Later that night, I returned to Shelly's room. As soon as she saw me, she pulled me in and closed the door. “What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don't play coy with me. You have the look of someone who spent some time doe-eyed with a boy. Spill.”

“Marc and I kissed.”

“A four word sentence is insufficient. What did you say? What did he say? Where did he touch you?”

“He was a perfect gentleman. We kissed several time before getting dinner in the cafe. It was very wholesome.”

“Wholesome? What, no groping?”

“Not even once.”

“Lame,” called a voice from Paula's bed. I had no idea Paula was there.

“I thought you were asleep,” Shelly said.

“I was until you got all excited about a not-so-hot date.”

“Be nice. Eve doesn't have a lot of experience with men.”

“Really? You waited until college to date.”

“It wasn't really a plan,” I said.

“And then you managed to find a nice guy who wasn't sticking his hand up your skirt during your first kiss? How'd you get so lucky? Who's the guy?”

“You've seen her with Marc,” Shelly said.

“Oh, my, he is stacked. Aren’t you like a foot shorter than him?”

“At least a foot.”

“You need to get yourself some taller heels or you're going to end up with a sore neck.”

* * *

Over the next few days, Marc kept a respectful distance and did not discuss our kissing in front of the rest of the study group. I had no idea if they knew or not. When we were alone again I asked him and he said, “You seem uncomfortable with public displays of affection. I’m letting you take the lead on whether we tell the group about us.”

“Does that bother you?”

“I don't think so. I'm not really the PDA kind of person. But, I would like to spend more time with you. Can we go out on Saturday, off campus?”

“Sure, what do you have in mind?”

“A picnic lunch. I know a perfect spot.”

“Okay. Where do you want to meet?”

“My car is in the student lot behind my dormitory. I have a blanket, a basket, a mini-cooler, and will make some sandwiches. Eleven AM?”

“Okay.”

He kissed me on the cheek and left.

* * *

We were lying on the blanket in a clearing at a local national park. There were benches on the far side of the clearing that could not be seen because there was a slight hill between us and the benches.

I was nibbling on my sandwich when he said, “Can I ask you a question about your cousin Dave?”

“Um, sure.”

“I've never seen you with him. Do you avoid him?”

“No, he's busy with his own stuff.”

“I've actually never seen him since I first saw you. He use to be in all the classes you're taking.”

“Why is this important to you?”

“It isn't. In fact, I wanted you to know that it isn't. It also isn't important that you aren't enrolled as a student.”

“How?”

“I'm friends with Valentino. After he made your ID, he did a background check on you and it turned up empty.”

“Is this some kind of blackmail scheme?”

“What? No, no, please, Eve. It’s just I kind of know who you are and I need you to know I don't mind.”

“You know who I am?”

“I'm not one hundred percent certain. It's kind of crazy. Still, the facts don't allow for a very sane reason to exist.”

“What facts?”

“You don't have a paper trail. You have all of Dave's classes. Your best friend is Dave's girlfriend. You spend some nights in Shelly's room and some nights in Dave's room. Dave hasn't been seen since you first showed up. You have no social media. I could go on. But, somehow, you are Dave. I don't know how. I don't know why. And I don't care. I like you, Eve. And if you use to be Dave, I don't mind. You've been very skittish around me. I worry that Dave didn't want to be Eve. But that's just speculation.”

To say I was dumbfounded would be an understatement.

He continued, “You didn't deny it. And that's fine. I didn't expect you to admit it either. I can understand why you wouldn't want to tell someone you use to be a foot taller and a different sex. It sounds crazy. It is crazy. But, I have no other way to explain it. And it's not my business, really. I just want you to know that whatever is the truth, I'll still like you.”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“Yes? Yes, meaning I'm right? Really?”

“Yes. I don't want to get into it.”

“Okay. Shelly knows, right? I mean she would have to.”

“Yes, she knows.”

“Did you two break up?”

“I guess. Neither of us is really attracted to the other any more.”

“So, you actually are attracted to guys? Me?”

“Absolutely.”

“But, this isn't what you want. You want to be Dave.”

“I do. I did. It's been a couple months. I've kind of given up expecting that to happen.”

“That's sad.”

“Nothing you can do about it.”

“Probably not. If you could go back and you did, would you ever become Eve again, assuming you could.”

“I can't answer that. I have no idea.”

“Fair. Would Shelly take Dave back?”

“I hope so. But, that's like asking me if I want to colonize the Moon.”

“Would you go to the Moon if you could?”

“In a heartbeat.”

“It takes longer than that.”

“You know what I mean.”

He laughed. “I do. I hope you get at least one of these dreams to come true.”

I put the remains of the sandwich aside. “Can we just make out? I don't want to think about the old me any more.”

“Sure.”

It was still mostly just kissing. And that was still wonderful. I did allow him to fondle my breasts through my top. And my thigh rubbed against his stiff crotch. He did not press to go any further.

As we drove back to campus later, he said, “What are you doing for Thanksgiving on Thursday?”

“I don’t know. I have to call Faith, my sister. She’s my only family that knows about this.”

* * *

On Tuesday, we were caught by the study group holding hands. It all felt so middle school romantic. Ian, of course, asked bluntly if we had had sex. Marc told him that was inappropriate. The girls were happy for me.

We went back to my room after studying. Robert had left for the weekend. We sat on my bed and kissed. As we made out, I unbuttoned my top. I took his hand and placed it under my blouse. He felt me up. It made me feel good inside. I wished I had removed my bra first.

I gently pushed him backwards on the bed. I removed my blouse. I hesitated for a moment and he said, “You don’t have…”

I put a finger on his lips to shut him up. I reached behind my back and unclasped my bra. “I want to,” I said. My eyes dipped to my erect nipples. “See?”

His hands were strong and warm as they held my boobs. He said, “Should I get a condom?”

“No, I don’t think I’m ready for that,” I said. “I just want to be touched.”

“Touching’s nice,” he said. He partially sat up and removed his shirt. I had seen him topless before. I wanted to feel his bare chest against my bare chest. We embraced and kissed. His mouth dipped under my chin and his kissed me down my neck. His hands wandered my body as mine wandered his. Was I not ready?

His hot breath on my neck sent chills down my spine and heat between my legs. I was curious. My hand slipped under his waistband and moved down his thigh until they found something warm and hard between his legs.

He popped the button on his pants and undid the zipper. As shy as he was, he knew how to be smooth. He managed to get his pants off without removing his lips from my nipple. His boxer briefs tented in a way I knew first hand to be uncomfortable. I peeled the waistband down and released him from their confines.

“I thought we weren’t doing that.”

“Third base,” I said and my hand encircled his cock. I was longer than mine had been, about the same width. Other than porn, I had never had this view of a cock before. My hand felt small wrapped around him. He lay back and allowed me to stroke his dick.

I lay back as well, my face not far from his. My attention was on his crotch, his attention was on my face. I wondered what he was seeing. His cock grew harder. I looked at him and he gave me a do-what-you-want look. I quickened the pace. He moaned. I saw his eyes close. A small quiver trembled on his lips. I looked back at my hand just in time to see him cum. Cum jumped into the air and landed on my wrist and his stomach. I kept going and more cum dribbled out and down his shaft. His moan crescendoed and ended. I looked at him. He was reaching for the tissue box. He pulled some out and handed them to me. I cleaned my hand first. He took out more tissues and was surprised when I took them from him. I wiped his cock before it got too flaccid. More tissues were needed for his stomach. When he was not looking, I licked my wrist. Not unpleasant.

“Lay back,” he said. “Your turn.”

“What?”

He pushed me onto my back and said, “You can tell me to stop at any time.” He unzipped my skirt and I helped him remove it. He kissed my stomach until he reached the band of my panties. He hooked a thumb under them and slid them down. His eyes were locked onto mine the whole time. A single finger ran down my stomach, between my legs, and pushed gently between my labia lips. Even knowing it was about to happen, I still gasped. I was wet. His finger sat slightly within my lips unmoving for a moment before he curled his finger up and found my button. He brushed my clitoris gently and it was far more electric than when I did it. His fingers played within my outer folds for a few moments before I felt a finger starting to press into my vag.

I cannot remember when my eyes closed. He kissed me to stop me from biting my lip. His finger entered me. I immediately moaned in pleasure. A second finger pushed in. He started to move the two fingers in and out of me. It felt amazing. I was so worked up that he brought about an orgasm relatively quickly. And then, he did not stop until I had a second one.

When I opened my eyes, he was taking two fingers out of his mouth.

* * *

“It’ll be fine,” Faith said over the phone.

“They’ll know.”

“Why would they even suspect the young woman I claim is my friend from school is actually their son, who is like a foot taller than you?” Faith said. “You already texted them that you have a lot of stuff to catch up on and can’t make it. Mom was happy when I told her I was bringing a friend who had nowhere to go this weekend.”

“You already told Mom?”

“That I was bring a friend from school. You are so natural as a girl, they won’t suspect a thing. It’s kind of amazing, actually. Do you have periods?”

“Yes. Ugh. I’m due Monday for my second.”

“Are you on birth control?”

“No.”

“Eve!”

“I haven’t had time to find a doctor. It’s not like I have insurance.”

“Hmm. There’s a clinic we can stop at near the house. It should be open Saturday while we’re home. I’ll give them a call.”

“Fine.”

Wednesday evening, I took the train to Faith’s college. I could not drive us home in Dave’s car. I spent the night in Faith’s room. Luckily the dorms were mostly empty so I didn’t have to lie to her friends about being Faith’s cousin.

In the morning, Faith drove us home. We arrived home by ten in the morning. Faith unlocked the front door and we walked in.

“Faith,” Mom said. She had changed her hair again. It was a fire-engine red, short bob. I’d never considered cutting my hair short.

Grandma Abby was there. Uncle Perry and Aunt Kate were there with Tobin, their young son. Dad shook my hand, “This must be Eve. Welcome to our family gathering.”

“Thanks for having me. It was just too far for me to get away for a quick visit home.”

“Understandable.”

“You look like one of the family,” Dad said. “Doesn’t she look like she could be Faith’s sister?”

“You do have features similar to those on both sides of Faith’s family tree. That nose could be lifted right off Dave’s face,” said Kate, Mom’s sister.

I pretended to not know anybody as Faith introduced me to everyone. I felt bad about not giving Grandma Abby a kiss and a hug. As the introductions happened, Uncle Perry saw my T-shirt and said, “You like Blur? Faith’s brother Dave loves Blur. He’ll be sad he didn’t get to meet you.”

I was going to say something about it but I noticed Uncle Perry was still staring at my T-shirt. No, my chest. Uncle Perry was staring at my boobs.

Faith said, “Why don’t I show you his room? He has a few posters.”

“Sure,” I said and stood up. I followed Faith up the stairs. When we entered my room, she closed the door.

“I want to laugh but I can’t,” she said. “Welcome to the Perved on by Perry club.”

“He’s done that to you?”

“You never noticed?”

“I—” How had I never noticed Uncle Perry’s wandering eye? “No. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. At least something useful has come from your predicament. You’ve learned about Uncle Perry’s male gaze.”

“I feel so stupid.”

“Don’t. He never stared at Dave. I’m sure you’ve noticed being stared at these past few months.”

“I never know what to do. Shelly says I’m lacking years of training at being treated as a thing by men.”

“You are.” She gave me a hug. We sat on my bed and she told me about her experiences with growing up and being leered at.

“Faith,” Mom called out a little later.

“Be right down,” Faith said. “Ready to undergo the stare.”

“No.”

We went downstairs and helped set the table with Mom and Aunt Kate. It occurred to me that I had never had to set the table for Thanksgiving. The women did that. What kind of asinine tradition was this? Dad, Uncle Perv, and Tobin were watching football TV. If I were still Dave, I’d be in there with them. And I never noticed it before.

I looked at Faith and she had a smirk on her face that told me she knew what I was thinking. It is amazing what you can learn about your family when you view them through the eyes of a stranger.

I managed to get a seat two chairs to the left of Perry. He could not easily stare at me and I did not have to see his face.

“Are you a communications major like Faith is, Eve?” Mom said.

“Yes, we share the same classes for the most part. We met in a study group.”

“The specialized classes don’t start until sophomore year,” Faith said.

“That way they get a full year out of you before you realize you’re in the wrong major. The upper classmen are always saying stuff like that,” I said.

“So cynical at such a young age?” Grandma said.

“I prefer to call myself a realist.”

“Where are you from that you couldn’t get home for Thanksgiving?”

“I’m not close with my family,” I said. “Sometimes I think they wouldn’t even recognize me if I were with them.”

Dad changed the subject quickly and I did not have to make up a whole back story for my new life.

After dinner the women gathered in the kitchen to talk while the men remained in the living room. Later, Faith and I were in her room.

“Learned more about the family dysfunction, did you?” She said.

“I never noticed there’s no intermingling of the sexes at these gatherings aside from dinner itself. Have you ever asked about it?”

“Yes. Grandma calls it tradition and Mom doesn’t say anything.”

“Have you ever spent more than a few minutes talking to Tobin?”

“No. Tell me about him.”

“He has a dry wit. But, he’s shy and barely talks at the table.”

“I had no idea,” she said. “We should get ready for bed.” She pulled her shirt off and laughed at my shocked face. “I ain’t got anything you ain’t got.”

“But, you know who I am.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“I guess not,” I said as I took off my T-shirt.

“That’s a cute bra.”

“Shelly insisted I get bras that were, as she called it, fun.”

“Has she found someone else?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“You did break up.”

“Yes. It wasn’t that bad. We were surprisingly okay with it.”

“That’s good, I guess,” Faith said. “And how about you and Marc? Have you?”

“No.”

“You’ve been dating for a month. Is he big?”

My face must have been bright crimson.

“So, you’ve touched it, I hope? Otherwise, he’s going to leave you.”

“Marc’s not like that.”

“He’s a guy. You know what they’re like.”