Amanda, Christie's Mother, is driving home, stuck in traffic, after her meeting with Grandfather Kim. Her child's so far unique trial continues to bother her, and she uses the time in traffic jams to plan. Meanwhile, Christie is trying to develop some plans of her own on how to deal with members of the Competive Cheer and Dance Team who won't leave her alone. Christie's trial maybe hard to figure, but Amanda is well able to help her daughter learn how to deal with such minor annoyances - without magic and without Taekwando.

“Well, that was easier than I’d expected,” said my Mum, as she put her phone back down on the desk in her study.

“Hey honey. How was your day?” my Mum called back.

I headed straight into the lounge, where my Mum was sat in the middle of the sofa, with her laptop open on her lap, and a series of papers spread on the two empty seats beside her. I took a seat in one of the adjacent armchairs.

“Great, thanks. James took us out for a drive to Broadsbury; it was really pretty.” I smiled across to my Mum.

“His car got you all the way there? Didn’t you say his door was falling off, or something?” my Mum asked, with some concern.

We kissed and cuddled in bed for what felt like hours. I couldn’t believe just how exciting I was finding exploring James’s muscular body. A body that I had seen in sports changing rooms, and ignored, many times before.

I wanted to stay here in this moment forever. With my man, treating me like his girl.

I woke early on Saturday morning, after again struggling to get to sleep the previous night. Too many excited thoughts running though my head, from the experiences of the last few days and the anticipation for the coming evening. I got up much earlier than I would normally have on a Saturday, and very early considering how tired I had felt.

Reluctant Diva 34
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 34 – Epilogue
That weekend was the start of a train of events that a few short months later, one week after my sixteenth birthday, led to my finding myself on the eve of the most momentous day of my life. That’s right! My wedding day!

“I don’t have any pyjamas. I don’t wear them; I’m neither seven nor seventy years old! Can’t I just keep this on, until going to bed?” I said, gesturing towards my current outfit?

“No. I don’t want you crying all over my clothes. And you need those as costumes, don’t you?” My sister replied.

“Why on earth would I cry? What are you going to do to me?” I queried in fake panic.

“Nothing. I hope you don’t. But trust someone who knows from experience, these girlie chats about boys often end that way.”

“Boy chats?”

Instead of heading to the holding area, it was a shorter route for me to head first to the gymnasium changing rooms, and pick up my two other costumes. I therefore went in a different direction to the boys that were now likely already in the holding room, and I returned down the route I had just walked.

If the bell hadn’t rung, I likely could have stared at the textbook for hours, and would still be none the wiser.
“Is it me? Did I miss something when this was being explained?” I asked, to myself more than to anyone else.

“Well, if it’s you, it’s me too!” answered my classmate John, as he put his books away in his bag. “I think I made a big mistake choosing Maths; I stopped understanding what we’re doing weeks ago.”

Reluctant Diva 32
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 32 – Pillow talk
When Mom’s car came to a halt outside school, Chris was waiting by the gates for me, looking extremely debonair in his evening jacket and bow-tie. My heart gave a leap at the sight and a surreptitious glance at my date made it clear that when he saw me in my outfit he too liked what he saw.

“Wow!” was all he could utter as he ran his eyes over me.

So, my good friend Daisy has finally fulfilled her dream of being a runway model! During a recent visit to our local plaza, she was offered five hundred dollars to model lingerie in the main concourse. The rest, as they say, was history.

Reluctant Diva 29
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 29 – Party time

Reluctant Diva 27
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 27 – Poolside

Reluctant Diva 26
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 26 – Working girl

Reluctant Diva 24
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 24 – In the mood
It took some days to become acclimatised to my new sleeping arrangements. More than once I found myself running up to my old room by mistake. It seemed there were some other changes which were harder to get used to if, in my mother’s eyes, I were to lead the life of a young woman as fully as possible. One which was less welcome was that my constricting corset should be a permanent feature of my night attire.

Reluctant Diva 23
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 23 – The watershed

Reluctant Diva 21
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 21 – A New Perspective
After a few moments the woman’s sobs ceased and we lay still, wrapped around each other. This was exciting, but totally scary! I knew I had somehow to take charge if I was ever going to. “I do want you, Maria, though not in the way you mean” I tried to reassure her. “You can stay here with me tonight. First, let’s get comfortable.”

Reluctant Diva 19
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 19 – My assets
Still dazed by the speed of events, I waved my mom goodbye somewhat anxiously and followed Maria into the house. Madeleine told the maid to take my things up. “You know which room is Miss Jennifer’s. Now, dear, some refreshments before bed?”
It was already late so I was about to decline but my hostess was insistent. “Just have a milky drink before you sleep. I’ll send it up with Maria when she comes to help you get ready for bed.”

Reluctant Diva 17
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 17 – Consequences

Reluctant Diva 15
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 15 – A learning experience
It was around noon the following day when Mrs Bell drove me back home. The events of the previous evening were already hazy in my recollection.
“See you again, honey!” My hostess smiled, as I made to open the car door. “And soon, I hope!” she whispered conspiratorially, winking and placing her hand on my thigh. Her action triggered thoughts of the previous evening, giving rise to deep blushes and an immediate tingle down there.

Reluctant Diva 13
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 13 – The little details
One evening later that spring Mom returned from work in a strange mood. She was clearly preoccupied by something but as usual was being mysterious about it. I reckoned that this was one of her methods of keeping control of my life. After supper however, all was revealed.

Reluctant Diva 11
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 11 – A new ride
The following morning I was looking forward to a quiet Sunday with no new ordeals for me to face. I was in my bra and panty girdle and had just decided which of my tea dresses to put on when Mom briefly appeared in the doorway.
Her cryptic utterance “You might wanted wear something a little more ‘everyday’ this morning.” sounded more like an instruction than advice.

Reluctant Diva 9
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 9 – A new life

Reluctant Diva 7
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 7 – Changes
In one of the history lessons at school I remembered reading about some ancient Greek guy who had to perform one feat of endurance after another to atone for doing some pretty bad stuff. It seemed I was fated to follow the same path, though I beg to point out that the stuff I might have done and was certainly paying for was no way in the same league as his.