He should never have made the bet. I don’t know a lot, but I know that much. Ethan should never have looked Darren and his posse in the eyes and bet them $20 that he could get a girl to dance with him. He was doomed from the start.

Ethan wasn’t a bad-looking guy - he was just painfully shy. This does not serve you well in the tenth grade. I thought about this as he sat glumly on the bleachers, watching everyone else have a good time.

I’d just got done dancing with a pretty girl when I came and sat down next to him.

“I can’t believe it, Caden. I really thought I could do it,” he sighed.

“I did too,” I agreed. “Hey, there’s still time.”

“Yeah,” he said. There were still 45 minutes left in the dance, but he seemed resigned to his fate.

Suddenly an idea had crept into my mind. Something I thought I never thought I would be an asset to me was the only thing I could do to help my poor, shy friend.

“Ethan,” I breathed. “I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m not feeling well.” A lie.

“Okay, well, feel better. Are you going home?”

“Yes.” A truth, but only half.

“Alright,” he sighed, and returned to his moping.

Having played basketball for several years, I knew of an alternative exit from the gym. I slipped under the bleachers, opened a secret door, and found myself in the locker room closet. I successfully opened it from the inside, and, having evaded the chaperones, I was home free. I would take this same route when I returned.

I could greatly benefit from having my house be a short walk away from school. Carefully, I scuttled across the practice football field and toward the front door of my house. A light was on in one room, as my older sister Maddie was bedridden with a broken leg. My mother was presumably asleep.

I climbed through my bedroom window, so has not to disturb Mom. Maddie was reading in bed, and jumped when I appeared on her windowsill.

“What’s up?” she asked, not looking up from her phone.

“Where’s the dress you wore for semi-formal last year?”

“You had it last, remember?”

“Oh, yeah,” I thought, recalling the fashion show we’d put on last week, before her bike accident.

I scurried into my own room and found the dress hanging in my closet. The bra and panties I’d worn with it were still there; I adjusted the padding a little bit, and soon I was good to go.

“You can use my makeup if you want,” Maddie hollered. I obliged, quickly applying gentle amounts of my sister’s best products. All I needed now was a wig.

I went with the brown one that matched my natural hair. ‘So cute,’ I thought to myself. Carefully, I brushed it out and added a headband. I knew I was doing everything out of order, but I was very much pressed for time.

None of my high heels matched the dress so I raided Maddie’s closet and found the pair she wore last year. I primped in the mirror for a minute and liked what I saw. Thankfully, my legs had just been shaved two days ago.

“You look pretty; what’s the occasion?” Maddie asked.

“Gotta get back to the dance,” I mumbled while yanking on my skirt.

She raised an eyebrow. “You’re nervous whenever we go shopping; you seem so calm.”

“I’m on a mission.” I waved my hand dismissively and made for the window.

“You want a jacket? It’s cold?” Maddie called, one last time.

“I told you! I’m good!” It was cold, though, and I soon retreated to Maddie’s closet searching for a coat as she chuckled.

“Be careful,” she warned.

“Will do.” I thought as I left how wonderful it is to have a family so accepting of my gender bending. Not many boys can casually wear “Love Pink” leggings around the house and have no one bat an eye.

I soon found myself navigating the nooks and crannies of the locker room yet again, and finding out it was harder to do so in heels. I nonchalantly mingled in with the crowd, brushing the dust bunnies out of my hair and smoothing my skirt all the while.

Suddenly, I looked at the clock - there were only ten minutes remaining! It was time to put my plan into action. I gulped and made for the spot in the bleachers where Ethan was still(!) sitting, looking helplessly at all the happy couples.

“Excuse me,” I said in a feminine voice. “I couldn’t help but notice you over here, looking so lonely. Would you like to dance?”

Ethan was speechless, but he wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity. He grabbed my hand and led me onto the floor and put his arms around me. Slowly, we got into a rhythm.

I was already a good dancer. I wasn’t the world’s best ballroom dancer, but I’d taken private ballet lessons for years with Maddie, so I had a good sense of the rhythm. The girls I’d danced with earlier that night had complimented me on my dancing skills. It was nice, and I felt like I was in charge.

But here with Ethan, I felt kind of submissive and graceful. I liked that even better. It was very odd. Check that - it was incredibly odd. With Ethan, I felt like a ballerina, floating on air, melting...

We danced for the last ten minutes of the dance, and then something really odd happened. Ethan looked me into my eyes with his - his baby blue eyes, but I digress - and kissed me on the lips. For five seconds, I didn’t know what to do.

I blushed. I gave a little giggle. I tugged on my skirt. And then I left.

I almost tripped on my heels, I bolted so fast. The last thing I saw and heard was Ethan telling Darren to pay up. He seemed to care little that his girl had just ran out on him. He’d kissed her and he wanted the world to know it.

Boys are weird.

---

I met Ethan in the cafeteria on Monday, where he couldn’t stop jabbering about his “mystery girl” he’d met at the dance. The other guys in my group hadn’t gone to the dance, and they didn’t believe him. I simply restated that I was happy for him and sorry I hadn’t seen it. He seemed satisfied with that answer.

Until they left, that is, when without looking up, Ethan muttered, “Thanks for doing that, Caden, but let’s never discuss it again.”

I was taken aback. Ethan was smarter than I thought.

“You’re welcome?” I stammered, although it came out as more of a question than a statement.

He simply smiled and left.

Now alone, I giggled, blushed, and fiddled with my jeans before setting to thinking how I could fool Ethan into dancing with me again.

I could start, I thought as I texted Maddie, by buying a new dress.