In those high school days I grew my hair pretty long, not tied back, and was too often mistaken for a girl. Adults thought nothing of speculating out loud, “is that a boy or a girl?” as if I was an exhibit, or deaf. You heard it often enough that you got inured to it.

I was also a shrimp, a runt, a “little guy,” etc. Girls never took me seriously when I tried to make conversation with them. But I didn’t really have friends to advise me about what I was doing wrong, so that I could improve. I wasn’t nerdy, or an outcast, exactly; I was just discounted and ignored.

When I was a junior there was this one senior girl I really admired, Annie Miller. She was very tall and athletic, wore her dark brown hair back in a thick braid, and was on the school’s girls’ basketball team. I knew nothing about the sport, but once I found out she was on the team I’d go to their games just to watch her; she was so pretty, and moved with such wonderful grace. I was sure she didn’t know I existed, but that was okay because I knew I had no chance with her anyway.

-o0o-

A chain of circumstances started with me overhearing some lowlife thugs at the school talking about how they intended to “do” Annie. They even talked about how they would intercept her in a certain hallway, and if they missed her there, one guy knew her route home. Another guy owned a rusty old van, and they’d snatch her on her way and “do” her in the van. They were sore because she had snubbed them all more than once. ‘And for good reason!’ I said to myself.

Well, I certainly couldn’t let that happen. I just had to figure out how to get the message to her. She wasn’t in any of my classes, and was a year older. That left lunch, which we had the same period.

Gulping, I approached her table and timidly tapped her shoulder. I thought she might be impatient or dismissive, like the other girls.

“You have a visitor, Annie,” giggled one of her table-mates.

She turned to me, expecting someone taller, then adjusted her gaze down to meet my eyes.

“Hello there. Something you want?” she said, not unkindly.

“Can I talk to you for a minute? It’s important,” I said.

I have to give her credit. She simply stood up, put her hand on my shoulder and steered me toward a corner of the lunchroom.

“What’s your name, and what’s on your mind?”

“I’m Avery McGuire. I wanted to let you know that I heard some jerks talk about, um, snatching you in a hall or on your way home, and ‘doing’ you,” I said, using finger quotes. “I just wanted to warn you that you may be in danger.”

“Well thanks, Avery. I appreciate the tip. Do you know who these guys are?”

“There were maybe three of them. I was around the corner while they were discussing this, so I didn’t see them, but I got the idea they wanted revenge for being snubbed by you.”

She looked thoughtful for a few moments.

“I have a feeling I know who you’re talking about. I’ll need to make some preparations, but I want to thank you for taking the time to tell me.”

I blushed.

“Of course. I don’t want you to get hurt,” I said, looking up at her.

“Haven’t I seen you at our games? You must be a fan.”

She had seen me!!

“I am! You guys are great, especially you!” I kind of blurted that last part out unintentionally.

She smiled at me. AT ME!!

“You’re pretty cute, Avery. Thanks again,” she said, and ruffled my hair before returning to her table.

In spite of the hair-ruffling I was walking on air the rest of the day. My crush spoke to me! She smiled at me! She even touched me! I hardly even noticed when Dennis Sickbert, another of the school bullies, elbowed me viciously out of the way two periods later.

A couple of days later I was in the hall and was being shoved again by the same idiot. From my position on the floor where I had fallen I heard the bang of flesh on metal, and I looked back to see Annie holding Sickbert against the lockers, her arm against his throat, and warning him to lay off of me.

I was highly flattered, but also couldn’t help wondering if this would make Sickbert redouble his efforts.

Annie helped me up and helped me collect my things. I looked up at her with stars in my eyes.

“Thank you, Annie. I just hope that doesn’t make him try harder.”

“It was my pleasure, Avery. And try not to worry; I’ve got my eye on him. Listen, meet me at lunch today, okay?”

“Sure!”

She walked off, leaving me feeling great.

-o0o-

At lunch I found my way to her table, crowded with her friends again, many of whom were on the team. One of them spotted me approaching, and Annie turned to offer me a seat next to her.

“Thanks!” I said, and sat down.

“Avery, I wanted to let you know how that whole other matter we talked about turned out,” she started.

I looked attentively at her.

“You probably don’t know this, but I’m a black belt in Karate. I was walking home the day after you spoke with me, and I was aware that a van was pacing me, so I slowed down. The three guys stopped the van and jumped out and in about two minutes all of them were out cold, some with broken bones. They don’t really keep themselves in very good physical condition.”

I let go of the breath I was holding.

“I’m so glad you weren’t hurt!” I said.

“I really appreciate your warning. It put me on a higher alert, and I was ready for them. Incidentally, they are all in jail at the moment.”

That was good to know!

“Yeah, our Annie can really take care of herself,” one of the other girls said.

“Listen, some of us are going to play a little soccer after school today. Would you like to come and watch?”

“Sure I would! Thanks!”

-o0o-

After school I walked over to the field. It was a kind of brisk but sunny day, and I was cold sitting in the bleachers. Annie and the others were running around like mad, kicking the ball here and there. Annie looked over at me a couple times and smiled. Between games she came over to say hello, and noticed I was shivering. She took off her black puffer coat, put it around me and zipped it up. She smiled again. Then she pulled the hood up too. She reached in and pulled some of my hair out on each side. In theory my arms were trapped inside, but the coat was was big enough—or I was small enough—to be able to maneuver them into the sleeves.

“Very cute, Avery. That should warm you up some.”

The coat was way too big for me, but it was still warm with her body heat, and… it was hers.

She was running around on the field and didn’t appear to feel the cold at all.

When the game finished, as they walked off the field, Beth, one of the other girls, pointed to me and said, “Annie, your girlfriend is looking pretty cute!” I turned very red.

“You got that right, Beth! You warm enough now, Avery?”

I nodded vigorously, and started to unzip the coat, but Annie stopped me before I even got my arms to the ends of the sleeves.

“Leave it on. I’m too hot to put that back on right now. Come on, let’s walk.”

I got up and found the hem of the coat practically at my ankles.

“I must look ridiculous,” I said to her.

“On the contrary, you look extra-cute,” she said. “Which way do you live?”

“I live in this direction,” I said, indicating the way we were already walking.

“Excellent! So, Avery, tell me: you go to our games, do you have any advice or pointers for our basketball team?”

“Um, no, not really. I don’t know much about the game. Basically I know the ball is supposed to go through the hoop thing.”

She laughed. I didn’t know it at the time, but that question was a sort of test, to see if I’d try and show off my superior knowledge, even though she was the star player.

Another senior girl was going in the opposite direction to us. She looked at us as she passed and just said, “Hi girls.”

I sighed as Annie looked at me and giggled. I knew the coat was shaped with a flare at the hip. But I was having some trouble with it being so long anyway, and I was struggling a little to hold my book bag through the long sleeves.

“Annie, as much as I like it I think I’m going to have to take the coat off. I’m kind of tripping on it.”

She pouted, but helped me off with it, and then draped it over her arm.

“Did what that girl said bother you?” she asked.

“Nah. I’m used to it.”

“Next time I’ll have to wear a shorter coat!” she joked.

“It was nice of you to let me wear it. I really was getting cold.”

“Happy to help. Oh, this is my street,” she said.

“I’m another four streets down,” I said, “so I guess I’ll see you at school?”

“You bet,” she said, and bending down, she kissed my cheek!

I smiled widely at her and went on my way, walking on air.

-o0o-

Annie invited me to sit at the team’s lunch table as a regular thing. I somehow felt like a mascot there, and they gave me a lot more attention than I was used to, but Annie wouldn’t allow me to fade into the background. Not many people at school—other than the bullies—were aware I existed, so this was a huge change. I also kept getting the impression that most of the girls at the table thought I, too, was a girl.

Annie also rescued me from Sickbert again. She happened to be behind me in the hall and saw him creeping up behind me, ready to try something. She got her phone out and started making a video as he came up and started to yank my hair. At that point I guess she must have stopped so that she could twist his arm or some other body part, because whatever she did really made him yell.

Later I learned that she had delivered him and the video to the front office, and I had no more trouble from him.

“Annie, thank you so much! What can I do for you for saving me from that idiot, Sickbert?”

“Avery, you just keep coming to our games and joining us at lunch, okay?”

“Well sure!”

After their evening games the team would sometimes go out to eat somewhere and she started inviting me to go along with them. She would sit me next to her and drape her long arm around me. I never got tired of that.

On the days she drove to school she would offer me a ride home, and I was always happy to accept.

On one of these rides she asked if I would be interested in going to a movie with her that Friday evening.

“Are you kidding? Of course I would!”

“Good! Then I’ll pick you up at 6:30. We can grab a bite somewhere while we’re out.”

-o0o-

I told mom about my date, and she was happy for me. She knew I had never had any girl show any interest in me. I also told her how Annie had saved me from Sickbert, and how I had warned her about the three stooges out to rape her.

“Sounds like you’re protecting each other,” she said.

“Other than those three guys, I don’t think there’s much I could do to protect her. Besides, she’s a black belt in Karate, so she knows how to defend herself.”

“Well then, you’d better stay on her good side!” she laughed.

-o0o-

Friday at 6:30 Annie drove up and came to our door. Mom let her in. She hadn’t realized how tall Annie was. Mom’s around the same height as I am, like five-foot nothing. (I’m exaggerating. I’m really five-foot two, but it feels like five-foot nothing.)

Annie had dressed casually, but a little nicer than at school. Same for me.

I performed the introductions, then threw on my jacket.

“You two have fun!” said mom, as we walked out the door.

Annie’s car had a bench seat, and she motioned me over, so she could put her arm around me while she drove, left-handed.

She asked what classes I was taking and if I did any sports.

“No, sorry Annie. I’m a complete klutz when it comes to sports, and since I don’t have a father or brother, and my mom knows nothing about sports, there was no one to explain how the games work. In middle school we had football in P.E. one semester, and the other guys were really annoyed with me when they told me I was ‘offsides’ and I didn’t know what ‘offsides’ meant. When I asked, they told me I wasn’t on the line, or something like that, but there was no line!”

She laughed.

“I can teach you about it if you want.”

“Well, I would only be interested if you were playing,” I said, shyly.

She pulled me a little closer.

“You are just the cutest little thing!”

If Annie was saying it, I didn’t mind at all!

We arrived at the mall where the theater was, and headed toward the entrance. There was a short line at the box office. The two guys ahead of us turned around, looking us up and down.

“Hey, you two girls want to make this a double-date?” one of them asked.

Pulling me close in a possessive way, Annie said, “Nope. She’s all mine.”

“Great. Lesbos,” one of them muttered. “What a waste.”

Looking up at Annie I quietly said, “How about if we eat first and catch a later show?”

“Sounds like a great idea,” she said, and we left the jerks there and headed for the food court.

I got myself a half a Philly chicken sandwich, and Annie got a large burger. We found ourselves a table and sat.

“Does that happen to you a lot?” she asked.

“Well, more than I would like. I just got used to it, but it’s usually more from old folks than young guys like that.”

“I hope you didn’t mind what I said to them.”

“Annie? I’ve had a crush on you for a long time. You can say I’m yours any time you want!”

She laughed.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you up in the bleachers with your eyes on me, Avery! You’re exactly the kind of guy I find myself drawn to.”

I smiled at her.

“That makes me really happy. I was feeling like no girl would ever be interested in me.”

“There’s at least one now,” she smiled back.

“Also, it might have been the best thing you could have said to those guys. If they found out I was a guy there would have been a whole new series of comments, and then they’d have tried to convince you to dump me.”

“You know, you’re probably right about that!”

There was a pause as each of us took a bite of our meal.

“Do I really look like a girl, Annie?”

“Kind of. And I’m sure it’s not just your hair; you have an awfully cute face.”

“Not compared to you,” I said, blushing.

“Thank you,” she said.

We finished up our meals and walked around the mall, looking at the display windows until the next showing of our movie. She stopped us at Forever 21 to look at a floral puff-sleeve dress in the window. She looked from it to me several times and said, “you know, that would look really cute on you.”

“Oh, uh, well, I’m not really in the market for a dress, Annie.”

She smiled. “It was just a thought.”

The movie was kind of a chick flick, but I didn’t mind in the least. She put the armrest up between us, and her arm around me, and I leaned into her. I was in heaven.

There were several times in the movie where she softly kissed me. I was practically swooning, and I laid my head on her shoulder. I lost all track of what the movie was about.

Suddenly I felt her shake me a little.

“Wake up, cutie, the movie’s over.”

“Omigod! Did I fall asleep?”

“Sure looked like it.”

“God! I must be such a boring date, to fall asleep!”

“Nah. I had fun watching you. Come on, let’s go.”

-o0o-

We exited, and she drove me home. We spent around ten minutes in the driveway in her car just snogging.

“O Man! I could do this all night with you, Avery. But I have to get home. Want to do something together tomorrow?”

“You think I would turn down a chance to spend time with you? No way!”

“Okay,” she laughed. “I’ll call you.”

I reluctantly disengaged myself from her, just lunging back for one more kiss. Then I got out and went to the door to watch her pull away.

I can’t even imagine how big my smile was as I came inside, but mom certainly noticed it.

“I take it the date was successful?”

“You have no idea,” I said.

“I’m happy for you, Avery. I know you’ve waited a long time.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

I dreamily got myself ready for bed and dreamed of Annie.

-o0o-

The next morning I told mom about the two jerks in the line at the movie, and Annie’s response, and I mentioned about her saying the dress would look good on me.

“I don’t understand why she said that, Mom.”

She sighed. “Avery, you’re small; you’re cute. She’s big and strong. She takes charge. What I’m saying is, she’s kind of the man in this relationship. Do you understand?”

I hung my head, and mumbled, “Yeah.”

“But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing, honey. You really like her, right?”

“Well, yeah!”

“And everything that has happened between you two so far hasn’t been a problem, has it?”

“Well, no, not really.”

“Then enjoy what you have. If you don’t want to be The Girl, you can always end the relationship, but to me it just looks like that might be where it’s heading. Think about it.”

-o0o-

Around 10 o’clock the next morning Annie called me to see if I was ready to go somewhere, do something.

Even with my eyes opened about our relationship dynamic, I still yearned to be with her. I assured her I was ready to do whatever.

“I’ll be there in about ten minutes.”

When she arrived I was out front, in my light jacket. I hopped in and she pulled me over to her and gave me a kiss.

“I thought we’d maybe go for a walk around the lake, maybe hit the mall, have lunch. Just hang together.”

“Sounds good to me!”

She drove us about twenty minutes to the lake, which was about two miles around. When we got out of the car it was very windy, and I started to regret not wearing a heavier jacket. Annie asked, “Are you warm enough?”

“Just about.”

She could tell I was colder than I was saying, and she opened the back car door and picked up a jacket and draped it over her shoulder.

“It’s usually pretty windy here, and I thought this might happen, so I brought it for when you get too cold,” she said, and smiled.

We started walking and by a quarter mile I broke down and asked for the jacket. It was, naturally, a girl’s jacket, but not huge.

I looked at her, and she said, “It’s my sister Cathy’s.”

“I didn’t know you had a sister. How old is she?”

“She’s thirteen, and growing. I think she’s already outgrown this jacket.”

I put it on over my thin jacket and zipped it. It had fake fur along the edges, collar and cuffs, and it had a distinct waist line.

“You look great in that,” she smiled.

She took my hand and we continued walking.

“Annie, do you wish I was a girl?”

“No, I think you’re perfect just as you are, and I really like that even though you’re a boy you’re kind of girly.”

That was confusing to me.

“You think I’m girly?”

“I don’t mean that in a bad way, Avery. You’re small, cute as a button, and have such beautiful long hair. For me it’s a wonderful combination. I don’t put a lot of stock in rigid, stereotypical gender roles. I’m sure I wouldn’t have been interested in you if you were trying to act all macho, even as cute as you are. I really like seeing the feminine side of you.”

I nodded. I guess mom was really right about this.

I gripped her hand tighter and looked up at her and smiled.

-o0o-

When we got back to the car, she drove us to a neighboring mall, and we just hung out and walked around there. At the teen girls shop there she brought me in and started looking at dresses. I didn’t know if she was looking for one for herself or for me, so my attention wandered.

“Avery, what do you think of this one?”

It was not that dissimilar to the one we had seen at Forever 21, except it was of some richer material and had a different print.

“Looks nice,” I said, noncommittally.

“Would you try it on for me?”

I looked up at her.

“Seriously?”

She nodded.

“I just want to see what you look like in a nice dress.”

“Um, Annie, won’t they say that a boy can’t go in the dressing room?”

“Avery, Baby, I really don’t think they will see a boy.”

“Oh,” I said, just a bit crestfallen.

“Come on. I’ll help you.”

We took the dress into the dressing room, and she helped me off with my tee shirt. She lowered the dress over my head, my arms found the armholes and it settled on to my shoulders. She zipped it up the back. Her eyes sparkled.

“Take off your pants, okay?”

I reached up and undid my belt and let the pants fall. I stepped out of them, and she hung them on a peg.

“Avery, you look incredible in that. So sweet. I love it.”

I blushed ten shades of red.

She opened the door and pulled me out to look at myself in the three-way mirror.

You could have knocked me over with a feather. I didn’t see a boy in that mirror at all. The girl had the wrong shoes for the dress, even I could tell that, but she looked all right. She also looked younger than seventeen, maybe since she was flat. I wasn’t really sure how to feel about the whole thing. I looked up at Annie.

“Do you like it?” she asked.

I nodded dumbly. I already knew she liked it.

“Do you want to keep it on?”

“Um, no. I’m not ready for that.”

We went back in and I changed back into my clothes. Was she going to buy that dress??

To my relief she left it hanging in the dressing room, and we left.

-o0o-

“That was fun!” Annie said. “You looked just as cute as I had imagined, if not cuter.”

We pulled into a restaurant parking lot, went in and had lunch there. The waitress called us “ladies.” I guess I should start getting used to that.

When we were finished with our meal Annie paid and then drove us to her house. No one seemed to be home, and she brought me upstairs to her bedroom. It was bright and airy, and she had sports trophies on her shelves, along with just a couple little stuffed animals. “My family should be back around 8 tonight,” she informed me.

“Lie down on the bed, Avery,” she said.

I kicked my shoes off and lay down, and she got on top of me, propped up on her elbows. I felt trapped, but in a very pleasant way.

Sighing, she said, “you’re just the cutest thing,” and started kissing me. I put my arms around her and kissed right back. It was really nice! During the course of an hour she rolled us over so I was lying on top of her, and we kissed that way for a while. My hair was falling in her face, so she reached onto her bedside table and got a hair claw clip and gathered my hair in it at the back of my head. We resumed kissing and I know she could feel my erection, which embarrassed me.

“I think I need to use the bathroom,” I said, nervously.

“It’s okay, Avery. You take care of what you need to take care of.”

Once in the bathroom it didn’t take too long to relieve the pressure. When I came back out she had some clothes laid out on her bed.

“Will you wear these for me?”

It was a complete set of underwear and a fancy dress, probably her sister’s.

If I was going to keep up my relationship with her, I realized I’d have to get used to doing this. And it would probably be smart if I could develop an attitude about gender roles similar to hers, although everyone knows it’s more socially acceptable for a girl to go in the boy direction than the reverse.

So I smiled at her and said, “Okay, Annie.”

I undressed, and turned around as I switched my briefs for the panties. She helped me on with the bra, and gave me some chicken fillets (she called them) to put in the cups. Then there were some very dark pantyhose, which she showed me how to put on. Man! they felt good going up my legs! Then she lowered the dress over me and zipped it, hooking the little catch at the top. Somehow I really enjoyed the feeling as it tightened around me. Lastly she had a pair of two-inch pumps for me. They fit perfectly, although they put me off balance.

Turning me around to face her, she gave me a big smile.

“Lookin’ good, girl,” she said.

I blushed and didn’t know what to say.

She showed me myself in the mirror, and with the addition of a bust I could see even less trace of boy than I could at the mall shop.

She sat me down and brushed my hair until it was looking shiny and neat, then parted it close to the middle. She put a couple barrettes in and after some lipstick she seemed satisfied. She pulled me to my feet and just before I fell over, she actually picked me up. I put my arms around her neck and kissed her tenderly.

“You really look amazing, Avery. Thank you so much for doing this.”

“I was discussing you with my mom, and she said I was probably ‘the girl’ in this relationship. So if I want to be with you, I guess I should get used to this, huh?”

She looked thoughtful for a few moments. “Your mother is pretty insightful. I’m not going to force you to do this, Avery, but I do like the best of both worlds, my hot little girlfriend and boyfriend all in one kind of girly package.”

“And you, Annie. You’re all I ever wanted. Tall, beautiful, strong, smart, graceful, and—really nice!”

She kissed me again, put me down and smiled.

“How are we going to keep this up, though, Annie? I mean, my mother already thought this is what was going to happen, but what about your family?”

“Well, my parents are somewhat aware of my preferences. I tried having a girlfriend, but there was just something missing. So I don’t think they would be too shocked about you.”

“But, well, if they meet me as a boy, but then see me as a girl, do you think they’ll have a problem with that? It doesn’t seem like we could just let them meet Boy me, and then suddenly they see Girl me. Heck, I’m not even sure what I’m asking.”

“Hey, let’s try not to plan too far ahead. If they were to show up right now, I’d introduce you as my girlfriend Avery. And then I’d give you a big kiss right in front of them!”

“Would you really?”

“You betcha!”

-o0o-

I changed back to boy mode, and she took me home by 6:30. I invited her to eat with us, and she happily accepted.

I helped mom get the meal ready. She had taught me a lot about cooking. Annie sat at the kitchen table and watched us work, saying she had never learned to cook. She and I told mom about our day together, not mentioning the dressing part. But mom noticed how nice my hair looked, and how the part was not in its usual place.

“So did you wear a dress?”

That shocked both of us into silence. Eventually Annie regained her wits.

“I did ask Avery to try on a dress at the stores,” said Annie. “She looked fantastic.”

“Well, someday I hope I’ll meet my daughter too!” said mom.

“Oh, I’m sure you will, Mrs. McGuire. She looks too pretty to stay in boys clothes all the time.”

I don’t think I’ve ever blushed as much as since I met Annie.

-o0o-

The meal was good, and mom found out more about Annie than I knew. She was applying for sports scholarships at universities, and was considering going into sports medicine, although becoming a coach was another possibility. Mom asked about Annie’s parents and about her sister. It was done artfully, and did not seem like a grilling session.

When the meal was over I was going to do the dishes, but mom told me to see to my guest. We sat in the living room together, but she soon said she had to get home. She kissed me deeply, leaving me kind of breathless, and went out the door.

“That was some kiss, Avery,” said mom, who was suddenly standing right behind me.

I nodded in agreement.

“You were totally right about our relationship, Mom. But she said she wasn’t going to force me to be The Girl. Still, I’m crazy about her, and I guess I don’t mind that much.”

“Just be careful where you go when you’re dressed up, honey.”

“Well, if anyone tries anything, Annie will kick their ass!”

She laughed. “You’re right. I forgot about her black belt!”

-o0o-

Annie and I settled into our unique relationship, with her having me dressed whenever she could get the opportunity. She plucked her sister’s various skirts, blouses and dresses from the pile to send to Goodwill [UK: charity shop]. I did end up meeting her parents while dressed, and she actually did kiss me right in front of them! They didn’t seem all that shocked, but at that point they didn’t know I wasn’t a girl.

On one occasion she had me dressed up pretty nicely, and took me to dinner. Afterwards she took me home to meet my mother. Even though mom had said she wanted to meet her daughter, I was still a little worried about her reaction. We walked in the door and found mom sitting in the living room with a magazine. She looked up at us, and I saw tears come to her eyes.

“Mom? I’m sorry. Are you disappointed in me?”

“Not at all, Avery. You’re just so pretty. I’m stunned to have such a pretty daughter.”

I went to her and we hugged for a long minute.

“I thought it was about time to introduce her,” said Annie, looking at mom.

Mom released me and went to hug Annie. “Thank you so much, dear. I’m glad you did.”

-o0o-

In August Annie left for college, having gotten her scholarship. I missed her like mad. Now that she had gotten me into this habit of wearing girls clothes, I found myself wearing them now and then, at home, all on my own. It wasn’t nearly as fun without Annie, but I liked how some of them felt on me.

I didn’t know it, but at school Annie had asked the basketball team members who weren’t seniors with her to keep an eye out for me, so they still asked me to sit at their table at lunch. They were still nice to me, but it sure wasn’t the same without Annie there.

The year kind of plodded by, and though I had considered going to college, we really didn’t have the money. So I started looking for a job after spring break. Naturally, being so small there were a lot of jobs that were just out of my orbit. Flipping burgers didn’t appeal to me, and I stayed away from restaurants in general.

I started looking for office work, and almost all the places I went to thought I was a girl. I had neatened up my long hair, and I was wearing boy’s clothes but still they thought I was a girl. I know that in the olden days there were separate jobs for men and women, but without that distinction anymore, I thought I should be able to do most jobs, or at least most jobs that didn’t require being a giant guy with big muscles. But with no experience doing, well, anything, I knew I’d be starting out at the very bottom rung.

-o0o-

There was a job opening at the local bakery, as a counter clerk. They had never had a male apply for the job before, so the only uniform shirts they had were for women. And naturally they, too, thought I was a girl. I didn’t realize what kind of shirt it was until I got home and opened the package. It had little puff sleeves at the top and a kind of rounded collar. The rest of the dress code was black pants or skirt.

I didn’t know if I wanted to set them straight or not. I couldn’t believe the number of people who automatically assumed I was a girl. It might just be easier to go with the flow than to keep on endlessly correcting people. Thanks to Annie I already knew how to act like a girl, so it didn’t seem like that huge of a deal.

When mom came home I talked with her about it.

“Sometimes I wish you had named me some manly name, like… oh, Brutus or Otto or something!”

She laughed at that.

“I can honestly say that the name Brutus never came up as a possibility. I’m sorry you’ve having trouble with this, Avery.”

“I was just thinking of going with it, Mom. Then I don’t have to correct everyone every few minutes.”

“It’s an option. I don’t think you can get into trouble at a small business like the bakery. About the only advice I can think of is that when you use the bathroom you sit down, so that anyone passing by doesn’t hear a loud peeing noise.”

“I guess that makes sense. And really, what difference does it make what sex I am there?”

“Probably none, as long as you do a good job.”

-o0o-

After I had been working there a few weeks, another girl who worked there, Cindy, asked why I never wore makeup.”

“Oh, I’m just not into it, if you know what I mean.”

“I understand, but you’d really look nicer with a little blush, at least. And don’t take this the wrong way, but…you’re flat, aren’t you?”

“Well, yes I am.”

“You might get us more money in the tip jar if you used a little enhancement up top.”

“uh, oooo-kay.”

If I hadn’t had the girl experience I already had I would be dying of embarrassment.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“No, I’m good. I’ll think about it.”

Is the universe trying to tell me something?????”

-o0o-

After Judy, another clerk, mentioned the same thing about my lack of a bust, I threw up my hands and started wearing a padded bra to work. And they were right – there were more tips in the jar, which I thought was just really weird.

Bakery clerks aren’t paid all that well, but I had no idea what else I might be qualified to do. Mom made a decent wage, as a bookkeeper, but my salary really helped. There were other positions open, but they were really variations on what I was already doing, clerking. So why work for a giant corporation, say a drugstore chain, when I could work in a small operation with people I had grown to like? I just had no idea where my future lay.

-o0o-

Since I was working as a girl, when it got warm I went ahead and wore a black skirt to work most days. When Annie came home for the summer she sought me out at the bakery, to my surprise.

No other customers were in the shop, which was good, because I came out from behind the counter and she picked me up for a long-awaited kiss. To me she looked better than ever.

“I’m so happy to see you, Baby,” she said.

“Not as happy as I am to see you, Annie!”

“Mmm. You smell great! Just like a bakery!”

I introduced Cindy, who was the only other clerk there, and she looked at us knowingly. “Aren’t you the dark horse!” she said.

-o0o-

That evening Annie came over to our house, and we sat together while she told me about how college was going.

“So, enough about me. You’re working there as a girl? How’d that happen?”

“Every single place I went to apply for a job thought I was a girl! I couldn’t believe it! And they gave me a woman’s uniform blouse at the bakery. And then the other girls there started telling me I could improve our tips if I’d ‘just make a little effort,’” I said, rolling my eyes. “I decided it would just be easier to go with it, rather than correct every single person.”

“And has it worked out okay for you?”

“Yeah, the work is the same, and it really doesn’t matter what sex you are there.”

“So do you plan on staying there?”

I looked at her. “Annie, I have no idea what else I’m qualified for. It seems like it will always be a clerk or some variation on it. Unless I want do something else, like, I dunno, cutting grass.”

“Well, I’ve got some news for you. My dad’s company has an opening where I think you’d fit right in. It’s office work, but doesn’t require any college.”

Her Dad was a partner in a successful architectural firm.

“That sounds kind of interesting. Do you think it would pay more than the bakery?”

“Oh, I’m sure it would pay more. The only catch is that they need a Girl Friday.”

“Um, not a… Boy Friday?”

“They’re looking for a woman, even though they can’t really discriminate. But you’re already working as a woman, so what’s the difference?”

Here I was at this crossroads again. It didn’t really make a whole lot of difference in the job, more in how I was perceived. Plus, I supposed I’d probably have to buy a nicer wardrobe than pants and a uniform blouse.

“I guess it really doesn’t make a lot of difference, Annie. I never thought I’d spend my career as a girl though. And I have no idea what other kind of job I’d be good at.”

“So you’ll apply?”

“What? You mean you can’t just get me in, being the boss’s daughter and all?” I teased.

“I do have some pull, and I know Dad already likes you.”

“Your parents still think I’m a girl.”

“True. And they still think I’m a Lesbian.”

“Huh. I wonder if it would make them feel better to know the truth?”

“To tell you the truth, Avery, I can’t really imagine how that scene will play out!”

There was silence for a few minutes.

“If I get this job, I’m going to need some office clothes, I guess.”

“I’ll help you pay for those,” she said.

“Well, now that that’s all settled, can we please get down to some snogging?”

No sooner said than done.

-o0o-

Yes, I was hired by Annie’s dad’s firm, and I liked the work there, as well as the fact that I was allowed to sit down some of the time. For all intents and purposes I lived as a woman. There wasn’t much reason to put on boy clothes when I got home, unless I was going to do some dirty job. The work could sometimes be more tiring than at the bakery, so I usually didn’t feel like I had the energy to un-female myself afterwards.

I worked there all through Annie’s college education, and I became interested in the department that made the scale models. They seemed really cool, and I was allowed to help out in there sometimes. I gradually learned how to make them, so I was switched to that department. Her dad was very supportive.

Annie surprised everyone in her family, including herself, when she decided to switch majors to become an architect, and forgo a sports or medicine career. When she graduated she found a job with another firm in town, intent on working there until she had some experience under her belt, and then joining her dad’s firm.

By some miracle we had stayed together all this time, and I was still crazy about her.

-o0o-

The day finally came when we decided to let her folks know I was a guy, in spite of appearances. We sat them down in the living room.

“Mom, Dad, there’s something we haven’t told you about Avery,” said Annie.

They raised their eyebrows, but said nothing.

“She’s actually a boy.”

That looked like it was hardly absorbed.

After a minute her dad asked, incredulously “Avery, you are a boy? And all this time you two have been together, Annie knew?”

“Yes sir, right from the beginning. We had a mutual admiration society going on in high school. But it seemed that no matter where I went people just assumed I was a girl, and eventually it became easier to live as one than to keep correcting everybody. I just got tired of that. Sorry for deceiving you.”

“I’m just going to have to readjust my thinking a bit,” he said.

“You don’t really have to, Dad,” said Annie. “Avery is the same person either way, no matter what her plumbing looks like.”

“It’s true; I don’t change personalities when I’m one or the other, and I’m hardly ever in Boy mode anymore.”

“I suppose you’ve been using the Ladies Rooms at work?” asked her mom, who had been quiet until now.

“Mrs. Miller, come on. You know exactly how erotic things are in the restrooms. If I’m lucky I might be able to see one of my co-workers applying her lipstick. It’s not a locker room. Anyhow, the only woman I’ve ever been interested in is your daughter.”

“I’m sorry, Avery. Yes, you’re right; there just isn’t much to see.”

Ultimately they really didn’t seem to have a problem with it—I really was the same person, after all, and if they were relieved to find out their daughter wasn’t a lesbian, they didn’t make a big show of it. And they had liked me for years now.

Annie insisted I wear the wedding gown when we got married, and she looked pretty sexy to me in the tailored tux she wore. I don’t know what most of the wedding guests thought, but that wasn’t uppermost on my mind that day. I was overwhelmed with love for her, for sticking with me all this time, and for loving me back.

All three parents were overjoyed when we gave them two grandchildren. And before you ask, yes, I did become the part-time stay-at-home mother.

The End.