The Other Side of Me – Part 5
by Limbo’s Mistress

As a guy, I hated taking a bath. Not the act of bathing, mind you, but the practice of sitting in a too-shallow basin of water wasting time that could be better spent doing something else. I preferred to jump into a scalding hot spray, scrub the grime from all my nooks and crannies, then get out and on with my life. Easy, simple, done.

However, as I lounged in the steaming garden tub, the water slowly lapping at my upper chest, I couldn’t deny that the sensation was rather pleasurable. Calming, even. I couldn’t be sure if my change in opinion was due to Charlene’s more sensitive skin or from the fact that lying there soaking provided me with a chance to just … absorb.

Reflect.

The bath had been Katie’s idea. After dropping the news that in a few days’ time I’d be bleeding profusely from an area that, for guys, just wasn’t supposed to bleed, she suggested I retreat to the sanctuary embrace of the tub.

“Charlene has a habit of taking really long baths when she’s stressed. Especially in the evening.” She shrugged. “She says it helps slow her mind and allows her to get to sleep easier.”

I continued to stare dumbly at my little sister’s duplicate, neurons still processing the information she’d just unhappily imparted to me. A bath? Hell, I sort of doubted a round of elephant tranquilizers would be able to put a dent in the speed of my racing thoughts.

Did Charlene use pads? Or tampons? Those were the only two choices, right? Was there a third option available? I barely knew how to sit and walk like a girl, now I was expected to just … menstruate? Did it just flow out on its own? Or did it collect to be released in timely intervals? Like a bladder? Would I be able to tell when it was time to let go and let it loose?

My legs decided a repeat of the lab incident was in order. Thankfully, this time my bottom landed on Katie’s bed, rather than on a concrete floor.

“I’m completely unprepared for this,” I moaned. Every ounce of confidence I’d gathered over the past two hours, every molecule of assurance, simply vaporized. Before I even knew what was happening, I could feel hot, wet drop sliding down my cheeks as my vision blurred.

“Oh, Chuck,” Katie said softly, leaning over to wrap her arms around me. “It’s okay. Really. Every girl goes through her first cycle. You’re just doing it at nineteen, rather than thirteen.”

I wiped one cheek with the back of my hand, turning my face toward her.

“Thirteen?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “That’s when Charlene started. She was actually ahead of most of her friends. They were jealous.” She laughed a little. “Charlene wanted to curl into a hole and die.”

I sniffled. “I can sympathize.”

Katie squeezed me again. “I know the idea probably scares you. Or grosses you out. Or both. But you’ll pull through it. I promise.”

I nodded, sniffling again. Jesus, what was with the tears? I hadn’t cried in years. Not since I took a bad tumble at a regional meet, twisted my knee, and was sure my running days were totally over.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, wiping at my eyes again. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Well, I think the beginning of your problem was getting trapped in my sister’s body. If this is the first time you’ve broken down since the incident, I’m pretty impressed. If I suddenly woke up in another universe with a boy’s body, I think I’d scream bloody murder for hours.”

I shook my head, unable to refrain from smiling. “I doubt it. If you’re like my Katie, you’re tougher than that.”

She grinned and leaned her forehead against mine.

“So are you, Chuck. So are you.”

After she’d convinced me that a long, luxurious bath would work wonders, I stood up and walked toward the door. Right before I left the room, however, the brat in her had to have one last dig at my expense.

“Look on the bright side, Charlie.”

I turned around and gave her an incredulous stare. “What bright side?”

“As much as I know you’re dreading what’s coming, it could be worse.”

“How?”

She winked. “You could be pregnant.”

I didn’t bother to respond, though for a second I was sure I was going to throw up right there in the doorway.

“You’re evil,” I said. “Pure evil.”

“I know,” she said with a little giggle. Then she pointed toward the hallway. “Go. Enjoy your bath.”

I remained reclined in the water as it went from scalding, to hot, to warm, then to lukewarm. Then I drained most of it and filled it up again back to scalding. I’d already washed when I’d first gotten in, squirting a generous amount of lavender-scented body wash on a bright purple loofa that had a plastic “C” attached to it.

The washing itself had been a unique experience. The slightly rough surface of the loofa felt great along my arms and legs and abdomen. Not so great, though, across my new, larger nipples.

“Guess we’ll be hand-washing those puppies,” I said to the steamy air around me.

I even managed to wash my lady bits with my hands without getting too wigged out about it. Or turned on, which was another thing I was not quite ready to face. Being in Charlene’s body, would I have her sex drive? Or would my old male one still be calling the shots? I really hoped it was the former. While not a horndog in the classical sense, I couldn’t come close to calling myself a prude.

My plan was to be back where I belonged long before the concept of sex or sexual desire reared its ugly head. However, there was still that possibility that I might never get home. What then? I couldn’t just run off to a nunnery and take a vow of chastity.

If that were the case, would I start finding guys attractive? I closed my eyes and pictured Jackson. Sure, he was a complete dork, but he wasn’t bad looking. Through the portal of knowing him for such a long time, I could see how Charlene might have eventually decided he was a great catch.

For Charles, though, the thoughts did nothing. Other than a bit of annoyance at the predicament his little experiment had put me in. No spark whatsoever.

My mind turned to Samantha Thomas.

Back in my universe, we weren’t officially dating. Instead, what me and the captain of the girl’s soccer team had was mutual respect and bodies that fit well together when naked. We’d had sex just a few times, but I felt like there might be something more developing between us. Something beyond just the physical.

Memories flooded my brain. The way her body felt against mine. The way she liked to lick seductively along the side of my neck, and nibble on my ear, while gyrating up and down slowly on top of me. The little gasping squeal she made right at the moment of orgasm. The feel of her lips and tongue as she went down on me.

My eyes flipped open like window shades, and I sat bolt upright in the tub. The tiny nubs on the tops of my breasts were rock hard and pointed. My face felt flush and, despite my lower half being submerged beneath the semi-soapy water, I could feel a slick wetness between my legs.

“Okay, that’s enough of that,” I said, standing up to flip the drain with one foot while I turned on the shower to rinse the last vestiges of soap from my body. “No need to get all hot and bothered over a girl who may not even exist in this universe.”

Although, a little voice in the back of my head whispered, the Samantha back home is bi. Which would work out well for we’re stuck here.

I shook my head back and forth to quiet silence it, and turned the spray all the way to cold. Within seconds, I was a shivering, trembling mess.

But at least I was no longer aroused.

When I got back to my room, I changed into the peach underwear set, slipped back into the robe, and went downstairs to grab something to drink.

Katie’s door was closed, but light peeked out from beneath. The sound of music, playing at a far lower volume than before, emanated from within. I continued past, descending the steps two at a time.

In the kitchen, I pulled open the fridge, and grabbed a bottle of water from within. As I let the door swing closed, I heard the sound of the front door opening and closing. My eyes drifted up to the clock on the wall. 10:13.

“Charlie! Katie!” my dad, Charlene’s dad, called from the living room. “I’m home.”

I drew in a breath, released it slowly, then pushed a smile on my face as I padded out to greet my father’s alternate universe duplicate.

“Hey, Daddy,” I started, trying to sound like I expected Charlene might. “How was your …”

My voice died instantly in my throat as I prayed to any god that would listen to keep the shock in my soul from registering on my face.

My dad was a financial analyst for a large investment firm. However, despite the fact that he sat behind a desk for ten or more hours a day, he kept himself in pretty decent shape for a man in his late-forties. He and mom went for a walk nearly every evening after dinner and played tennis on the weekends with some of their friends. During the colder months, the two of them would get temporary memberships at the local gym, just to keep the holiday gains to a minimum.

The man standing in the living room smiling at me was not the same man I’d seen in person three days earlier. This man was around fifty pounds heavier, with extremely noticeable darkened circles beneath both of his eyes. His shirt bulged over the spare tire of a belly, the buttons looking as if they were holding together with everything they had.

“Hey, Charlie,” he said, crossing the room in my direction. “Thanks for coming home to look after Katie. I know you’d rather have been spending time with Jackson. So I really appreciate you helping out.”

“Uh,” I said, still trying to reconcile what I was looking at with what I’d fully expected to see. I dared to say is was even more jarring than looking at girl me in the mirror. “Yeah, uh, no problem.”

“Daddy!” Katie said from above us. She bounded down the steps and wrapped her arms around our father’s robust middle. “You’re home!”

When he grinned down at her, she turned her face in my direction and fixed me with a hard stare that conveyed her thoughts as clearly as if she’d shouted them aloud.

Stop acting like Charlie and act like Charlene.

I gave her a nod and walked over to give the man that looked enough like my own dad to be related a quick hug.

“Well,” he said, still smiling widely as he looked between the two of us. “I have to say it’s nice to come home and find you two getting along.”

“Daddy, we always get along.” Katie chided playfully.

“Right,” he said to her before turning to me. “Thanks again for coming home.”

I nodded and took a step back, appraising the man before me.

This was my father in a world without my mother. A man who’d lost the love of his life and was coping the best way he could. It was all too easy to imagine the decline. Without her, the evening walks would be lonely and painful. The tennis sessions would stop as the thought of being around happy couples became more than he could bear. Eventually, he would find his life revolving around eating, sleeping, and working.

A driven, strong man, one who’d been my inspiration for years, reduced to mere existence. A cold chill drifted up my spine as I realized the all-too-likely scenario of him waiting until Charlene and Katie were both off on their own, then taking his own life. The though made my heart ache.

Charlene’s father extracted himself from Katie and headed toward the kitchen.

“I hope you two girls left me some pizza. The drive-thru at Burger Warfare was a mile long, so I just kept driving. I’m starving.”

“Yeah, there’s still some left,” I said. Then I glanced over at Katie. To her credit, she waited until he was out of the room before moving closer to me.

“What is up with you?” she said in a low voice. “I thought you were going to freak out.”

“I nearly did. My dad is … thinner.”

She tilted her head to the side. “Thinner?”

“Yeah, he’s fit. Not like a gym rat or anything. But in surprisingly good shape for his age.” I shrugged. “If he started getting anywhere near that size, mom would give him an earful.”

She stared at me for a second. “Oh, yeah. Your mom is still alive.” She sounded like I’d just kicked her in the stomach.

I don’t know why, but I reacted by grabbing her into a tight hug, crushing her against my chest. We stood there for a few seconds, holding each other as if we’d been sisters forever.

“Two slices??” the man in the kitchen called out sarcastically, breaking the moment of bonding. “You girls left me two measly slices?”

I let out a laugh, despite myself. The man might not look exactly like the dad I remembered, but he sure did sound like him. Katie giggled softly as well.

“Thank you,” she said, slipping out of my arms. “It’s been a while since, uh, Charlene has hugged me.”

I nodded. “Well, anytime you want one, just take it. I’m happy to oblige.”

“Do you often hug your little sister?”

I gave my head a shake. “I used to. But then, uh, she grew up. And out. So it seemed a little pervy to do it anymore. I mean, other than an over the shoulder, friendly-like, hug.

She smiled. “But it didn’t feel pervy just now?”

I thought about it for a second, then shrugged. “I guess not.”

“Good. It means you’re starting to think of yourself as a girl. We’re making progress.”

She turned around and drifted back up the steps, leaving me there to ponder her words. When I’d put my arms around her, I hadn’t felt the least bit weird about it. Almost as if it were the most natural thing in the world. What did that mean, exactly? Was my new body having more of an influence over my thoughts and emotions than Jackson had anticipated? He’d said there was likely some type of “echo” of Charlene in my brain. It was possible that little bit was overriding a few of my more normal masculine reactions.

Hopefully, those echoes would fade. Or, at least, not grow any stronger. Otherwise, the line between Charles and Charlene might start to blur even more. Which would not be a good thing at all.

I popped my head into the kitchen, my eyes settling on the man at the table with a slice of reheated pizza in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. He quickly swallowed the mouthful of food and set the half-eaten slice on his plate.

“You going out?” he asked, sounding a little sad.

I almost pointed at my lack of clothing as a response. Then I realized that he knew damned well how I was dressed. Which meant there was a real possibility that Charlene might throw on some clothes and take off for a while. As for me, the day had been way too exhausting for that.

Shaking my head, I flashed him a smile. “Not tonight. Thought I might turn in early. Get a good night’s rest.”

He returned my grin. “Sounds like a winning plan to me, Charlie. Good night.”

“Night … Daddy.”

Back up in my room, I closed the door and made my way over to the bed. While pulling back the thick comforter, I noticed the message light on my phone, sitting on the nightstand, was blinking. When I picked it up and touched my thumb to the scanner, the screen flared to life showing that I’d missed six messages.

The first was from Jackson, wanting to let me know that he was willing to do whatever I needed to be comfortable until he could get me back home. He apologized for not warning Charlene to not touch the screen while it was active.

The next three were from a girl listed in the contacts as “Shelly.” I wondered if this was the mysterious “Michelle” Katie had mentioned earlier. The first text asked if I was up for going to DJ’s party this evening. The second was a snide comment that I was ignoring her first text because I was busy “playing doctor” with Jackson. The last was a photo of a back yard filled with dozens of people, all of whom seemed to have an alcoholic beverage in their hands. The text beneath the photo told me I was lame and that she’d see me tomorrow.

It was the last two that nearly made me drop my phone. They had both come in while I was downstairs with Katie and Charlene’s dad. There was no name listed. Just a number. The first asked if I was busy at the moment. However, the last message, dated about a minute before I’d come into the room, was a lot more eye-opening.

“Really had a good time the other night,” it said in dark red letters in a light blue word bubble. “We need to do it again soon.”

Do what???

* * * * * * * * *

My sleep was fitful and tenuous. At first, I couldn’t get that mysterious text message out of my mind. Sure, it might have been something completely innocuous. It didn’t necessarily indicate that something illicit was taking place in Charlene’s private life. Maybe she had gone out with a friend from the cheer team. That was possible, right?

Only, why not put the sender’s contact info into the phone?

The nagging of the unknown identity of the person on the other end of the text kept me awake for at least an hour. After I finally did drift off, I woke up a short time later feeling like I was being constricted around the upper chest. Half-asleep, I pawed at myself, trying to fend of the python curling around me. It took couple of seconds before my brain actually engaged enough to realize that it was the bra.

“Jesus,” I snarled, throwing back the covers to climb out of bed. “How am I expected to get comfortable with this thing trying to choke the life out of me?” I grappled with the back catch, finally managing to unhook the tabs. I yanked the offensive undergarment off, threw it on the floor, and flopped back into the bed.

I was asleep less than thirty seconds later.

If I dreamed, it was fleeting and ethereal. The next sensation of awareness was the soulless blaring of the phone’s alarm. Head still under the comforter, I fumbled around on the nightstand until my fingers brushed against the side of the offending device and mercifully silenced it.

It felt like the middle of the night, and when I reluctantly pulled the covers from my face, I noticed the room was completely pitch dark. I couldn’t begin to imagine why anyone would set a wake-up alarm for such a ridiculous hour.

I sat up, brushing my hair out of my face, and picking a few strands out of my mouth. Interestingly enough, I didn’t experience a moment of bewilderment at the unfamiliar surroundings and unusual bodily sensations. Despite being half-awake, I completely recalled where, and who, I was.

I retrieved the phone from its resting place and held it up to my light-blinded eyes, squinting at the digital numbers in the upper left corner. 4:30 AM.

“Ugh,” I groaned, dropping the phone in my lap before flopping my head back on the pillow. “What kind of a masochist gets up at 4:30?”

It wasn’t to get ready for class, of that much I was positive. Thanks to the schedule Jackson had provided me before I left the lab, I knew that on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Charlene had Intro to Psych at nine and Biology at eleven. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she had Trig at ten and Sociology at one.

Sure, she was supposed to have an exam in Trig, but even that wouldn’t explain the before dawn alarm.

My confusion was settled a few minutes later when the door of my bedroom opened, revealing the silhouette of Katie backlit by the hallway light. She stood there, unmoving, for a few seconds, then stepped inside.

“Chuck,” she hissed in a loud whisper. “Chuck, get up.”

“Why?” I asked, already swinging my legs off the bed.

“Exercise, remember?”

Exercise? Holy crap, she was serious about that? I thought Charlene’s morning routine would be much later. Like, after the sun came up. No one said anything about working out in what I considered to be the middle of the night.

“You’re joking,” I said, standing up and stretching. “It’s four-thirty.”

I heard an annoyed sigh as the door closed, plunging the room back into darkness. A heartbeat later, the overhead light flipped on. It was like looking at a supernova. I threw one arm up over my face, shielding my eyes from the glaring light.

“Wow,” Katie said from the other side of the room. Her long, blonde hair was pulled into a tight ponytail and she was dressed in a pair of pink Lycra pants and a white sports bra. “Decided to sleep au natural, did you? Embracing your feminist side?”

It took me a second to realize that she was referring to the fact that my upper body was completely devoid of any type of clothing. Quickly, I pulled my arm down and wrapped both around my chest. Though, I felt a little stupid for doing it. Not like Katie hadn’t seen her sister’s nude torso before.

“I tried sleeping in that damned bra,” I growled, making sure to keep my voice only loud enough to reach her. “Felt like I was being bound by a sadist.”

She giggled. “Well, yeah. That’s not a sleep bra. No way to get comfortable with the wiring in it.”

“Oh. Well, excuse me for not knowing the difference between a regular bra and a sleep bra. Believe it or not, I never had to consider that there might be multiple kinds available. I’ll be sure to pick up a brochure so I can be better informed next time.”

Another giggle. “For someone of a different gender from another universe, you sure can do a really good impression of Morning Charlie. Oh, and for the record? She doesn’t wear a sleep bra to bed, either. She normally just puts on a t-shirt.”

I responded to the snide remark as I feel any loving sister would. I gave her the finger.

“Come on, we need to get started so you’re not late.”

“For?”

“Class, dummy.”

Now I did give her a confused look. “Class isn’t for another five hours. Not sure what the rush is all about.”

Katie rolled her eyes.

“Guys,” she snorted, giving her head a shake. “I’m sure you’re used to rolling out of bed, throwing on some not-too-smelly clothes, fingering your hair, then jogging to class to walk in right before the teacher starts the lesson. For girls, Chuck, it’s a more involved process. Just getting ready to walk out the door takes a crazy amount of time.”

I shook my head. “I can deal with the body, the hair, and the wardrobe. But I think Charlene could stand a break from the make-up and stuff. At least for a little while.”

The humor drained from her face.

“You were practically begging me last night to help you. You even threatened me, by saying that my refusal would screw up Charlene’s normal life. Well, news flash, my dude. You have to do your part, too. Which means not only acting like Charlene, but looking like her as well.” She pointed her finger at me. “So, you’re going to have to learn how to do your face and your hair. Just like she would.”

I took a step backward. As if her verbal assault had hit me physically. After a few seconds of standing there with my face aflame, I nodded.

“You’re right,” I said softly. “I roped you into this. It’s not fair to either you or Charlene for me to quit the first day.”

She nodded, her smile returning. Though it was less “friendly kid sister” and more “vile prison warden” in nature. “Good. Now that we’ve cleared that up, get dressed and meet me in the exercise room. Time to sweat.”

“Exercise room?” I asked, trying to think of the house’s layout and where such a place might be. Unless the contractors had used a different floorplan than the ones in my universe, the house didn’t have a basement. From what I’d seen so far, the layouts were identical. Three bedrooms, two and a half baths, living room, dining room, kitchen, and … a bonus room over the garage.

“The bonus room?” I asked, trying not to sound completely stunned.

Back home, the bonus room had served as a playroom when Katie and I were younger. Legos, a toy kitchen, and small drawing desks were near permanent fixtures. Hell, we even slept in there more than a few nights. It was our Fortress of Solitude. Our escape from our parents’ watchful eyes.

However, once I’d hit my teens and lost interest in spending my time playing with my kid sister, Dad decided to convert it into a Man Cave. Well, a Man/Boy Cave. He’d added a large high-def television, two recliners, a mini-fridge, and an entertainment center which included the latest gaming console. He and I were responsible for the complete annihilation of many a weekend in that room.

She nodded. “Come on, let’s get to it.” A quick wink of superiority was thrown my way, then Katie bounced out the door and down the hall.

I walked over to the dresser and began pulling out clothes. Grabbing a pair of dark red tights and a matching top, I thought about all the times Mom complained to Dad that he and I were being too loud in our “hole”. Even with the door closed, she claimed she could hear the explosions, machine guns, and starships all the way down in the living room. As I pulled the super-stretchy, super-snug material up over my more curvaceous hips, I wondered how Charlene’s dad handled sleeping while his girls jammed out to high-energy calisthenics.

“Maybe he wears earplugs,” I mused aloud. “Industrial strength ones.”

After tying my own hair up off my neck, I slipped my feet into my Nikes and headed down the hall to the bonus room. The door stood open, with the light on inside. However, it wasn’t until I passed through the opening that I realized just how different the room was from its duplicate back home.

Instead of a sanctuary devoted to the hedonistic pursuits of binge watching and gaming, the room was a literal mini-gym. The twin recliners were gone. As was the gigantic entertainment center and refrigerator. In their place was a total workout machine that used multiple resistance arms to provide complete circuit training. There was also a rack against the far wall that held kettlebells and dumbbells in assorted sizes.

The wall-mounted television was still there, though it was a lot bigger than what I expected. The image on the screen was a rather attractive redhead in clothes similar to ours. She had one leg extended in front of her, one stretched backwards, and her back bent at a sharp enough angle that her barely contained boobs were extremely noticeable. The brand name, scrolled across the bottom in silver lettering read, “Soni”. I grinned when I read it.

“Something funny?” Katie asked as she picked up a couple of rolled mats from a stand and carried them over to me. Something in her tone of voice caused me to think she thought I was grinning at the top-heavy trainer.

I pointed at the bottom of the TV. “Soni,” I said. “It’s just spelled differently where I’m from. With a ‘y’ instead of an ‘i’.”

She eyed for a second before nodding, then handed me the green mat. It was made of some type of foam and textured with little ridges. Turning around, she unrolled her own mat, a blue one, and positioned it about a yard or so away, running parallel with the television.

“Charlie usually mixes up her routines. You know, to keep from getting bored. But, since I sort of doubt you want to jump right into Ultimate Insanity, I thought maybe starting with yoga might be the best idea.”

I shrugged, unrolled my own mat, and positioned it similar to hers. Then I nodded my head at the open door.

“What about Dad?” I asked. “Won’t this bother him?”

She gave me an amused look, then walked over to close the door. When I started to say that wouldn’t really do much, she held up a finger. Making sure my focus was on her extended digit, she reached over and stabbed a large square button next to the frame. The panel surrounding the button began to glow with a greenish light.

“Soundproofing,” she said, gesturing at the room. “We could probably set off a grenade in here and Daddy wouldn’t even stir.”

“How?” I asked. Then I smacked myself in the forehead. “Of course. Jackson.”

“Despite all the humorous accidents, there are some really useful things that come out of that lab.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Sometime Jack actually gets it right.” Clapping my hands together, I pointed at the television. “Well, now that I’m here, let’s get started.”

As a guy, I’d admired girls who did yoga. I didn’t know much about the exercise other than it was slow paced, involved a lot of stretching, and required the coeds to wear incredible form-fitting attire. However, the appeal of it never struck me.

At first, I was a little more concerned with matching the woman on the screen than focusing on my breathing and posture. More than once, Katie made a comment that brought my attention back to what I was doing.

“Straighten your left leg.”

“Palms flat under your feet.”

“Ass higher in the air.”

Not surprising, though, was the utter limberness of Charlene’s body. From the moment I’d awoken in this dimension, I’d noticed how graceful and flexible I’d become. None of that matched the way I was able to twist my hips and spine around, feeling the muscles loosen as I started to enjoy the routine. I quickly turned it into a game. Attempting to mirror the pretty instructor. Could I really arch my back that far without injury? Absolutely! Could I balance on one foot while raising my opposite leg backward at a right angle? Damn skippy! The sheer power and endurance of my old male body couldn’t hold a candle to the flexibility and stamina of Charlene’s. Before I knew it, the video was over and Katie and I were both dripping with sweat.

“Wow,” I said, reaching up to tighten my ponytail. “That was … intense.”

She grinned. “It’s Yoga Extreme. Really advanced stuff. All of the cheerleaders do it.”

I planted my hands on my hips. “Did I do as well as her?”

Katie seemed to consider my question for a moment, then nodded. “For the most part. Usually Charlie’s the one give me pose pointers. But you did really freaking well for a guy in a girl’s body.”

I laughed and gave her a thumbs up. “What’s next?”

She picked up the remote and dialed to a different video. “Aerobics.”

Luckily, she selected a moderate level workout. Which generally meant the handsome man in the tank top and rippling muscles demonstrated the moves a few times before kicking up the intensity level. Sure, by the time the forty-five minutes was over, I was completely drenched and the muscles in my arms and legs were beset with hundreds of miniature quakes. However, I wasn’t even close to being out of breath. Long-distance runners learn to pace themselves, focusing more on reaching a consistent, steady rhythm that they can maintain for extended periods of time.

I had the feeling that Charlene’s endurance might actually be better than Charles’.

“Okay,” I said, grabbing the towel Katie offered me to blot the perspiration off my face and neck. “What’s next? Five mile run? Cardio Kickboxing?”

She shook her head. “Smoothie and a shower. You go ahead and get cleaned off while I pop downstairs and blend us up a couple of recharging beverages. Then we’ll go through and pick out some clothes, and I’ll help with your makeup and hair. At least until you learn how to do it yourself.” She stuck out her tongue at me, bounded over to turn off the noise-cancelling device, and departed the room.

I stuck around a few more minutes, twisting and turning my body while still in marvel at how easily it moved. Charlene really did take excellent care of herself. I just hoped she was taking it a little easier on my male form.

Stepping out into the hallway, I grabbed a pair of clean towels from the closet beside the bathroom, and went to scrub the grime from my body. By the time I’d rinsed the flowery body wash off and rinsed my hair for the third time, Katie came into the room and let me know she’d put my smoothie on the counter.

“Be sure to drink it all. You burned a gazillion calories just now. Got to replace those with protein and nutrients. I’ll be waiting in your room.”

I stepped out of the shower, wrapping one towel around my mid-section and the other around my soaked hair. Like I’d seen women do in person and on television my whole life. Then I picked up the tall plastic cup and took a long pull through the straw. The taste of bananas, mango, and strawberry assaulted my palate in an orgasmic burst of flavor. Before I knew it, I’d sucked half the concoction down.

Back in my room, Katie was standing just inside the closet. She had several articles of clothing draped over her left arm and was filing through the rack with her right. She glanced over as I came into the room and nodded at the dresser.

“I figured I’d let you pick your own underwear.”

“Gee, thanks,” I said with playful sarcasm before taking another long sip of the drink in my hand. “Think Charlene’s reputation will remain intact if I choose to wear panties that actually have an ass?”

“Her reputation will be fine, Chuck. However, you’re probably going to want to save those for when your period arrives. They hold a pad in place better than a thong.”

Grumbling as I made a vow to buy myself more modest underwear in the future, I dug around in the drawer until I settled on a dark green set that I felt I could live with. Katie eyed my selection, then deliberately turned around so I could get dressed without an audience.

I wasn’t sure if she did that for her sake, or mine.

After all my naughty bits were contained in lingerie, she walked over and handed me two pieces of clothing. A short-sleeved, V-neck sweater and a black pleated skirt.

“Here,” she said. “This would look great. Charlene loves this combination.”

I shook my head and pushed the garments back at her. “Maybe so. But Charles would prefer jeans and a sweatshirt.”

“Well,” she said snappily, “Perhaps that is what Charles is wearing to school today. But Charlene only wears jeans when it’s cold outside. Like, near freezing cold. Otherwise, she’s in a skirt or shorts.”

“Seriously?” I groaned. “Am I really going to have to wear skirts all the time? Doesn’t your sister believe in comfort?”

Katie nodded. “She does. She finds skirts to be comfortable.” Her brow furrowed as her gaze slid down my body. “You didn’t shave your legs.”

I snorted. “I didn’t think I’d be showing them off.” Then I grinned from ear to hear as I attempted to pass the skirt back to her again. “Looks like it’s a jeans day after all.”

She rolled her eyes and marched over to the dresser. I knew exactly what she was going to do before she did it, but remained rooted to the spot. Without so much as a backwards glance, she rummaged around and came out with a scrap of sheer, tan material. She spun around, using her hip to bang the drawer closed, and tossed the gossamer object at me.

I caught it with one hand, fingertips tingling at the sensation of silkiness that brushed against my nerve endings.

“Looks like it’s a skirt and hose day, Chuck.” She pointed at the bed. “Since I’m fairly sure you’ve never worn them before, I suggest you sit down and take you time. Otherwise, you’ll get a run and we’ll have to grab another pair.”

Glaring at her, I plopped down on the edge of the bed. I put the skirt and sweater next to me in a heap. Katie sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Do you have any idea how to put them on?”

“Oh yeah. I secretly wear my Katie’s stockings all the time. I just love the way the hair on my legs sticks through the holes.”

“Figures.” She sat down beside me and extended one leg. “First you need to bunch them up so that the legs are closer to the feet. Then put your foot in slowly, gently pulling on the hose until your toes are in the seam. After that, it’s just a matter of working them up your legs, keeping the material taut and smooth. Watch your nails, though. They can make a hole faster than you can believe.”

I took my time, knowing that Katie wasn’t going to be satisfied until I looked like Charlene would look. Of course, I had been the one to ask for her assistance. Could I really get angry, legitimately angry, for her doing exactly what I asked her to do? If she said that her sister wore skirts and dresses nearly every day, who was I to say she was wrong?

“Now,” she said, putting her hand on my arm when I’d managed to encase the foot, calf, and knee of both legs in the taupe-colored material. “Stand up and pulled them the rest of the way on.”

I did as she instructed, shuddering a bit as the nylon material glided up my thighs and over my hips. I shimmied a bit to get them over the widest part, and then let the top rest snugly just beneath my belly button.

“Not bad,” Katie said with a grin. “You’ll be a pro at this before you know it.”

I opened my mouth to tell her that I’d be happy never being a pro at wearing women’s clothing. However, before I could utter the first syllable, I spotted my reflection in the mirror on the closet door.

Even though Charlene’s legs and butt were near perfect as they were, the clingy, sheer hosiery amped their appearance up to eleven. I couldn’t resist turning left and right, admiring the view. It took a few seconds for me to realize that my heartbeat had increased and a nervous flutter bounced around in my tummy.

Holy shit! I was getting turned on just by looking at myself in stockings.

Quickly I turned around and grabbed the skirt off the bed. It zipped up the side and only when I had it pulled up and fastened did I dare look at myself again. The brevity of the skirt, which only came down halfway to my knees, enhanced the looks of my legs. But the fact that it was there dampened my arousal.

I started to pull on the sweater before I remembered I had my hair up in a towel.

“How are we going to manage this?” I asked Katie as I pointed at the lump of damp cloth balanced on my noggin.

She grinned and pointed the desk. “Have a seat and learn, my apprentice.”

This time, it was me who rolled my eyes. However, I did as she asked. Once my bottom was in the seat, I waited as she reached under my bed and came out with what appeared to be a large toolbox. Trepidation ran through me as she lugged it over to the desk and set it down.

“Are you planning on doing some remodeling?” I asked her.

Katie laughed, flipped the latches, and opened the top to reveal enough styling material and makeup to start a private beauty clinic.

“Don’t freak out on me, Chuck,” she said, noticing how wide my eyes were. “Charlene only uses about ten percent of this stuff regularly.”

“What about the other ninety?”

“Special occasions.”

I shook my head with a laugh. “I hope I’m gone before any of those come around.”

Katie dove into the container and began to hunt around. The chime of my phone dragged my attention away. I looked at the screen, noticing that Michelle had sent another text.

“You missed an awesome party, C. Tres awesome.”

I quickly typed back. “I know. Next time.”

“Definitely. See you in class.”

“Already getting in good with your new BFFs, huh?” Katie said from over my shoulder.

I shrugged. “I didn’t respond to her last night. I figured if I ignored her this morning, she might think Charlie was mad at her.”

I closed the messaging app and opened the photo gallery. The first picture I came across was a selfie with Charlene and two other girls, both of whom were blonde. All three were smiling at the camera, but Charlie was the only one winking playfully at the lens.

“Would I be off the mark to say that this is Josie and Michelle?” I asked Katie, showing her the photo.

“That’s them. The Three Senoritas.” She sounded annoyed. “Josie and Shelly are from Brownsville. They went to high school together.”

“They’re cheerleaders, too?”

She nodded. “Charlene met them at orientation. Inside of a month, the three of them were hanging out all the time. At least, whenever she wasn’t with Jackson.”

“Which is which?”

“Josie is the one on the left,” she said. The girl she indicated looked a little less happy than the other two. “She’s alright, but has a tendency to be really snarky.”

“Gotcha. I’ll keep that in mind.”

I swiped my thumb across the screen, scrolling through the images.

Charlene and Jackson by the pool. Charlene and Michelle in their black and red cheer uniforms. Josie, Michelle, and Charlene in a backyard during a party. Seems my double had quite the social life. Much more than Charles had. Probably due to the nature of her activities. Cheerleading was no place for the socially awkward.

Long distance running, on the other hand, isn’t really a team sport, so you learn to rely on your own abilities to win.

Katie had just grabbed a curling iron and a brush from the box when my thumb swiped across to a photo that made my nearly jump out of my chair.

“What the hell?” I said aloud, momentarily forgetting I had an audience.

The image was of Josie and a guy. A guy I immediately recognized.

Katie, brow raised in inquiry, leaned over to look at the picture.

“Oh, that’s Josie and her boyfriend. His name’s …”

“Danny,” I breathed, unable to stop looking at the image. “Danny Morris.”