Something Feels Strange…

Yes... I like Tom. He is a good guy and comfortable to be around. Throughout the conversation Laurie has to send me silent signals to remind me to not slip back into boy mode while we talk. I find myself slipping back towards guy mode as we relax around each other. I think Tom likes talking to a girl who acts more like a guy–he is obviously not trying to impress me, just normal guy to guy talk.  It feels good.

Chapter 18: Shopping With The Girls

"You really need to express your feminine side more." The platinum blonde pouts as she holds up a micro-mini skirt and an impossibly skimpy top for me to model for the group.

"Maybe so," I respond, "but that's going a bit too far for me. Why don't you try it? It'll probably look great on you."

I find myself in the company of four of my new peers in a trendy boutique store in Alaska's largest shopping mall–which isn't saying much. Laurie and Ashley make up half the group with the balance consisting of Shelly and Kimi–my current tormentor. It turns out that all three Alaskan girls must be very popular judging from all the people that seem to know them–you can't walk down the hall without them being greeted by a number of other kids.

"And I thought that all you California girls were up on the latest fashions," Shelly adds, sounding disappointed. I think that she was hoping to learn something from us.

Ashley, Shelly and Kimi are reasonably trim and seem intent on showing off their bodies as much as they can. Kimi is wearing clothes similar to what she wants me to try on along with three-inches heel and enough jewelry and makeup to overload a camel. Shelly is wearing skin tight black leather pants that leave nothing to the imagination, stiletto four-inch heels, and a thin tight top that shows off her large bust to anyone that cares to look–and anyone else that looks her way. Ashley is the most conservative of the Alaskan bunch with tight, extremely low cut jeans and a top that stops just above her navel and shows enough cleavage so that there is no doubt that she is a girl–as if the curves weren't enough of an indicator.

I suspect that if these girls were caught outdoors that they would make superb mosquito bait.

"Laurie knows more than I do," I say. "I've just never gotten into the clothes scene too much. I'm more of an outdoors girl." I thought that Alaska girls would be too. There is definitely a clash in expectations here.

Both Laurie and I are wearing our hipster jeans and tops that actually cover our midriffs. Mine has a more conservative neckline than does Laurie's, but she is more accustomed to this sort of thing.  Also, I doubt that Aunt Jen would have let us out of the house wearing anything similar to what these other girls are wearing. Laurie is wearing her sandals and I have on my running shoes which don't seem to pass muster with the locals.

"Well," Laurie hedges, "I think the skirt is cute but our mothers would never let us wear one that short. As far as the top goes, Tina really needs a top that doesn't accentuate how small her bust is." As if I'd like to have a larger bust!

We've been wandering through the mall for an hour, getting a feel for each other's personal preferences. We have all tried on several outfits but no one has spent any money yet. And, yes, I did try on one of the short skirts and a revealing top. The skirt did look cute on the girl in the mirror but I felt way too exposed. The top also added to my discomfort. I assume that feeling comfortable walking around nearly naked requires some conditioning.

"You really need to get a push up bra, girl," Ashley suggests, "if you want to get noticed."

I wonder why would I want to 'get noticed' and by whom. Besides, we did buy one for me during our midnight shopping extravaganza in California. I just haven't felt the need to wear it yet.

"You should see what happens to poor Tom when I wear one," she giggles. "He gets pretty distracted."

This shopping trip is not going all that well. In fact, I think I preferred shopping with the older women.

The thought of new lingerie prompts an exodus from the boutique to a lingerie store down the way. As we approach the store entrance Laurie realizes that I am beginning to get tense. She puts her arm around my shoulders and gives me a friendly squeeze while she whispers in my ear: "You can do this. It's fun! Just think like Tina."

Like I'm supposed to know how Tina would think?

Crossing the threshold of a lingerie store is like passing through an emotional force field.  All guys know the feeling. While we are unquestionably interested in the contents of such a store–or should I say, interested in seeing a girl wear the items found in such a store–actually entering a lingerie store is one of the hardest things that most guys will ever have to do. That is if they can actually do it. There is a huge social stigma against guys shopping for female underwear. For girls, on the other hand, it is another story–they love it and I can see why.  The colors and styles are endless. There is a lot of opportunity to express yourself creatively–if you are a girl.

We're barely inside the door before the girls are pawing through the sales table looking for that perfect pair of panties, temporarily forgetting about the bra search that led us here. They hold likely pairs up in front of themselves trying to decide what they would look like on their bodies.

Laurie holds up a black lacy thong, "Tina, doesn't this look good? It would go with that black dress of yours. I could use a pair like this myself."

I turn a bright shade of red.

"You really are a tomboy, aren't you?" Shelly observes. "Don't you have anything like that?"

"Ah, n-n-no," I stammer. 

"Like I said," Kimi remarks, "you really need to start bringing out your feminine side. New lingerie will help you get more into being a girl instead of a cave woman."  I think she might be getting tired of my conservative nature and hesitancy about wearing clothes that scream GIRL.

"Half the fun of being a girl," Shelly informs me, "is that we get to have some fun with our clothes. Come on, Tina, let's help you blossom into the girl that you were born to be. You are much too cute to hide behind frumpy clothes."

And I thought that my current outfit was far from frumpy. I begin to think that her definition of blossoming will involve lots of exposed skin and painted-on fabric where covering is required by law.

I realize that Shelly has found her mission for the day. I can tell by the look in her eyes that no way is she going to take 'no' for an answer. I look to Laurie for backup, but it seems that she is in general agreement with Shelly, although she is not going to get forceful with me.

"Maybe," Shelley continues, "we can find some middle ground here, but not in the lingerie department.  Sexy lingerie is the basis for feeling feminine all over but needs to be chosen for the outfit. How about we help you find out how good it feels to look sexy? If you don't like it, then we'll back off. The search will give some focus to our shopping."

"I think that sounds like a great idea," agrees Ashley. Kimi grins as she nods in agreement. Laurie just shrugs her shoulders.

"Okay," I say warily, "but I don't want to look like a hooker. It needs to be nice. And only one outfit. It has to be the perfect one."

Apparently, this is the ultimate shopping challenge. Purchase only one outfit, but it has to be perfect.

Laurie pipes up, "What occasion should we be shooting for?"

"How about tomorrow night's movie?" suggests Ashley. "She should look smoking hot for the swim team guys. In fact, I think that we all should dress up a bit more than we would normally and watch what it does to the guys."

Apparently Kimi and Shelly are also part of the group going out tomorrow night. In fact, they have been talking about the good and bad qualities of some of the guys as we've worked our way through the mall. They've also dished a few of the girls. I get the sense that there is a bit of rivalry among the females. For what?–I'm not really sure.

"Alright," Kimi summarizes, "hot but not for sale. That's what we want. She needs to look good and still be a challenge. Be careful, Ashley, you don't want her to steal Tom from you."

"I'll take care of Tom," she says with a wink, "don't worry about him."

"I think that all of us should find the perfect outfits for tomorrow," I suggest hoping that broadening the challenge will take some of the attention away from me.

"Great idea!" Laurie agrees, catching on to what I'm trying to do. "This will be a great challenge, but we need to start with the clothes first as Shelley suggested then we can find the perfect lingerie to go with it."

Now that we have some focus, the group coalesces and we start working our way through the various stores and boutiques in the mall on our quest. With a sense of mission, the eagerness of the group is contagious and we are getting along better after our rocky start. As we work our way through the various stores, even I start to lighten up and actually begin looking through racks and stacks for the perfect items that would make a guy like Chris drool over a girl like Tina. As I think about it, a push-up bra might be just the ticket. Chris would be distracted by a bigger chest than Tina's. We all try on many different outfits with the collective group providing critique of each one.

Kimi is the first to strike gold; as expected, the short denim skirt and tube top she chose shows off way more skin than either Laurie or I would be comfortable with.  Kimi is pretty excited and says that she has the perfect heels to go with the outfit at home. I think she looks pretty hot.  I find myself staring at her when Laurie gives me an elbow in the ribs to get my attention. Her eyes communicate that I am starting to act like a guy again and that I need to quit staring. I guess that I'm still not seeing girls in the same way a girl would. My sixteen years of masculinity is showing.

With her purchases in hand, Kimi provides support for the rest of us.

The next to score is Laurie. She keeps looking to me for approval. I guess this is my big chance to dress her how Chris would like to have her dress. As Chris, I have never gone for the tight fitting slutty look on girls.  As a matter of fact I think that Laurie looks great in the colorful loose fitting skirt she is currently wearing.  The hem falls a couple of inches above the knee. The top she end up with is a peasant blouse that has half length sleeves and shows a hint of cleavage.  She finds a pair of white open toed strappy sandals with two inch heels to compliment the outfit. She looks also hot. I hope she wears it many times when Chris returns.

The other girls all agree that my very slender form screams out for a short skirt but I resist. I suggest a couple of pant suit options without any success. I finally agree to a sundress that ends about three inches above the knee. It has a spaghetti straps holding the top up and shows off my shoulders but no cleavage.  The fabric is white with black and turquoise geometric patterns on it that I really like. While I am not at all accustomed to loose fitting clothes that allow a breeze up my legs I have to admit that the dress looks pretty good on Tina. A pair of white leather open-toed strappy sandals with thick soles and two inch heels complete the look. The girls try to get me to get something with a taller heel, but there is no way that I could walk around in something like that without significant practice. I have to remove my bra to wear this dress.  I am either going to have to go without a bra or get a strapless one. While my breasts are relatively small and firm, they do jiggle when I move so it looks as if a strapless one will be needed.

Staring at myself in the mirror, I am amazed at how different I look in a dress to how I did in the jeans and top. Tina would definitely have gotten Chris's attention if he were here. I'm also scared to move for fear of falling. I almost fell on my face walking over to the mirror from the dressing room. With this short dress I'm sure that I will give quite a show if I take a fall.

"You don't have any heels, do you?" Kimi states more than asks. "I can't understand how a cute girl like you could have avoided real clothes for so long." The she then takes it upon herself to instruct me on how to walk wearing girl shoes. She has me walking all around the shop while the others continue the quest for Ashley and Shelly.

"Don't you own any dresses?" she asks. "You don't seem very comfortable in that one."

"Yes," I respond, "I have a couple of dresses but I haven't really worn them much. I'm pretty partial to pants. Also, I do own a pair of heels but I don't use them much either."

Kimi rolls her eyes. "Girl, don't you realize what a great body you have? It deserves to be flaunted. You're a real knock out when you dress up. It always feels good to look your best. Add the right makeup, style your hair a bit, and added some nice jewelry and I bet all the boys will be tripping over each other to get your attention tomorrow night."

Looking in the mirror I can see what she says about the need for work on my makeup, hair, and jewelry. While I really like my running necklace–which I am, of course, wearing right now–the heart shape pendent would be a better choice with this dress. I'm thinking that I might need to expand my jewelry collection as I expand my wardrobe.

Kimi has me let my hair down from its ponytail and–wow!–what a difference. I'd be tongue-tied around me if I were still a guy. Yep, Chris would be seriously distracted–even with Laurie around. I can see where some nice dangly earrings will look sensational. I resolve to get a pair today.

I'm having major problems getting used to the feel of the loose fitting lightweight dress.  The dress combined with the very skimpy bikini panties I'm wearing today make me feel as if I am walking around nearly naked. That is all I have on–other than the shoes–right now. The exposed shoulders and lack of sleeves result in an uncomfortable new sensation. I keep pulling at the hem of the dress in a vain attempt to make it longer.  It is also loose so that I feel very exposed from underneath. I am afraid wearing this dress in a light breeze could be extremely embarrassing: also I'm afraid of sitting down in public. I'm going to have to work much harder than I have been up until now to sit like a girl in this thing.

After a few laps around the store, I develop a feel for the shoes and find that I can walk in them just fine as long as I concentrate on what I am doing. Like most things it will take practice before I can do it effortlessly.

Stopping by the jewelry counter Kimi and I spend time looking at earrings while the rest continue searching for Ashley's and Shelly's outfits. I let Kimi know that I'd really like some dangly earrings. There are dozens of different styles. She finds a pair that she just can't live without before we find a pair for me.  She calls mine chandelier style with each one having silver tear-drop shaped loops with strands of tiny colored beads hanging from them. They hang a little over two inches and complement the dress and my hair perfectly. The earrings are added to my inventory.

As the afternoon wanes we are finally able to find suitably sexy outfits for Shelly and Ashley. Our last stop is back at the lingerie store.

As we are pawing through the sales table and display racks, it suddenly occurs to me that my anxiety about shopping for sexy lingerie is pretty much gone. In fact, I find myself getting excited to try on some of the items we find. I ask Brain Central, 'Doesn't something seem wrong here?' What I get back is, 'Yes, what's wrong is that you don't have a bra that will work with the sundress and it would be good to get a matching panty to go with whatever you find.' I think that Brain Central is missing the point. I–a boy in disguise–am panty and bra shopping without anxiety and actually–I hate to admit it–enjoying the challenge of finding the right pieces. I am either confident in my disguise or ... I don't really want to think about the 'or'.

But I have to think about the 'or'–'but not right now,' Brain Central comes back, 'we need to get this shopping done. What do you think of the white strapless push up bra that Ashley is showing you? Isn't it darling?' I have been abandoned by myself.

"I'll try it on," I respond to Ashley's suggestion.

Finally, by the time we finish with lingerie I am getting pretty tired.  I also know a lot more about girls' clothes than I did at lunch time. In the end, there is a feeling of accomplishment in having achieved our goal. We have also gelled as a group.

I feel a bond of friendship with each girl in our group–something that I have never felt with girls before. A bond of friendship as equals and without the barrier of opposite genders–a bond of sisterhood, a bond that I never expected to experience in my lifetime. In many ways it is similar to the way that I have felt with many of my guy friends after accomplishing some task, but also different.  A sisterhood is not quite the same as a brotherhood. Neither is better than the other. They are just different.

As we finish our shopping, Shelly makes a suggestion.

"Hey, girl friends," she says enthusiastically, "Why don't we have a sleepover at my house tonight? We can order pizza, watch movies, work on our nails and hair for tomorrow's date, and have all sorts of fun."

"Sorry, Shelly, but I can't," responds Ashley apologetically, "I promised Tom that I'd spend some time with him after he gets off work at 9 o'clock."

"How about you guys?" She asks Kimi, Laurie, and me.

When Laurie calls home to check, Aunt Jen suggests that we come home instead since we have a full day tomorrow that starts early.

"Sorry, Shelly," Laurie says, "We have a big day tomorrow and, if your sleepovers are anything like mine, nobody will get to sleep until the wee hours of the morning. Also, Tina needs to go running early in the morning to get ready for Saturday's race."

The topic of my running had come up during the day. While the Alaskan girls are on the swim team at their school I get the feeling that they are on the team mostly to be around hunky guys in speedos. None of them excel at swimming. They wonder what the attraction to running is.

In the end, we go our separate ways with Ashley dropping us off at the Jeffer's home just in time for dinner. We all agreed to wear our new clothes for tomorrow evening's outing with promises to go all out on our hair and makeup.  We decide to make a grand entrance tomorrow by all arriving at the theatre together.  Ashley will pick up Laurie and me in time to do some work on the finishing touches at her house where Kimi and Shelley will meet us.

"Girls," Mom Polly asks, "what did you get?"

"We all bought outfits for tomorrow's night out," Laurie says enthusiastically. "We thought that we'd try to really make a splash."

"Isn't that a little much for just a movie?" Aunt Jen asks after we show her what we bought.

"Yes," I reply, "but we thought that it would be fun to see the reactions we get when we arrive all dressed up. It also gave focus to our shopping."

"My," says Aunt Jen with a raised eyebrow, "do we have another shopaholic on our hands?"

"Not really," I say blushing.

"Why don't you two girls run upstairs and put on your new clothes for dinner," Mom Polly suggests. "I'd love to see what they look like on you."

"Great idea! I think that you'll like it and, anyway, Tina needs practice time in her new dress," says Laurie as she drags me upstairs.

When we reach the top floor Laurie disappears into the bathroom to take care of her monthly problem while instructing me to start changing.

Back in the room I quickly strip down to my underwear.  I am going to have to use the new bra so the one I've been wearing all day is quickly replaced and I am slipping the dress on as Laurie enters the room.

"Tina, you should wear your new thong," she suggests. "You might as well do the whole package."

I am leery about wearing the thong. I might as well go without given the lack of substance of the tiny panty. I was talked into it by the assembled shoppers telling me that it is necessary to avoid any panty lines. Not that any would show with this loose dress.

Sighing in resignation I reach under the skirt, slip off my bikini panties and slip on the thong.  It is uncomfortable having that string up my butt crack. I don't think that I am going to like thongs. At least I can ditch the panty liner. I'm pretty sure that the thong will not accommodate the panty liner that I've been wearing for practice all day.

"Don't forget your new jewelry," she reminds me. "Also, try taking your hair down from your ponytail. You can finish getting ready in the bathroom while I dress. Wait for me and we'll go down together." She is pretty excited.

I guess I don't get to see her model the new pink panty and bra set that she bought. Too bad, but I know the ground rules.

In the mirror I see a very attractive girl looking back. My hair keeps getting in my face when it is loose like this so I experiment with rearranging it with the help of a hair clip in back and like what I see.  With the hair pulled at least partially back my new earrings really stand out. I add some mascara and end up looking rather nice, even if I say so myself. It has been less than a week since my 'change' but only now am I beginning to connect with the image in the mirror. I see a pretty girl and am beginning to think of myself as one. Also, I feel a strange sense of pride in looking nice. I've never felt anything quite like this before, but I guess that I never had much to work with and, after all, who cares what a teenage boy looks like? Things are sooo different now that I'm a girl.  I'm starting to realize a whole new set of options and expectations. The scary part is that I am finding the new options and expectations interesting and–dare I say it?–even fun.

When Laurie comes out of the room I go back in to put on my new heels and spend a few minute learning to balance again. Laurie comes to stand by me as we look in the full length mirror mounted on the door. She looks pretty cute. We both do.

"What d'you think, cousin?" she asks.

"You're hot," I say. "Any guy would be happy to be with you. Chris wishes he could be with you right now. He approves of the look. I think that he's worried that you're going to have to beat guys off with a stick tomorrow night. He's just glad he's your boyfriend instead of someone else."

"You're pretty hot yourself, Tina," she points out. "You don't exactly look like a boyfriend right now, you know."

That is a sobering thought. I'm not sure what to make of it. On one hand I want to be her romantic interest–as a boy–but on the other hand, I am having fun being her best friend–as a girl.

"Ready?" she asks, breaking me out of my contemplation before it becomes deep thought.

"Ready!" I say, taking a deep breath as we start down the stairs into the living room. I have to concentrate on the descent as I find that stairs are more difficult to negotiate with heels on.

We are about half way down when the Major lets out a wolf whistle.

"Now this is worth the delay," he says appreciatively. Mom Polly whacks him on the arm as Laurie smiles and I turn a bright red.

"The red goes well with your hair," he observes, earning another whack from his wife.

"You girls look great," Aunt Jen says as she has us do a slow spin. "You both really did a great job shopping today. Those outfits should really get some attention tomorrow. They are a bit much for just an evening at the theatre with friends but it should be fun to do as group. Kris, you will need to practice some more walking in those heels though. I must admit that I am surprised to see you wear a dress like that. I thought that you would go with something more conservative."

"I'm not exactly comfortable in this dress," I point out, "but I think that it looks pretty nice if I try to be objective. It will take some getting used to."

"Did Ashley and her friends put you up to this?" Mom Polly asks. "Those girls tend to push the limits of decency all the time."

"Well, they did influence the decision rather heavily," I respond, "but in the end I agreed that if I were my former self I would have found this outfit very attractive on a girl like I am now so I decided to give a try. I'm not sure if I can be comfortable in it tomorrow or not but with some practice tonight I might be able to survive. Anyway, you should see what the others got. Believe me, this is much more conservative."

"No one will mistake you for boy in that dress," the Major comments approvingly. "If you can pull this off then I have no doubts about your ability to get through your assignment this summer. I am really impressed how far you've come this week, Princess."

Turning to Mom Polly he says, "I'm starting to wish we had a daughter. Another beautiful young woman around here on a regular basis would significantly increase the aesthetic quality of our home."

"I can think of a few other good reasons to have a daughter," she says, "but don't get any ideas now."

Dinner has been waiting for us so we all head into the dinning room to enjoy it. I am reminded to smooth my skirt and keep my knees together as I sit down. Believe me, it is easier to remember to sit in a lady-like way in this dress than in jeans as the fear of indecent exposure is prevalent in my mind.

---< >---

Tonight's video indoctrination is Legally Blonde. The Major decides to join with the group tonight. While the movie is funny somehow I can't see myself ever becoming as girly as Reese Witherspoon does in the film. Heck, it is hard to imagine any girl becoming that girly.  It is just fun spoofy humor aimed at a variety of targets, including women.

Standing in front of the bathroom mirror removing my makeup and brushing my teeth as I finish getting ready for bed, I ponder on the past five days. Has is it only been five days? It seems longer than that to me. A lot has happened in those five days.

Has it been bad?

The first few days were somewhat of a shock and pretty intense.  The last couple of days have been busy and educational.  I think I'm grateful that I didn't have too much time to think about the whole issue at first. By the time things slowed to the point where I could contemplate the affair, the concept of being female had been established in my mind.  Now, only five days later, I'm already becoming accustomed to the look and feel of this body and the clothes that go with it. I still need some time on my own to explore it more, but I have a general feel for all the components and where they're located.

Looking in the mirror I see a girl with pretty hair, a heart shaped face with sparkly eyes, a slender–almost delicate–neck, slight shoulders, skinny arms, and a minimal bust. I like what I see. My self image is quickly catching up with what I see when I look in the mirror. I am conscious that there no longer seems to be a significant disconnect between her and me. What I see is me.

Gathering my things, I return to our room to find Laurie brushing her hair as she checks email on the laptop.

Looking up from the screen, she comments, "You look as if you are having deep thoughts. Is everything okay?"

"Yes and no," I reply. "I was just thinking about everything that's taken place in the past five days. It is hard to believe just how much has happened. I'm not sure how I feel about it."

She comes over to give me a hug as we sit on the bed.

"Kris," she says, "I still feel bad about how all this unfolded but I am very impressed with how well you are handling the change. Are you really okay?"

"I think so," I reply, "but I am starting to worry about how natural all this is starting to feel. Take today's shopping trip for example. I only panicked once and even that passed quickly. Before I knew it, I was lost in the search for the perfect outfit without even worrying about whether or not it was the right thing to do. I'm scared that I might be slipping into the role too easily. I'm pretty sure that my self image is starting to match up with my new body. What worries me is that I might even find myself being attracted to boys if things keep up going the way that they are."

"Is that so bad," she asks, "given your current status?"

"But I'm not gay," I state.

"You are now if you are still attracted to girls," she points out. "Tell me, were you attracted to Ashley, Shelly, or Kimi today? After all you saw them wearing some pretty sexy outfits today and they are all very pretty. I also know that you saw all of them only partially clothed at various points throughout the day. I noticed you staring at them more than once. Did they turn you on?"

I have to think about this. Did I find them attractive? The answer to that is sure. They are good looking girls. Was I turned on by them? Not that I can remember, but then I don't know how this body will respond when it gets sexually aroused.

"I think that the girls are all quite good looking," I respond thoughtfully, "but I can't say that I was turned on by them, now that you mention it. I did find them very interesting to look at."

"Maybe your new body is having an impact on your sexual preference," she suggests. "How about me? Do I turn you on now?"

Looking at Laurie, I feel a strong sense of affection, but am I stirred sexually? As much as I have always tried to be the gentleman, I have been stirred by just being around her in the past. Now I sit here in night clothes with her, about to share the same bed, and I am not feeling any sexual stirrings at all. I am still curious to see her undressed, but I now have a pretty good idea of what that looks like from looking at myself. I suspect that if I spend much time around naked and nearly naked girls that I won't notice them any more than I noticed guys in similar situations in my male past.

"I can't say that I am 'turned on' by you right now," I say, "but I feel a strong bond with you and want to be with you more than anyone else. Heck, I don't even know what being turned on means in this body. It is strange, but in many ways I feel closer to you than I did before this all started, but in a different way. I'm afraid that I am losing something special for something else that is special, if that makes any sense."

"Interesting," she observes. "Could it be that your sexual preference is changing? How do you feel about boys? Like the ones we flirted with yesterday."

"You mean the ones that YOU flirted with?" I respond. "Well, I have to admit that I thought that Joey was cute when he got flustered, but only in the same way that a kitten or puppy is cute as they are trying to get their bearings. I don't think that he got my motor running, if you know what I mean. The other two just made me want to gag."

"Did you get any warm feelings?" she asks. "When a girl gets sexually attracted to a guy it starts out as warm feelings that progress to a tingling or sensitivity in the breasts and moistness in the vagina. Did you get any of those feelings?"

"Ah, no," I reply blushing, "not that I know of."

"You know you're pretty cute when you blush? Anyway, you'd have known if you'd gotten moist," she assures me. "That's another reason why we need to carry a spare pair of panties and panty liners around. If you think you're going to get aroused it's a good idea to wear a liner. It's much better than having wet panties."

"I gather that you speak from experience?" I inquire.

It is her turn to blush. "Yes," she responds. "As I said before, girls get sexually aroused too. I've notice you got aroused plenty of times this past year and not always by me. It is more obvious on guys you know. I, like all teenage girls, have gotten aroused plenty of times as my female hormones have flooded my body. The way things are going, I suspect that you just might find out–sooner than later–how a girl feels when she sees a good looking guy. If it happens, don't worry about it. Just blame the hormones and go with it. It is a normal female reaction. I can help talk you through it if you like. When you get back to being Chris, I'm sure that all that testosterone will bring you back to what you are used to but at least you will understand us poor girls better."

"So where does that leave us this summer?" I ask. "I know that I want you to be my girlfriend at the end of all this. It will hurt me a lot if I see you take to another guy, but I can't be your boyfriend this summer looking like this. And what happens if I actually do get attracted to a guy? What will that do to us?"

"I've been thinking about that too," she replies. "Honestly I don't know where we are going this summer. It's new ground for both of us. I only know that I want us to be good friends at the very least when this is finished. Hopefully we can pick up where we left off and continue to grow our girlfriend/boyfriend relationship."

"I guess we'll just have to take it one day at a time," I state as I give her a hug. "No matter what happens, I want us to remain friends above all else."

It is a tender moment unlike any that we've ever shared.

Before going to bed, I log into my email account and what do I find? Another email from Joey! Laurie gives me an I-told-you-so look when I tell her.  He sent the email late in the day and attached another of the pictures taken yesterday. He asks how my day went and if I've found out anything about the race on Saturday.

Ugh!  What do I do? I decide to ignore it for the time being. I feel bad to be ignoring someone who is trying to be friendly, but Laurie has me concerned that Joey is looking for more than just a friend. Maybe if I send him a thank you email late tomorrow he'll take the hint that I'm not interested in establishing a romantic relationship. Why can't we just be buddies?

---< >---

Gabi edits again... Thank You!