Trick of the Mind - 05 by Maeryn Lamonte Melanie Ezell's big closet ultimate writer's challenge — Written From The Heart Thanks to Wren Erendae Phoenix for editing/proofing. I loved this dress for its simple elegance and the delightfully sensual feel it gave, but I also hated it because it represented the break in my relationship with my parents. Somewhat dejectedly I sat down to some more revision.

At about midday there was a gentle knock on my door. I had been so preoccupied with my studies and trying to blot out the nightmare memories associated with the dress I was wearing that I had lost track of time. I looked at the book and realised that I was two chapters ahead of where I needed to be in preparation for the following day’s test.

I stood up and walked to the door, aware for the first time in several hours of the soft caress of the cotton petticoats on my silk clad legs.

It was Jenny.

“Hey good looking,” she greeted me with a grin and a kiss. “You look fabulous, what’s the occasion?”

“You think so?” I responded with a twirl, “I thought I look a bit of a prat with all the body hair showing.”

“I take it your still wearing a dress then? I mean I don’t see a lot of body hair…”

“Oh, sorry for a moment I thought this was real, in which case I’m getting altogether too used to it.”

She stepped past me into the room.

“So like I said, why the posh togs?”

I explained about the dressing up for Sundays thing. It turned out she approved.

“We might just have to keep hold of that tradition when things return to normal,” she said. “So what do you think you’re wearing then? You don’t seem that happy about it.”

I described the clothes and the events that had surrounded the last time I’d seen them.

“Oh I guess that explains the long face then. Still, time to cheer up. For the first time in a very long while the sun is out on a Sunday, and in March too. I’ve made us a picnic and thought it might be nice to go down by the lake and soak up some of these usual rays.”

She looked past me to the desk.

“That is assuming you’ve had enough of that book…”

“Sounds good,” I said. “I’ve read as much as I need to so why not?”

“You’d better get changed then. Get your swimming togs on so we can do some sunbathing, and put something on over the top that you won’t mind getting a few grass stains on.”

Jen was dressed in a simple backless sundress with a delicate floral pattern; I could see the straps of her bikini showing as she stood with her back to me. She looked eminently desirable.

I quickly pulled off the red dress and hung my shirt and trousers up in the wardrobe. I made sure she had her back turned and slipped out of my undies and into a pair of swimming shorts. The usual jeans and tee-shirt followed and in no time I was standing next to her in the exact same outfit she was wearing, right down to the sandals.

She gave me an expectant look and raised an eyebrow. I turned her to look at the mirror.

“Imagine me in the exact same outfit,” I told her, “right down to the blue bikini straps showing at the back.”

“Ooh, what I wouldn’t pay to see you in a bikini sometime.”

“Not with this much body hair,” I replied.

“Well we may have to do something about that then.”

She rummaged in her bag for a while and then passed over a couple of tubes of cream.

“It’s hair remover,” she told me, “I figured you might want some after the way you looked when you were wearing that dress for real yesterday. I mean as long as you’re going around thinking you’re dressed like a girl you might as well enjoy the full experience. If anyone asks you can always say that your girlfriend prefers her men hairless.

“Oh, the smaller tube is a body cream to use after you’ve used the hair remover. It kind of soothes any residual tenderness.

“Yeah, and I’d wait until everyone’s asleep before using it. It smells a bit and people might wonder what you’re up to.”

I thanked her and put the gift down on my desk. It really was unusually warm for the time of year, so I just grabbed my wallet and keys and we stepped out.

After I’d locked the door, I made to put the wallet and keys in my jeans pockets, and somehow found myself carrying a small handbag with a shoulder strap. My brain had to be working overtime with the details.

We made our way down to the lake hand in hand. I could swear I could feel the sun on my back, and the sensation of a gentle breeze moving about under my dress brought a contented smile to my face and grunt of appreciation.

Jen laughed, “You really do get a kick out of this don’t you?”

I smiled at her. “I don’t know. A lot of the time, yeah, I guess so. I love the way a skirt or dress feels and the way it moves, but I’d be happy for this to stop now. I’ve had some fun with it and would be glad to get myself rooted back in reality again.”

“How long do you think it will last?”

I shrugged. “I have absolutely no idea. I had thought it would wear off by now. Maybe a day or two more, a week. I hope no longer.”

“What will you do if it lasts longer?” There was a serious look in her eyes.

I thought about it for a while. “I don’t know,” I replied. “I might have to look up Mr Mysterio and ask him to undo the trance.”

“He may not be very receptive. I mean you did make a bit of a fool out of him.”

“Well hopefully he’s not such a unpleasant git as he made out on stage the other night. I don’t want to be stuck like this.”

“Why not? I mean this is ideal for you isn’t it? You get to wear what you want and nobody else knows or is upset by it.”

“Well for one thing people might guess if I keep acting girly. You figured it out.”

“Yes but I was looking for something. Don’t forget I’ve known you for a while now and I was there when you went up on the stage so I saw the change, even if I didn’t click at first. You don’t let it show that much and I doubt anyone else would pick up on it.”

“Well, beyond that I don’t know. I’m not sure how to say it, but it doesn’t feel right. Maybe it’s a bit like something is being done to me each day and I don’t have any control over it. I mean what if I wanted to wear jeans and a tee-shirt one day?”

“What like you are now?”

“Yes exactly, I mean that’s what you and everyone else sees, but to me it’s a sundress. I don’t get to do what I want.”

“Seems like a small enough price to pay.”

I was feeling uncomfortable about this line of conversation, “Maybe it won’t come to that,” I said and changed the subject.

There were quite a few other people down at the lake; Jen’s idea had obviously made its way into a number of brains. We found ourselves a quietish spot and set out the food.

After we’d eaten Jen pulled off her sundress and lay out on her front. After a moment’s uncertainty I stripped off as well.

Jen opened an eye and squinted up at me. “You look like a perfectly ordinary boy wearing swimming shorts,” she murmured. “Now get out of the way of the sun.”

I don’t know how long we lay there. After a while Jen pulled out some suntan lotion and started rubbing it into her skin. I took over and completed her back, then she did the same for me. Usually I hated the stuff as it clogged up the hairs on my arms and chest, but with Jen doing the honours it became a pleasant experience.

Right up until the moment she said “Uh oh.”

“What is it?” I mumbled.

“Well it seems the power of suggestion is more powerful than one might first expect.”

I sat up and looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“Look for yourself,” she said nodding at my shoulder and trying hard to suppress a grin.

I glanced down at myself and the straps of my imaginary bikini top.

“I don’t see anything.”

“Try moving your straps a bit.”

I reached up a hand and did as I was bid.

“What the…”

I grabbed quickly for my shirt and pulled it on then did the same with my jeans.

“How on earth did that happen?” I wondered.

“I have no idea, but I think you look kinda cute with tan lines.” She couldn’t help giggling and one or two of our immediate neighbours were looking up curiously.

“It’s probably time we were thinking of heading back anyway,” I said. The sun was getting low and the warmth of the afternoon was beginning to fade.

“I guess you’re right,” Jen replied and started to gather our things together.

We walked back in silence. For my part I was too preoccupied with this latest discovery.

When we arrived back at my room, I stripped off the sundress and bikini top. There was no question; my chest had two very distinct white areas where my breasts would have been had I possessed any, and pale strap lines running over my shoulders and around my back.

“Well even if this does stop in the next few days, I’m not going to be able to go around topless for a while.”

“I’ll get you some artificial tan next time I go to the chemists. Girls deal with this sort of thing all the time. Don’t worry; I’ll get you fixed up.”

We chatted for a while and I ended up cooking tea for us. Nothing special just cheese on toast and some baked beans. Student budget you understand.

Jen was still fascinated by the clothes I’d found myself wearing, especially the nightwear, and had fallen about in gales of laughter when I mentioned the sheer Arabian Nights style outfit I’d worn the other night. I asked her what she usually wore and she went into some detail describing the short, pale pink satin chemise with thin shoulder straps and lacy cups she was currently using.

After tea Jen made her excuses and headed home.

“You may have done all you need to for tomorrow, but I still have an assignment to finish this evening. Don’t walk me home tonight, we’ll only end up chatting for half an hour before I go in and I really need to get this done.”

We kissed goodnight and she headed off.

Since the hall was pretty empty I picked up the tubes of cream she’d given me earlier and headed for the showers.

She was right the stuff did stink a bit, but half an hour later, having followed the instruction to the letter, most of my body hair was lying in the bottom of the shower and most of my body was covered with the soothing body cream, easing the slight burning sensation the depilatory had left in my skin.

I slipped on my pyjamas and admired my newly hairless body dressed in the pale pink satin chemise that my imagination had conjured when Jen described hers earlier. I actually looked and felt quite feminine for a change, and enjoyed the experience of padding about the hall in my nightie and bunny slippers before heading off to bed for an early night.