Fourteen-year-old Douglas often feels his twin gets the better of him in their deals. The latest has him trying to ensure he doesn't lose his twin's U15 soccer teams good birth into their playoffs. Their step-mum caught them trying to swap, where Douglas would do his twin's detention. So now he is playing soccer for the first time this year. Of course neither his step-mum or step-dad know this, because they thought it was Douglas's U15 soccer team. Breanne is on the girl's field hockey team.

Out Centre
By Fallen Leaf - Playing in Lilith Langtree’s The Center

Chapter 1

Douglas cursed as he was subbed back into the game, but at the position his twin loved. It was his twin’s fault he was stuck playing soccer too. He thought he had managed to salvage the problem when he had begged off as starting striker by informing the coach he was a bit under the weather and would prefer midfield. Up until the last fifteen minutes it was working too. They had been up one – nil, and the coach decided to rest both Douglas and Michael for next week’s game. Michael the relief striker had never played a full game and had been running on fumes, and Mark the team’s third and last striker had just been injured.

That was bad enough, but for reasons unknown the whole team had stopped playing and they were now down two to one. So with less than five minutes of game time he needed to score a goal. Scoring a goal would be hard enough for his twin, but for him even more so, as he never had managed to score a soccer goal in game time before. So there was no pressure, yeah, right.

The U15 league they were in had no overtime and a draw was all they needed to enter the preferred post-season bracket. A loss and they would have a short week, and have to travel instead of getting a game with home field advantage. Other than private practicing with his twin he hadn’t played soccer in nearly a year. At the beginning of this year’s season they had started to pretend to be each other during school sports time and Saturday game time, to enable Breanne to play the sport she had preferred. During their personal practice he would set up his sister, thus why he had weaseled into midfield. It had worked too, getting him an assist on Michael’s goal. He had figured he had enough skill to hopefully get away with no one noticing a different person was playing. Rather ironic if his step-parents realized the twins had been swapping places now when he was actually playing as himself.

Both of them were watching too, verses only one, due to his sister being in detention. Normally the other step-parent would be with him, pretending to be Breanne, at the other school field. He had agreed to cover Breanne’s detention but their step-mum had caught them as they started the swap. She thought he was being coerced into taking his sister’s detention and had angrily demanded to know how he could think to jeopardize the team’s post-season chances as obviously Breanne, who hadn’t played soccer in nearly a year, would be rusty. In realty he was the one that was rusty, in addition when they were in the U14 league he had played midfield to his sister’s striker. She was the more aggressive twin, and furious that girls couldn’t play with boys after thirteen.

Sure he played left center striker for Breanne, but with both wings, the girls hockey team played with four strikers, whereas the soccer coach rarely played two strikers as their coach only had three. Breanne thrived on being a glory hound. Douglas was more willing to set-up and assist another to get the glory. Even if by doing so, it meant more running and harder work.

“Get out there Douglas! Get us the goal we need!” he heard his step-dad yell as he ran onto the field.

Most kids at school did a double take when he referred to the second parent with the prefix of ‘step’. That would lead into the depressing tale of his birth mother’s death shortly after delivering the twins. This then followed by the car crash that killed their birth farther, prior to their step-mum of just over a year returning to Australia with them when they were eight. Nearly two years later they had a step-dad and only step-grandparents. Their three grandparents in the US had failed to stop their step-mum from taking them out of the country losing guardianship. They had been too busy fighting each other to realize they might want to rally around a common enemy. Then again Douglas thought that might have been the best thing as his step-mum was better than two of the US grandparents. He also couldn’t really complain about his step-dad and step-grandparents.

He missed his Grandma though. His Mum’s mum who had practically raised the twins and the person they would have happily called Mum but didn’t, because they knew she didn’t want that. She didn’t want to usurp her daughter that had given her life for the twins. Their birth Dad’s divorced parents were self-centered and no great loss to the twins.

As he ran up the field the crowd's noise brought Douglas out of his internal musing and back into thinking how he was doing as the striker in these final minutes of the game. The stress of being found out mounted and was likely the reason for him feeling so sick. He’d missed badly to the left, which only saving grace came from hitting a defender prior to going out, resulting in a corner. However, the corner was cleared, and in his other near shot on goal he lost the ball to a defender’s tackle that his sister would most likely have beaten. So that was a goose egg from the prior two chances. With the minutes ticking by and their opponent concentrating on defense it was unlikely he would get many, if any more shots on goal. Stumbling with a shot of pain that cramped his stomach and made him hobble his stride, he groaned. Not again, the stumble had slowed him down just enough so it looked like a defender would get to the cross from his right wing, before him. But, in the next moment the defender stopped moving.

Douglas forced himself to battle through the pain taking the three paces needed to get to the cross and trap the ball with his left foot. He thought he had contacted with too much force and was expecting to see the ball shoot too far right before he could get his right foot to it. However, within moments of shooting off his left foot the ball miraculously stopped dead. With the ball only slightly right of where he wanted it, he looked at the last defender and goal keeper. Due to the defender that had been running in from the left stopping, there was an open section of the goal just left of center. Kicking with the outside of his right big toe he walloped the ball at the gap with a line drive that added minimal air. He became more confused as neither defender nor goal keeper moved to attempt to fix their errors as with body leaning forward he finished the follow through of the kick.

Momentarily wondering if he had missed hearing the whistle he glanced over his left shoulder to see no one behind him moving. It wasn’t going to count he must have missed a whistle. He was clearly onside though, and couldn’t think what was being called. Returning to look at what he was sure was a goal he was boggled to see the ball floating a few inches off the ground about five feet in beyond both himself and the defender. Before he could query what was going on the ball suddenly shot forward toward the left hand goal post. With a wicked curve to the right at the last moment it pounded into the net of the goal, and movement, noise and the prior absent breeze roared back to life. Searing pain roared up both his legs and his neck screamed in agony as if it had just suffered through whiplash. Then as instantly as the acute pain arrived it was gone, and he felt so great, he wondered if he had actually imagined the pain.

Thankfully after the ball was kicked off following the successful goal there was only a bit of kicking the ball back and fro’ until the final whistle was blown. The thankful qualifier because Douglas was too confused to do much of anything as he replayed in his mind the weird goal he had just scored. He was glad, as team and coach congratulated him on saving the game. Relieved that he hadn’t let Breanne down, as he knew she would not have stopped giving him grief if he hadn’t played well enough for the team to even tie. Ecstatic that he hadn’t been found out for swapping places with his twin, and thankful with the stress gone that he was no longer feeling the pain of before.

“Way to go champ! That was a real beaut’!” his step-dad ruffled his hair.

“Great goal! You were really good at the end there.” His step-mum stated, and drew him into a hug. “So where d’you want to eat? We’ll go there after picking your sister up.”

Following his step-parents, Douglas left the school’s field and headed for the school buildings. With their eyes no longer on him, and the game over, he mulled over what had happened during the game. Had he imagined it? What the heck was that? He glanced back at the goal as if looking at the playing field would provide answers. Unfortunately none were gleaned from the look.

“Hey well done, Douglas!” Alan called out as they got closer to the school buildings where a few groups of students and parents were milling about whilst others were getting into cars and joining the line of cars jockeying to leave the school’s parking lot.

“Of course you’re all happy. Wait ‘till I get to talk to your sister. Our season is over!” Leah moaned barely giving a glance to Douglas as she passed them following her family, swinging her sports bag, with her hockey stick handle sticking out. She swung her bag to the other hand as she passed them.

Douglas watched her leaving and his euphoria of the goal collapsed. Great as usual Leah didn’t really notice him, and knowing his luck she will chew out Breanne for getting detention when he has swapped places with his twin. Then again maybe not, with their season over he didn’t need to be Breanne, so perhaps his twin would get the yelling she deserved for not being available for the game. It would be nice for a change if the swapping didn’t seem to only cause inconvenience for Douglas.

The main reason he had accepted swapping places with Breanne was so he might have a chance to get to know Leah. When he pretended to be Breanne she at least did notice him.Unfortunately it was more a competitive, nearly argumentative relationship where he was usually on the back foot not knowing what his sister had said to her earlier in the day that had her so wound up against him. It probably didn’t help that as she played the other center they were forced into a dynamic of competition.

“Come on Douglas. Let’s get the car while your mum signs the jail bird out.” His step-dad said, interrupting Douglas’s wool gathering, also getting his attention to follow him to their car. “So how about Mick’s?”

Douglas thought about it and figured it was a reasonable choice. It would make his step-dad happy and slightly annoy Breanne. “Sounds good.” He replied while wondering if his sister whom had not been burning calories would get something fried. He knew she hated the boiled options, and the Irish Pub, as his sister quoted, only fried or boiled food. Making you choose between unhealthy and un-tasty. Urban myth stated it was un-tasty, as their idea of boiling is a huge multi gallon pan of boiling water that leaches the flavor from respective orders being dunked and scooped out for serving. She would then swear that they boil their salads. That, but of course is patently untrue, for Douglas knew that they obviously quick fry and freeze those. How else could they be so tasty and not destroy the whole tasty food is fried moto.

Douglas smirked at Breanne’s groan when they arrived at Mick’s. The smirk to ensure she knew that it was to annoy her that he chose the place. Well one of the reasons anyway. The place was fairly crowded. It was a typical Saturday later afternoon rush of mainly families getting a late lunch or early dinner. Douglas noticed a few kids from his school and Breanne headed off to a table where her friend, Nicole was sitting, stealing a couple of Nicole’s fries as she sat at their table. He continued with his step parents following the hostess to their own table, not seeing anyone he really called a friend around.

As they turned a corner, Douglas failed to notice John sticking a leg out from his seat to trip him. Surprised he fell forward and instinctively raised his arms to absorb the forward fall then realized he wasn’t falling, but hanging unbalanced at the midpoint of the fall with all of the restaurant noise cut off. Looking around he saw no one was moving. It was exactly the same as what had occurred during the soccer match. This time he knew that it wasn’t due to a missed whistle. Somehow time had stopped. As panic threatened to overwhelm him a crazy thought caused him to snort back a laugh. Namely if time was off taking a breather maybe he should take a load off and ignore the reason for a panic attack. If it re-started he wouldn’t need to worry anymore, and if it didn’t well he obviously wouldn’t be rushed by time to find out a solution.

It only left him with the problem of how to recover. Was he frozen too? No he was thinking, and had moved his head to look around the restaurant. Feeling really odd he lifted the one of his feet that had been trapped by John’s leg, he slammed his foot down on John’s ankle then stepped over it and then walked around to the side of his step dad so no one was anywhere near John. It was weird not only did time stand still but it would appear that he could choose which fundamental laws he desired to still be active while time was taking a breather. As until he removed his trapped foot he had been hanging outstretched and unbalanced in mid-fall. From which while hanging in the air and giving gravity a raspberry he was able to move his trapped leg and not worry about the unbalanced sections of his anatomy having to also follow the rules. Now he was safely positioned, how did he get time to start once more he wondered?

Douglas realized that time had restarted when he heard John yell in pain. “Fu… Douglas you twit! You might have broken my leg!”

“He is nowhere near you. Also the only reason for you to have your leg so far out into the aisle is to try to trip someone. I bet you rushed too late sticking your leg out to try to trip Douglas and rolled your ankle.” Douglas’s step dad defended Douglas, wrapped his arm around him, and drew him away from John’s table. While daring John Senior to disagree. It appeared that the son was just like his father and he wasn’t going to let the idiots ruin their family time. With neither John having a comeback the Parson’s continued to their table and early dinner.

It was rather ironic but Douglas nearly managed to find a further way for the steps to work out about the swapping when he ordered without thinking. Well actually he had been thinking.He had recalled the stomach pains of earlier and thought to order light to appease the upset stomach. Of course normally the Saturday meal after a game was played he would still be Breanne and ordering a salad and forgot he was not Breanne. Breanne would happily be ordering a half pound of grease with cheese, bacon, fries and a leaf of lettuce as a token vegetable to mop the lard with. He actually enjoyed the salads here and was left with confused steps and an angry sister that hissed into his ear that if he had ordered correctly he could have still had his bloomin’ salad, when she switched with him.

Douglas felt shards of pain in his gut and struggled to get to the ball that had been passed from his right wing. The pain in his stomach became so unbearable he just wanted to roll up into a ball but he must get to the ball before the defender. His legs were shooting beams of pain back up to his torso and he had to lean on his hockey stick to stop himself from collapsing. If he didn’t get moving he would let the defender get to the ball and miss his chance to getting the needed goal. His sister would never let him live it down.

Pushing off on his stick he somehow was able to now be in front of the ball and the defender coming in from the left had stopped. The goal keeper was also stopped too far right leaving the left side of the goal open for his shot that he swung his hockey stick to drive into the soccer ball.Soccer ball? Looking at himself he was wearing Breanne’s field hockey uniform but he was on the soccer field. The defender and goal keeper were in boys soccer uniform. They had frozen because of being startled seeing Douglas in drag complete with hockey stick on the boys soccer field.

The football barely moved five feet as the hockey stick didn’t drive it as a kicking leg would have done. Suddenly Douglass could hear the crowd screaming “Look at the bloomin’ poofter!” and comments about “He’s wearing a skirt!” or “Have you ever seen girl’s legs on a boy!” Douglas couldn’t work out how he was suddenly dressed in the girl’s hockey uniform. While trying to escape the field he sees his sister running onto the field, “You should have let me play! You should have taken my detention! Now everyone knows you’re a girl!”

“What!” Douglas yelled while sitting up suddenly in his dark bedroom. Trying to turn on the lamp that was on the side table.He fumbled and knocked it off. Thank fully he was able to grab it before it even started to fall and placed it back down carefully. However, turning the switch didn’t turn it on. The bedside clock showed it was three-twenty-four in the morning. He had to get out of bed and shuffle to the door in the minimal lighting from the night sky and street lights that trickled in through his window. He nearly fell as he crossed the room as something felt wrong. Maybe the earlier stomach cramps were a precursor to getting sick as he felt dizzy and unbalanced.

Getting to the door he flicked the switch for the bedroom light, but it, like the lamp, didn’t turn on. There couldn’t be a power cut as his clock showed it to be still three-twenty-four. It was odd for both bulbs to have blown at the same time. Perhaps there was an earlier power surge or something. Anyway being up told him that he needed to visit the bathroom so he opened his door and quietly headed that way.

Douglas nearly cursed when the bathroom light also failed to turn on. He turned on the vanity mirror lights and the vent and when they didn’t turn on, figured there must be a power cut. Did his clock have battery back-up? Well he really needed to go, and as long as he didn’t close the door his eyes were more or less able to see in the half light from the landing window. Lifting the lid and seat to the toilet he then reached into his pajama bottoms for his member. As Douglas reached closer to his groin in ever increasing worry his hand finally brushed something just prior to the inside of his legs. The startling reaction to roughly and suddenly coming in contact with the nub sent numerous dichotomous feelings flying along numerous new nerves to his brain. He only just managed to stop himself from peeing all over the floor by clamping down hard, swiveling dropping pajama pants and squatting over the toilet with the seat he might have liked to sit on, up against his back. The pleasure of releasing the pee was unfortunately erased with the panicked concern of how his dick seemed to have shrunk inside his body.

Barely stopping himself from collapsing into the toilet he was startled by the bathroom light, vanity mirror lights and vent all suddenly turning on. Through the open bathroom door he could see his bedroom light was also now on too. He also could now see that his pajama top had two bumps beneath it. He had breasts! He also had released some pee onto the floor before he managed to get into the new position this body needed for that bodily function. Jumping first to turn off the vent before it woke someone, and then closing the door, he then finally cleaned up the mess on the floor and flushed the loo. As he calmed down enough to be able to pay attention to himself he realized he had wet his pajama bottoms a bit. So he took them off and looked at the new him, or probably more correct her, between his legs. What was he going to do?

His new breasts looked huge. How did Breanne hide hers when she pretended to be him? Breanne! She could help him look like himself so no one needed to find out. He detoured from going straight to Breanne’s room when he saw both his lamp and bedroom light needed turning off. Then realized he needed new pajama bottoms as his sister might just scream if he woke her up without bottoms on. Lastly he dumped his old pajamas into the linen basket and then quietly entered his sister’s room.

“Breanne! Wake-up” Douglas quietly pestered his sister.

“Douglas stop pestering me or I will get you in so much trouble!” Breanne half asleep, disgruntledly whined back.

“I have a huge problem! You need to help me Breanne!”

“I bloody well don’t have to help you with that!”