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I was shaking so much I had to use both hands to take the glass of water from Mark...I mean, Marcie. Man, that was going to take some getting used to!

"You okay John?" he asked worriedly as he sat next to me on the couch.

I nodded weakly, "Yeah, I guess so. I just didn't really think I'd get away, you know? I keep expecting her to show up and drag me back there..." I shuddered at the thought and winced from the pain that caused in my chest.

"Who drag you back where?" he asked, confused. I mean she, argh! I still couldn't believe this pretty girl sitting next to me was my best friend Mark. And to think when I was pounding on his door I was worrying about how he'd react to me!

"My aunt. Remember, I told you my Mom was leaving me with her over the summer?" I said.

Mar...cie groaned and rolled her eyes, "How could I forget? You kept going on and on about how she hates you and all males!"

Nodding, I said, "Yeah, and she does! From some of her rants I think she must have been raped as a kid or something. But she took it out on me."

Marcie looked worried as she asked, "You mean she hit you?!"

"Well, yeah, but only when I didn't act girly enough for her." I replied with a shrug.

"Wait a minute!" Marcie said with a shocked expression, "Are you saying your aunt forced you to dress like that?!"

"It certainly wasn't my idea!" I exclaimed. "Is that what you thought, that I wanted to dress like a girl?!" Marcie just gave me a look and I realized that's exactly what she'd thought. I guess I couldn't blame her, seeing as how she wants to dress like a girl. "Look, I'm not like you, okay? I'm a regular guy."

Some tension I hadn't even noticed was there seemed to flow out of Marcie at that and she smiled. What was that about? "Sorry. When you showed up looking like that, and acting so feminine, I just assumed you were like me." she glanced down when she said that and I realized that I was sitting like aunt Karen had taught me without realizing it.

I think I was blushing as I uncrossed my ankles and sat more like I usually do. "It's gotten to be automatic, I guess." I mumbled, embarrassed. Marcie frowned at the way I was sitting. It did look kind of weird, with my knees apart while wearing a skirt and everything. I flinched, half expecting her to hit me.

The frown melted off of Marcie's face in an instant when she saw me flinch and she threw her arms around me in a fierce hug. It was weird, because Mark never did stuff like that. Also, I got really stiff at first, still expecting to get hit or something, I guess. But then I just felt so...safe, I guess, that I relaxed into it despite my sore ribs. The next thing I knew I was bawling my eyes out on her shoulder.

I don't know how long she held me like that, but it seemed like a long time. Finally, I was able to stop crying and pulled away in embarrassment. "Sorry." I said softly, "I don't know what came over me. Guess it must be those hormones aunt Karen's been slipping me."

"Hormones?! You can't be serious!" Marcie exclaimed.

"Yeah," I said with a nod, "I am. I'd noticed a funny taste in the oatmeal she insisted on feeding me every morning a few weeks ago. My emotions started going haywire after that, and then I noticed my chest felt weird. I asked her about it and she admitted she was putting estrogen in my oatmeal in this off handed kind of way, like it was nothing!" Suddenly I was so filled with rage I wanted to hit something, anything! Marcie kind of scooted away from me on the couch a bit and I realized I was clenching my fists so hard my knuckles were popping.

"John?" she said. She sounded like she was afraid of me!

All my anger just melted away at the sound of her voice. "Sorry Marcie, I'm okay now." I said. I couldn't look her in the eye after scaring her like that.

Marcie touched me lightly on the shoulder and I looked up automatically. "It's okay John, you surprised me with that sudden change in mood is all. If she's been feeding you hormones, and you're not like me, it's no wonder you're a little touchy! Do you think we should go to the police?" she asked. She didn't sound like she was afraid anymore, thankfully.

I laughed at that, "Yeah, like they're going to believe a fourteen year old kid over an adult? Looking like this? They'd just send me right back to her!" Then I remembered that video... But no, she probably found that and deleted it, I'm sure.

"Who says you have to talk to them dressed like that? I do have a closet full of boys clothes you know." Marcie said. "Let's see if any of it fits you!" I nodded dumbly and followed her up to her room. As much trouble as I was having getting used to her as a girl, I had still forgotten she had all those male clothes that she wore at school. This was the first time I'd been at her house since the school year ended, and now I knew why! Her room was already transformed, looking more like a girl's room than a boys. There were a few touches left from Mark, but not many.

While Marcie looked through Mark's clothes I looked around in wonder at the changes she'd made in just a few weeks. Everything was pink and white, just like the dress she was wearing. I still couldn't understand why she wanted to dress and live as a girl, but I had to admit it seemed to suit her. "You're really serious about this girl stuff, aren't you?" I asked.

I was almost knocked over by the jeans she hit me in the head with. "I am a girl John!" she snapped.

"Huh? I know you're dressing and living as a girl now, but you're still a boy." I said, confused.

"You still don't get it, do you?" Marcie said angrily. "My body may be male, but I'm not! Here, put these clothes on." She threw more clothes at me and stomped out of the room, slamming the door on the way. I was so stunned I didn't react and they slapped me in the face before falling on the floor. Why was she so angry?

I thought about what happened when I got here as I gratefully stripped off the girly clothes my aunt forced me to wear and changed into Marcie's old clothes...

I knocked on the door, trying to act normal so I wouldn't attract attention to myself despite how frantic I felt. I was getting really panicky by the third knock with still no response, even though I thought I heard movement inside. Why wasn't Mark answering?! I held down the doorbell button, but still no response! I forgot all about being discrete and started pounding on the door, calling out to Mark at the top of my lungs. I just about fell into the house when this pretty girl opened the door. I'd never seen her at Mark's before, but she seemed oddly familiar...

"John? Is that you?!" she asked in shock. I just nodded numbly, trying to figure out how she knew me, or who she was, for that matter! "Come inside!" she said, opening the door wide for me. I stumbled inside, exhausted from my run from my aunt's house. She led me over to the couch and I collapsed into it.

"How do you know me?" I asked.

"You don't recognize me? It's me, Mark!" she said. Mark?! Was her mom doing what aunt Karen did to me?!

"Not you, too! We've got to get out of here!" I gasped, lurching up off of the couch. I grabbed Mark's arm and started pulling him towards the door but he dug his heels in.

"What are you talking about?!" he asked, mystified. I realized that he was talking differently. It was still his voice, but it sounded softer somehow, more feminine. His mom really went all out if she even made him talk differently!

"Your mom's making you dress like this, isn't she? We've got to get out of here before she gets back!" I explained, trying to drag him out the door again. He seemed stunned and let me pull him for a moment before stopping me again.

"Nobody's making me dress like this! This is who I am. I was going to tell you about it, but I keep chickening out." Mark said. His head hung down at the end, like he was afraid to face me.

"Huh?!" I said, mystified. I was still in panic mode and his words really didn't register at first. Then they finally did and I stared at him in shock, "You want to dress like a girl?!"

Mark looked up at that and got this determined look on his face. "I am a girl! I always have been, I just hid it from everyone. When we go back to school in August I'm going as a girl. I'm using the summer to get used to it, though it's my parents who really need the time to get used to it, it's totally natural for me! My name is Marcie."

"Marcie?!" I was totally confused now, and Mark led me back over to the couch. "So you're going to dress like this all the time now?" I asked.

Mark nodded, "Yeah, I have been since school ended. I only dressed as Mark when I visited you before you went over to your aunt's. My parents are being amazing about this. They have a little trouble with using the wrong name, and especially the wrong pronouns, but they're trying really hard to get used to me being a girl. I..." he paused uncertainly and there was a long silence before he went on. "I hope you can accept me as a girl, too." His voice was really soft when he said that, so soft I almost didn't hear him. At that moment I really noticed how feminine he sounded, and acted. And he certainly looked like a pretty girl!

"So..." I started uncertainly, "...you're Marcie now, huh? Is that, like, forever? No more Mark?" He nodded. "You're going to go to school like that and everything?" He nodded again. I just sat there, stunned. What could make Mark want to be a girl? He had to know he would be a laughingstock. But then, we were going to our first year of high school this year. Maybe he figured he could just show up as a new student or something? I guess that could work...

"John? Are you OK? You're still breathing hard, did you run all the way here?" Mark asked. Or, I guess it would be Marcie? This is so confusing!

I wiped some sweat off my forehead that was threatening to get into my eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I didn't have much time to find you." I replied, thinking about the last time I saw my aunt, lying on the floor where I'd hit her with the chair. I was sure she'd be up and after me in no time!

Mark or Marcie, what should I call him? Or was it her? Whoever he is, he seemed really uncertain now and said, "Uh, why don't I get you some water?" Without waiting for an answer he walked into the kitchen to get the water. I noticed as he left that he was wearing strappy heeled sandals that made his feet look nice. Whoa, did I think that?! All this girl stuff must be getting to my head!

...and realized why Marcie was so mad. I still didn't get it, not completely, but Marcie wasn't just wearing the clothes, was she? She was really being a girl. And it really did seem to suit her. It was almost like Mark was the act, and Marcie was the real person. But she couldn't have been acting all that time, could she? I mean, she'd go nuts pretending to be something she's not 24/7! But she said she's not male, even though we both know I've seen her naked. So she must be talking about in her head, right? That must be it! Man, and I thought my life was messed up!

I stopped to look at myself in the mirror before leaving Marcie's room. Her old clothes didn't fit too well; they only fit at all because she had worn such loose clothes, but it felt sooo good to be wearing proper clothes again! That girly stuff is okay for a girl like Marcie, but it just doesn't feel right for a guy like me! Then I hurried downstairs to try and patch things up with Marcie.

When I got downstairs I found Marcie curled up on the couch, crying. I felt this...pain, I guess...when I realized I caused that! Damn, I'm such an ass! I rushed over to the couch but hesitated, not sure if it was alright to touch her or not. Finally I shrugged and sat next to her and put my arms around her. She turned and buried her face in my shoulder and I just held her like she'd held me. It felt strangely good to hold her like that.

She seemed to stop crying a lot faster than I had, but maybe that was just perspective? Anyway, she pulled back and looked questioningly in my eyes and asked, "Does this mean...that you can accept me? As a girl, I mean?"

It almost felt like she was laying her entire life in my hands. Did she really need a friend that bad? But then, Mark never did have a lot of friends. In fact, I couldn't think of anyone else that hung out with Mark on their own. The only time they did was when I was around. And I guess it would be pretty frightening, going to a new school, as a girl for the first time, without any friends... "Well, it is a bit weird," I started, mentally kicking myself as the hope seemed to die in her eyes and I hurried to continue, "but I think I can get used to the fact that my best friend, who I thought was a guy, is actually a girl. I'd be a pretty lousy friend if I didn't stick with you when you really needed me. Besides, it aught to do my reputation some good to be seen with such a pretty girl!" I said that last like I was kidding, but really, she is! How she hid that all this time, I can't imagine. Or maybe I just chose not to see it? This is so confusing!

Marcie looked up hopefully and then her jaw dropped open in shock. I was about to ask if she was okay when she kind of shook her self and asked, "Really? You...think I'm pretty?"

Damn, she is such a girl! Out of all that, she instantly fixated on that part! How did she keep this hidden all this time?! "Well, yeah, you are. Your dad must have said so by now, right? Or has he not seen you like this yet?" I asked, kind of confused. I mean, how could he miss it?!

"Well, he said I looked nice, but he's my dad. He could have been just saying that to make me feel better." she replied uncertainly.

"I guess I'm not the most impartial judge, either, but I thought you were pretty before I knew who you are. Uh, weren't we going to go to the police?" I asked, trying to change the subject to something a little less awkward. I mean, yeah, she's pretty, but it's still a little weird!

She gave me Mark's trademark smile at that, and I realized I hadn't seen that smile much recently. That smile always looked a little odd, before, but now it fit somehow. "We might as well wait for my mother; she can drive us there when she gets back from the store." she said.

"She won't just side with my aunt, will she? I mean, she won't just think I'm like you, will she?" I asked worriedly.

Marcie shrugged, "If she saw you when you first got here, maybe, but you look like the same old John now. I don't see why she would think that. Just try not to sit like you were earlier!"

I groaned, "That's not the only thing I have to remember not to do! She's been drilling into me how I should sit, stand, walk, you name it!"

"Why don't you tell me about it while we wait for Mom to arrive?" Marcie suggested.

"Okay." I agreed. "I guess I should start with when she picked me up, after you left..."

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To Be Continued…