Synopsis:

Alan thought he'd have an easy time when Aunt Therese moved in to take care of him. She decided that a change was in order, and that a niece would be easier to deal with.

Story:

Girl for a Spell
By Ellie Dauber
Copyright Ellie Dauber, 2000

I really don't remember my folks. They died when I was about five. Car accident. Mostly, I remember my Aunt Liz, Momma's aunt. I lived with her from when they died, until she got too sick to care for me. I was a junior in high school by then, and -- to tell the truth -- I'd gotten kind of wild.

Too wild for most of the family. When Aunt Liz started getting sick, there was a lot of looking around to see who'd want to take me. Nobody did.

For a while, it looked like I was headed for a foster home. Then, finally, out of desperation, they called in "Aunt" Therese. Therese was some sort of cousin of my Mom's, a real recluse and the family eccentric. She seldom had anything to do with the rest of us, but, as she said, "Blood tells."

Aunt Liz went to a nursing home down in Florida a few days later, and Aunt Therese showed up the day after that. I was watching TV when the bell rang.

There she was, one of those women who could be any age from thirty to ninety: tall as me (almost six foot) and slender, no make-up, and gray-black hair piled up into a tight bun. Her dress was about the same color as her hair.

She looked me up and down. "You would be Alan. Fetch my things in from my car, please." Without another word she walked past me into the house. I shrugged my shoulders and went out to get her bags. From what I'd heard about her, I'd expected some weird luggage, but this! Besides three heavy suitcases, she'd brought a couple of African masks, a stuffed crow, some really old books bound with a leather strap, jars and jars of spices -- all labeled in Latin, even a pair of candlesticks made from animal skulls.

"It's like she's some kind of witch," I thought.

Aunt Therese turned and looked at me for a minute. "Why, yes, I am," she said. "Very perceptive of you, Alan. There may be hope for you, after all."

- # -

It was like that for about a week. Aunt Therese took over the house like she'd been there forever. Her luggage went into the main bedroom; the books, boxes, and odds and ends into Aunt Liz's old sewing room. A lot more boxes came in the next few days. Aunt Therese put a lock on the sewing room door after she caught me snooping. She spent hours in that room doing who knew what. Sometimes, late at night, I'd think I heard drums and -- once -- two or more weird voices talking. I tried not to let all this bother me. It was only a few weeks till summer vacation. I had a bunch of friends, all as wild as me, and we found lots of ways to keep ourselves amused. Jerry had an old clunker of a car, and Phil, the oldest looking one of our group, had managed to get an ID that said he was okay to buy beer. We put both to a lot of good use.

- # -

It was late one Saturday night in early May. We'd been out using that fake card of Phil's, and I was pretty drunk. I was trying to find my key, so I could sneak in to bed. Suddenly, the door swung open. I heard Aunt Therese's voice. "Come in, Alan." I staggered in, looking for her by the door. She wasn't there. I couldn't figure out how she had managed to open the door, when she was standing way over by the steps. As she walked over, the door slammed shut behind me somehow.

"Dead drunk," she said in disgust. I just stood there giving her a dopey grin. "I've been patient long enough. We shall deal with this in the morning." She reached down into a pocket and pulled out a ring. "Wear this tonight. I want you alert and healthy in the morning." She handed me the ring and walked up to bed. I looked at it for a minute. It was silver with a purplish gem, an amethyst I found out later. I was too drunk to care, so I slipped it on and went to bed myself.

Sunday

Whatever that ring was, it worked. I woke up expecting one monster hangover, but I felt great! I threw a robe on over my T-shirt and shorts and headed downstairs for some breakfast. Aunt Therese was waiting for me in the living room. Her hair was undone and hung straight down to the small of her back. She wore some sort of blue satin gown embroidered with all sorts of red, gold, and black symbols. All the shades were down, and there were lit candles everywhere. She just stood there and pointed to a chalk pattern drawn on the carpet in the shape of a star inside a circle. "Please stand in the pentagram, Alan, so we may begin."

"What is all this mumbo-jumbo?" I asked.

She slapped my face. "Enough insolence. Move!" I was too startled to resist. I went over and stood in the center of the design. She took five red candles off the table, put each one in a little holder at one point of the star, and lit them. They burned with a greenish flame and gave out thin trails of black smoke. What a strange smell! Then she began chanting in a low voice and walking around the star. After a couple of minutes, the smell of the candles began to get to me. I tried to leave, to go have breakfast, but something seemed to stop me. It was like there was a wall around the blasted thing. I pushed against thin air, but couldn't get past.

Aunt Therese nodded. "Ah, you begin to see. Now, feel the power. _Feminis corporae transmuto_." She walked around the star saying that same weird chant over and over. Finally, she stopped right in front of me and began gesturing with her hands. "_Feminis corporae transmuto_." Seven times she said it. I noticed that her hands were beginning to glow somehow. The glow got bigger and brighter until it was a ball of golden light around both hands. She raised her hands and pointed at me. "_Transmuto_!" she yelled.

The ball of light shot off her hands and flew across the room towards me. I panicked, but I still couldn't move out of the way. It shot over the edge of the star and sank into my belly. I felt the energy sitting there warm in my stomach for a minute. Then it seemed to spread out through my body, tingling like an electric shock. My scalp began to itch. My chest felt tight against my robe. I had a weird feeling in my groin, a tingling like my penis was going numb somehow, and inside me it felt like things were being moved around. I shook my head. It felt like somebody was pulling on my hair, too, making it seem like it was a lot heavier or longer. I was dizzy, and the room was spinning. I raised one hand up towards my face. I just had time to notice that my hand seemed to be shrinking. Then I felt myself falling into blackness.

- # -

I awoke in my bed. Aunt Therese was sitting on the edge putting a cold cloth on my forehead. "Ah, awake at last, I see." She smiled for a moment as if to reassure me. "You needn't be concerned. The first time is always the hardest."

"The first time? The first time at what?" My voice sounded different. I was scared. "Get out of here," I shouted. My voice seemed much too high.

"A young lady mustn't talk like that," Aunt Therese scolded. Young lady!? I looked down at myself. I had breasts! I could see two nipples pushing out points against the front of my T-shirt. I jumped out of bed and ran to my mirror. I tossed off the robe and pulled my shorts down past my knees. All the old familiar male equipment was gone. Instead, I saw a vertical slit covered with brownish curls. My hair was long, hanging down past to my shoulders. My face looked pretty much the same, except my nose was smaller, and my cheekbones seemed a little higher. The real shocker was my figure. Big tits sticking out on my chest, pushing against the robe; a fairly narrow waist; wide hips. I was too shocked to fully judge my new looks, but I was definitely a girl.

Aunt Therese smiled again at the look of horror on my face. "Yes, Alice -- that's your name now, incidentally -- Alice, you were far too unruly as a boy. So I've used my magic to transform you into a girl."

"I'll tell."

"Certainly, go ahead. If they don't believe you, they'll think you're mad. If they do, well, what of it. I'm the only one who can change you back. If I want to change you back. Now, stop dawdling and get dressed. We've a great deal of shopping to do."

"Shopping? For what?"

"You'll see," she said and tossed a pile of clothes onto the bed. "Wear these." She turned and left the room. "Be down in ten minutes, or it gets worse."

The clothes were mostly old stuff of mine from down in the basement, only the Star Wars shirt was new. I'd noticed as I picked the stuff of the bed that I was several inches shorter than before. I didn't think I was going to be able to fit into most of my regular clothes, so I was glad that Aunt Liz had never seemed to throw anything out. Even so, it felt strange getting into clothes that I'd outgrown a couple years before.

I took off the T-shirt that I'd slept in and put on the Star Wars shirt. Even though I was smaller, the shirt was tight across the, umm, chest, and the material felt scratchy rubbing against my nipples. I put on a new pair of undershorts, too. The ones from the basement wouldn't fit. I was just too "girly". The pants were the right length. They were very loose at the waist, though, and much too tight across the hips. I barely managed to get the fly up, which reminded me again that I had nothing in front to block the zipper.

Aunt Therese hadn't included any shoes, so I just put on a pair of sneakers. They were much too big. I took them off and put on three pairs of gym socks. Then I tried the sneakers on again, pulling the laces extra tight. It looked pretty shabby, but they fit. I was trying to figure out what to do next when Aunt Therese came back into the room. "Stop dawdling, Alice. Our first appointment is in fifteen minutes."

"Appointment? Where? And for what?" I was puzzled and more than a little scared. Was I supposed to go out and meet people looking like this? Apparently, yes, I was. Fifteen minutes later, we were walking into Oak Hill Mall.

Oak Hill Mall! Half the kids I knew in town hung out there. By now, it was early Sunday afternoon. Most of the stores would be opened, and I was terrified of being recognized. But nobody did. Not even Jerry, who I'd been out drinking with only the night before. I mean, even with the hangover that he obviously had, he should've recognized me. He was coming out of the "Dairy Barn" just as we walked in, and I almost walked right into him. He just muttered something like "Dumb bimbo" at me and walked away. I didn't know whether to be happy or mad that he didn't recognize me.

Aunt Therese grabbed my arm and lead me to the "House of Style", one of the beauty shops in the mall. As we walked in, she touched my throat. I felt a funny tingle. When I tried to ask what she'd done to me now, I discovered that I couldn't speak above a whisper. A tall blonde in a yellow smock walked over. "May I help you," she asked.

"This is my niece, Alice," Aunt Therese said. "She showed up for a visit looking like a vagrant. See if you can't get her looking like a lady." I tried to say something, but all that came out was a tiny squeak. The woman, who called herself Jennie, led me over to a sort of barber chair and handed me a smock the same color as hers. I figured I was stuck, for the while at least, so I put on the smock over my clothes and sat down.

Jennie and Aunt Therese talked for a few minutes. Aunt Therese gave me something to drink that almost tasted like tea. Then Jennie came over and began work. She put on some sort of mask over my eyes and began to rub something oily into my hair. It was warm in the shop, and Jennie's scalp massage felt really great. In spite of everything I'd been through (or maybe because of whatever it was that Aunt Therese had given me to drink), I fell asleep.

The next thing I knew, somebody was rubbing something onto my face. I opened my eyes and saw Jennie. She smiled. "Your Aunt Therese had me to do your make-up as well your hair. I wanted to wake you up to ask how you wanted it, but she said you had no real taste in such matters. I did it the way I see a lot of the kids your age. I hope you like it."

With that she spun the chair around towards the mirror. It -- it was unreal. I could hardly believe it was me. My hair was combed out straight and curled up around my neck with a couple of tiny plastic bows, one on each side. My eyebrows were thinned into narrow lines. (How had I slept through that?) I had blue shadow over my eyes, and light red lipstick on my lips. When I put up my hands to my face in surprise, I saw that my nails had been shaped and were colored to match the lipstick. I looked --

"Excellent," Aunt Therese said from behind me. "Every inch the young lady. Now, come, child, and let us do something about those horrid clothes." While she paid Jennie, I got out of the chair and took off the smock. I found myself wanting to look in the mirror again. Part of me hated what was going on and shuddered at the thought of looking in that mirror. Another part of me was enjoying the way I looked. That part seemed to be getting stronger, but before I could decide if I really wanted to take that second, better look, Aunt Therese hustled me out of the shop.

A few minutes later, we arrived at a shop called "Le Moderne" in one of the fancier parts of the mall. The shop seemed closed with shades drawn on all the windows, but the sign on the door said "By Appointment Only". Aunt Therese knocked.

A very pretty woman in a long, dark blue dress opened the door and smiled, "Ah, Therese, I haven't seen you since last Lammas Day's coven. And this is the transmute you told me about. Do come in." We went in, and the woman locked the door behind us. It was a woman's clothing store!

"Yes, Mariah," Aunt Therese was saying. "One newly-made maiden in need of your skill and your wonderful wares to truly fit her new role in life."

"I understand," Mariah said and turned to me. "Take off those stupid male clothes right now, girl. I want to get a look at what I have to work with."

I wasn't sure what to do. I certainly wasn't used to stripping down in front of women. But I was a girl now, myself. I hesitated for a minute then pulled my T-shirt off over my head. (Being careful, of course, of my new hair-do.) I kicked off my shoes and dropped my pants. I suddenly felt embarrassed standing there in just my shorts. I put a hand over my crotch like any guy would do, but for some reason, I put up my other arm to cover my tits. Aunt Therese and Mariah looked at one another and smiled.

"Very good, Therese," Mariah said. "Feminine instincts already. She'll be an easy one."

"I do expect so," Aunt Therese said. "It's just us girls, though, Alice. So take off those boxer shorts. You look ridiculous in them."

My shorts joined my other clothes in the pile near my feet. I was puzzled. What did she mean "feminine instincts"? I thought it might be important, but my mind just didn't seem to want to focus. "Now, come over here," Mariah said, "and let's get started." Here was a table of lacy women's underwear. She handed me a pair of panties, blue I think they were, with little yellow butterflies on one side. "I think that these should do nicely. Ah, yes, and here's the bra that goes with them." She handed me a matching bra with the butterfly pattern on one cup.

I stepped into the panties and pulled them up. They felt light and cool on me, much different than the cotton shorts I was used to wearing. I wasn't sure how to put on the bra. I thought for a moment, then I put it around my waist and fastened it. I was starting to twist it up and around to my breasts when Mariah stopped me.

"No, you little twit. Take that off, right now!" I stopped and unsnapped the bra. "Now, put your arms through the straps and lean into it -- yes, that's right. Now reach around behind you -- good girl -- and grab the ends. Good! Now, feel around for the hook and eye -- Yes! Now, just hook it up."

I did it just as she ordered. I'd never worn a bra, of course, but now the movements came easy. Somehow, I felt better with the bra on. My breasts weren't that big (even if they did seem enormous to me just then), but the support of the bra made them feel more comfortable. Pantyhose came next. I found that I knew how to put them on: one leg at time, being careful not to get them twisted or to snag them on my pretty new nails.

Mariah handed me a pale blue dress. "Try this. It goes with your eyes." I'd never thought much before about dressing to match my eyes. But now, it seemed more important. I wriggled into the dress and buttoned it up the side. It felt a little tight at the waist and seemed to push up my breasts, making them look more noticeable.

"I think these should be your size," said Mariah, handing me a pair of light blue shoes. With a two inch heel! I put them on and took an experimental step. I was a little wobbly, but I found that there was no problem if I took shorter steps than I was used to and shifted my weight as I walked. Shifting my weight also shifted my hips. My walk was now totally feminine.

Aunt Therese smiled and pointed to a mirror over by the wall. "Go take a look at your new self, Alice."

I'll admit, I was more than a little curious. I'd been too scared to take a real good look when I first changed, and I hadn't been able to tell much in those old clothes. Aunt Therese had rushed me out of the beauty shop, but now she let me linger to fully appreciate the effects of her magic.

But now! Holy spit, I was one prime fox! I mean, I knew my head looked pretty good with the new hair-do and the make-up. But the body was a real surprise. Big, melon-y breasts, the nipples half visible through the shear bra and the flimsy dress; my waist, now almost narrow enough to put your hands around; and full, luscious hips. My legs looked pretty good, too, long and well-curved in those high heels. I loved the way I looked, and I kept turning and staring at myself in that mirror.

Aunt Therese walked over. "Very pretty, isn't she, Alan?"

It was like a blast of cold water, but I found that I could talk again. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"I already told you that, as punishment for your horrid, male behavior. You know who you really are, but you'll find yourself acting like the girl this body says you are. And, by the way, you've been under this spell long enough now that you can't tell any one what I've done. If you try, you'll just begin to giggle, and should you persist, you'll find yourself prattling about all sorts of feminine inanities."

Mariah walked over, her arms full of clothes. "There's still a lot more for you to try on, dear."

Now that it was decided that I was properly dressed, we spent the better part of two hours looking at other clothes. Aunt Therese picked out several more panty and bra combinations; several more dresses; a short pink nightgown and a frilly, dark blue one; and a number of blouses and skirts. Mariah had a lot of women's slacks on display, but Aunt Therese ignored them. When I asked about getting a pair or two, she just said that a lady never wore slacks.

A lady! Hell, until that morning, I'd been a boy. But Aunt Therese was acting like that was a thing of the past. The scary part was that I found myself enjoying it. I was soon "oohing" and "ahhing" over this or that outfit like I'd always been a girl.

For example, I had hated changing out of one particular skirt, a lacy green job that was the latest fashion among several of the girls I'd dated recently. Aunt Therese said that it was too short and too tight. "A lady suggests her gender," she said. "She doesn't shout it." That got to me. Here I was, a boy turned into a girl by his aunt-the-witch, and she was talking like I was some kind of tramp and she was being forced to protect my virtue.

By now it was mid-afternoon. Even Aunt Therese admitted that she was getting hungry. I put that first blue dress back on while she paid. Then we headed out to the Food Court. I got a burger, coke, and fries and headed back to the table. Aunt Therese was waiting for something at the Chinese stall, and I figured that I'd better not start till she got there. I was staring off into space trying to figure out everything that had happened, when I realized that somebody was talking to me.

"Excuse me, but don't I know you from school or someplace?" Omigosh! It was Rick Medford. He'd known me (the male me) since third grade. If he could recognize me now, I'd never live it down. I looked at his face for a few seconds then looked away.

"No," I said. "I don't think so. He pulled out one of the chairs at the table and sat down. "I'm sure I remember you, but I'll be darned if I can remember where I know you from. My name's Rick Medford. I'm a senior at Jackson High. Maybe we met at a dance or something."

He gave me his best smile. "It bugs me. You're too pretty for me to forget where we've met." I wasn't sure how to take the compliment. Rick had a solid reputation as a lady killer, and I was getting a prime sample of his technique. It was getting to me, too. I felt my nipples tingling, and there was a sort of a warmth down in my crotch. It felt good, and I smiled back at his dumb line in spite of myself.

"My name's Alice, but you really don't know me. I'm here --"

"Having luncheon with her Aunt, whose chair you have taken, young man." Aunt Therese had come over. She positively _loomed_ over Rick.

"Uhhh, no, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am. Have a nice lunch, ma'am." Rick stood up quickly and began a hasty retreat towards CD City. "Nice to meet you, Alice."

Aunt Therese sat down. "Well, that was fun. I'm so glad you're making friends, Alice. Perhaps you'll see that nice boy in school tomorrow."

School! I hadn't thought about that. I couldn't go to school; not as Alice. "Oh, relax, child," Aunt Therese said. "Things are taken care off. Think of something else. Think -- why, think of how nice it felt to have that boy flirting with you. Made you feel warm and tingly all over, didn't it?"

I looked down at my burger. "Yes" was all I could say. More than the dress or the hairdo, the way that my body had reacted to Rick's flirting told me that I really was a girl. And worst of all, that some part of me liked being a girl. I was trapped in this -- this nightmare for as long as Aunt Therese wanted.

I didn't eat much of that lunch. When Aunt Therese finished hers, we headed back to the house. As we pulled up in the driveway, Aunt Therese told me to take all my new clothes upstairs and put them away. There were about six boxes and bags, but I got them out of the car and up to my room without too much trouble in two trips. (I did notice, though, that I was a lot weaker as a girl than I had been as a boy.)

The trouble started when I pushed open the door to my room with the first load. Or what had been my room. It was changed, half my old room and half - well, half was a girl's room. Two of the walls were now painted pink instead of light blue, with posters of kittens and male rock stars on the walls where my motor rally posters and Playboy pin-ups had been. The bed and the dresser were in the same place as always, but the top of the dresser was covered with some frilly pink padding. My bedspread was also pink, and the bed had some sort of cloth canopy over it. I'd had a worktable in the corner yesterday, my tool chest and parts from an old PC spread out across the top. Now, there was a low table and chair with a lighted mirror on the wall next to it and containers of make-up and a box of tissues on a tray on the top of it. Next to the tray was a copy of _Seventeen_ along with the issue of _Electronics Experimenter_ magazine that had been there the day before.

"Like it?" Aunt Therese had come up behind me. "A little something that my magic fixed up for you, while we were at the mall."

"Where's all my stuff?"

"Why, _your_ stuff is right there, Alice. So are some of Alan's things. The rest of his stuff is in the basement. Some of his clothes are still in the closet or in the bottom drawer of his dresser, but there's lots of room for your pretty, new girl's clothes. Put them all away carefully. After all, you'll be wearing them for a long, long time."

I set the boxes down on the bed and opened the closet door to hang up the two garment bags. Most of my (Alan's?) clothes were gone. Just a few of my old T-shirts and three pair of jeans hanging in a corner of the closet showed that a boy had ever lived in this room. Several of the now-empty hangers were padded with some kind of pink foam. I hung up the two bags with the skirts in them and got a couple of fancy blouses from one of the boxes on the bed. After I'd hung them up, Aunt Therese showed me how to pin the new skirts on some of the unpadded hangers.

Most of my dresser was empty, too, except for a few of pairs of undershorts, some mis-matched socks, and some undershirts in the bottom drawer. My new bras, panties, and pantyhose went in the top drawers where my underwear and socks had been. Blouses and a couple of sweaters went into the lower drawers. The long nightgown was draped over the foot of the bed.

Aunt Therese started to leave. "And get started on your homework now. I'm sure you haven't finished it." She was right. I hadn't. I hadn't intended to, either, but now it looked like I didn't have any more choice about that than about anything else. I sat down at my desk, which was now painted a light pink to match the rest of the room, and began doing my algebra.

- # -

A couple of hours later, and I was done. The math had gone easier than usual, and I remembered a lot more of my Spanish vocabulary words than I normally did. "Maybe Alice is smarter than Alan," I thought. Then I decided that I'd rather not find any silver linings in this new, pink cloud. I put my books away and headed downstairs.

Aunt Therese was in the kitchen. "Ah, Alice. Just in time to help with supper." Before I could say anything, she'd tied a frilly apron around my waist and handed me a bowl with some potatoes and carrots. "Be a good girl and peel these, please."

I peeled them. And I cut them up for the stew we were making. Yeah, we were making. Normally, I hate to cook. It was a girl's job. Only, now, I was a girl, and cooking was suddenly fun. I was thinking about that as I was setting the table. Aunt Therese came in with the food. As she sat down, she looked at me like she was reading my mind. "Oh, don't worry about why you suddenly enjoy cooking, Alice. My spell changed you mentally, as well as physically. Otherwise, I'd just have had a troublesome niece instead of a troublesome nephew. Instead, you'll find that you're now a demure young lady, studious and obedient. A little shy perhaps, especially with boys, but very much the girl you appear to be."

I ate my meal in silence. I helped Aunt Therese clear the table without her even having to ask me. She put the leftovers away. I put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, then headed up to my room to think. I lay on my bed for well over an hour, just staring up at that dumb, pink canopy and trying to sort things out. I was a girl now. I liked to cook. I liked wearing dresses and how I looked in them. I liked -- oh, my gosh! -- I liked Rick Medford. I couldn't help thinking about what he said, how he'd acted at the mall food court. I pictured him smiling at me, and I wondered if he really liked me; if he'd like to date me. I suddenly realized that my nipples were tingling -- just like with Rick at the mall. No way! This was happening too much too fast. I ran to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face.

That felt better. On my way back to the bedroom, I heard Aunt Therese call from downstairs. "Are you all right, dear?" She knew what I'd been thinking about! Hell, she'd probably put those thoughts in my head somehow.

"Yes, Aunt Therese," I called.

"Well, you've certainly had a long day, Alice. Why don't you go to bed early tonight. You've got school tomorrow, you know."

"Yes, Aunt Therese." I suddenly felt very sleepy. I went back to my room and slipped out of my dress, stockings, and bra. Boy or girl, I figured I'd better wear some kind of underpants. I glanced at the mirror as I hung up the dress. "Boy," I thought, "what a body I've got now." If I'd been Alan, alone with an almost naked girl who looked as good as I did now, I'd have screwed her in a minute. Now I was just proud of my figure, my narrow waist and my wide hips. And my breasts -- my breasts were as pretty as any I'd ever seen in a Playboy. Not as big, but I was only sixteen.

Suddenly, I realized what I was thinking. My thoughts weren't of screwing such a pretty girl, but of being pretty enough that some boy would want me. And I was smiling at the thought! NO! I shook my head, trying to shake those thoughts loose. Then I grabbed my long, loose nightie and threw it on, so I wouldn't have to look at my new body. Maybe I was stuck with this body, but why did I have to like it so much?

The nightie felt cool against my bare skin. The soft cotton felt cool against my legs and my breast. I climbed into bed and tried to get comfortable. It took a minute to get used to sleeping in the new position required by a girl with breasts, but then I was asleep almost at once.

Monday

It seemed like only a minute later that the alarm was ringing. Morning! Blah! Monday morning! Double Blah! I reached over to hit the "Snooze" button. Then I saw my arm, my wonderful, _hairy_, male arm. I sat up in bed and looked quickly around the room. It was still half Alice's room, but I figured that Aunt Therese would switch it back later. The girl's clothes would probably stay around as a reminder of what would happen if I misbehaved again. I decided not to worry about that for a few minutes and went into my bathroom to shower and brush my teeth; maybe even to have my weekly shave.

When I came out, I fished a pair of cotton boxers out of that bottom drawer and stepped into them. I couldn't help noticing that they didn't feel as nice going on as the panties Alice wore. I shook my head to try and get rid of such thoughts. Alice was gone. Gone forever! From now on, my only concern about girl's panties was going to be trying to get them off of whoever my date was. I resolved to try to keep that phony-macho attitude (well, for a while anyway), and slipped into a pair of jeans and a Steelers t-shirt. As I was finishing getting dressed, I decided that not causing Aunt Therese any trouble -- for a while, at least -- was also probably a very good idea.

Breakfast was ready when I came downstairs with my books. Aunt Therese acted like nothing had happened. Except as I was leaving, she looked me straight in the eye and said, "You had best know right now that I expect you to be home by four o'clock."

"Four o'clock." I tried to repeat it in the same weird monotone that she had. Didn't quite do it, though. Then I shrugged and left for school.

- # -

What can I say about school that day? It was school, the same boring place that it always was. Mr. Holgar in Civics reminded us that our term papers were due the Friday of next week. I groaned along with the rest of the class at the prospect of spending several evenings doing research at the Library. Algebra and Spanish classes seemed easier than usual, though. A little leftover gift from Alice, I guessed.

The important news was that Matt, another member of my bunch had managed to scrounge up somebody's old timing light. He, Phil, and I agreed to head over after school and try it out on Jerry's clunker. Maybe we really could get that thing running by Summer.

My house was on the way to Jerry's. I ran in, dropped off my books, and headed out the door in two minutes, tops. I'd gone about two blocks, most of the way to Jerry's, cutting through back yards and an alley, when I heard the chime from the clock at the North Street Bank. "Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong!"

Suddenly, I felt very dizzy. I leaned back against a tree and closed my eyes. I was shivering a little and felt very strange. It was a feeling that I'd never had before. No! It was the feeling that I'd had when Aunt Therese had cast her spell on me.

Was I turning back into Alice? I put my hands on my chest. Yes, I could feel my breasts growing under my shirt, the tickle on my neck as my hair got longer. Things seemed to be moving around down in my gut, and I had this weird feeling in my crotch. The tree seemed to slide against my back as I shrank down into Alice's smaller body.

Then the feelings stopped. I opened my eyes and looked around in case anyone had seen me. Nobody had, thank heavens. Then I looked down -- down past where my breasts pushed out Alan's shirt, the nipples visible through the flimsy material of my T-shirt. Aside from that, my clothes had gotten much too big for me. I reached down to my crotch. Nothing! Nothing that I wanted to be there, anyway. I pulled my belt tight, tying it in a knot, so my pants wouldn't fall down. When I tried to walk, I stepped right out of my shoes. My socks had pretty good elastic, so they stayed up, even if they were now much too big for Alice's tiny feet. I grabbed the shoes and started running towards home. Nobody had seen me change, but I sure didn't want to run into anybody I knew. Or just run into anybody, since whoever I met would want to know why Alice was going around in Alan's clothes.

I was home in a few minutes. Aunt Therese was waiting for me in the living room. "I did warn you that I expected you home by four. Maybe Alice can't go to that school of yours, but that doesn't mean that I have to endure Alan the rest of the time. Now, upstairs, young lady, and change into something proper for after school.

"But Matt, Phil, and Jerry are expecting me. We were going to work on Jerry's car."

"Those hoodlums are expecting their friend, Alan. You are Alice, who -- if you think about it for a moment -- knows much less about cars than Alan does."

"What!?!" I closed my eyes and tried to picture Jerry's engine, and how we were going to check out the timing with that light Matt had gotten. I'd seen the light at Matt's locker maybe an hour before, after gym, but now I could hardly remember what it looked like, let alone how to use it. I could see the three guys and the car itself clearly, but the tools and parts were just sort of vague shapes that I couldn't understand. I had no idea what any of them were or how they were used. What's more, I didn't seem to care that I couldn't remember anything about them.

Aunt Therese smiled. "Don't worry, my dear. The knowledge is still there, but only for Alan to use. Now, go put on some proper clothing."

There was nothing else to do. I went up and stripped out of Alan's clothes. I picked a peach colored bra and panty set out of my drawer. I thought for a minute about going without a bra. A few of the other girls at school did. (Other girls? What was I thinking?) But then I thought about how you could see their nipples through their blouses and what I knew the boys said about them. My face suddenly felt warm. I looked in the mirror and found that I was blushing in embarrassment at the thought of being considered that kind of girl. I began to realize again that Aunt Therese's spell had changed a lot more than just my body.

I stepped into the panties and pulled them up to my waist. These felt right, not like those scratchy things of Alan's. I was afraid for a second that I wouldn't remember how to put on the bra, but I slipped into it like I'd been wearing one for years. I'd have loved to put on slacks or, say, a comfortable pair of jeans, but Aunt Therese hadn't let me buy any. Those real old jeans that I'd worn to the mall yesterday were folded over a chair.

I tried wearing them again. They fit -- more or less -- but they just didn't fit right. They were much too loose in the waist, but barely got around my hips. They bagged in the seat and, worst of all, they had a bulge in the front. Who needed something like that? I put on a yellow blouse with a cute "Peter Pan" collar and a matching yellow-brown skirt. I just wanted to relax, so I put on a pair of socks, rather than tights or knee-high stockings, and stepped into a pair of flats. This was much better; much more the way I wanted to be dressed.

When I looked in the mirror, I found that my hair had grown back into the style that Jennie had put it in yesterday. I didn't really need any make-up, just a little lipstick and blush. I found putting the make-up on as easy as putting on the bra. As if I-as-Alice had been doing it for years, even if I-as-Alan never had. But Alan was Alice. Wasn't he? She? I? It was just too confusing. I went back down to Aunt Therese in the living room.

"That's much better, Alice. There's still some time before I need your help with dinner. Why not get in some study time?" I shrugged my shoulders in defeat and reached for my book bag. Boy! Alice was a lot less strong than Alan was. Those books were heavy! I put my arms through the shoulder straps and headed back upstairs to do my homework.

- # -

At supper I told Aunt Therese about the Civics paper being due. As Alan, I had barely begun my research. That hadn't bothered me much before, but it did now. Since I'd gotten most of my homework done before supper, I asked Aunt Therese if I could go to the library. "Certainly, my dear," she said with a strange sort of smile. "Let me get the car keys."

"Keys? It's not much over a half mile. I can walk it in no time."

"No, my dear. Alan might have been safe walking that far alone at dusk, but it isn't really a good idea for you to do it. Now is it, Alice?" Aunt Therese had gotten the keys as she spoke. Now she was staring at me, eyes narrowed almost to slits. I suddenly had an image in my mind. I, as Alice, was walking along a dark street. Men grabbed me. I tried to struggle, but I was just a weak girl. They pulled me into some bushes. They tore at my clothes. I felt my bra ripped off, and hands were squeezing my breasts, playing with my sensitive nipples. I screamed and opened my eyes.

I was still sitting at the table with Aunt Therese. She had a much too satisfied look on her face. "Now you know, _Alice_. You may be a boy named Alan during most of the day, but after four, your instincts and reactions are Alice's. And she's very much aware -- especially at this moment -- of just how vulnerable a girl like her can be."

Ten minutes later, we were at the library. "Call me when you're ready to come home," Aunt Therese said. "It will be well after dark, when the building closes." She rolled up the car window and drove off without another word.

I went inside. My paper was going to be on how MTV had gotten older kids involved in political issues. I'd already done some of the research for my paper, used a Key Word Search program on the school library computer to get a list of articles to read. I walked over to the room where back issues were stored. I was reaching for a volume of old Time magazines up on one of the higher shelves, when I heard a voice behind me.

"Need some help with that?" I turn around. It was Rick Medford. He smiled and walked over. He was about the same height as Alan, so I realized again how much smaller Alice was, when I found myself having to look up to see his face. He leaned in close to me and reached up for the book. "Where are you sitting," he asked.

I pointed to a table nearby where I'd left my notebook. He walked over and put it down on the table. Then he put down his own notebook and picked up my list of references. "This is a pretty long list. Better let me help." We walked through the stacks, while he pulled out the different volumes of old articles on my list. I realized after a couple of minutes that he wanted to show off for me; to show strong he was by lifting and carrying all those books. Just the sort of dumb stunt I tried all the time as Alan to impress girls.

We eventually got back to the table, and he put the books by my place. He went and got a couple reference books from one of the librarians and sat down across from me. "This way, I can look at you while I'm working. A pretty view makes the time go quicker."

I smiled back at him and sat down. "I think so, too." What was I saying?

We didn't say much of anything after that. Well, it was a library, after all. Besides, we both had work to do. I did look up once or twice and catch him staring at me and smiling kind of funny. And once he looked up, and I realized that I was looking at him. He smiled at that. He had a nice smile. I felt my cheeks get warm all of a sudden, and I buried my head in my notes in embarrassment.

A while later, I felt him lightly touch my hand. "Care to take a quick break? I'm buying."

"Okay," I said. "I'm getting a little thirsty anyway." There was a small lounge in the basement of the library: soda and candy machines and a couple of couches. We walked down. The room was empty. Rick got put some change in the soda machine by the door.

"As I recall, you drink Coke," he said. "At least that's what you were drinking at the mall, yesterday." He pressed the button, and a can rolled out. "Want anything else?"

"Coke'll be fine," I said. He got a Coke for himself, and we sat down on one of the couches. He sat close, very close. I felt strange. Nervous, but happy, somehow, also suddenly warm. I drank some Coke, but it didn't help. My nipples were tingling, and my stomach was doing flip-flops. I was smiling for no real reason. I realized that Rick was getting to me. I was feeling attracted to him like any other girl might be. Any other girl? No, that was wrong. I was a boy, Alan, under a spell. This feeling was --

Rick reached over and took my hand.

Wonderful! I smiled and looked up into his eyes. I could feel my heart beating. My nipples felt like they'd turned to stone, and my stomach, or just below it, felt so nice and hot. "Yes, Rick?"

"I really like you, Alice. Would you like to go to a movie or something this Saturday?"

"I -- umm -- I don't know." A date! I wanted to so much, but I could hear myself, as Alan, screaming "NO!" in the back of my mind. "I have to ask my Aunt. Can you wait till tomorrow night for an answer?"

I could see the disappointment in Rick's face. He'd been hoping I'd say "Yes" at once. But I was afraid to. It meant giving in to Alice. Then I thought of how Aunt Therese had made Alice a little timid. Was I hesitating because Alan didn't want to, or because Alice was too shy to accept? I stood up to try to shake my thoughts together and make some sense out of them. "We'd better get back up stairs." I looked at the clock on the wall behind us. "The library closes in about 45 minutes."

Rick followed me back upstairs with a kind of hound dog look. I felt so sad that I was almost ready to give in and agree to the date. I didn't, though, but it was tough.

About five to nine, they announced over the speakers that the library was closing. We packed up our notes. Rick put his books and mine on the "reserve" shelf to hold them until the next night. I walked over to the pay phones to call Aunt Therese. Rick came over. "Can I give you a ride home?"

"Right, Rick," I thought. "So you can see that I live at Alan Webster's house. That's all I need. Okay, face, stop smiling and say something to let him down easy."

"Yes, thanks." I'd answered before I could stop myself. Rick smiled broadly and led me out to his car. (His father's, actually.) He opened the door for me, then got in himself.

"Where to? Where's your house?"

There was no point in lying now. Besides, a lie would mean walking home from someplace, and I still remembered that image Aunt Therese put in my mind. "I'm staying with my Aunt Therese at 837 North Maple."

"Hey, I know that house," Rick said. "Alan Webster lives there. Now I see why I thought I knew you. You look a lot like him. Only much prettier. Will you be staying a while, and will you be going to the high school with him while you're here?"

"Thanks." I thought as quickly as I could. "He's a cousin. I'm staying there while -- while my parents are working overseas. I may be going to his school. I don't know how long I'll be here. In the meantime, my old school sent along a bunch of assignments. That, Mr. Medford, is why I was in the library. Any other questions?" I was smiling now, a little surprised at how easily the lies came. Rick just smiled back and started the car.

Like I said, the library's only a few blocks from my house, so we were there in no time. Rick pulled up by the house and came around to open my door. As I got out, he leaned over and, well, he kissed me. And I kissed him back. It was a short kiss, no tongue or anything, but it felt real nice. Only now, my nipples were aching and harder that ever. The warmth in my groin seemed to be spreading out through my body. My knees felt weak. I wanted to kiss him back, but I didn't want to at the same time. I pulled back for an instant to think.

Rick was smiling again. "I've heard that you shouldn't kiss on the first date, but this wasn't our first date. It was our "zero-th date, but who's counting." Just then the porch light went on. Rick ran around and jumped in the car. "See you tomorrow at the library," he called and drove off.

Aunt Therese was waiting inside, watching through the living room window. "You seem to have made a conquest, Alice. Who is he?"

"Rick, Rick Medford. That boy who talked to me at the mall. We met at the library. He brought me home." I wasn't sure if I should tell Aunt Therese about Rick's asking me for a date. I was still afraid to think about it.

"He did more than that, I noticed." Aunt Therese was smiling. It was a smile I didn't like. "And you seemed to be enjoying it, and a bit too much, my girl. Well, go upstairs and get ready for bed."

"Bed? But it's only about 9:30." I was embarrassed about her seeing Rick kiss me and anxious to change the subject.

"Yes, but your body needs extra energy to make the transformation. Stay up too late, and Alice might get to go to school tomorrow after all."

That was a threat I didn't want to risk. Besides, I was suddenly feeling a bit tired. "Okay," I said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Alice. And just think, maybe you'll dream about your new boyfriend."

_Boyfriend?_ I tried not to think about Rick as I ran up to my bedroom. But I couldn't. I kept seeing his face. His smile. He had such a nice smile. As I unbuttoned my blouse, I felt my nipples getting hard again. I could see them poking out against my bra. I touched one. Oh! The sensation was so strong that it was almost frightening.

I took off the bra and put on my nightgown. My whole body was tingling. I turned off the lights and got into bed. I couldn't help but think about Ricki. There was a warm feeling spreading out from my groin. I suddenly realized that I'd been stroking my nipples. I was about to touch myself down _there_! I was suddenly very much afraid of Alice. I lay there in bed a long time, afraid to think of anything, afraid to move, until I feel asleep.

Tuesday

However much sleep I got must have been enough. I woke up as Alan.

Jerry was really pissed at me for not showing up the day before to help with his car. Matt and Phil weren't too happy either. I told them that I'd gotten stuck helping Aunt Therese with some stuff around the house. They'd all met her at one time or another, and Phil even had the good sense to be a little afraid of her, though he didn't know why.

I knew why, but I sure wasn't going to tell. The best I could do was to warn him, warn them all, to stay clear of Aunt Therese. I made up some lie about her being a little crazy. Said that I had to humor her, or I'd wind up living in a foster home someplace or worse. They were sympathetic and agreed to go along.

(I suppose that I could have told them the truth: that Aunt Therese was a witch and that, if they weren't careful, my cousin Alice would have some new girlfriends to compare lipsticks with. Yeah, and they'd have believed me. NOT!)

Just when I thought everything was handled, Rick Medford comes by. We didn't have any classes together; he being a senior and me a junior. Besides, he hung out with a different crowd, so I hadn't seen him (as Alan) in a good month or more. Now he came looking for me. To ask me about my cousin, Alice, no less.

I told him the same lies that I had the night before. Only now, he wanted details. I made some up. My Dad and hers had been first cousins. Her dad was a businessman who'd been given a temporary assignment traveling through Europe. She was staying with Aunt Therese and me while he and her mother were over there. No, I didn't know if she'd be coming to our school. I didn't think that she would, though. Her old school had given her a lot of work to do, so Aunt Therese had decided to keep her at home, rather than do all the paper work needed to register Alice as a temporary student.

Then Rick got to the important questions. Yes, Alice had mentioned him when she got home. Yes, she seemed to like him. She said something to Aunt Therese about having a good time at the library. I said that I'd been busy, and, anyway, it was girl stuff, so I hadn't paid very close attention. No, I didn't know if Alice had a boy friend at her old school. She'd never mentioned one.

I realized that I'd better figure out what to say if Rick ever asked Alice about a boyfriend. I finally decided to say that Alice was between boyfriends, if Rick ever asked her -- asked me -- oh, whatever! I'd just say that they'd split up a week or two before she'd left, and I -- she -- didn't want to talk about it.)

After Rick headed to his next class, Jerry and Matt chimed in. They were both curious about my cousin, and why hadn't I introduced her to them. They knew Rick's reputation, so they figured that if he was interested, then Alice must be a fox. Didn't I think my friends were good enough for her? Somehow, I found myself thinking that maybe they weren't. I bobbed and weaved for a while; told them that Alice hadn't wanted to meet anybody. She'd run into Rick by accident, and the two had hit it off. I don't think that they bought much of what I said, though. The guys, I decided, were going to be trouble.

All in all, it was not my best day at school. That afternoon, I gave Jerry and the others the same lame excuse about having to do something for Aunt Therese and headed towards my house. It was almost a relief to get home. Aunt Therese wasn't home. "Gone Shopping", her note said. I would have relaxed, except that I knew what was coming at 4 PM.

I had a crazy idea about watching the change, so I ran up to my room, stripped down, and stood naked in front of my mirror. The bank clock struck "Four." I began to feel dizzy. All my body hair seemed to shrink down into my body. My muscles seemed to shrink down, too, into smooth, slightly pale skin. My whole body was shrinking. It looked in the mirror like I was getting younger, about age 12 or so. Then I noticed that the hair on my head was growing over my ears. My nose seemed to be getting smaller. I was so fascinated watching my face becoming pretty that I just stared at it for a minute.

Then I realized that I was missing the big changes. I looked down. My breasts were already about the size of plums and growing out, growing bigger as I watched. I could feel my balls retreating up into my body. My pubic hair had reshaped itself into an upside-down triangle. I could barely see my prick. By now, it was maybe an inch long, shrinking up into a new position inside my vagina and becoming my clit. I panicked and reached down for it, barely finding it as it shrank. Then I suddenly felt very embarrassed. "A girl shouldn't be feeling herself up like this," I thought. I knew then that Alan was gone again, and Alice had arrived in his place.

I walked over to the dresser and picked out a cute bra and panty set, lilac colored with white lace flowers. I stepped into the panties and pulled them up around my hips. They were soft and cool, so much more pleasant to wear than Alan's scratchy cotton shorts. I did have a little trouble getting on the bra. The hooks were trickier than either of the other bras I'd worn, but I managed on the second try. I found myself thinking for a minute of how hard it would be for a boy to unhook it. I was sure, though, that Rick could manage. I found myself giggling at the thought; my nipples getting hard. (Oh brother, maybe I was that kind of girl, at least for Rick.)

I went over by the mirror, thinking to distract myself by looking some more at my new body. Even without make-up, I was gorgeous. Not quite centerfold standards, but I was getting there. I should have felt lust, staring at this great looking chick, standing there half naked posing in the mirror. Alan would have lusted after a girl like this. But I was Alice now, a girl myself, and all I felt was pride in how narrow my waist was and how my breasts filled out my bra. I walked around, turning my head to keep watching my image in the mirror. I saw my hips sway as I walked, my butt moving invitingly. It was really cute, and I wished I had a pair of jeans or a tight little dress that I could wear to show it off better. (Yeah, Alice was definitely back.)

I decided that I'd better finish getting dressed, when I heard Aunt Therese come in. I put on a light blue sleeveless blouse and a matching skirt. The skirt was a little on the short side. I'd barely been able to persuade Aunt Therese to let me buy it. I liked it because -- well, because it showed off my legs so nicely. "Might as well give Rick a treat," I thought. I put on a pair of skin tone peds and my new sneakers and went down to help Aunt Therese with the groceries.

I had just put a bag of groceries on the table when the front door bell rang. Aunt Therese was out back bringing in another bag. "Doorbell," I yelled to her. "I'll get it."

Big mistake! Phil and Jerry had come to get Alan. "Well, hello," Phil said, looking me up and down. "You must be Alice. We heard about you, but we didn't think anybody could be as pretty as they said you were. Is Alan home? I want to congratulate him on his taste in cousins." Jerry just leered. I wished that I hadn't picked out such a short dress. I felt naked in front of them. I wanted to cover myself with my hands, but I knew that doing so would just make things worse.

"Alan -- um, Alan's not -- he's not here," I said. I wasn't worried about them recognizing me as Alan. Heck, Phil was looking at my breasts, not my face, while he talked to me. I just felt like I was on some kind of bug on display, and I didn't like it.

"Can you tell us where he is?" Jerry chimed in. "Even better, would you like to come with us to look for him?" Great! Now my friends were hitting on me. I knew these guys well enough to know that they weren't about to rape me or anything. But sex was definitely on their warped little minds, and I really didn't think that I enjoyed being with them as Alice.

"My niece will not be going with you," Aunt Therese pronounced. She made it sound like it was written in stone someplace. "As for Alan, he is here, but unavailable. His behavior has been so bad that he will not be leaving this house, except to go to school, for some time."

Phil and Jerry both jumped at her voice. "Could we at least see him for a minute? It's kind of important."

"Since I hold you two miscreants to blame for some of his worst behavior, you will not be allowed to see him here, either." Aunt Therese was either very mad, or she was laying it on to good effect. The guys turned and, without another word, hurried away from the house. Aunt Therese smiled. "Well, that was fun. Now shall we put away these groceries?"

I felt somehow like I wanted to wash my hands after talking to the guys, but I figured that I'd better help Aunt Therese. We got in the last of the groceries and started putting things away. "So, Alice," Aunt Therese asked me all of a sudden, "what do you think of your cousin's friends?"

"They're, umm, they're okay, I guess."

"Truthfully now, my girl," Aunt Therese said. "You weren't acting as if you were very comfortable around those two."

"I was afraid that they'd recognize me." It was the truth, or at least part of the truth. At best, the guys would think I was some kind of cross-dresser, maybe even gay. At worst, they might guess what had happened. (Jerry had told me more than once that he thought Aunt Therese was some kind of witch.) Then what would Aunt Therese do? Turn them into girls, too. Or maybe something worse, frogs or bugs or something.

Aunt Therese looked me up and down. "That might have been what Alan was thinking. But I asked what _Alice_ thought." She had me.

"Okay, okay, I'll admit it. I was afraid that they'd recognize me, but only for a minute. Then, I was just upset that these two guys were staring at me like a piece of meat or something and that their only real concern was trying to -- to get me into bed. I didn't like it."

"Ah, poor sweet little Alice. She isn't used to being a girl, yet. Most teenage boys -- most men, in fact, think mainly below their belts. You did yourself when you were Alan. I'll wager that even your friend -- what was his name? -- oh, yes, Rick, is guilty of doing it. You just have to learn to accept that -- and the sort of crude behavior that results -- as the price of being such a pretty girl. In fact, watching you learning to accept it is part of my fun in the casting of this spell on you."

"And just how long is your fun going to last?" I was worried now. The more Aunt Therese enjoyed watching me squirm, the longer she might keep the spell going. Being Alice was getting way too comfortable. I wanted to get it over with and go back to being Alan full time.

"It will last, more or less, as long as I wish it. Your -- Alan's behavior was intolerable. As Alice, you are far better behaved. When I am sure that her politeness and good manners will remain with Alan, then and only then will I end the spell." She looked up at the kitchen clock. "And since all of the groceries are put away -- and thank you for your help, incidentally; Alan seldom helped around the house -- you should go back to your room to study or do homework until supper. We'll be having a cold chicken pasta salad this evening, so I won't need your help getting it ready. Just come down about six."

So those were the terms. I went back upstairs to think about things. I _was_ acting differently as Alice. I had been proud of her body while I was getting dressed. I not only felt comfortable in her pretty dresses and skirts, panties and bras, but I liked wearing them. Helping with the groceries had seemed the natural thing to do. And I didn't like being around two of my oldest friends. That last one bothered me. What bothered me more, though, was that I had liked being around Rick.

Then I thought some more about Rick. He bothered me, too, but in a different way. I found myself smiling at the thought of seeing him at the Library. I decided that I did want to go out with him over the weekend. That made me smile more. (And worry more.) I knew that I'd have to ask Aunt Therese if I could go. But I thought that I'd better wait a bit before asking, considering what she'd said about Rick before.

I was primping in the mirror, thinking about seeing Rick. Then I realized that Aunt Therese probably wouldn't let me go to the Library if my homework wasn't done. I couldn't bear not seeing him, so I buckled down. I was just finishing my Earth Sciences problems, when I heard the bank clock strike six. All I had left was some Spanish vocabulary review, and I could do that before I went to bed. I put my books away and headed down to eat.

I didn't say much during supper. Aunt Therese asked if my homework was done. I said all but the Spanish vocabulary review, and asked her to drive me to the Library. She agreed and even suggested that I ask Rick to drive me home.

Rick was waiting just outside the Library. He waited till Aunt Therese had driven off, then asked about the date. "Yes, I'd love to go out with you this weekend" I said, enjoying his big smile when he heard that. "But I still have to ask my Aunt. Things got a little edgy with us this afternoon, and I didn't want to bring up any plans for the weekend."

It was a lie, but I couldn't tell him the truth. I wasn't sure what Aunt Therese would say after her comment about boys thinking with their penises. I wanted to wait a little bit till she forgot about what idiots Phil and Jerry had been.

"Okay, I guess," Rick said. "At least you didn't say 'No'. I guess that I can wait another day." He opened the door and held it for me. "After you, my lady. We still have our time studying together tonight." I smiled at him and went through into the building. We went over to where we'd left our stuff from the night before and began to work.

We both worked fairly steadily. I looked up and caught him looking at me once or twice, and one time I stopped and just looked at him for a minute until he caught me. We both laughed at that. Time went so fast that they were giving us the "Fifteen minutes until the Library closes" notice before I realized it. "Let's put our stuff away and grab a coke for the ride home," Rick suggested. I agreed. We put the books back on the restricted shelves and went downstairs to the lounge. As we walked in, I realized that Rick was holding my hand. And that I liked it.

Rick bought a couple of sodas and we headed back up. We left the building just as the five minute notice came over the P-A system. Rick's car was at the far end of the parking lot. "The lot was much more filled up when I got here," he said. We walked over to the passenger side. I waited for him to open the door. He put the two sodas on the car roof and took my hands in his.

I began to feel a tingling all over. He leaned forwards and kissed me. The tingling got worse. I could feel my nipples getting hard, and there was a warmth flowing down from them straight to my groin. Rick let go of my hands and put his arms around my waist. I raised my own arms up and around his neck. My mouth opened. I felt his tongue touch mine. I pulled it back, and his followed. My nipples felt like they were inches long. My panties suddenly began to feel damp.

Then we heard a giggling and looked around. A couple of girls, maybe fourteen, had come out of the Library and seen us. I felt my cheeks get hot. Rick unlocked the door. I grabbed the sodas and got in. I managed to lean over and unlock his door, while he ran around to his side. He got in quickly, and we drove out of the lot past the girls who were still giggling.

About halfway back to my house, Rick pulled over and stopped the car. When he turned the headlights off, I noticed that only a couple of the houses on the block had lights on inside. We were at the top of a hill with a view of the whole town out to the highway. The Moon was just coming up over the ridge. "I'd rather take you out to Taylor Point," Rick said, "but it's a school night, and you still don't have permission from your Aunt to date me."

He leaned over and kissed me. I wanted to respond. It felt so very good. Then I suddenly got the image of the two of us naked in a bed. He -- he was about to -- I couldn't think it. I was terrified. "No, Rick," I said, pushing him away. "It just wouldn't be right. We barely know each other." My mind was spinning. I wanted to kiss him, and I didn't. But the craziest part was that none of it had to do with my really being a boy. I was reacting completely as Alice, a girl who was suddenly afraid of being pushed into something that she wasn't ready for.

Rick looked disappointed; then, kind of apologetic. "I guess I was rushing you. Heck, you haven't even said if you would go on that date with me." He started the car and drove the last few blocks to my house in silence. As he was helping me out of the car, he said, "I hope I didn't scare you off."

I smiled with relief. I'd found myself worrying that he wouldn't want to date a timid girl like me. "No, I don't think that I have. I'll try to give you your answer tomorrow." With that I leaned up and gave him a rather sisterly kiss on the cheek. He smiled at that and tried to kiss me back. "Good night, Mr. Medford," I said coldly.

Rick was a quick learner. He mumbled a "Good night", got back in the car, and drove off. I stood on the curve and waved once, as he turned the corner.

Aunt Therese was watching TV when I came in. "Don't forget that homework," she said without looking up. I went upstairs. I tried to study my Spanish, honest I did. But my mind kept wandering to Rick - and that kiss. It took a while, but I reviewed each vocabulary word three times, reading them aloud from my study cards. Then I put them away, hoping that at least some of the words had stuck in my mind. For once, being Alice didn't help my studying. Her hormones certainly got in the way of my Spanish.

Wednesday

The next afternoon, Phil stopped me as I was leaving the Boy's Dressing Room after gym. "Jerry and I came by your place yesterday -- cute cousin, by the way -- where were you?"

"Yeah, where?" Jerry had joined him. They were blocking my way and looked ready for a fight.

I thought fast. "Oh yeah, Aunt Therese said you to came by. She got really mad when I came home drunk last weekend. I -- um -- I threw up in the hall, and she -- she got real mad. She grounded me for a month. I have to be home by 4 PM to do homework, and I can't go hang out on the weekend. I was up in my room when you guys came by. You left before I could come down."

"So sneak out, man," Jerry sneered. "What's the matter? You afraid of the old bat?"

I couldn't believe these guys. Didn't they know the situation that I was now? No, I guess they didn't. How could they? But they did know a little about my life. "I've got no choice," I said. "Aunt Therese says that she doesn't have to take care of me. If I sneak out or do anything else she doesn't like, she says she won't even consider a foster home. She'll just drop me at the State Home for Boys on her way out of town."

"Bummer," Phil said. "Hey, but it might still be worth the risk. I hear some guys are planning a big party this weekend over by Kleigger Lake. A bonfire, plenty of beer, women. Be great, man. You interested?"

"Didn't you hear me, you asshole? Aunt Therese locks the house when she isn't around, and she already took my keys. I try anything like that, I might as well pack for the Home before I leave for the party." I'm afraid I got a little mad. These guys were supposed to be my friends, and they were acting like a pair of jerks. I gave up and tried to push Phil out of the way, so I could get to class.

"Who you calling asshole, asshole?" Phil pushed back. Then Jerry pushed me; just to get his licks in, I guess. I should have ignored them and walked away. I never had the chance.

"What's going on?" It was Mr. Graydon, the English teacher. He was not happy. "Fighting in the Hall, boys. Maybe you can work it off in Detention after school." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small tablet and a pen. "Webster, Lane, and Klein. Thirty minutes." He wrote each of our names on a sheet of paper, tore the sheets off, and handed them to the three of us. As he turned to walk on down the Hall, he added, "I'm on duty this afternoon. If I don't see you, it will be an hour every day for a week."

The three of us glared at each other and hurried off to class. Luckily, I had Spanish, and Jerry and Phil had math.

This was not good. School ended at 3:20. Add a half hour, and it was 3:50. Figure a couple minutes to get to Detention and a couple more to get out after my time was up, and it would be 4 o'clock. I was going to change into Alice at the school. I thought about calling Aunt Therese to see if she could get me out of Detention. Tell them that I would be punished at home or I had a doctor's appointment. Anything. Then I thought about how mad she was going to be when she found out. Calling would probably make her even madder. I definitely did not want that.

I didn't pay a lot of attention in my classes the rest of the afternoon. I was trying to figure out what to do at 4 PM.

- # -

Detention was in a first floor study hall. I go there just after Mr. Graydon. He took my detention slip and told me to sit in a corner of the room. He made a note of the time as I sat down. I got out my algebra book and started doing that day's assignment. As before, I noticed that it seemed to come easier since I began doing my homework as Alice. I thought about it for a minute and decided that it was -- I hoped -- just because she was studying harder than I did.

Jerry never came. He told me the next day that he didn't care. He didn't have much to do after school anyway. Phil showed up ten or fifteen minutes after I did. He made a big protest about how it was all my fault. Mr. Graydon had him sit across the room from me. Some other students who'd gotten in trouble during the day or who had several days detention to do were sitting in other seats. A couple of kids who'd gotten caught being much too affectionate during lunch hour tried to sit together. Mr. Graydon sat them about three rows apart and recommended that they take a cold shower after they were done in Detention. "Only if we can take it together," the boy said. The girl giggled. So did a couple of others.

And so did I. I suddenly thought about Rick. I hadn't thought of him all day, but now I sort of looked forward to seeing him at the Library. Omigosh! Was I about to change; here in front of witnesses! I felt the dizziness beginning, but only a little. I concentrated and it went away. I looked at the wall clock. It was 3:55. I decided that it wasn't the change, just nerves.

Mr. Graydon saw me looking at the clock. "Okay, Alan. You can go. Try to stay out of trouble."

"I'll try," I said. I grabbed my book bag and walked quickly out the door. The hall was empty, but other kids would be finishing detention at any time.

I particularly didn't want to run into Phil as Alan or Alice. I knew that I'd never get out of the building -- let alone get home -- before the change, so I tried to find a place to hide. The classrooms were locked, and the bathrooms were at the far end of the floor.

But the stairwell was nearby. I headed for the basement. The door to the girl's dressing rooms weren't far from the stairs. Nobody seemed to be around, so I tried the door. Open! I got in just as the change began to hit.

It was getting easier. I was dizzy for a minute, then it felt like I was dropping down a fast elevator. I felt my clothes shift along my body as I shrank. Everything got looser, except for my t-shirt, which got tight again as Alice's breasts grew. My hair growing out tickled me on the back of the neck. There was a weird sensation in my groin as my sex changed -- I can't really describe it -- kind of like getting a hard on in reverse. Then it was over, and I was Alice.

Now my problem was how to get home in Alan's clothes. They were much too big. Anyone who saw me was sure to ask question; questions I couldn't possibly answer. Besides, if I was going outside, I wanted to look nice.

Yes, I was definitely Alice.

I looked around. In a corner, I saw some cheerleaders' outfits that were tossed in one of those big wheeled laundry baskets. You know, the kind with a heavy canvas bag fitted over a metal frame. I could wear one of those, maybe even find a pair of the boots that went with them. I dug through the pile and found both a skirt and top that fit me. I even found a pair of those short shorts they wore underneath the skirts.

I stripped out of my T-shirt and jeans and put on the outfit. I had to take off my undershirt, too, because of the way the top was designed, sleeveless with narrow shoulder straps. The top felt cool and tickled my bare nipples. I felt them begin to stiffen in response, and I understood why girls like silky blouses so much. The shorts hid my boy's underpants.

I didn't find any boots, but I did find a couple pair of matching socks. When I put them on over my regular socks and stuffed my feet into my shoes, they almost fit. I checked myself in a mirror near the door. Except for my big feet, I was as pretty as any cheerleader.

I did a couple of cheers, watching myself in the mirror. I looked good. I closed my eyes and daydreamed about being a cheerleader. Rick was watching me and smiling. I liked that and I felt my nipples tingle as I thought of it. But, suddenly, in my mind there were a whole stadium full of other people watching me. A whole stadium! Watching me! I opened my eyes and shivered. I could never, ever, stand up in front of all those people.

Alan might. He -- I -- he had played junior varsity football, till he quit the team after Aunt Liz died. Playing in front of a crowd never bothered him. But, as Alice, the thought of standing up and performing in front of all those people scared me silly.

I put Alan's clothes in my book bag and left the dressing room. There were no practices today, but some of the cheerleaders sometimes wore their outfits to class anyway. A few did it because we were having a rally or something, even if the cheerleaders weren't going to be a part of it. Some of the others did it to show off or because their boyfriends liked it. As long as nobody got close enough to recognize me, I'' be okay waking home in these clothes. I'' figure out later how to get them back to school without being caught.

It took a while to walk home. I hadn't realized how heavy my book bag really was. As I was waiting to cross Grove Street, an older guy, in his forties maybe, pulled up next to me in a Chevy. He lowered the window and asked how much I wanted to ride with him. I was flustered and just mumbled something about wanting to get home from school. "High School?" he asked. When I nodded "yes", the windows shot back up and he drove off. I realized what had just happened -- I'd been mistaken for a hooker! I was terrified and hurried across the street.

A block or so later, a car full of guys from school drove by. As they passed me, they shouted out several suggestive remarks and a very lewd invitation to join them. The car slowed to see my reaction. I froze for a minute, then I turned and crossed the street at an angle away from their direction. I could hear them calling me and almost feel their eyes staring at my new female charms. I felt slimy all over and was very glad to hear the car drive off behind me.

Aunt Therese was waiting for me when I got home. "The school called to say that you would be late because of detention," she explained "They said it was a new program -- calling the parents -- so they would know when a child misbehaved." She paused then smiled. "I didn't think it was a work punishment, though. I must say that you look very fetching as a cheerleader."

I was too tired to rise to her baiting. "Phil and Jerry hassled me about not meeting them yesterday. I was dumb enough to push one of them, and a teacher saw it. We each got thirty minutes detention, and I changed at the school. I didn't want to walk home in Alan's clothes, so I took these. Can I go put on some other clothes, please?"

I noticed that Aunt Therese's eyebrow shot up when I referred to "Alan's clothes", but she didn't say anything about it. "Go change clothes. And bring down that cheerleader's outfit. I'll see that gets back to your school without anyone noticing it was ever gone." I had expected her to be really mad about detention, but I guess she decided that my having to walk home dressed as a cheerleader was punishment enough. Besides, in a way, the fight was her fault..

I went upstairs to change. I was kind of sorry to take off the cheerleader's outfit, though, and I did a couple more cheers before I did, watching myself in the mirror. Again, I pictured myself doing cheers for Rick. He smiled and held out his arms for me. I ran to him, and we kissed. My nipples began to tingle and my crotch seemed warm.

"No!" I shouted to myself. I wasn't really a girl. I was Alan Webster under a spell. I shook my head, trying to shake loose these crazy thoughts. It was getting harder and harder to think of myself as Alan. I had to try, though, or Aunt Therese had won.

I changed, trying hard not to look at myself in the mirror. I thought that maybe I should let Aunt Therese win. If she saw that I behaving myself while I was Alan, she'd end the spell and Alice would be gone. I decided to ask her about it again.

I put on a pale yellow panty and matching bra. Over this I wore a yellow sleeveless blouse and a light brown skirt. I kept on one pair of the yellow cheerleader's socks and put on my -- Alice's -- my brown sneakers. A quick dab of lipstick, and I was done. I picked up the rest of the cheerleader's outfit and headed back down stairs.

"Here's the cheerleader's stuff," I said, handing my bundle to Aunt Therese. She stuffed it into a brown bag and stuck it by the door. I was curious as to how she'd get it back to school but decided not to ask. I had other things on my mind.

"Aunt Therese, can I ask you a question about this spell?"

"Certainly, dear. You want to know how to break it, of course."

"Well, yes. But I was going to ask what exactly I had to do to get you to end it."

"Why? Don't you like being a girl? Goodness me, did you and our young man have a fight?" She smiled at that, maybe trying to look sympathetic, maybe just laughing to herself.

"No, we didn't have a fight -- I mean, no, I don't like being a girl." Why had I answered like that. Which _was_ more important?

"Well, I'm glad to hear that you two are still together. As far as ending the spell, I hate to admit it, but I can't."

"What!"

"Not just yet, anyway. The spell is to teach you a lesson for all the trouble that you caused me as Alan. I expected that to take a while, so I linked it to a woman's menstrual cycle. You must go through a minimum of one complete cycle, thirty days, before the spell can be reversed."

"Oh, great," I thought. "Besides everything else, I get to see what having PMS is like."

"Yes, and remember, dear. Most of the time, you'll be Alice. The only reason that you change back to Alan at all is so he can attend school. If I don't reverse the spell before your Spring term ends, you get to be Alice all Summer. Think about that for a minute."

I did. As Alan I had definite Summer plans: a job, working on Jerry's car, dating, swimming out at the Lake. I could just see myself out at the Lake. I'd wear a really skimpy bikini. Rick would like that. Even if I felt embarassed showing off my body like that, I'd do it for him. We could -- oh, hell, Alice was taking over again.

I think Aunt Therese could tell how my thoughts had strayed. "Yes, my dear. All Summer as Alice, unless you show me that you've changed your ways. Now is there anything else before you go upstairs to study?"

"What the hell," I thought. "If I'm going to be stuck as Alice for a while yet, I may as well see how the other half lives." Aloud I asked, "Rick Medford, the boy who's been driving me home, he -- well, he asked if he could take me out this Saturday. I said that I had to ask you first. May I go out with him?"

"Since you asked so nicely, and since you've been behaving in such a ladylike manner, I suppose a reward is in order. Very well, you two may go out. But he will come into the house to introduce himself; not just honk to the horn on that car of his. A "Honk!" and his date with you will be over before it begins. And you must be home by 11:30 PM."

"Thank you, Aunt Therese," I said, hugging her impulsively. I knew that I was a lot happier to be going on the date than I should have been. I was really Alan after all. Wasn't I? But I was so happy that I didn't care. I ran upstairs to start my homework, so I'd have time for a little extra primping before I went to the Library to meet Rick.

- # -

Rick was waiting for me at the door to the Library. "Did you ask your Aunt about our date?"

I suddenly felt very shy, scared almost. I found myself looking down, rather than at his face. "Yes, yes, I did, and she said that I could go out with you."

"That's great," he said. I looked up. He had the cutest smile on his face. "I'll pick you up at 6. We can get something to eat, and then go to a movie, if that's okay."

"It sounds fine. But Aunt Therese said that you have to come into the house and introduce yourself. If you just honk for me, she won't let me go. And I have to be home by 11:30." Now I felt embarrassed. And scared. It suddenly occurred to me that Rick might not want to come in; that he might call the date off. I held my breath and waited.

"That's okay. A lot of parents are like that. My folks used to be that way with my sister, even."

"You don't mind, then?"

"Nah, I'll come ten minutes early, so your Aunt has time to ask me whatever questions she wants. It's cool."

I felt so relieved. I wanted to kiss him for being so understanding. My body was tingling at the thought of being with him for the evening. Then I remembered where we were and those two girls from the night before. If someone saw us kissing, I'd just die. I felt my face get warm and realized that I was blushing. "Let's go in and get started with our research," I said, trying to change the subject. Rick took my hand, which made me tingle even more, and we walked into the Library.

About a half hour before the Library's closing time, I heard Rick yawn. I looked up to see him stretching like a cat. "I think I've worked enough tonight," he said winking at me. "I'm kind of tired, and if we -- if I -- leave now, I don't have to drive home so fast to make curfew." He winked again, this time with a little bit of a leer thrown in.

I realized that what he was saying was that, if we left now, we'd have some time to park before he had to get me home. Time to do all sorts of things - alone - in his car - in the dark. All I had to do was say "No", or even just keep on with my studying. Only I didn't want to. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but I found myself _wanting_ it to happen - wanting to be with Rick in whatever way he wanted. It was like Alice had locked up Alan in a cell in her - his -our mind. He'd get to watch, but that was it.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, or both. Nothing happened on the way home. That is, nothing happened to me. There was some kind of accident on Pine Street, and Rick and I got caught in mid-block in a long line of cars. Rick started to pull over to park, but I was afraid that we'd get stuck. I didn't want to get home so late that I couldn't change back to Alan for school the next day.

Rick put his arm around my shoulder, while we inched our way down the street. I smiled and moved closer to him on the seat. Then he moved his hand down and began rubbing my breast. It felt good, damned good. I wanted him to keep doing it, then I suddenly remembered where we were. "Rick," I yelled.

He jerked his hand back. "What's the matter, Alice?"

"There's people here all around. Somebody will see us."

"Alice, it's nighttime. Everybody's trying to see whatever caused this tie-up. Nobody will know."

"I'll know. It -- it just feels like everybody's staring at me. Please, stop."

"Well," he said, sounding very disappointed, " if you don't like it."

"Oh, I like it, Rick. I like it a lot, but I just feel uncomfortable doing anything where people can see us." I reached up and squeezed his hand. "Can you understand?"

"I guess so." He took his hand away. "I kind of like shy girls."

I beamed. I was so afraid that he would have called everything off; maybe even told me to get out of the car. I promised myself that I would try to make it up to him on our date. Then I realized again what that would mean. Alice wanted to be with Rick -- to sleep with Rick -- but I was Alice, and I was Alan, too, wasn't I. Was Alan gay, or was Alice taking over. I was beginning to get scared of just what Alice might do on that date.

I didn't really say much of anything to Rick the rest of the way home. Not that he said a lot to me, either. I gave him a very sisterly kiss as I got out of the car. He got back in, shouted, "See you tomorrow," and drove off.

Thanks to that accident, I got home about ten minutes later than usual. Aunt Therese said not to worry. It was still early enough that I'd have no problem changing back to Alan in time for school. That was good because I had enough other things to worry about.

Thursday

I was hoping that Jerry and Phil wouldn't be a problem at school. Wrong! They both blamed me for starting the fight. Jerry even blamed me for having a week's worth of detention, even though it was his fault for not showing up the day before. "Had more important things on my mind," he smirked.

They did both offer to forgive me if I'd fix them up with Alice, maybe give them some tips on how to seduce her. Now that they'd met her, they wanted to see more of her. Which meant, eventually, to see all of her -- naked in a bed. I was beginning to wonder what I'd ever seen in them to consider them my best friends. Was I like that? I didn't think so, but who could tell? I decided that if -- if? I meant when -- when I got back to being Alan full time, I'd look for a better class of friends.

"There's no way that I'll help you do anything to Alice," I said. "I mean come on, you guys, she is my cousin."

"So?" They both said.

"You guys are hopeless," I said and walked away shaking my head. I was half expecting them to start another fight. In fact, I was half hoping for a fight, a chance to get some of the "Guy" hormones into my system after the heavy doses of "Girl" hormones I was getting as Alice. Besides, I knew from past experience that I was a better fighter than either of them, and I figured that I had a fair chance of taking them both if I had to.

But nothing happened. At least not then.

- # -

Both guys showed up at my house about 10 minutes to 4. Jerry must have cut detention, which was going to make him real popular with Mr. Graydon; he'd probably get detention for a month. I guess that I should have been flattered that he thought Alice was worth it. I was going upstairs to get ready for the change, and I heard them at the back door. They claimed to be looking for me -- Alan, but I had a hunch that they wouldn't be too disappointed to find me -- Alice, instead. I ran the rest of the way upstairs and crouched at the top of the stairs to listen. If I needed to -- if the change started, I could get to my room and lock the door before they caught me. I heard them arguing with Aunt Therese. She repeated my story that I was grounded and told them to leave.

"Hey," I heard Phil say. "If we can't see Alan, we're willing to settle for that pretty cousin of his. Is she around?"

"I expect her here shortly," Aunt Therese said. She must have looked at the kitchen clock. I had checked my watch when I got home, and I figured that it was now almost 4 o'clock. "However, knowing the sort of hooligans and reprobates you two are, I have no intention of allowing you boys anywhere near my niece. Now get out before I get mad, and you get very sorry."

"Go, guys!" I thought. "If she gets mad, you'll be as able to get as near me as any other two girls would."

I heard Jerry say, something about "Later", but then the door slammed.

Aunt Therese yelled that they were gone, and I could relax. She'd known that I was listening! Thank heavens the guys weren't too stubborn. I got up and walked to my room, getting there just as the change began.

- # -

I found out at the Library what Jerry meant. We were leaving early like the night before, when there was an announcement that Rick was wanted at the Reference Desk. The Reference Desk was half way across the Library from the main doors. Rick told me to wait for him. It was a warm night, so I said that I'd wait just outside the building. That way, I could drink some of the soda we'd just bought. (You can carry food out of the vending area, but you have to go outside the building to eat or drink it.)

Phil was waiting for me. "Don't bother waiting for Medford, Babe. Jerry had him paged. There's a message at the Reference Desk about a book in the Stacks. By the time he figures it out, we'll be long gone. He grabbed my arm and began to pull me towards his car.

I froze. As Alan I could take him out easy. But I wasn't Alan. I was Alice. Weak, female Alice. I suddenly found that I remembered as much about Alan's fighting techniques as I did about his skill with cars. Nothing. Besides, Phil was several inches taller than me now and a lot heavier and stronger.

I looked around the lot. Our sneaking out of the Library early had helped him. Just about everybody was still inside. I tried to pull my arm free, but I couldn't. There was no point in yelling. Nobody would hear. I slapped Phil's face, but he just laughed. I began to hit him on the arm, but it didn't seem to do any good either. "That's it," he said as if to encourage me. "I like my girl to get feisty when I hold her hand."

"What do you mean, your girl?" It was Rick! He grabbed Phil by the wrist and squeezed till Phil let me loose. Phil turned and tried to throw a punch. Rick blocked it and threw one of his own. Then a couple more. Phil caved like a ton of bricks and fell to the pavement unconscious.

"Are you all right," He asked. I saw that idiot Jerry trying to hide near the Reference Desk. When the librarian said that he'd been the one to have me paged, I got worried and headed out here."

"And just in time," I said. "Would it be corny to reward my gallant rescuer with a kiss?"

"Not when it's this gallant rescuer, fair damsel."

I threw my arms around Rick and pulled him close to me. Who cared if anybody saw. He'd saved me, and he deserved a kiss.

As we kissed, I realized that my nipples felt like two steel points poking through my bra. My crotch felt warm and moist. And empty. I wanted Rick, wanted him in me. I moaned and rubbed myself against him. I felt him get hard, and I was very happy knowing that I was doing that to him. I opened my mouth and met his tongue with my own. My knees began to feel weak and my entire body was tingling from 1,000 watts of sexual electricity.

He was the one to break the kiss. "That's a wonderful reward. Let's go someplace very private and do something more about it."

I smiled, and we both half ran to his car. It was a good thing everybody was still inside, because Rick didn't take a lot of time to watch for pedestrians when we drove out of the lot.

We got as far as the hill on Pine Street. Rick pulled over and parked under a big maple tree. Its leaves would give us extra shade. He turned off the engine and leaned over to kiss me. I hesitated for a second, then kissed him back. My mouth opened, inviting in his tongue. He put one arm behind my back, pulling me closer. I felt his other hand on my left breast, gently massaging it through my blouse and bra. My nipples were still hard from those kisses in the parking lot. He began to play with my left one with his thumb. The sensations were incredible!

He broke the kiss and pulled his arm back from behind me. He was unbuttoning my blouse. I could have stopped him, but I didn't want to. I found myself lowering my head and smiling shyly. My blouse was wide open now, my nipples poking out, clearly visible beneath my bra. I felt them rubbing against the silky lacework of the bra. It was wonderful, and I wanted more. I reached down and began to pull at his t-shirt.

Suddenly, I heard the bank clock. Nine. No! Nine fifteen by now! I felt as if a bucket of ice cold water had been thrown on me. What was I doing, letting Rick kiss me, touch me like this? What was I doing trying to get his shirt off? I pulled my hands back in horror. Wasn't there any of Alan left? Then I remembered what Aunt Therese said about needing my sleep, if I was going to be able to change back into Alan for school. That made me stop. I had really wanted Rick and had been ready to do whatever he wanted, but, now that I'd had time to think of what I was doing, I was suddenly very afraid of going too far with Rick.

I sat up and pushed Rick away. "Please, Rick. My Aunt's expecting me home right after the Library closes." To emphasize my point, I readjusted my bra and began to button my blouse.

Rick started to protest. "Besides," I said, smiling coyly, "if I'm late, she may not let us go out Saturday night. We'll have a lot more time then." I realized what I was saying, what I seemed to be promising him. Alan might not like it. But right then, I was Alice. I wanted Rick, and I didn't want Rick. My feelings, my body, were scaring me because of how strongly I wanted him. I kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Please take me home before we get into trouble."

Rick started the car and drove the rest of the way in silence. I used the time to finish buttoning my blouse and pulled down my skirt from where it had ridden up as we squirmed on the seats. Once, when we stopped for a red light, I saw him reach down and adjust something, too. I pretended that I hadn't noticed, but I felt pleased to have had that effect on him.

I know the effect that he had had on me. My nipples were still erect, rubbing against my bra as if begging to be touched. It felt like my panties were damp from the moisture I had leaked, and my female parts down there were definitely sending me messages. It was all I could do to keep from asking Rick to stop the car, but I was afraid. Whether it was of going all the way or of not getting home early enough to be able to change, I couldn't tell. We did kiss again when he helped me out of the car at the house. A short kiss, but -- oh, boy! He hopped back into the car and drove off waving. I stood at the curb until he turned the corner then went inside. My body was still tingling, and I tried very hard not to smile too much at Aunt Therese when she asked how my studying had gone. "Dreamy," I said. "That is, it's like a dream the way the information just comes together. I think this will be a really good paper."

"I'm glad the work is going so well." Aunt Therese knew exactly what I'd really meant. And she was enjoying it. "But now, you'd best get to bed, Alice dear. We do want _Alan_ to be rested for school tomorrow." I nodded in agreement and headed upstairs.

I took off my blouse and skirt and hung them back up in the closet. My nipples were still poking against the material of my bra. Any movement on my part and the lace rubbed against them, making me tingle. My panties were actually a little damp. I took them off and put on a short nightie and matching panty. Then I washed up and got into bed.

I was hoping to doze right off, but I kept thinking off Rick. At first, I just pictured his face and that cute little smile that he had. Then I remembered the feel of his lips on my lips and his hand on my breast. I closed my eyes and laid there in the dark thinking about them. Suddenly I felt his hands on my breasts. No! They were my hands, moving -- rubbing -- my extended nipples. It felt so very good! I felt my groin get moist again.

Without thinking, my hand reached down to touch my groin, to feel the moisture. I only meant to touch for an instant, but my hand stayed there! I reached up under my panties. My fingers moved across my patch of hair, moving it and tickling my pussy. One finger reached inside and found my clit. I began to rub it in time with the motion of my other hand rubbing my nipple.

Fireworks were going off inside me. I rocked back and forth on the bed. My legs were thrown wide apart, and my hips bucked like a wild horse. I moaned! I knew that I didn't want Aunt Therese to hear me, to have her come in and discover my like this. But I knew even more certainly that I didn't want to stop. Not ever. I took my hand off my nipple just long enough to grab a pillow and throw it over my face.

My hand went back to my breast, now rubbing the other nipple in time with the hand in my pussy. I arched my back and screamed into the pillow as jolt after jolt of pleasure shot through me. This wasn't like jacking off as Alan, one quick spurt and it was over. The sensations went on and on and on. If this was what a girl's multiple orgasm was, I didn't want it to stop until I was a dry husk lying dead in my bedroom. One last, incredible explosion, like being inside - no, like _being_ that last big blast in a fireworks display, and it was all over. I lay panting on my bed drenched in sweat and too weak to continue.

I was probably still smiling when I fell asleep.

Friday

Alan was back in the morning.

I climbed out of bed and carefully stripped off the nightie. It had looked great on Alice, but it was much too small for me as Alan, so tight that it was almost painful to wear. It was also still a little damp from my - from Alice's, umm - exertions of the night before. Still, I was very careful as I took it off. There was still a little of Alice in me, I guess, because I was thinking that I didn't want to tear anything that pretty. I stuck it in the dirty clothes hamper and headed in to take a morning shower.

Fifteen minutes later, I was dressed and downstairs. Aunt Therese had breakfast waiting.

Jerry and Phil didn't want to have much to do with me at school, which was fine by me. Phil had a black eye and walked a little hunched over as if his ribs hurt. He claimed that he had tried to help an old guy who was being robbed and had gotten beaten up for his troubles. Well, it sounded better than the old "I fell down some steps" routine, though very few people believed him.

I did run into Rick Medford. He stopped me in the hall on my way to Algebra. "How's your cousin?" he asked.

It was a little weird. As Alice, I I really liked him - liked him enough that it scared me. But as Alan, he was just another friend, a guy that I'd known since grade school but didn't hang out with very often. "Okay, I guess."

"She say anything about what happened - about last night?" He was definitely worried that Alice might have said something to Aunt Therese, and the date would be off. I wondered if it would have made a difference. Aunt Therese might have enjoyed knowing how I'd panicked when Phil grabbed me, and how I'd needed a male protector just like any other weak, timid little girl. Of course, I couldn't tell him that.

"I was upstairs when she came in. I heard her talk to our Aunt for a couple of minutes, then she went to her room. I don't know what they said, but, from the tone, it sounded fairly routine." I decided to have a little fun. "Why? Did something happen that my Aunt and I should know about?"

He squirmed. "No! Ah - you know how it is, Alan. I'm spending time with a girl that lives with you. I thought that she might have said something about how she feels about me."

"So you want me to spy on her for you. Nope, we don't tell each other's secrets in my family." He looked really sad, and I decided to toss him a crumb. "I will say that she's really looking forward to that date you have with her on Saturday." Before we could say anything else, the bell rang. We both had to run to get to our classes. I thought that I might see him after school, but I didn't. Of course, I couldn't wait around to look for him.

- # -

I got home about five minutes before the change. Aunt Therese was sitting in the living room reading from some over-sized book with a leather cover; _The Joy of Witchcraft_, maybe. She looked up as I came in. "Good afternoon, Alan. I thought that we might have something easy this evening, so I'm sending out for pizza. You can putter around as Alice until I call you for dinner."

That sounded simple enough. As I headed upstairs to change - my body and my clothes - it occurred to me that Aunt Therese had been a lot more pleasant the last couple of days. Maybe, she was mellowing. Or, maybe, timid, ladylike little Alice didn't put as much of a strain on our relationship as I had as Alan. Whatever the reason, Aunt Therese could be fairly nice when she wanted to be. Having seen what she could do when she was angry, I decide that her nice side was _much_ more preferable. I decided to encourage it by behaving better.

Then I remembered that her wanting better behavior was exactly why she'd turned me into Alice. Was the whole thing some kind of mind game? I planned to think about that after I'd changed.

It was 4 o'clock. I didn't need to hear the bank clock. I could feel the change begin. My hands were getting smaller, my fingernails growing out and shaping themselves. I loosened my pants and let them fall past my widening hips. I stepped out of them and out of my shoes -- which were, again, far too big - at the same time. It was trickier taking off my T-shirt as my breasts grew out. As I pulled the shirt off over my head, I felt my hair -- so short a minute ago -- fall down against my neck and back. Anybody looking in my room would have wondered why pretty little Alice Webster was standing there in her cousin's jockey shorts and socks.

She didn't wear them for long. I stepped out of the shorts, holding my feet, so the socks came off at the same time. I walked over to the dresser and picked a matching lemon panty and bra set from my drawer. I stepped into the panties, pulling them up tight against my butt and hips. The nylon felt so much better than Alan's cotton shorts that I wondered why I'd even tolerated them as a boy. I put my arms through the straps of the bra, leaning in to get my breasts into the cups. Then I reached behind and fastened it as if I'd been doing it for years instead of for a few days.

As I walked over to get a shirt and blouse from the closet, I caught a glimpse of myself in the full-length mirror. Even without any make-up I looked pretty good. Phil and Jerry would kill to see me looking like this. Not that I wanted them to see me like this. It was too bad that they were such jerks. They were both kind of cute. Rick was much more handsome, but they weren't too bad looking.

I'd listened to both guys brag about their sexual exploits for years, and the memories of some of their stories flooded back into my brain. If only a third of them were true, they were both accomplished lovers, and I wondered -- What was I thinking? It was bad enough to fantasize about Rick, but now Phil and Jerry. "Don't go there, girl," I said to myself.

I decided to do some homework before dinner. The Library closed early on Friday, 6 PM, so I didn't expect to see Rick until tomorrow. I thought that if I could get all my homework done, I could spend some time with him on Sunday. I'd have to see how the date went, but it sounded like a good idea. Especially since I was going to have to stay home and write that paper the first part of next week.

English was easy, read some more of _Jane Eyre_, the book we were discussing in class. I finished a chapter and put the book aside. It had gotten more interesting now that I was Alice, but I was well ahead of the class discussion. We had no civics homework, since we were supposed to be working on the paper. I spent a half hour going over Spanish vocabulary, then moved on to Algebra. I was still working on math problems, when Aunt Therese called me down for the pizza.

I was a little surprised at what she'd ordered. First of all, it was the small size, rather than the medium one that I would have expected. More important was the kind of pizza. She'd ordered half with just mushrooms, her favorite, I guess, and half sausage, onion, and extra cheese, my favorite. This was the first time that we'd had pizza since she'd arrived. How had she known?

"Well, I am a witch, you know, Alice." She reached in and pulled out a slice, carefully putting it on a plate.

"As if I could forget." I picked up a slice and took a bite. After that we didn't talk much, just ate. I finished that piece and another, but I had trouble with the third. I left almost half of it. I guess my stomach was just smaller. Aunt Therese ate about as much as I had, leaving some crust and part of a third slice. No wonder she'd only order the six sliced small pie.

After we finished the pizza, I found myself cleaning up without even being asked. Something Alan would never have done. I also found that I was starting to think of Alan in the third person, as if he were somebody else and not my real self. Did Alan -- did I -- think about Alice the same way? I thought that he -- that I -- did, but it still bothered me.

I went in to watch some TV. Aunt Therese was watching the news. I sat down on the sofa and tried to listen, but after a while I found myself getting a little bored. I looked over and saw that Aunt Therese was doing something with a needle and thread.

"It's called embroidery, dear," she said without looking up. "Would you like to try it?"

I figured what the heck and went over. Aunt Therese showed me the stitch she was doing. Then she threaded a second needle and let me make a couple stitches in a corner of the fabric. It was really easy and a lot more fun than I'd have expected it to be.

Aunt Therese reached into a big cloth bag, something shopping bag size, next to her chair. "Ah, here you are, dear. I got this in the mail a while back as a promotion for that new crafts store in the Maytown Mall." She handed me a small paper bag with a picture of a strawberry on it. I opened it up to find a piece of white cloth, a line drawing of the strawberry showing what colors went where, and a little cardboard piece with about six different shades of colored yarns wrapped around it.

Aunt Therese fit the cloth to plastic circle from her bag and showed me how to thread the needle. In a few minutes, I was happily sewing away.

It only seemed like a short time had passed, when Aunt Therese mentioned that it was past eleven o'clock. I looked at the embroidery I had been working on. The strawberry was about half done. So were the leaves and a little of the decoration around the edge. And it looked pretty good.

Aunt Therese agreed. "I thought that you might have a bit of talent for sewing," she said.

"But I can't sew," I said. "I mean, I, as Alan, can't sew." I'd tried to sew on a loose button one time a couple months ago, and I was all thumbs. Suddenly I realized what I'd been doing. How could I have a skill as Alice that I didn't have as Alan

"But you're not Alan, dear. That is, you and Alan are two different personalities, two different people within the same body. The same magic that keeps you from knowing about cars the way he does also gives you skills, or, rather, the potential for skills that he doesn't have."

It seemed simple enough, but it bothered me. Alan and Alice were two different people. But I was Alice a lot more of the time than I was Alan. If I stayed Alice too long -- if I didn't change back over the Summer -- would there be any of Alan left.

I gave Aunt Therese bit of a sad smile. "I'm not sure I like that, but I did enjoy learning how to do embroidery. Thank you, Aunt Therese." All of a sudden, I felt very sleepy, so I added, "and good night." I put down my work, promising myself to get some more of it done over the weekend. If I got it done before I changed back to Alan full time, it would make a nice souvenir. I yawned and went up to bed. It never occurred to me that the thought of not_switching back to Alan wasn't quite as scary as it had been a few days before.

As I changed into my nightie, I realized how much later it was than I had been going to bed. Since I was going to be Alice all weekend, I didn't need the extra sleep to have the energy for the change. I'd just have to remember not to stay up too late on Sunday.

And, best of all, it meant that I could stay out later with Rick. What had Aunt Therese said? Be home by 11:30. That was time enough for a lot of things to happen. I was beginning to think of some of them, when I dozed off. Smiling.

Saturday

I slept in Saturday morning, something I often did as Alan. I put a robe on over my nightie, a pair of fuzzy slippers on my feet, and went down to get something to eat. There was a note on the table. Aunt Therese had gone out to run some errands. She said that, if I was dressed "and looked presentable", she'd drop me off at the mall after lunch. I wasn't sure what I'd do at the mall. I mean, Alice didn't have any friends to hang out with, but, somehow, it seemed liked something to look forward to.

I had a quick breakfast and ran upstairs to get dressed, I put put on a pale green pair of panties and a matching bra. I dug an old T-shirt of Alan's out of the closet and put it on. It fit pretty good except for being a little tight in the chest. I decided that I liked the way it accented my figure. I'd wear a light sweater, at least till I got to the mall, so Aunt Therese wouldn't object. I'd have liked to put on a pair of jeans, but Aunt Therese hadn't let me get any, so I picked a light brown skirt that matched the colors in design on the t-shirt. It was a little shorter than the skirts that I'd been wearing, showing off my long legs. I put on a pair of yellow socks and my brown sneakers. I grabbed a light brown sweater from a hanger and tossed it over my arms and head. I pulled my hair out from inside the sweater, and I was ready.

As I looked in the mirror to put on my make-up, it occurred to me how much I was enjoying the way I looked. "I'll worry about it Monday, when I'm Alan," I thought. "No, wait a minute. Just how much _am_ I enjoying being pretty little Alice? This isn't right. I'm the victim of a spell, and I should resent it. Shouldn't I?" This was getting damned confusing. I decided that the best course would be to go with it. Just not get too caught up in being Alice, since she -- I -- she was only temporary.

My mind was definitely made up -- sort of. I finished doing my face and went down stairs. Aunt Therese wasn't back yet from her errands. There didn't seem to be anything really interesting on TV, not even the cartoons that Alan used to enjoy. I found the strawberry embroidery that I'd started the night before and began working on it again.

Aunt Therese came back just before lunchtime. I helped bring in a couple of boxes and some groceries from the car. She fixed us both a light lunch, salad with a little chicken. "We girls have to watch our figures you know. I thought that I'd still be hungry afterwards and planned to grab something at the mall, but it was surprisingly filling. I guessed that Alice's stomach was smaller than Allen's.

Aunt Therese kept her promise and agreed to drive me to the mall. If she had noticed the tight shirt that I was wearing, she didn't say anything. On the way over, she asked, "I need to take some boxes down to the basement tomorrow. There's some stuff down there of your Aunt Liz's that I want to sort through as well. Would you be mind helping for an hour or so?"

"No, Aunt Therese," I said, sensing an opportunity. "But it's a little dusty down the basement by the storage shelves for me to wear a good skirt. I know that you don't approve of a girl in pants, but may I buy a pair of jeans to wear?"

I wasn't sure how Aunt Therese would react. She'd been very stubborn the day I changed about buying me pants. Now I was asking her again. She got a funny smile on her face while she thought about it. "Very well," she finally said. "I agree with your reasons. In fact, you may buy two or three pair, so long as you agree to only wear them around the house."

When we got to the entrance to the mall, she pulled over to let me out. She turned off the engine and reached into her purse, taking out $60 dollars. "This should cover the pants. I expect to get the change and the receipt."

"Thank you, Aunt Therese." I wanted to hug her. Pants just like every other girl wore. Every other girl? What was I thinking? But now, I was so happy to be getting permission to shop for jeans that I just didn't care.

"I'll expect you home by 6. There's a bus stop here at the mall entrance."

"I know. The 5:15 bus should get me home on time."

"See that it does. Oh, and make sure that you get nice jeans -- and not so tight that you look common." She started the car again and drove off.

- # -

I went into the mall and wandered just wandered around for a bit. I couldn't help thinking of how different it was from last Sunday. Then, I'd been terrified at the thought of being a girl. Now, I'd gotten used to it. I was even enjoying myself -- a little.

I was looking at some books on a rack in front of the B. Dalton's when I heard a voice behind me. "Excuse me, but do I know you from school?"

I turned and without thinking said, "Oh, Hi, Grace."

Grace was Grace MacAvoy. She was a short, cuddly brunette that I -- Alan -- had dated for a while. We'd had a fight over something -- a really stupid, sexist joke that Alan told her -- and sort of split up about two weeks ago. That was part of why I'd gotten drunk the week before, I missed her. She still was as pretty as ever. Her hair was styled differently and she was wearing the cutest -- but what was I thinking? Worse yet, what had I just done?

"I'm sorry," she said. "I thought I recognized you. We must know each other, or you wouldn't know my name. But I can't for the life of me remember who you are?"

"Well," I said, trying to recover. "You really don't know me. But you do know my cousin, Alan Webster. Everybody says that we look a lot alike."

"Oh, umm, sure, Alan. But how did you know me, then?"

"I'm staying with him and our Aunt Therese while my parents are out of the country. Alan showed me your picture. He talks about you a lot. He said that you two had some kind of fight, and he was really sorry about it and wanted to make up."

"Well, he should be sorry. I'll tell you about it later -- maybe. Anyway, welcome to town. Will you be going to the school while you're here?"

"No, my parents got so much stuff from my old school that I can stay home and study."

"Sounds like fun, but you won't meet many people at home."

I suddenly had an idea. I'd wanted to get back together with Grace. If Alice got to be her friend; I could pick up a lot of pointers that Alan could use. "Well, I met you. How about giving me the grand tour of the mall? I need to pick up some jeans for working around the house."

"Great! A new friend _and_ an excuse to shop, what more could I ask for." We both giggled. Alice, it seemed, had a friend.

Grace took me to a "Jean Shack" store. We passed right near "Le Moderne". I could see Mariah watching me from inside the store. When she saw me, she got a funny smile on her face, kind of like a cat watching a canary.

"Jean Shack" sold jeans, blouses, and some accessories. It was full of teenaged girls, all sizes and shapes. "What size are you," Grace asked.

I didn't know. I hadn't really been paying attention last week when I got all those dresses. And weren't there some differences between dress and pants sizes because of hips and length of the leg or something? I stammered for a minute while Grace looked at me. Was she getting suspicious? Would she somehow guess that I was really Alan? Finally, I blurted out, "I -- I'm really not sure. I just lost some weight."

"Lucky you," Grace said. "I'd guess that you're about my size. "Here. Try these." She handed me several pair. "If they fit, I can borrow them from you." We both giggled at that.

"It's a deal," I said and walked back to the changing rooms. It was a busy afternoon, and two were in use. There were some clothes in the third, a dress and a pair of heels, but nothing else. I went in and closed the curtain behind me. I was just hanging my own skirt up on a hook, when I heard somebody else come in.

"Well, there should be enough room for us both." I turned. It was an absolutely gorgeous blonde a few years older than me. She gave me a smile and walked over to the other side of the small room and began to wriggle out of the jeans she was wearing.

I recognized her almost at once, Sheila Hartman. She'd been a senior when I was a freshman, head cheerleader, homecoming queen, and the fantasy of almost every male in the school. Now here she was, even prettier than I remembered, and she was stripping her luscious body for me.

And I didn't care.

Alan would have been in _lust_ with her in a minute. Alice studied the way she did her make-up, glanced for a moment at her pretty undies, then looked away. Partly out of politeness, but partly because I found myself comparing my body to hers - and coming out a poor second.

I couldn't believe what I was thinking. Sure, I was a girl at the moment, but if this vision couldn't get a reaction out of what little remained of Alan inside me, then he - I - must be dead. Or all girl, which might be worse.

I realized that I was beginning to stare at her again. I turned away and undid my skirt. I stepped out of my shoes and my shirt and hung the shirt on one of the hooks. I stepped into the jeans and started pulling them up. I had to yank some to get them past my hips, but it was worth it when I looked in the mirror.

Shiela had left, and I was alone in the room. The jeans looked great. The weren't tight enough to look "slutty", but they really showed off the curve of my leg, my round hips, and the narrowness of my waist. I turned, posing, and saw that my butt looked pretty good, too. I had just the right amount of curve and bounce to be interesting to Rick - or any other boy, I guess.

I went out to show Grace. "What do you think?"

She studied me for a moment. "Boy, I wish I looked that good in jeans."

I decided to start my campaign to win her back. "Alan told me you had a great figure. He said that he loved walking with you, watching all the boys looking at you, and knowing that you were his girl."

"His girl? You mean like he owned me. Why that --"

"No, no. I asked him about that, too." I had to think fast, or I'd have made things worse. "He - umm - he said that he felt lucky knowing that such a pretty girl - um - wanted to spend her time with him."

"That's better. He is a nice boy, but he can be a little dense at times."

"How so?" This was it. Grace was going to tell me how to get her back.

"Oh, you know how boys get. Look, I know I'm probably going to forgive him in a few days - don't tell him that - but I'm still a little mad for that dumb joke he told. So, can we change the subject and talk about something else?"

Darn! I'd hoped to pump her for more information. Still, she _had_ said that she was almost ready to forgive me. I decided to change the subject and smiled. "Okay, my aunt gave me enough money for three pair of jeans. What colors do you think I should get besides these?"

"Let's see what they've got." We spent almost an hour looking at and trying on jeans. A couple of times, Grace and I were in the dressing room together. The first time that it happened, I was really looking forward to seeing her undressed again. (Let's just say, that we were passed the stage of holding hands, okay.)

Grace took off her skirt, and I snuck a glance at her. _Nothing_! I mean, I looked at her slender legs, at her butt in that little pink bikini panty that she was wearing - especially when she bent over to take off her shoe. And nothing happened. I could appreciate how pretty she was, but she was just another girl. That was the problem. I was a girl, too, and whatever Alan might have appreciated seeing Grace half-naked was lost on Alice.

I wound up getting a second pair of jeans, in the same style but chocolate brown. Then Grace talked me into trying on some regular slacks. I remembered what Aunt Therese had said, but Grace persuaded me that I could talk Aunt Therese into letting me keep them as long as I just wore them around the house. I chose a dark green pair with a bit of lace at the ankles and on the pockets. They looked very pretty on me, and I had a couple of ideas about which of my blouses would look best with them.

After we left the Jean Shack, Grace and I walked through the mall window shopping. I was never much on shopping as Alan - even with Grace. Now it was fun. We talked about the clothes, sometimes making jokes. Grace told me one about a girl on her wedding night while we were looking in the window at the Bridal Boutique. It was just as dirty as the one I'd told her as Alan, the one that had started the fight. I was a little shocked, but it _was_ funny. I giggled at the punch line and tried unsuccessfully to think of a topper.

As we walked on, we passed a Piercing Pagoda. Grace looked at me critically for a moment. "Want to get your ears pierced, Alice? You'd look really cool."

"I think I'd better ask my Aunt first." I was tempted, I admit, but I was afraid that the holes might still be there when I changed into Alan. I was also afraid that they'd disappear when I was Alan and not be there when I changed back into Alice. "Changed back?" Great, now I was beginning to think of Alice as my true body as Alan as the magic trick.

I had another problem when we turned down one of the rows of stores. Grace started talking about the Victoria's Secret about halfway down that row. In my mind's eye, I started visualizing all those great commercials for the store, those sexy babes posing in really hot lingerie or modeling them on a fashion show runway. I liked the image. That meant that there was still at least a little of Alan left in me after all.

Then I saw myself - Alice - in some of that same lingerie, and I liked that image, too. Alice was walking down the runway wearing a skimpy little babydoll nightie with a thong panty, matching thigh high stockings, and three-inch heels. I saw her looking down at the people and smiling, and I felt scared. I tried to think of her walking slowly, slumping over so nobody would want to look at her. Then I saw Rick in the audience, looking at me - at her - and smiling. I - the Alice in my mind - smiled back. She straightened up and put a really sexy strut in the walk, wiggling her butt just for him. At the same time, I suddenly felt my body - my real body - tingling.

This I did _not_ need. I looked around for a way to talk Grace out of going into the store. About four stores past the Victoria's was the mall cineplex. The marquee said that RUNAWAY BRIDE was starting at 2:45. I looked at my watch. It was 2:30. Grace had mentioned the movie while we were in the Jean Shack.

I grabbed her hand. "Hey, look. Didn't you say that you wanted to see RUNAWAY BRIDE?"

"Yeah," Grace said. "I hear it's a great movie."

I pointed at the marquee. "It's starting in 15 minutes. C'mon."

"I thought we could shop some more."

"We can -- later. Hey, I'll buy the popcorn." That did it. She forgot about the store, and we headed in to the theatre.

I've always enjoyed watching Julie Roberts. She has that hip, girl next door look about her. The kind of girl that a guy knew could be a pal, who knew about football and other "guy" stuff the way Julia did in the movie, and who'd also be fantastic in the sack. This time it was just like back at the Jean Shack. Julia was just another girl. Oh, but Richard Gere! When he told Julia the way he'd propose to a woman, I found myself sighing right along with Grace and probably half the other females watching the movie. My body tingled a more than a few times, a female response that I was getting to both like and hate. Still, it was better to be turned on by a movie star that I was never going to meet than by thoughts of the guy who'd be picking me up in a few hours.

"A few hours!" I suddenly remembered that Rick was picking me up at 6. If I waited to catch the 5:15 bus; I'd never get home in time to get ready. What time was the movie over? I began to panic. "Grace," I whispered. "I may have to leave before the movie's over.

"What's the matter Alice."

"I didn't realize how late it was. I -- I have a date tonight."

"Well, that was fast. Who is it?"

"Rick Medford."

"Not bad for somebody new in town. He's cute. As far as getting home, relax. My Dad's out of town, and Mom let me drive over to the mall. I can get you home in ten minutes."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Now be quiet. I want to watch the rest of the movie."

I sat back and watched the movie. I had definitely lucked out meeting up with Grace, even if I hadn't learned much about how to get back together with her when I was Alan. But now that she and I -- as Alice -- were friends, there was still time for that. The movie ended about 4:30, and we headed out to Grace's car.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow," Grace asked as she pulled out of the mall parking lot.

"No, why?"

"The Alpha Aides -- that's the school's service club -- is having a picnic over at Morton Park. Everybody's invited, and I thought you might like to go."

"I don't know." I wasn't sure about spending a lot of time with my -- Alan's -- classmates. I was sure that somebody would recognize me, or that I'd give myself away. Besides, somehow I didn't feel as confident at the thought of being around a lot of people as Alan would have been.

"You can bring Rick."

Suddenly the idea got a lot more interesting. "I'll see how the date tonight goes," I said, smiling at an excuse to spend more time with Rick.

The car pulled up in front of the house. "I think I'll head back to the mall," Grace said. "If Alan sees me, he might get the idea that I want to get back together with him."

"Don't you?"

"Yes, I really do like him, but I want him to stew for a while more." I giggled at that, even though Grace's actions were really at my - well, at Alan's expense. I grabbed the bag with my new pants from the backseat and got out of the car. Grace started the car and did a U-turn to get back to her own house. Then she stopped, rolled down the window, and added, "Don't forget about the picnic. Alan can give you directions to Morton Park. He can even come, if he wants. It starts at 2."

"I'll try," I said, but she was already driving off.

The house was locked. I guess Aunt Therese wasn't expecting me home so early. I used my own key to get in. There was a note on the table, "Alice, I've gone on an errand. Please leave your new clothes on the table for me to look at." I smiled at that. Let her look. I had done what pretty much she wanted. I put the bag on the table with the receipt and her change next to them.

Then I headed up to get ready for my date. _My_ _date_!?

I stripped down and headed towards my bathroom. I stopped short when I saw Alice's reflection in my new bedroom mirror. I'd seen her body naked every time I changed clothes, but I'd never really done a detailed inspection. I turned this way and that posing her lovely body in ways I remembered from _Playboy_. I was really enjoying myself until I happened to look over towards the clock by my bed. It was almost 5 o'clock.

I ran into the bathroom and started the shower, while I got out a couple towels. I climbed into the shower and began to soap my body. I normally shower in the morning - as Alan, so this was the first time I had showered as Alice. It was surprising how good it felt. I found that my nipples had grown a little tight from the posing, and was trying to be careful as I lathered them. It felt even better. I moaned and closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation for a moment.

I found myself picturing Rick in my mind. I pretended that it was his hands that I felt touching my breasts, kneading my breasts. I felt his hand moving slowly down my body touching my stomach, my navel, then tickling at the edge of my vagina, slowly caressing the lips. I moaned again and began to spread my legs to - What the hell was I doing?

Part of me - the Alice part - was suddenly embarrassed to realize what she was doing to herself. Another part - the Alan part - was embarrassed at finding myself reacting like a girl. It was probably the first time that Alice and Alan had agreed on something.

My hands were shaking as I picked up the soap from where I dropped it and finished washing. My hair got wet when I reached for the soap, so I decided to wash it. If nothing else, it would take my mind off the tingling I still felt throughout my body. I had some shampoo on one of those bathtub shelves. As I lathered it into my hair, I found myself wishing that it was a scented shampoo, not just Head & Shoulders, a little of Alice coming back, I guessed. Well there was nothing I could do about it. I lathered up, rinsed, and shut off the water.

When I got out of the tub, I reached for a towel. But I found myself wrapping it around my hair instead of using it to dry myself. Considering the way my hair was dripping, it seemed like a good idea. I used a second towel to get dry. I found that I had to rub myself more gently than I had when I was Alan. And I had to be particularly careful drying my breasts. They were still sensitive from what I'd done to them. It didn't hurt, it was - well - very _distracting_ when I touched them with the fluffy towel.

I dried myself, then took a third towel and wrapped it around me the way I saw the girls do it in the movies, like a swimsuit from just above the nipples to as far down as the towel would go. I caught myself giggling at the way I tucked the end of the towel in between my breasts. 'So _that's_ how they do it, I thought.

Then I unwrapped the towel from around my hair and used the air blower that Aunt Liz got me for my birthday last year to dry it. It seemed like it took forever. I don't know how girls managed it, but I had to admit that it looked real nice all fluffed out like that, curly and more feminine.

I was just coming out of the bathroom when I heard Aunt Therese. "Alice, dear, I'm home. It's 5:30. You had best hurry if you want to be ready when your young man comes for you."

5:30! I pulled open the underwear drawer and started looking for clean underwear. I found a matching ivory set that Aunt Therese had barely let me buy. She said it was too mature for a young girl like me, but Mariah had argued that every girl had a special set of "grown-up" lingerie. "It makes them feel especially _feminine_," she said, winking at Aunt Therese. I wasn't sure that Aunt Therese was convinced, but she did let me buy them.

I hadn't liked the idea of feeling "particularly feminine" last Sunday. I did now. I was dressing to impress Rick, dressing that way from the skin out. These were my best, my prettiest lingerie. I chose them, like I was choosing everything else because I really wanted Rick to like me.

I slipped into the panties and pulled them up around my hips. They were French cut with a lacy trim, and they made my legs look extra long and sexy. With a week of practice, I had no trouble putting on the bra. My nipples were still a little tender, and the satin felt so very good rubbing against them.

I would really have loved to have a garter belt and stockings, but there was no way I could talk Aunt Therese into buying something that overtly sexy. And last week, when I was just changed and still thinking so much like a boy, I'd cringed when Mariah had suggested a set. I had been thrilled to hear Aunt Therese say "No". Now I wished that she had.

Well, she had allowed for a couple pairs of panty hose. I pulled one out of its egg and sat down on the bed. I scrunched one leg up, again, like I'd seen in the movies or someplace, and carefully put my toes into it. I pulled it part way up my leg, then repeated the process with the other. I pulled them up carefully, I certainly couldn't afford to snag them. Success! I stood up and pulled the top into place at my waist. I could barely feel them when I stood still, but when I walked over to the closet to get a skirt and blouse, I felt little caresses all along both legs.

Then I realized what I was thinking. "Dressing for Rick from the skin out?" Was I planning to let Rick see me in this sexy underwear? NO! I was dressing in them to feel adult and confident as a female, not to feel sexy. Or was I? Was I a transformed boy going out with a friend who didn't really know who I was, or was I a girl going out on a date with a boy that I really liked, and who I wanted to really like me?

I decided to think about it later. Right now, whichever I was, I had to get ready. I took down a light blue sleeveless blouse and put it on. I left the top two buttons undone. It was more comfortable that way, and, a part of me said, it was a lot sexier. I thought about wearing one of the new pairs of jeans, but pat of me wanted to look as feminine as possible. One of my skirts was the same color as the blouse. It was a little short, but that only showed off how pretty my legs were. Next came a pair of shoes with two-inch heels.

They were a darker blue than the shirt or blouse, but I thought that they all worked as an outfit. I'd never worn shoes with that high a heel, so I tried walking in them. I wobbled for a minute, but then the same magic that gave me the knowledge of how to act like a girl kicked in. I couldn't run laps in them, but I could walk comfortably. I watched my reflection as I walked towards the mirror. My hips were swiveling in a very feminine manner. It wasn't overly sexy, but it sure wasn't the way a boy walked.

I took a pair of silver earrings from a small tray on my dresser and fastened them to my unpierced ears. Then put a silver and turquoise bracelet on my left wrist. I also fastened a long silver chain around my neck. The chain hung down almost to the top of my breasts. I stared at my reflection for a minute. Should I be trying so hard to make myself look sexy for Rick? I found myself asking this as Alice, a girl who was uncertain about how far she wanted to go in making herself attractive for the boy she was about to date. Alan's male concerns didn't even enter into it. It was weird, but what I was worrying about was whether Rick would like me.

I sat down at the small make-up table in the corner. I pursed my lips and applied a pale pink gloss. Then I added a little blusher on my cheeks. I'd been doing that all week, so I had some practice. What came next was trickier. I picked up some eyeliner, trusting again in Aunt Therese's magic to show me how to use it. The magic was there, and I was able to apply both the pale blue eyeliner and, later, some mascara as if I'd had years of experience. I stared into the small mirror behind the table. I looked -

"Lovely, my dear." I started in surprise. "I didn't mean to startle you, Alice. I just came up to see if you needed any help. It's only a few minutes until 6."

"No, I'm fine, Aunt Therese. It's just that I feel so confused."

"Is Alan giving you a problem?"

"No, and that's part of what's confusing me. Shouldn't I feel embarrassed to be dressing up like this and going out on a date with a boy?"

"No, Dear. Part of the magic is to make you think like a girl while you're Alice. If it helps any, think of Alan as a brother whom you're very close to, rather than as your other self."

"My _real_ self."

"For now, your _other_ self. The spell makes Alice as real as Alan is. Now is there anything else that's bothering you?"

"Well, I'm a little nervous about the date. I want Rick to like me, and I'm afraid that he won't."

"That just proves how real Alice is. You're having the normal reaction of any girl about to go out on her first date. Just remember this: if he didn't like you, he wouldn't have asked you to go out with him. Have more confidence in yourself, dear."

Somehow, I felt better. Aunt Therese had sounded like a friend, not the hateful witch that I had been thinking her to be. She almost sounded like Aunt Liz. I wanted to hug her, but I was still much too nervous. I looked at the clock near the bed. It was 5:55. 'Well,' I thought. 'In for a dime, in for a dollar.' I stood up and headed for the stairs with Aunt Therese right behind me.

Just as the bank clock started to chime the hour, there was a knock at the door. I jumped up and started to run towards it. "Slowly," Aunt Therese said. "You are a lady." I stopped, caught my breath, and walked to the door. It was --

"Rick, um, hi."

"Hi, yourself. Am I early? You did say 6, didn't you?"

"I did." I smiled. "Please come in."

Aunt Therese was suddenly standing beside me. "Yes, do come in. Punctuality is a great virtue. "

"Thank you, Ma'am." Rick came in and offered his hand to Aunt Therese. "I'm Rick, Richard Medford, Alice's date for the evening."

"And I am her Aunt Therese." She turned, walked over to a large chair and sat down. She motioned for us to join her. We walked in and sat down on the couch. We made sure to sit a discrete distance apart, but I tried to sit close enough that I could hold Rick's hand if I thought Aunt Therese would approve.

"Now, Richard, tell me a little about yourself."

"Well, I'm a senior at City High. I start at State next fall as a history major. I'm hoping to get into the pre-Law program. I'd like to be a lawyer like my cousin, Joe - um, Joe Medford."

"Yes, I believe that I know the man. He handled part of my cousin Elizabeth's estate. This was her house, you know."

"No. Ma'am, I didn't."

"Yes, she was the one who raised my nephew, Alan."

"I know Alan. In fact, I was wondering where he was."

"I was forced to reprimand Alan for serious misbehavior. He's - what do you children call it - he's grounded until he corrects that behavior."

Rick nodded. He may have sympathized with Alan for being grounded, but right now, his job was to impress Aunt Therese. "Is there anything else you want to know about me?"

"Yes, what are your plans for Alice this evening?"

Rick swallowed. He'd been expecting the question, I guess, but not exactly in those words. "Well, Ma'am, we'll go to Burger King for some supper, if that's okay with her." He looked over to me for approval. I nodded, then looked down quickly.

It struck me that Rick and Aunt Therese were talking as if I wasn't even in the room. Somehow, I felt a little relieved. It felt good to have somebody else planning the evening for me. Rick made the plans and just checked to see if I had any problems with what he wanted to do. And, of course, he was so nice and so considerate that I wanted to go along with whatever he said.

"Then, I thought a movie would be nice. My sister and her friends have been talking about this film RUNAWAY BRIDE, that's come back for a second run at the mall theater. I thought I'd take her to that. You haven't seen it yet, have you, Alice?"

I had and only a few hours before. But I somehow knew that seeing it with Rick would be an entirely different experience then seeing it with Grace. And I _wanted_ that experience. "No, I'd love to see it with you, Rick."

"After the movie, well, I, umm, understand that you want Alice home early, but I thought that we might just go someplace and sit and talk for a bit and get to know each other better. Most of the time I've been with Alice has been in the Library, and you can't really talk there. You can't talk in a movie either. I asked Alice out because I wanted to get to know her better, and this way, we'll have some time to do just that."

It was a good answer, and I was almost convinced. I don't think Aunt Therese was, either. "Talk, eh. Just remember, young man, Alice is to be back home by 11:30. I will not take any problems lightly."

Rick took Aunt Therese's words as the standard sort of parental threat and nodded gravely. I was afraid that if we were late, I'd have a new girlfriend named Rikki to study with at the Library. I reached out and took his hand. "Aunt Therese is very concerned with my welfare, Rick. I really wouldn't want her to be upset because I came home late." I couldn't say any more than that, but he seemed to understand.

Rick put his hand on top of mine. "I understand your concern, Ma'am. Alice is very special, and I wouldn't do anything to make you upset. I'll have her home at 11:30. I promise."

I felt like I was suddenly floating. Rick said I was special! I smiled and squeezed his hand a little.

He squeezed back, and then he looked at his watch. "But if we're going to have something to eat before the movie, we'd better get going." He stood up and offered me his hand. "It was nice to meet you, ma'am."

I stood up. "Good night, Aunt Therese. I'll see you later."

"Have a good time, children, but remember, home by 11:30." Aunt Therese gave me a look that had "Or Else" written all over it. I glanced at my own wrist, glad that I had decided to wear a watch, as we left.

In a few minutes, we were in Rick's car heading for the Burger King. "Boy, your Aunt really laid it on thick back there. She made it sound like my life depended on getting you home on time."

How could I tell him? His life did depend on it. He wouldn't be dead, but he or _she_ certainly wouldn't be the same Rick Medford. "It's just her way of watching out for me, Rick, but she would be upset if we weren't back on time. Please. I have to live with her. Can we try - can we really try - to be home by 11:30?"

"Well, if it mean that much to you." He reached out and put his right arm around my shoulders. It felt - it was nice. I slid over a little and snuggled against him. His hand reached down, not to touch my breast or anything, but just to pull me closer. I felt warm, protected - safe. I was actually a bit disappointed when he pulled into the Burger King and parked the car.

We went inside. The place was about half empty, and there wasn't much of a line.

"So what do you want?" Rick said.

"Um, a salad and small diet Pepsi," I said, surprising myself. Normally, I - that is, Alan - would have had a Whopper, fries, and a large Pepsi, but, as Alice, it was hard to even think of eating that much.

"Girls and their appetites." He made a sour face, and then broke into a grin. "Well, I guess you want to keep that pretty figure."

I all but lit up! He thought I was pretty. "If I don't watch it," I repeated the old joke, "then you won't want to, either."

Before he could answer, the counter asked us what we wanted. Rick got my salad and drink, then ordered a Whopper, onion rings, and a root beer for himself. We didn't say much while she got the food ready. Then Rick carried the tray while I walked us over to a booth in the non-smoking area. There were a lot of empty tables, but a booth gave us more privacy.

We sat down and started eating. I caught myself watching Rick once or twice while he ate. He looked up and smiled. "So, how do you like Bradford?"

Whoops. Alice was supposed to be from out of town someplace. I'd grown up here. How do I answer? "I, umm, I haven't really seen much of it. Aunt Therese has kept me on a real short leash."

"Well, I'll have to loosen it a little. I'll give you the grand tour after the movie."

"Will we have time?"

"To tell the truth, It's not that grand a tour. Bradford's a big town. Say, where _are_ you from? You've never talked about it, and Alan never said anything - he never even talked about you."

"Oh, and how often do you talk about your cousins?" With any luck I could change the subject away from me.

"Yeah, I guess I see your point. But where are you from?"

'Think fast, Alice.' I needed something believable. "I'm not from anyplace. We - umm - my Dad's got this dumb job with Dartex Corporation, and we travel around a lot."

"Gee, that's kind of sad." He reached out and took my hand. "Well, for as long as you're here, this is your hometown. Okay?"

I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I stood up, leaned over across the table, and kissed his forehead. His arm reached up behind my head, holding me in place. Then he stood and we kissed again, this time on the lips. It was just a short kiss. We _were_ in a fairly public place and had to sit down. Besides, the position, with each of us on one side of the table, was kind of awkward, but I felt tingly all over.

Rick had kind of a goofy smile on his face. "That was nice," he said.

He picked up the onion rings and held them towards me. "Want one?"

"Thanks." I took one and nibbled on it. I guess we both wanted the kiss, but we were both uncertain what to do -- at least there at Burger King.

"How's your paper coming?" I still wanted to change the subject away from me. "We've worked together every night at the Library, but we've never talked about it. What's it on, anyway?"

"Civics. I'm doing one on Roosevelt - he was the President in the 1930s. He did these chats on the radio, and I'm writing about how the people reacted to them. The books say he got a lot of mileage out of them, putting his ideas out to the people and everything."

"Sounds cool."

"Yeah, I didn't think it would be, but it's kind of interesting. They didn't have TV and the Internet back then. A lot of people got to know him from those talks, and he got a lot of support for his programs."

"You sound like you're interested in government."

"I guess I am. Like I told your aunt, I want to be a lawyer, but I think that it's partly because I'm interested in politics." He took a last bite of his burger. "What's your paper on?"

"That 'Get Out the Vote' thing MTV did in 1992, and how much it helped Clinton."

"So we're both doing papers on communications and politics. It's like we were in the same class or something."

Oops! That was hardly what I wanted him to start thinking. "Yeah, umm, that's what Alan said, too. Aunt Therese, umm, Aunt Therese said that a lot of schools use the same lesson plans 'cause they come with the text books. We shouldn't be surprised about it."

"You should ask about going to the school." He took my hand again. "It' be great to see you every day. Maybe we could even be in the same classes."

"Yeah, but I change schools so much that I just didn't want to do it again. When Aunt Therese offered to let me stay home, I thought I'd try _that_ for a change." I squeezed his hand. "Of course, you do make a good argument for going to the school. Let me think about it, and maybe I'll ask Aunt Therese to enroll me."

"That'd be great - hey look at the time!" He was pointing at a clock on the wall behind me. I turned. It was about 7:20.

"The movie starts at 7:45." He stood and picked up his tray. "We'd better get going." We dropped our trash and trays at the station by the door and headed for the car.

The Burger King was at the edge of the mall, but it took a few minutes to find a parking place anywhere near the outside entrance to the theater. We didn't need to stop for any munchies, but even so, the previews started just after we took our seats.

Even though I'd seen the movie a few hours before, it was different seeing it now. The movie was just as good the second time, though. From Julia Roberts' ride alone at the start to where they ride off together into the closing credits. I loved the whole thing, but _boy!_ was it different watching it with Rick instead of Grace.

The part of me that was still Alan could appreciate the easy way Richard Gere's character made friends with the whole town. The Alice part could sympathize with the way Julia Roberts' character felt while it was happening. Then I felt something and looked down. Rick was holding my hand.

I looked over at Rick. He looked at me, then down at his hand. He started to take it away. I quickly put my other hand down on top of his, trapping it between my hands. He looked at me again. I was kind of embarrassed at the way I was acting, but I sort of smiled and nodded my head "Yes". He smiled back, a big grin that made me tingle. When I took my other hand away, he left his where it was.

When Richard told Julia the way he'd propose, I sighed - I couldn't help it. Rick squeezed my hand. I felt warm, good, and happy. I leaned over and rested my head against his shoulder. He lifted his arm and put it around me. I sighed again and snuggled in closer.

I think I started to sniffle a little when Julia panicked and left Richard at the altar. Rick leaned down and kissed the top of my head. "It'll work out, Alice. You'll see." He hugged me closer and began to gently rub my arm. It was just like somebody petting a dog or stroking a baby to calm them down.

And I did feel better. Rick kept gently stroking my arm. Then he moved his hand. He - he was stroking my breast now. It was the same slow, gentle motion as before, but the effect was _so_ different. My whole body began to tingle, and my breasts --- my beasts were tinling even more. O could feel my nipples beginning to get hard, to push against my bra. My Lord, it felt so very good that I hoped it would never end.

Rick kept on softly rubbing my breasts for the rest of the movie. I felt myself getting warm all over, especially down in my groin. When Julia got down on her knee and proposed to Richard, I sighed again and squeezed Rick's hand. He lifted his hand off my breast and gently turned my head so I was facing him. He leaned over and kissed me. My mouth was open a little, and I tasted his warm breath. Then his tongue darted into my mouth, teasing my own tongue. I felt my panties get really damp, and it seemed like my skin was on fire from the way it was tingling.

I don't know how long we kissed, but I suddenly heard music swelling. Then, suddenly, the lights went on. The movie was over. We broke the kiss and looked around to see it anybody was watching us. Nobody seemed to be, but I thought that I saw a smirk on the faces of a couple sitting a few feet away.

My face flushed, and I felt like I just wanted to shrink down into the seat and disappear. I had loved what we were doing, but the thought that somebody had _seen_ us doing it - oh, Lord, I just wanted to fade away.

Of course, in the darkness, they may have been doing the same sort of things that Rick and I were. They just hadn't been caught, and _that_ might have been what they were smirking about. (Too bad I didn't think of that until I was home in bed.)

I stood up to move out with the rest of the crowd. Rick stood up a moment later. As he stood up, I noticed a rather large lump in his pants. I felt kind of tingly again knowing that I had done that to him. Then he saw where I was looking and grinned. I looked down, feeling my face flush again. How could Rick smile like that? Then I realized that, even though my head was hung down, I was smiling, too.

Rick put his arm around my waist and steered me through the crowd and back to his car. "Would you like to stop for a soda or something?" He asked as he started the car.

"Maybe, but I'd kind of like that tour of the town you promised me." I really just wanted to be there in the car with him, but I didn't want to say that.

"Let's compromise." He switched lanes and headed for a Long John Silvers fish place just inside the mall. There was a bit of a line, but he got into the drive-through lane. "This way, we can get something to eat and do the tour."

We didn't say much as we moved up in the line. The place had a loudspeaker mounted outside that was blaring '70s elevator music. When we got to the speaker, I got another diet coke and a small fries. Rick got a root beer and large fries. By that time traffic had thinned and we headed straight out of the mall.

"So, what would you like to see first?"

"If I knew that, I wouldn't need the tour, would I?"

"No, I guess not." He took a sip of soda. "Let's see, I guess the Library is out. How about the Green?" He steered south onto N. Main and towards the center of town. "Bradford's named for Colonel Bradford. He was a big hero in the Revolutionary War and owned a big chunk of the land up around here. City Hall was built where his cabin used to be, and - here we are."

We pulled up in front of City Hall, a three-story brick building that I always thought was trying too hard to look like some kind Greek temple or something. "Let me guess," I said. "That's your City Hall."

"Yeah, but that's not the reason why I brought you here. C'mon." He turned off the engine and got out of the car. He came over to my side and opened the door. "I want to show you something."

Rick took my hand and led me into the park across the street from City Hall. "This is the Green. It used to be farmland. Colonel Bradford left it to the town when he died, and they made it into a park. That cannon over there is from the Civil War." He pointed to the old town cannon that, in a bit of irony, was pointed right at City Hall. "When they want to tear down the building for a new town hall, they just load 'er up and _Boom!_, instant urban renewal."

I laughed at the joke, even though - as Alan - I'd heard it years before. Somehow, it was funny when he said it. Then I realized _where_ he was leading me.

We stopped by an oak near the center of the park. "This is the Sweetheart Oak," Rick said. "Col. Bradford planted it for his wife 'cause she liked acorns. Bradford made the city promise to never cut it down. It they do, then the park belongs to some cousin of his or something. They say that if a couple kisses under the tree, then they can hear Bradford and his wife singing to them. Do you, umm, want to try?"

I felt my cheeks flush again. 'Oh, Lord,' I thought, 'he's asking if he can kiss me.' Aloud I quietly said, "Well, I've always liked music."

I leaned back against the tree. I could feel the roughness of the bark through my blouse. Rick leaned forward, resting one hand against the tree. The way he positioned his body effectively trapped me. I felt trapped and _very_ vulnerable. It was scary. But at the same time, it wasn't scary. It felt, it felt nice. Rick was sheltering me, protecting me, as much as he was trapping me.

I felt my body getting warm. Nerves. No, it wasn't nerves, I realized, it was arousal. My nipples felt an inch long as they pushed against, rubbed against the silky fabric of my bra. My groin felt warm and wet and - and empty. I half closed my lips as Rick leaned forward and gently kissed me on the mouth. It felt good, and I moaned slightly as my body reacted to what I was feeling.

"I think I heard something," Rick said.

"So did I, but I couldn't tell if it was music or not."

"They do say that the better the kiss, the louder the music."

I smiled and lifted my arms up around the back of his head, pulling him closer. "Only one way to find out."

The second kiss was longer and deeper; mouths open and tongues playing back and forth. I felt my breasts flattened against Rick's chest. I ground myself against his hardened penis as if trying to form a link, to share the heat she was feeling.

I sighed and broke the kiss.

"Is something the matter. Alice?"

"No," I looked down, wanting to say what I was about to, but embarrassed to admit my need. "It's just that, well, if we're _really_ going to be 'hearing the music', I'd like to do it some place with a lot more privacy than under a tree in the center of town?"

Rick grinned. "Well, I did promise you a tour. I think I know just the sort of place you'd like." He leaned over and kissed me gently. Then he took my hand and led me back to the car.

Morton Park was about ten minutes away, a bunch of green space at the end of town. There used to be a zoo there when I was a kid. They still had a small amusement park -- with a roller coaster even, and picnic grove. But for a lot of the older kids, the highlight was Taylor Point.

The point was on the top of a hill, parking area just north of the picnic grove. If you parked in the last row facing east, you got a great view of the whole town. At night, you could watch the Moon rising over the Nesquehonney Mountains on the other side of the valley. It was a great place to bring a girl for some fun. I'd brought Grace there a couple of times, not that I'm going to say what we did. Now Rick was bringing me there.

I didn't say anything the whole time we rode there. I was trying to decide what to do. My body wanted Rick. Boy, did it want Rick! I was tingling all over just from feeling his hand in mine as we drove. Somewhere, deep inside, though, Alan was still there, and the thought of making love to Rick scared the hell out of him. Part of him - part of me - still thought of himself as a guy, and guys didn't do things like that with guys. And part of him - part of me - was scared that he - that I might enjoy it; enjoy it much too much.

We pulled into the park, and Rick drove straight for the point. There were only a couple of cars there, each parked a discrete distance from the other. We pulled in to a corner spot, and he turned off the engine and the lights. Then he put a CD in the player under the dash and turned it on.

Then he reached over and started to turn _me_ on.

He reached over and undid my seat belt. Then he took my head in his hands and pulled me gently to him. We kissed again, like we had done under the Sweetheart Oak, long and deep. I responded, opening my mouth to let his tongue in. My arms went around his back, pulling him toward me.

While we were kissing, his hands reached down and began caressing my breasts. Bolts of energy, of pleasure shot through my breasts to all parts of my body. Especially down to my groin. It felt warm and moist and, oh, so wonderful.

My own hand reached down to his pants. I found his erection pushing out his pants. I ran my finger along the edge, tracing its shape with my nail. Now it was Rick's turn to moan. His hands stopped caressing my breasts. I was disappointed until I felt him fumbling with the buttons of my blouse.

I could feel his eagerness, and I was afraid that he'd pop one of the buttons. I broke the kiss. The look on his face, his eagerness, I felt proud and happy that I was able to do that to him. And a little embarrassed as I found myself wanting it as much as he did.

I smiled back. I didn't want him to see how eager I was. I looked down and slowly unbuttoned my blouse. When I was done, I took it off. I was about to toss it into the back seat. Then I thought that it might be better if the blouse stayed up front, and _we_ got into the back.

Rick saw my expression, I guess, and the way I was looking at the back seat. "Wait a second," he said, getting out of the car. He came around and opened my door. He was standing so as to shield my body in case anybody was watching. I got out quickly and, just as quickly, got into the back seat. He ran around and got in from the other side.

"Now," he said. "Where were we?"

"About here," I said, kissing him again. When he kissed me, I felt his hands on my bra. He ran a fingernail around the right nipple. The sensation was amazing, little tiny jolts of pleasure ran all through my breast. Then he repeated what he did with my left breast. I moaned and kissed him harder.

I felt him fumbling behind me at the catches on my bra. I was afraid that he'd tear it. Then, before I realized what I was doing, I reached back and unsnapped the bra. Now Rick was really smiling. I took it off and laid it carefully on the floor half under the front seat.

"They're so beautiful -- you're so beautiful," Rick said. He kissed me again. Then he slowly worked his way down, kissing my chin, my neck, down to my left breast. He ran his tongue slowly around the nipple. The rough, moist wet sensation was even better than before. I was tingling all over. My breasts sent a jolt of pure pleasure down to my groin. It felt so hot and wet. I rubbed my legs together trying to satisfy the craving I seemed to feel down there. The feeling just got worse -- or better, because it felt so good. Now Rick was sucking my nipple. His hand gently rubbing the other one. I heard moans as if from a long way off, then I realized that it was me who was moaning.

Suddenly, I felt Rick's other hand. Not on my breast, but on my thigh. His fingers were running along up under my skirt, tickling my legs. I spread my legs apart to give his hand more room. A finger touched my panties. Then another. They moved along, searching for my pussy. They found it and I felt him rubbing it through the material.

He moved the elastic and put his fingers inside them. My pussy was moist and ready. He found it and began running a finger along the outer edge. Then he thrust in two or three fingers and began moving them in and out in steady strokes. His other hand kneaded my breast to the same rhythm. I felt my nipples grow tight and waves of warmth spread out from breast and groin throughout my body.

My hand seemed to have a mind of its own. I found myself reaching down. I felt his prick stiffen under his slacks. I rubbed it a bit. I could hear Alan, a tiny voice in my head, telling me to stop, to remember that I was really a guy. But I couldn't help myself. I ran my finger along the length of his prick. It seemed enormous. I felt panic, but it was the fear of the size of the thing, not any idea of doing something like this with another guy. I giggled at the thought. Another guy? I was a girl, and happy to be one.

Rick's own hips began to move at my touch. I could feel his prick through his pants, stiffening in my hand. I fumbled at the zipper, then at his underpants, to free it. It sprang free, enormous, red, and, oh, so beautiful. I thought about kissing it, maybe even taking it in my mouth, but for once Alan and Alice agreed. Alice was shocked at the boldness of the idea, and Alan still rebelled at the thought of doing _anything_ with another guy's penis.

Then I had another idea, a wonderful idea. I raised my hips and slid my panties and panty hose down my legs. It felt like I was taking off armor, and I shivered a little at my vulnerability. Then I lay back against the corner of the back seat and raised my arms, inviting Rick to come to me. He did. He leaned forward over me. His arm reached down, pulling his pants and his shorts down below his knees. I moved my left leg, so he was between them.

He leaned forward and kissed me again. His arms went around me, so that he was more or less resting on his elbows even as he was pulling me to him. My hand reached down. I found his penis and gently took it in my hand and guided him to me. I felt the nub rub against my vaginal lips, then slowly slide inside of me.

My eyes half closed from the intense pleasure as it filled me. He moved slowly, stopping when his balls were touching me. He held still for a moment, then he began an equally slow withdrawal. I wanted to talk, to tell him how good he was making me feel, but we were beyond that. We were both breathing heavily, panting from the sensations. I moaned and threw my head back. He pulled almost all the way out, and then slid back in.

It was easy; I was loose and very, very wet. He continued, picking up speed. I moved my hips to match his motions. We were thrashing around all over the back seat, grabbing at each other, kissing each other on the mouth, the cheeks. He was sucking on my breast, while I was chewing his ear.

Suddenly he froze, lifting himself off me. I heard a grunt and felt something shooting into me. I heard a scream high and shrill from far away, only it was me screaming. Bolts of purest energy shot through my body until I felt like I was about to just melt down. I grabbed at Rick throwing my arms, my legs around him. I pulled him as close as I possibly could. He was moving again, pumping harder as I struggled to match him.

Then it was over. Over for him at least. He collapsed down on top of me. I felt his penis soften even though he was still inside me. He was breathing hard as if he'd just run a twenty-mile race. I wanted more. He leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips. Then he moved slowly down, kissing my chin, my jaw, my throat, eventually sort of hunching over and reaching my breasts.

It was like doing cool-down exercises after a game of hardball or a session jogging. Oh, my, it felt good. We just lay there on the back seat enjoying the feel of each other's bodies.

Then, off in the distance, I heard the bank clock chime. I counted: 9-10-11. Eleven! We had half an hour to get me home, or that wonderful penis of Rick's would be gone forever. I was sure of that.

I sat up, pushing Rick off me. "Eleven! Rick we've got to go."

"What? Oh, yeah, your Aunt. I promised I'd have you home by 11:30." He reached down and picked up a towel that was lying on the floor of the car, folded up just under the front seat. He kissed me on the forehead and handed it to me. "I'd love to stay here with you all night, but a promise is a promise." He smiled. "Unless you'd like to try to talk me out of it."

I took the towel. "I'd love to try, Rick, but my Aunt, she's - umm - well, she can be very difficult. It'd be better if we tried to get me home - darn it!"

Rick pulled up his shorts and his pants. I used to towel to clean up some of the sticky mess that was leaking out of me. I left it there against my crotch, while I picked up my bra and fastened it around me, carefully adjusting my still tender breasts. I took the towel away, cleaned up the last of the mess, and lifted my butt to pull up my panties and hose. Then I re-fastened my skirt. I re-buttoned my blouse and tucked it into the skirt.

We were presentable enough now, so we got back into the front seats. Rick started the car and we headed back down the hill. A couple blocks from the park, Rick pulled over and turned on the car's interior light, so I could touch up my make-up. We hurried the rest of the way, and Rick pulled up in front of my house just after 11:20.

Rick came around and helped me out of the car. We held hands as he walked me to the door. "Can I see you again, Alice?"

"Oh, yes. Umm - what are you doing tomorrow afternoon?"

"Nothing much. Why, what did you have in mind?"

"I met a girl a the mall this afternoon, Grace - umm, Grace MacAvoy. Do you know her?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I think she dates your cousin, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, but they had a fight. Anyway, she said there's some kind of picnic tomorrow over at Morton Park. She invited me. Do you want to go along?"

"Sure, what time should I pick you up?"

"She said it starts at 2. How about a quarter of?"

"Great."

I looked down into my purse for my keys. Rick took my head in his hand. I looked up at him and he kissed me. It was a gentle kiss, but I was sighing for more. I was hearing bells. It was 11:30.

"Time to go in," I said unhappily.

"Till tomorrow." He kissed me on top of the head. I turned the key in the door, and he started down the steps as I opened the door.

Aunt Therese was waiting inside. "Prompt," was all she said.

"And more," I said smiling. Then I yawned and realized how tired I was. Even if I wasn't going to need sleep to change back, my body had gotten used to going to bed early. "Good night, Aunt Therese." To my surprise - and hers, I think, I gave her a light peck on the cheek. I turned and headed up to bed. I didn't bother to change, just stripped down to my panties and bra. In five minutes, I was happily asleep.

Sunday

I had wonderful dreams that night: Rick and I walking through the park. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon. I had on a flowery print dress that clung to my curves, then flared out full around my legs. Rick had on slacks and a tie. We were walking hand in hand, laughing and joking about something. Then, Rick stopped and took me in his arms. I could hear music playing off in the distance. We danced to it for a while, moving slowly to the music. Then he kissed me. It was so wonderful; my whole body was tingling, and I pressed eagerly against him.

Then I woke up. My whole body was tingling. I looked down to find one hand on my breast and the other at my groin. "So, girls do it, too," I said aloud.

I looked at the clock. It was about 9:30. I liked to sleep late on the weekends, but I had_promised to help Aunt Therese in the basement. If I didn't, she might not let me go to the picnic. I jumped out of bed and took off the bra and panties I'd slept in. I walked naked towards the bathroom, tossing my undies in the hamper.

I stopped and looked at myself in the mirror. Nope, I looked exactly the same.

Only, I wasn't.

I, Alice Webster, who had only existed as a girl for a week - and that only part time -- wasn't a virgin any more. Rick had _certainly_ taken care of that last night. I found myself smiling at the wonderful memory of what we'd done. My body, especially my breasts, began to tingle all over again. _That_ was not the way I wanted to have Aunt Therese see me this morning.

I ran cold water in the sink and washed my hands and face. I ran a brush through my hair, brushed my teeth, and headed back to the bedroom. I put on a pair of panties and a bra, as naturally as if I'd been doing it for years instead of days. I threw a robe around me and headed down for some breakfast.

Aunt Therese was waiting for me in the kitchen. She sat at the table drinking a cup of coffee and reading the Sunday paper. She looked up as I came in. "Good morning, Alice. What would you like for breakfast?"

"Some juice, a bowl of cereal, and some milk, I guess." Most of what I needed was on the table. I just had to get a banana from the refrigerator for the cereal.

"How was your date last night?"

It was a question that I didn't dare answer. At least, not answer truthfully. But could I lie to Aunt Therese?

"Um, okay, I guess." It was the sort of answer any kid would give.

"That's hardly an answer. What did you and Rick do?

"Well, umm, we went to that movie he mentioned, RUNAWAY BRIDE."

"And ---"

"And I enjoyed it. Why? How much detail do you want?"

"That, young _lady_, is hardly the sort of answer that will encourage me to end the spell on you."

"I'm sorry, but it _was_ scary, Aunt Therese. I -- Alice -- loved it. Rick's a great guy, but Alan hated it. He didn't want to even think about going out with a guy, let alone enjoying it as much as I did."

"Oh, was he there very much? I should have thought that by now he was very much under your control."

"I've never really tried to control him. I just acted, well, natural, or what felt natural. I knew Alan was there, but he just seemed to go along for the ride with the things I did." I found myself beginning to cry.

"It's all right, dear. It's all right." She reached across the table and took my hand in hers, stroking it gently. I felt myself becoming calmer.

"Thank you, Aunt Therese. Can - can we talk about something else?"

"Very well. I found the clothes and the money that you left on the table. You did very well. I approve of your choices, even the slacks."

"Thank you, Aunt Therese."

"You do remember that the reason I allowed you to buy those pants was your promise to help me in the basement?"

"Yes, Aunt Therese. Are you ready to start now?"

"No, I wish to finish the paper first. Have you finished your homework?"

"No. I got a lot of it done on Friday, but I still have some algebra to finish. I thought I'd review my Spanish again, too."

"Very good." She looked at her watch. "It's just after 10 now. We'll start at 11:30. We should be finished by 1."

"Aunt Therese, umm, if we are, may I go out this afternoon?"

"Possibly. Where do you intend to go."

"I met Grace MacAvoy yesterday at the mall. She's the girl Alan was dating. Anyway, we hit it off and went shopping together. She invited me to a picnic that the Alpha Aides are throwing this afternoon in Morton Park."

Aunt Therese looked at me closely. It was as if she were reading my mind. "And..."

"And I - I asked Rick to take me."

She smiled as if she'd just won something. "Who am I to stand in the way of young romance? You may go."

"Thank you, thank you, Aunt Therese." I wanted to jump up and hug her. I could go! I could go! I could spend the afternoon with Rick. I hurriedly finished my breakfast and all but ran back upstairs.

*****

I managed to finish my algebra, but that was all. I looked at my clock as I finished the last problem. It was almost 11:20. I ran downstairs and grabbed the jeans off the table where I'd left them the day before. I pulled the tags off one pair and wriggled into them. Then I grabbed one of Alan's T-shirts. It felt a little weird wearing it, but I didn't want to mess up one of my pretty blouses. The basement was fairly dusty. Aunt Therese met me at the basement stairs. She looked at me with a questioning eye. "May I ask why you're wearing that shirt?"

"I don't have any tops to wear down there. All my blouses are for school, and they're too nice to wear for working in a dirty basement."

"I must agree with your logic, Alice." She was smiling that same strange smile. I noticed that she was wearing an old pair of gray slacks and what might have been a man's work shirt. "Shall we get started?"

We headed down to the basement. A lot of Aunt Liz's stuff had just been put into boxes at random and taken downstairs when she went to Florida. We stuck newspapers down on top of the workbench that somebody had put there years before. Then we took the boxes down one by one. We sorted the stuff in the boxes into categories; clothes, jewelry, and so on. Aunt Therese wanted some of it to go up to her room. Some stuff was marked for charity. The rest was put into boxes with mothballs, sealed up, and put back onto the shelves.

*****

By the time I carried the last box up to the kitchen, it was just after 1 PM. I still had to take the boxes out to the car or up to Aunt Therese's room. Alice just wasn't as strong as Alan, I guess.

She came up the steps behind me. "Would you like something to drink before you take the boxes upstairs, Alice?"

"No, thank you, but would it be alright if I stopped now?"

"We're hardly finished."

"I know, but it took longer than you or I thought it would. I promise that I'll do the rest. But if I do it now, I'll never be ready for Rick when he comes." I was suddenly afraid that she'd change her mind about letting me go out with Rick. "Please, Aunt Therese. I promise I'll take everything out. I - I just want to look nice for Rick."

"What time is he coming for you?"

"I - the picnic starts at 2 PM. I asked him to pick me up at 1:45."

"Very well. _If_ you are ready in time, and _if_ he remembers to come in, as he did last night. And you will be home _no later_ than 5 PM. That will give you the time to deal with the boxes before supper. Fail in this, and you can forget about being allowed to go out with Mr. Medford again."

"Thank you, Aunt Therese. I'll be home by 5." I took one of the boxes and carried it with me as I headed it upstairs. I left it in a corner of Aunt Therese's room.

I headed back to my own room and stripped down. I'd worked up a sweat and wanted to take a shower. Also, I was a little turned on, either from last night, or else from the thought of seeing Rick again. Either way, my body tingled as I lathered it up, especially my breasts and down around my new female groin. I had to concentrate to stop myself from just standing there and playing with myself. "Save it for the real thing," I finally said aloud.

"The real thing," that was reason enough. I had to be ready if Aunt Therese would let me go. I finished and gently patted myself dry. _Very_ gently. I sprinkled on some scented talc and headed into the bedroom. The other two pairs of pants were on the bed with a note. "Since you'll be in the park, you may wear one of these."

I was more than a little surprised. I took a pair of pale yellow panties and a matching bra from my drawer. I had a sleeveless blouse that was almost the same color. I put the blouse on, then got into the chocolate colored jeans. I wanted to save the green slacks. Aunt Therese would have seen me in both pair of jeans, and maybe, just maybe, I could her into letting me wear them to school during the week. I slipped on a pair of peds and my dark brown sneakers.

I put on a little blusher and some clear lip gloss; nothing too fancy for a picnic. Then I put just a hint of perfume behind each ear and by my collarbone. I put on a pair of green earrings shaped like little leaves, just the thing for a picnic. I'd have liked to wear some more jewelry, but it was a picnic. I looked at the clock. It was 1:42. I let out a little yelp and ran downstairs.

Aunt Therese was waiting by the front door. I looked through a curtained window next to the door. Rick was just pulling up. I held my breath. I'd meant to call and warn him, but I hadn't had the time. If he just honked, no picnic. No Rick.

I let out a quite audible sigh when I saw him getting out of the car and walk up to the door. Aunt Therese let him in. "Good afternoon, Rick."

"Good afternoon, umm, ma'am."

"Oh, please just call me Aunt Therese."

"Thank you, ma'am, excuse me, thank you, Aunt Therese."

"You're very welcome. Did you and Alice enjoy the movie last night? I really didn't have a chance to talk to her last night.

"Yeah, it was, umm, it was a very good movie."

"And you had a chance to get to know each other better afterwards?"

'Omigosh,' I thought. How can he possibly answer this one.

"I - um - think so. We drove around, so I could show her some of the local sights, and we talked. She made sure that I got her home in time like you said."

"Yes, I noticed that. I do hope that her early curfew didn't spoil the fun of the date." She stared directly at Rick. "You _did_ enjoy your date, didn't you?"

Rick blushed and looked very embarrassed. I felt my own cheeks get red. How much did Aunt Therese know? I was suddenly _very_ nervous. Was I going to go to the picnic with Rick or Rikki?

"I certainly did. Alice is a - umm - a very nice girl. I enjoyed myself last night, and I'm glad that she asked me to take her to the picnic."

"Thanks, Rick," I said. "It's getting late, we should get to the picnic." Aunt Therese knew, or, at least, she suspected. I was sure of it. She just wanted to trick Rick into admitting it. Then, well, who knew what would happen. Nothing good, I was sure of that.

"Very well, Alice. Have a good time. Just remember that you promised to be home by 5 to help me in the basement."

"Say, umm, Aunt Therese," Rick said "is there something in the basement that _I_ could help you with. I don't have to be home till 6 or so." He smiled. He was trying to get "brownie points" with Aunt Therese. It was a trick Alan had tried a few times with Grace's parents.

'Please be quiet, Rick.' I shuddered at the thought of him and Aunt Therese together for an hour. She half suspected now. If she got him alone for even five minutes, she'd know for a fact that we'd had sex. She was sure to hate that idea, and we'd _both_ be girls forever.

"Thank you, Rick. It's very kind of you to offer, but Alice and I can manage."

"Okay." He looked at his watch. "It's almost 2, Alice." I wanted to kiss him for changing the subject. Instead I kissed Aunt Therese. A nice "Goodbye, and I'll be home by 5" kiss as we headed out the door.

*****

We got to Morton Park just about 2. The picnic was in the grove right next to Taylor Point. Rick pulled into the lot and parked in about the same spot as we'd parked the night before. "For sentimental value," he said with a wicked grin.

I blushed and kissed him on the cheek. "Me, too."

He got out of the car and came around to help me out. I didn't let go of his hand as we walked down into the grove. It felt so good walking with him, holding his hand.

I looked around for Grace. Alan -- I -- knew most of the kids here at the picnic, but they didn't know me as Alice. Grace and Rick did. So I couldn't really talk to anybody else until one of them introduced me.

"Alice!" I turned at the sound of my name and saw Grace waving from a table nearby. She and Paula Haney were unpacking food from a bunch of coolers. I waved back with my free hand. "C'mon over," she said, motioning with her arm.

I looked at Rick. He nodded, and we walked over. "Hi, Alice," Grace said. "Paula, this is Alice, the one I was telling you about, Alan Webster's cousin."

Paula looked at me for a moment. She had known Alan since they were in kindergarten together. "Funny he never mentioned you."

"My, umm, my folks travel a lot. We'd never met until I moved in with him and our Aunt Therese last week."

"I guess. You sure do look like him, though." She stuck out her hand.

"Thanks," I said, shaking her hand. "Cousins do that."

"If you two are finished with the preliminary rounds," Grace said, "can you help unloading the rest of this food?"

"Sure," Paula and I both said at once. We giggled, the ice definitely broken between us. I looked around for Rick. He was gone. I looked around some more, but I couldn't see him in the crowd

"He left while you two were glaring at each other," Grace said, guessing who I was looking for. "He said he wanted to talk to a couple of guys from the track team. I think he just wanted to get out of the line of fire. Anyway, he said he'll be back in a little bit."

Paula, Grace, and I got to work unpacking food from three big coolers and setting it all out on the covered picnic table: veggies and fruit from one, chilled bottles of soda from a second, and sliced deli from a third. We put everything out on trays. Bread and rolls were in a box next to the coolers, and we put them out by the trays. Other boxes had plates, cups, napkins, knives, forks, ketchup and mustard, pretzels and chips. In about half an hour, we had all the food set up.

While we were doing that, Nate Persky and Johnny MacGuire had set up a gas grill and started charcoal going. The first batch of burgers and hot dogs were ready just as we finished. "Come and get it," Grace yelled.

The line formed up quickly. "Do you need me to stay and help?" I asked Grace.

"Yes, but you're here as my guest. Besides, there's somebody else looking for you." She pointed to the line, about ten people down from the front. Rick stood there and motioned for me to join him.

"Still want to stay here? You can, or would you rather be with Rick?" She gave me a wink and a gentle nudge in the ribs. "He _is_ quite a hunk."

I avoided embarrassment by looking down at my shoes. "Okay."

I walked over to where Rick was waiting. He stepped back, letting me get in line in front of him. "I was hoping you wouldn't get stuck behind the table," he said. "I'm looking forward to lunch with you."

"Me too." I took his hand for a second and squeezed it. I'd have liked to kiss him, but there were so many people around that I just couldn't.

We picked up a couple plates and walked along the table. I took some baby carrots, a handful of pretzels, and one hot dog. Rick got a big handful of chips and two hot dogs. We each took sodas, diet for me, of course, and headed off to find a place to sit and eat.

There were tables scattered through the grove. Rick led me past several to a small one that was partly under some trees at the edge of the grove. We sat down next to each other and began to eat. Neither of us said much. I did glance over at Rick once or twice. He saw me and smiled. He shifted over a little so our legs were touching. I felt the warmth of his body against mine. My own body began to tingle.

"So," he said. "Anything special you'd like to do while we're here?"

"I don't know. Grace told me that they were going to be playing some music later. We could listen or maybe even dance."

"Anything else?"

"I don't know," I said shyly. My whole body was really tingling now, partly in fear, partly in anticipation, of what might happen. "Was there something that you wanted to do?"

"Well, there's one thing that I've been wanting to do." He reached over and put his hand under my chin. He moved my head towards his. He leaned forward, and our lips met in a slow, warm, delicious kiss that I felt down to my toes. I closed my eyes and began to open my mouth. I felt his arms on my body, and I reached out and put my arms around his neck.

Then I heard the noises of the picnic behind us. I was startled and pulled away. I wanted to be with Rick, wanted it _bad_, but the thought of having everybody see us kissing was just too much to bear. I hated myself, but I pulled away.

"Please, Rick, I - I want to, but not where everybody can see."

"I don't think we can just disappear into the woods." He smiled lamely and took my hand. "Much as I'd like to."

I could see the disappointment in his face. I squeezed his hand. "I'd like to, myself, but I - I just couldn't. You don't mind too much, do you?"

"Well, not _too_ much." He leaned forwards and kissed me again; this time on the forehead. "Let's finish eating and see what else is going on."

We ate slowly, just enjoying being with each other. Rick talked a little about his plans for the summer. He was going to be working at his Dad's office as a student intern. It had taken him a long time to convince his folks that he didn't want to be an accountant like his Dad. He'd worked as an intern last summer, and he was flattered when they asked him back again. He figured that it would be good experience, even if he wasn't going into business. He also said that the money wasn't bad, even if his folks were making him put most of it into his college fund.

I said that I hadn't decided about college yet, which was true. I also told him that I didn't know if my parents were going to let me stay around for the summer.

"I hope so," Rick said finishing his last hot dog. "I'd like to take you up to the lake. I'll bet you look great in a bathing suit." Then he got this silly leer on his face and added, "and even better out of one."

I blushed and pretended to be mad. I suddenly had an image in my mind of Rick posing in a pair of trunks. Then the trunks shrank down into a Speedo, a really snug Speedo. My nipples began to tingle. I leaned forward and kissed him again. I would have liked to stay there and keep kissing, but I kept hearing the crowd, and I chickened out again. I sighed and said, "Let's go back to see what Grace and Paula are up to."

We cleaned up the table, tossing everything into a trashcan near the table. Then we walked -- hand in hand, I'm happy to say -- back down to the food table. Nate Persky was still there; helping Paula put out more soda. They'd been dating for quite a while, and it seemed like they were still serious about it.

Grace was standing nearby looking at them kind of wistfully. I think she was missing Alan, and that thought made me smile a little. Maybe she and Alan would be getting back together quicker than she'd planned. I was happy for him.

A couple of kids, that I didn't know, came over, freshmen or sophomores, I think, to take their turn at the food table. Johnny MacGuire was showing one how to work the gas grill.

Somebody had a boom box on and was playing dance music about forty feet from where we were. "Want to dance," Nate said to Paula.

"Sure," she said taking his hand. "Hey, Alice, why don't you and Rick come over, too?"

Before we could answer, Johnny turned to Grace. "Want to dance, Grace," he asked shyly.

Grace looked a little surprised. "Umm, okay, Johnny." She smiled and took his hand.

Rick took my hand, and the six of us walked over to get closer to the music.

I was as surprised as Grace, and surprised at her. She was supposed to be my -- to be Alan's girl. Why was she dancing with somebody else? Then I thought, 'because Alan isn't here, and he and Grace had a fight. Be happy that she's with somebody nice.'

I noticed that Rick was looking at me. "Penny for your thoughts," he said.

"Oh, I was just happy that Grace found somebody to dance with."

"Wasn't she going with your cousin? Have you no family loyalty, woman."

We both smiled at the joke. "Well, right now, they aren't going together. I like Grace. If she wants to spend time with somebody else, why shouldn't she?"

"I guess so, but Alan better make up with her quick. I know Johnny, and he's had a crush on Grace for a while now."

"That's between him, Grace, and Alan." Even as I said it, I wondered why I was so calm. My girl was dancing with somebody else. Only she wasn't _my_ girl. She was Alan's girl. I was Alice, and _I_ was dancing with _my_ Rick. It was getting too confusing to think about, so I decided not to. The music was moving pretty good. I let go of Rick's hand, and we began to dance.

For a while, the music was all fast stuff. You didn't dance _with_ somebody so much as you both stood near each other and danced _to_ the music. It was fun. It felt different to be moving in a female body, all bumps and curves, instead of an angular male body. I got used to it quickly, though, and I found myself enjoying moving some of those bumps and curves in ways that I thought Rick might like. From the way he was smiling, I think that he did like what he was seeing. I didn't feel shy about it because every other girl in the crowd was doing the same thing, moving to show off her body for the guy she was dancing with.

Then a slow song came on. I moved into Rick's arms. He took my hand in his and put his other arm around my waist. I was pulled in close, so that I felt my breasts pressed up against his chest. I felt warm and protected as we moved to that music.

I lay my head down on Rick's chest. He was humming along with the music, and I could feel the vibrations in his chest. He moved his head down close to my ear. I could feel his breath tickling my neck. My nipples felt stiff against my bra. I was definitely getting turned on by all this.

And so was Rick. I was close enough to feel something poking me in the groin as his penis stiffened. I felt an urge to reach down and caress it, but I could hardly do something like that in public where everybody was watching. My whole body was tingling now. Part of it was from sexual arousal, but part of it was happiness in the knowledge that Rick wanted me. He wanted me as much as I wanted him. 'Maybe,' I thought, 'I can do something about that later.'

The boom box played three more slow songs in a row. A lot of the couples were dancing like Rick and me, just moving slowly to the music as an excuse to hold each other.

When the music switched to a fast tempo, I found that I didn't quite feel so much like dancing. We danced one quick dance, and then I asked Rick if we could get something to drink. Some of the other couples had the same idea. There was a small line back at the food table.

We got our sodas. Rick took my hand and led me to a little hill near the edge of the grove that was close enough so we could listen to the music, but far enough away that we could talk without having to shout. It hadn't rained for a few days, so the grass was dry enough to sit on.

I sat down on the grass. Rick sat down next to me. Very close. We finished our sodas and leaned back against the slope of the hillside to listen to the music. As we leaned back, Rick put his arm around my shoulder. He sort of hugged me in, so I was even closer, almost cuddled up against him. It felt so nice.

"Alice, I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed last night."

"So did I, Rick."

"You - you don't regret what we did? No second thoughts?"

"Oh, I've had lots of second thoughts, third ones, too."

"And..."

"And I am _very_ happy with what we did last night." I reached up and took his hand, the one at my shoulder, in mine. "In fact, I wouldn't mind doing it again some time."

He pulled me to him and kissed me on the cheek. I felt flustered. I wanted him. My whole body was tingling, but - like I'd said before - we were in public.

I pulled away from him a little. "Rick, please. People are watching us."

"No, no they're not. Look around."

I sat up a little. It was true. Some of the kids were dancing or eating or talking. A few - way across the field -- were throwing a Frisbee around. And there must have been a good half dozen couples besides us scattered around the grove. Some just laying there next to each other, but a few were kissing and, well, and groping each other.

"I guess they're not," I said. "Not really anyway." I lay back down besides him. "Let's just lay here next to each other and cuddle for a while."

"Still self-conscious, eh. Well, I'd rather just be here next to you than be about any other place I can think of."

I smiled and kissed him on the cheek for that. As I did, he reached around with his arm to hold me in place next to him. He turned his head and kissed me square on the mouth. I was so surprised; I opened my mouth a little. He kissed me harder, then his tongue darted into my mouth and began playing with mine.

I loved it! My whole body was tingling like mad. I felt my nipples get rock hard. (Alan's, well, you know what gets hard on a boy; anyway, his was never any harder.) I felt a warmth growing down in my crotch. I squirmed, pretending to try to break free. Actually, I just wanted to rub my body against his.

All of a sudden, his grip loosened, and he broke the kiss. "Uhn uhn. None of that, woman; we're in public."

I pulled my head away and looked at him. He had the silliest, cutest grin. I wanted to slug him and kiss him at the same time. "You - you." I kissed him on the cheek, then snuggled down next to him. My body was still tingling, but the feeling wasn't quite as insistent as it had been. I laid back, my head resting on his shoulder, closed my eyes and listened to the music.

I don't know how long we lay there. It felt nice resting my head on Rick's shoulder with his arm around me, his hand resting politely on my stomach. Every so often, I'd just reach down and touch his hand.

Once, I reached down with my other hand and accidentally - honest, it was accidental - accidentally touched something of his, something hard down in his crotch. I giggled a little at the affect that I was having on him, but, for some reason, I didn't take my hand away.

Rick's hand moved up from my stomach and began to fondle one of my breasts. His finger rubbed against my nipple through my blouse. I felt it get hard again. I began to move my hand slowly over the lump in his pants.

Rick sort of half sat up. He stopped rubbing my breast. "Umm, as much as I hate to say this, if you don't stop doing that to me, I'm going to be _very_ embarrassed."

I stopped, but then I leaned over and kissed him. I put my arms around him and pulled him towards me. I could feel his chest pushing against my breasts, feel his erection against my own groin. 'Maybe,' I thought, 'we can find some place private and take care of this.'

Then I heard that damned bank clock chiming. Rick looked at his watch. "Damn, 4:30. We'd better stop if we're going to get you home by 5."

I wanted to tell him that I didn't care, that I wanted to stay out with him. Only, I couldn't risk Aunt Therese getting mad at him. At the least, she could forbid me to see him again. At the worst; I didn't want to think about what her worst could be. She could change him into a frog, a girl, who knew what.

I stood up, gently brushing the grass off my slacks. The boom box had mostly been playing slow songs. "Can we at least have one more dance?"

"Sure, I'd like that."

We walked over to where the kids were dancing; hand in hand, I'm happy to say. A new song was just starting as we got there. I turned to face him. He put his arms around me and pulled me in close. We spend the next few minutes, swaying to the music, our bodies against each other.

When the music stopped, I looked around. Grace was standing near by, holding Johnny's hand. I walked over, still holding Rick's hand in mine.

"Grace," I began, "I - we -- have to go. My Aunt Therese wants me home my 5. I just wanted to thank you for inviting me - us."

"Glad you could come. I'd ask if you had a good time, but I think I know the answer." She smiled. I felt my face get warm. I was blushing!

I took Rick's hand. "Well, bye, and thanks again."

"No problem. Hey, give me a call. Maybe we can go shopping again or something. Alan knows my number."

"I - okay." I noticed that Grace and Johnny were _still_ holding hands. I decided to call her and, in the course of talking, "casually" ask her about that. It was funny, though. Part of me was jealous, but another part just wanted to compare notes about the picnic and talk about boys in general.

Well, I'd think about that later. It was getting closer and closer to 5. "We'd better go, Rick." He started to say goodbye to Grace and Johnny, but I turned and started walking to his car. He turned and chased after me.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing. I just - I don't want to get Aunt Therese mad by coming home later than I said I would. She can be very strict."

"I guess a lot of parents are like that. Okay, I'll have you home by 5 or know the reason why."

*****

We made it home at about 4:55.

Rick came over to my side of the car and helped me out. We walked hand in hand to the door.

"Thanks, Rick. I had a great time."

"Me too." He reached up and took my head in his hands. Then he leaned forward and kissed me. My body was tingling. I shifted my stance a little and kissed him back.

I wanted the kiss to go on forever, but I knew it couldn't. "Rick, I'm sorry, but I have to go in."

"Yeah, I guess so. I'll - I'll see you tomorrow at the Library." He smiled and walked slowly back to his car.

I stood there at the door watching him drive off until he turned the corner. The bank clock was just chiming the hour as I went in.

Aunt Therese was waiting for me inside. "I see that you remembered when I told you to be home."

"Yes, Aunt Therese."

"Oh, don't be so sad, child. I was watching you on the porch just now. That boy obviously likes you as much as you like him."

"I know that. I just wish I didn't have to wait until tomorrow night to see him again."

"You can see him in school tomorrow."

"No, _Alan_ can see him in school. I'm not Alan."

"No, my dear, you aren't." She put her had on my shoulder. "I'm truly sorry that things got complicated in this way. But I suspect that they will eventually work out for the best."

"I hope so. I sure hope so." I shrugged and decided to change the subject. "I guess I'd better get started with those boxes."

"Very well, dear."

I headed down to the basement. Alan wouldn't have had much trouble with the boxes. They really weren't very heavy - for him. I was a lot weaker. My arms were shorter, too, darn it! The best I could manage was one box a trip. I even had to stop and rest with a couple of them. At least I was smart enough to take care o the boxes that had to go upstairs first. Even so, it was after six by the time I was finished.

Aunt Therese was in the kitchen working on a salad. "I assume that you ate at the picnic. Do you want some dinner?"

"Yes, thank you. I did eat, but I've kind of worked up an appetite carrying those boxes."

"I thought you might." She thin sliced a chicken breast and added it to the large bowl of vegetables: lettuce, carrots, onions, green and red peppers. Alan wasn't much of a salad person. "Rabbit food," he called it. I thought it looked interesting.

"What dressing do should I get out, Aunt Therese?" I'd decided to be helpful.

"Oh, none of those store-bought things for me." She lifted a small glass pitcher filled with some kind of purplish liquid. "I make my own."

I stared at the pitcher. It looked a lot like one that I remembered carrying up to her "work room" when she first moved in.

"Oh, relax, Alice. It's just salad dressing. Do you think I'd try to slip a potion of some sort into it?"

I motioned at my body. "I'm not sure what you'd do, Aunt Therese, but I guess I'll trust you."

"Good answer, dear. And it is just salad dressing. I promise." She made a gesture as if she were crossing her heart, only she made it on the right side of her body.

I was a little surprised. I'd seen Aunt Liz make the same sort of gesture more than once. Aunt Liz had always said it was an old family joke. "Shows you mean what you say, even if your heart's not in the right place," she always said. I guess Aunt Therese used it, too. At least, I hoped that she did.

She did. The only magic about that dressing, at least as far as I could tell, was how good it tasted, kind of a spicy raspberry taste with a bunch of flavors that I couldn't recognize.

"I'm glad you like it, Alice," Aunt Therese said when I asked her about it. "I'll be glad to teach you the recipe if you like."

I thought about the offer for a moment. I'd helped out with dinner a couple of times as Alice, and I found that I liked cooking. "Yes, thank you, Aunt Therese."

"That's all right, dear. I expect to teach you all _sorts_ of recipes and things in the future."

I wasn't sure just what she meant by that. Was she planning to teaching me how to be a witch? Was I going to be forced to remain a girl, since witches were always female? I suddenly felt very nervous.

Aunt Therese looked at me then looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. "We'll have to hold off the cooking lesson for another time, though, dear. I believe that you still have homework to do." It was as if she read my mind, and, maybe, she had. Whatever she'd done or not done, she was right.

"Yes, Aunt Therese." I put my dishes in the sink and hurried up to my room. I was never so glad to go do homework. I reviewed my Spanish vocabulary one more time, and read another few pages of _Jane Eyre_. Then I got out my civics notes. I was going to actually write the paper tomorrow night, but I wanted to make sure that I had everything organized. I read through my notes, sorting some of the material into sections. I had a pretty good idea of how the paper was going to go, and I expected to get a good grade.

As Alan, I hadn't worried nearly as much about my schoolwork. My grades had dropped off in the past year, and I'd heard the phrase "not living up to his potential" more often than I ever wanted to. Alice was much more studious, it seemed. I didn't know if that was a good thing or not. I was kind of glad that it would be Alice who was going to write the paper that counted for 40 percent of my grade for the year.

The best part about the paper, though, had been that I had gotten to meet Rick. Now that the assignment was over, I'd have to find another excuse to see him during the week.

I closed my eyes and thought about how much I'd enjoyed being with him at the picnic. That reminded me of how much I'd enjoyed being with him - being so very much with him the night before. My breasts began to tingle at the thought, and, without thinking, I reached up and began to rub the left one. That made me tingle even more.

Suddenly there was a knock on my door.

"I don't want to interrupt your studies, Alice." My hand froze at my breast. Why was Aunt Therese at my door? Did she know what I'd been doing? "Or anything else that you might be doing in there." She knew. But I sensed that she wasn't going to say anything.

"What - what did you want, Aunt Therese?"

"I just wanted to tell you that it's getting late. You had best be going to bed, so Alan can get enough sleep for school tomorrow."

Alan! I'd almost forgotten about him. Aunt Therese had said I needed a full night's sleep to have the energy to change back. For a moment, I was tempted to try to stay up late, so I couldn't change. Only, what would that accomplish? Alan couldn't just disappear. It would be much too hard to explain.

With a sigh, I put my notes away and put my books and homework in my backpack. That would save a little time in the morning.

I stripped down to just my panties and bra. It was a warm night, so I decided to sleep in my panties and one of Alan's T-shirts. I was afraid that I'd rip the bra as I changed back to Alan. His chest and shoulders were a lot bigger than Alice's.

I liked the feeling of the cotton shirt when it brushed against my nipples. There was a faint odor clinging to the shirt, too. I knew that it was Alan's sweat, but I pretended that it was Rick who I was smelling.

I brushed my teeth, got into bed, and turned out the light. But I couldn't seem to fall asleep.

I kept thinking of Rick and of the weekend. My body started to tingle again. My hands went to my breasts, kneading them gently. I closed my eyes and pretended that they were Rick's hands. It felt good, so very good. My nipples were hard. Little jolts of pleasure were shooting all through my body, especially to my groin.

I felt myself growing warm, growing wet down there. One hand moved down from my breast. It slid under my panties to my slit. My fingers found my vaginal lips and slid along them. They were sensitive, oooh! _soo_ sensitive. My hips twitched from what I was feeling. I slipped a hand inside myself and found the nib of my clit.

I rubbed it, tweaked it, and a warm, wonderful feeling spread out to every part of my body. It grew and grew and grew. My whole body was thrashing around on the bed. My eyes were closed, my head rolling back and forth. From a great distance, I heard a voice, my voice, moaning. About the only word I could make out was Rick's name. The rest were just sounds, animal noises.

But it couldn't last forever. I, well, "exploded" is a good word. I exploded with pleasure. I felt a scream build in my throat. I had just enough sense to turn my head, so the noise was lost in the mass of my pillow.

Then it was over. I lay there hugging myself, pretending it was Rick holding me and basking in the warm, gentle afterglow. My breathing gradually got a lot more regular. Then it got deeper as I fell asleep.

Monday

The alarm went off much too early, the way it always did on Monday morning. I reached over to shut it off, but stopped short. My arm! It wasn't Alan's hairy arm I was looking at. It was smooth, slender, and very, very feminine. It was Alice's arm. I was still Alice!

I sat up in bed and looked down at myself. Two breasts still tented out my Sixers' T-shirt. My hair was still down to my shoulders. "Aunt Therese!" My voice was still Alice's soprano instead of Alan's tenor. "Aunt Therese, help!"

I was out of bed, out of my room, and part way down the hall by the time Aunt Therese came out of her bedroom. "Alice! What's the matter?" Then she realized what she's said, what had happened. "Oh, my Goddess! You haven't changed."

"No, I - I haven't. Why? Why haven't I changed into Alan?"

"I don't know, dear. Please follow me."

We went back into my bedroom, and she had me lay down on the bed. She sat down beside me and placed her hands on my forehead. "Close your eyes, dear, and try to relax. I'm just doing a reading, not casting a spell."

I closed my eyes and tried to calm down. I saw flashes of color as if I'd looked at a flashbulb go off. My body tingled the way your arm tingles when the circulation comes back after it's been asleep. I found myself thinking of nothing in particular, simple math problems, days of the week. It was as if something was keeping me from concentrating on anything specific, especially from concentrating on my current situation.

I'm not sure how long it lasted. I couldn't keep track of time either. Eventually, though, I heard Aunt Therese's voice. "You can open your eyes now, Alice."

"So what's the verdict? Can you change me to Alan?"

"Let me tell you a little story, Alice, and please don't interrupt."

"Umm, this doesn't sound good, but okay."

"One of your - of our great, great grandmothers was a Carpathian witch, a Druid priestess of vast power whom our great, great grandfather met while traveling through Central Europe around 1850. Ever since then, _some_ of her female descendents have had the potential for witchcraft. The girls in the family are tested by an older relative before their fifth birthday. That way, if they lack the power, they're too young to even remember being tested."

"Boys never have the potential, so they're never tested. Alan still doesn't have it. But Alice does. In fact, you have a great deal of potential, possibly as strong as my own. You have no training, but, _subconsciously_, you're using your potential to fight the transformation. Since I didn't expect you to want to stay being Alice, I didn't, shall we say, build any reinforcement into the spell. Your untrained potential is enough to stop the transformation."

"But why, why am I fighting it?"

"Be truthful with yourself - and with me, Alice. You like being a girl. You've fallen in love with Rick. You've even had sex with him - something that I never expected, by the way. I intended Alice to be shy just for that reason, to prevent her from getting serious about anyone. I believe your magic potential overcame that part of my spell."

"It made me fall in love with Rick? Why would it do that?"

"Oh, Goddess, no. Magic can't cause Love, because Love is stronger than Magic. Your potential just smashed the wards - the artificial wards - that I put up in your mind to keep you from falling in love."

"Then what I feel for Rick -"

"Is absolutely real, dear. Congratulations."

"But what are we going to do about Alan, about me?"

"In the short term, it's already done. While you were recovering from my reading, I called the school. Poor Alan's not feeling very well today, and he won't be in school today."

"And tomorrow?"

"That's for you to decide, dear. You have two choices."

"What are they?"

"You have great potential, but it's untrained. I, on the other hand, have years of training. I can rebuild the wards, so that your feelings for Rick are gone. Then I can easily change you back to Alan. In fact, I can channel your potential to end the spell, something I couldn't do otherwise until after your period, which will be coming in about a week. In fact, I'll _have_ to end the spell to keep this problem from happening again every day. Alice will be gone forever, never to be heard of again. And so will your magic potential."

"And the other choice?"

"I can use your potential to make the change permanent. Alan would be the one to disappear. You would be Alice forever, but I could train you to use that potential of yours."

"But what about Alan's life? Won't people wonder what happened to him?"

"That can be taken care of. Alan wouldn't disappear, because, as far as most people were concerned, he would _never_ have existed. You would have always been Alice Weber."

"You can do that, change reality that way?"

"No, but we - my coven and I - _can_ change memories, so everyone would believe that you had always been Alice. And we can change the documents of your life, so they all say 'Alice', rather than Alan."

"Can I think about it a while?"

"Yes, dear, but don't take too long. Whichever you choose, the spell will require time to perform properly." She smiled and left me alone in my room.

It wasn't easy. Alan or Alice, one of them - one of me - had to die. How could I choose? I thought about each of them.

Alan was who I was born to be, who I'd grown up as. He had friends - even if they were Phil and Jerry. He had a life and a future - even if he had been wasting it making trouble for himself, for Aunt Therese - and for Aunt Liz before her, and just about every other adult who came in contact with him.

Alice was who I was - now. She didn't have a life, but she was making one. Grace had become a good friend in a really short time. I wondered for a moment why I hadn't thought of Grace when I'd been thinking of Alan. Wasn't she part of his life, too?

No, I guess she really wasn't, not anymore.

Grace was Alice's friend. And Rick, Rick was her lover. I loved him, and I wanted to keep on loving him, being with him, making love to him. But if Alice was going to be with Rick, then Alan had to die.

Or did he?

There was more of Alan in Alice than there was Alice in Alan. If I chose to be Alice, a part of Alan would live on in her. If I chose Alan, then the little bit that was Alice was going to disappear. Just like Alice's potential for doing magic would disappear.

That was something else to think about. To be able to do magic, real magic, was a wonderful possibility.

I sat up in bed. "Aunt Therese, I've decided!"

*****

I'm not sure who all I expected to be in Aunt Therese's coven. I knew that Mariah from Le Moderne was. She'd admitted it when I went into her store, but who else? Jennie, the hairdresser from the "House of Style" came in with a couple of women that I didn't recognize. Ms. Hollcraft, one of the teachers at my old Junior High School, showed up about ten minutes later.

I was sitting on a chair in the center of the living room, wearing the panties and T-shirt I'd slept in beneath a white cotton robe. There was another pentagram chalked in the rug around me.

Four women showed up together, having come from the airport in the same cab. "Only a few of the members are local, dear," Aunt Therese said. "I've sent out a call to the Grand Coven, several hundred women across several states to make certain that enough can be here to properly cast the necessary spells."

By two thirty, there were about a dozen women in the room. I thought that this would be all, since no one had come for about a half hour. Then there was a knock on the door.

"Aunt Liz?" I was so surprised that I tried to get out of the chair and walk over to hug here. The - what did Aunt Therese call them - the wards, were in place, though. I could stand, barely, but I couldn't walk out of the pentagram.

Still, I didn't believe it. Aunt Liz, the woman who raised me was a witch. It couldn't be. Could it?

Aunt Liz walked slowly over to me, leaning on a cane as she walked. "Yes, Alan - excuse me, Alice. I'm also one of the witches in the family, although my powers aren't nearly as strong as Therese's are."

"But if you're a witch, why couldn't you heal yourself? That has to be easier magic than changing me into a girl."

"Actually, dear, it isn't. My illness is genetic, something like Hodgkin's Disease that only shows up in later life. It's a part of me at the most basic level. The healing spells have been cast, but they'll take over a year to work. During that time, I couldn't possibly do anything as strenuous as care for a boy like you - like Alan. Or a girl like Alice. But I _did_ want to be here to help bring you - bring Alice into the family. I love you, dear, and I'm very proud of you."

"As am I," Aunt Therese said, coming over to join us. We all hugged one another. "Shall we begin?"

Five of the women, Aunt Therese and Mariah among them, sat down at the points of the star within the pentagram. The others stood behind them, joining hands. Aunt Therese began to chant something in a language that I couldn't begin to understand. The others picked up the chant. They got louder and louder. I could almost feel the power of their voices passing through my body.

Suddenly the women began to glow, Aunt Therese first, then the rest of them. The glow was pulsing, green in color, like a living neon light between them. Then it flowed forward along the lines of the pentagram and towards me. It hit me from all sides at once. It felt like standing in the surf as wave after wave hit me. I felt it flow through me, warming every part of my body. It was a strong, a powerful feeling, and I enjoyed it.

Then, as quickly as it hit, the feeling seemed to leave my body. It shot upwards. I looked up to see a golden pulse fly to, fly through the ceiling and disappear.

I looked at Aunt Therese and silently mouthed "What?"

"The spell has changed you, Alice. Now it's changing everyone and everything else in the town. In a few moments, there will be no memory, no evidence that Alan Webster ever existed."

I stood up and found that I could leave the pentagram. In fact, as I stepped forward, the pentagram left me. The chalk marks just faded from the rug. I hugged Aunt Therese, then Aunt Liz, then all the other women.

Aunt Therese smiled at me. "Why don't you go upstairs and get dressed, Alice?"

I ran up to my room. There was no sign of Alan. Now all four walls were pink. So was my PC. The clothes in the closet and in the dresser were all girl's clothes. There were pictures on the wall, Grace and I in Girl Scout uniforms at summer camp, a ten-year old Alice in a ballet costume with a pair of pink slippers hanging down from the frame. There were a bunch of old dolls on a shelf where my old baseball glove had always been.

It was Alice's room. It always had been Alice's room.

I stripped off the T-shirt. It was still a Sixers' shirt, but now the emblem was on a pink shirt with a female cut to it. I tossed it and the panties into the hamper, and got a new panty and bra set out of the dresser. I put on my lovely, frilly _girl's_ underwear, then pulled on a pair of jeans I'd nevr seen before.

There were several more pairs of jeans, plus a few pair of slacks in the closet. I guess Aunt Therese's restrictions didn't apply now that I was Alice for real.

I picked out a pretty blue blouse and put it on. Then I sat down at the make-up table and applied a bit of lipstick and a little blusher. A bracelet on my left wrist and a pair of sandals on my feet, and I was ready to go back downstairs.

I thought that I'd only been a few minutes, and I expected all the women to still be there, so I could thank them again. But, by the time I came back downstairs, they were all gone except for Aunt Liz.

"I just stayed long enough to say a proper goodbye to my pretty new niece," she said kissing me gently on the cheek. "Don't worry, by the way. Not even the rest of the family remembers Alan."

"I'm taking Elizabeth to the airport," Aunt Therese said. "I won't be back until her flight leaves, sometime around 5:30. If you're willing to put on a dress, I shall take you out to dinner to celebrate your new status."

"That sounds wonderful, Aunt Therese." I hugged her. "Thank you. Thank you for everything."

"You may think otherwise once I begin your training, my girl. I'm told that I can be a true witch - spelled with a 'w' or a 'b' - as a teacher."

Aunt Liz winked at me. "Don't believe her, Alice. She's a pussycat." She hugged me. It felt just as good as when I was five. "You apply yourself, and you can show me what you've learned when I come back in a few months for a proper visit."

"Let's get going, Elizabeth, before you completely undermine my authority." Aunt Therese tried to sound angry, but she was smiling as they both headed out the door.

*****

It was almost four when I heard the door again, too early for Aunt Therese to be back unless something was wrong.

I was watching TV. Even if I was a girl now, I still couldn't get into soap operas. I was watching an old war movie on one of the cable channels. The action parts weren't as much fun as they had been for Alan, but I did enjoy them some. Besides, there was a romance between one of the soldiers and a French partisan that Alice was enjoying.

I went over and answered the door. It was Grace, Grace and Johnny MacGuire and, best of all, Rick.

"Hey, Alice," Grace said. "They told us you were sick. Can we come in?"

"Oh, yes. It was just some kind of stomach flu. I'm feeling much better. In fact, Aunt Therese says that I'll have to go to school tomorrow."

"Great," Rick said. "I missed you." He gave me a polite peck on the cheek.

"I brought some homework from a couple of your classes," Grace said. She handed me a sheet of paper. I recognized the handwriting of two of my teachers. Read more of _Jane Eyre_ and study the next chapter of Spanish. Johnny also had an assignment sheet for me. I had about a dozen Algebra problems to do and was reminded that my civics paper was due on Friday. Mr. Holgar said I could have an extension if I sent in a note from Aunt Therese saying that I wouldn't be back to school before Thursday.

"I guess I'd better get started," I said.

"The heck you will, girl," Grace said. "Your friends are here for a visit and you're stuck with us for a while."

"Yeah," Rick said. "You wouldn't want to be rude and chase us out, would you?"

"Never," I said. I hugged Grace, Johnny, and Rick. I put a little extra when I hugged Rick. I gave him a little kiss, too. I turned off the TV and we sat on the couch, Johnny and Grace sitting next to each other and holding hands. As far as they were concerned, they'd been dating for over a year. We just sat there, talking about nothing in particular, the way longtime friends - what we were now - always do.

The End

Notes:

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