saw through my make-up. I’d kept my sun glasses on that wasn’t the brightest thing to do since that I realised had attracted attention but in hindsight it seemed to have worked out well for Sarah. Who knows this might turn into a life-long relationship. But for me all I could see ahead was a return to my mundane lifestyle and my boring job. Still I decided I was going to enjoy the rest of the weekend and then sort out what I did for the remainder of the week the following day.

Maggie and Debs then took charge again and they pointed to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. They wanted some group photographs to show to family and friends to prove they’d been to London and met up with Jack and I. Debs insisted that Jack and I had a photo together to send to her mum and as well as her own photos since I seemed reluctant to join in she also took shots of us with my i-phone. Luckily after the first two photos I managed to retrieve my sunglasses from my bag that I hoped would serve as a disguise.

Jack was smiling. ‘ OK that might work but it’s probably best to keep your new phone away from Chris or he’ll be asking too many questions.’ I punched his arm and accused him of colluding with Debs whilst Sarah and I were getting ready. It was a good job there was no fiancé.

We looked around for a while then Debs and Maggie burst into hysterics and squealed with delight. It suddenly became clear where we were really going, not Big Ben at all but a more modern landmark. There across the river was The London Eye. It had been on my list of things to do this week that I’d mentioned to Jack in the bar on our first night. He probably suggested it to Debs and asked to join us.

Debs remarked it would test our stomachs after last nights drinking session but in truth it wasn’t moving fast it was just high up. It was an impressive sight as we crossed Westminster Bridge stopping from time to time for more shots. Jack always seemed to be in shot and he was keen to be next to me. We were all excited as we got closer and closer and with luck we’d all be in the same pod.

En-route there were lots more photos from all angles. It was scaring me a bit since I had no doubt most would be posted on the girls Instagram and Facebook sites and I’d be outed to social media with a risk of somebody asking questions about my sexuality. I was being encouraged to do the same and post my photos. Eek I just had the one account as Julian so I kept stalling to think how to avoid giving them my contact details. As soon as possible I needed to register another side of my life as Julie and set up a new e-mail address and twitter and Facebook accounts.

We stopped on the bridge to look back at the Houses of Parliament and I had Jack take some close-up shots of me hoping my make-up looked ok. I might then be able to use one of them on a new facebook page as Julie. Luckily the photos worked out fine and with sunglasses I didn’t look like the guy who left home.

I realised that these guys were not going to let me just melt back into the background when they left London and neither was Jack. I had no idea how I was going to deal with future calls on Zoom other than to find time and a place to dress in privacy and fix dates and times. I couldn’t think how I could keep a relationship with Jack at arms-length. I didn’t want to hurt him after his kindness, but I was getting to like him so much that I needed to be in contact with him daily and constantly for now. He was more than just a mate. I never meant for this to happen nor did I ever dream it. I was supposed to be just fulfilling a fantasy like scratching an itch not lancing a boil.

Jack made sure I didn’t get too lost in my thoughts and also that I included Sarah. She was no longer the quiet one that listened more than chatted and I felt she’d be the sort of girlfriend my mum expected me to take home one day. I liked her but my feelings seemed to be changing. It was a lot more fun to be spoiled and treated as female and I had noticed how Jack behaved around women that attracted them. He was a little cocky with ability to put women completely at ease so they didn’t feel threatened. He seemed to understand women far better than me and I liked being one of them.

By the time we reached The Eye we were all thirsty so Jack bought refreshments whilst we queued. We could have pre-booked on-line but instead of queuing we managed to get tickets from a guy that Jack found. Somebody had cancelled so we had a pod to ourselves. It was worth waiting for and there was plenty of space for 5 of us. It was a wonderful experience with great views over London. It just didn’t last long enough.

After we got our feet back on the ground the next venue on the M&D itinerary was a visit Borough Market. I’d never heard of it so I assumed it was a shopping venue. We took a black cab and somehow I found myself on the rear seat in between Jack and Sarah. I did my best to sit with my knees together and fortunately I was wearing shorts. Jack sneaked his arm into a position where his hand touched my knee and I froze a little at first but then my shorts were getting a bit tight as something stirred.

Luckily Debs was watching and she decided to come to my aid by explaining that it was a traditional London open market but with a lot of fast food options but lots of shops and restaurants. The target was a nice seafood bar that had a good reputation. Seafood seemed a good idea since it was light and we’d hardly had chance to digest breakfast.

It was a great choice with a wide variety of fish and seafood. Jack suggested a sharing plate that did look appetising so we followed his recommendation and we all tucked in. We had a great time together and our waitress convinced us to share a bottle of white wine. This fun and I could never have imagined being in such good company. The waitress was very friendly and did a round of photos using our phones. Even Sarah was chatty by now and she even told us a few anecdotes. It was me now who was the listener.

How could I tell stories without the risk of slipping up? I was going to have to try before too long or be viewed as miserable. I so wanted to join in and make these my close friends for life.