By Torey
By Torey
But my hair was now up and pinned. And the face looking at me was clearly mine, but with makeup, lipstick, eye shadow and mascara.
"Let me take a look at you sweetie," mom said as she held my face with her hand. "Pucker a little bit. I want to fix your lipstick a little bit."
I made a face and rolled my eyes.
"Oh stop it!" she said. "You want to look great for your very first date."
I rolled my eyes again.
"Oh come on mom, this really isn't a date," I said, pretending to protest.
Truth is I was excited about it. It was supposed to be a favor for my best friend, Trey Harrison. Trey and I had been friends since, well, forever. Our moms were best friends. We had been playing together since we were in diapers.
We were both misfits. Trey, well, he was overweight. Had been all his life. People were really cruel to him, especially kids at school. They always called him 'fatty' or 'lard butt.'
Me? Well let's just say I'm a sissy...or a janegirl as I heard my mother once refer to me. I liked doing girls' things, playing with dolls when I was younger, taking ballet...you name it. Oh yeah, I also like wearing girls' clothes, although most of the time I wasn't allowed to wear them...at least until tonight.
Well, back to the favor. Trey's mom, Laurie, has been trying to build his confidence up. She also knew about my little hobby. She somehow convinced mom that Trey would overcome his shyness around girls if we...well went on a pretend date.
Much to my amazement, or should I say shock, mom actually agreed.
So here I was, sitting in a chair in front of mom's mirror, wearing a pair of panties while mom snapped my training bra in the back. She bought them today. As far as I know, this might be the only time I get to wear them.
"Okay mom, what are you laughing at?," I said as she put a necklace around my neck.
"I can't believe it, my son looks a little Miley Cyrus," she said as I rolled my eyes again.
"Oh mom, cut it out," I said.
The frightening thing? I'm from the South. With my accent, I sort of sounded like her, too.
My mouth fell open when mom brought in the little black dress I was going to wear.
"Laurie guessed at your size," she said as I slipped into it. It seemed a little tight to me as mom zipped up the back.
"I think she did a good job guessing your size," she said as I looked at myself in the mirror...or at least I thought it was myself. I don't want to sound conceited, but there was a stunnigly beautiful girl staring back at me.
"Who taught you to primp?" mom asked.
"Um, nobody," I said with a smile. To me, it sort of came natural. Or at least it felt natural.
My heart jumped when I heard the door bell.
"Oh my gosh mom, they're here!"
Mom rushed downstairs. She joked she wanted me to make my "grand entrance."
I was still incredibly nervous as I slowly walked down the stairs.
"Wow, look at you!" Trey said.
"Oh my gosh, Taylor, you are gorgeous," his mom said. "Who knew he would make such a stunning girl, Beth?"
"I know Laurie, I'm a little amazed myself," mom said.
"Wow, Trey, you look sharp," I said, and he did. He wore I pretty hip shirt and blue jeans.
"Okay you too, I want to get a picture," his mom said as she pulled out her digital camera.
Trey was surprised, heck even I was surprised when I locked arms with him. I blushed, but seemed relieved when he smiled.
"Here is the part where she says 'you two make such a cute couple,' " I snickered to Trey.
"You're right," he said.
This was definitely a different adventure for us. Trey was never a big fan of my sissy pursuits. But there were times when I could be all-boy. We played war, built tree houses, went searching for tadpoles and crawdads in the creek. We also played with action figures.
This...well, was turning out to be an experience neither of us would soon forget.
"I've got something for you," Trey said, pulling a small bouquet of flowers from behind a lamp that he had hidden.
"Awe Trey, how sweet!" I said in the most girlish tone of voice I could use.
Impulse, well then, I acted on weird impulse. I kissed him on the cheek...scary, I know. I mean, I never thought of myself as gay. Never been attracted to boys. I just did it.
Our moms, well they laughed.
"Now that was really sweet, Taylor," Trey's mom said.
"Well, Laurie, where are you taking them?" mom asked.
"I'm taking them to the mall in Mechanicsburg," she said. "I thought they could get something to eat, walk around and then watch Harry Potter. No one knows them there, so there shouldn't be a problem."
I'd been wanting to see the latest Harry Potter movie since it came out. But all I could think of was what Trey thought of the kiss as we walked to the car.
Trey, he was the perfect gentleman. If he was upset by it, he didn't show it. I was still a little embarrassed.
"Sorry Trey, I don't know what came over me," I whispered as the car sped away from our house.
He grabbed my hand, which sort of caught me by surprise.
"For what?" he whispered back. "Tonight, you're my girl. That's what girls do."
I pondered that for a second, then locked my arm with his and leaned closer to him. I found myself sitting actually in the middle of the back seat.
"Alright you two, no making out in the back seat," his mother said.
"Oh mom, get for real," Trey said. "We're only 14."
"Yeah, Mrs. Harrison, we're only 14," I chimed in.
"Ummm...you smell good," I whispered to Trey as we pulled up to the mall. I'd like to pretend it was all just an act, but he really did! He told me it was a cologne his mother picked up.
"Okay you two, I'll be back to pick you up at 9:45, right after the movie," she said as we crawled out of the car. "Have fun."
"We will!" we both said as we watched her drive away.
He continued to hold my hand as we walked into the mall. I pretty much wrapped my arm around him. I remembered our moms' words back at the house as I saw our reflection on one of the shiny, marble walls at the mall. We really did actually make a good couple.
It was turning out to be an interesting evening. Okay, I'll admit it, it was turning out to be an enchanted evening. There, I said it.
We talked about things we'd never talked about before. Trey told me how he was looking forward to playing football, but what he really wanted to be was an engineer once he graduated college. He wanted to build rockets.
I told him I wanted to be a professional dancer, but I was unsure what I wanted to be after that. A lawyer, a school teacher, I wasn't for sure.
"Well, we're only 14," he said with a laugh. "We don't have to decide now."
I rolled my eyes. Sure, he was a little chunky. But he was also downright charming. He didn't seem to be too nervous around me. If he was like this around other girls...I mean real girls...He would really do okay.
We had a nice dinner in the food court and went walking around through the stores before the movie began.
"I think you'd look cute in that," he said as we walked by a mannequin wearing a yellow polka dot bikini like the one in that yogurt commercial. "You're going to where a teenie, weenie yellow polka dot bikini," he sang.
"Oh stop it!" I said, giving him an elbow. Deep down, I actually liked the ribbing. And I really wouldn't mind wearing that bikini "for the first time" someday.
The night went really quick. Harry Potter was a little bit darker than the previous movies. There were actually a couple of scarier moments. I found myself leaning over on Trey, who put his arm around me.
"You're safe with me, Miss Granger," he whispered, calling me by the last name of my favorite character. I have to admit I was a bit sad when Dumbledore died. Yes I cried, but only for a minute. And Trey says no one will ever know.
"Well, did you two enjoy the movie?" his mom asked when she picked us up outside. She also asked how the entire evening went. We were a bit mum on that. There were some things neither mother need to know. But I assured her Trey was the perfect gentleman, which he was.
He proved it when our "date" was over. He walked me to my door. I told him I had a great time, that he shouldn't have a problem when it came to dating real girls, that he was real sweet.
Our moms were watching the whole time, I guess being real curious. Maybe I wanted to give them a show, I dunno.
"Trey, if you want, you can give me a kiss.." I told him.
He gave me one on the cheek.
I don't know what came over me next. I kissed him back. In the lips!
What he thought, I'm not quite sure. He mentioned something about me coming over there house to swim this weekend as he said goodbye.
Something tells me, he's not going to want to play Marco Polo. He started singing as he walked back to his mom's car.
"You'll wear an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka dot bikini...that you'll wear on the first time...Saturday!"
Trey Harrison, I blamed Trey Harrison.
He was the blame for me standing out here on a football field on a hot summer day for four hours. And did I say making a fool of myself?
"We all got together and this is what we said.
We're gonna F-I-G-H-T
We're gonna S-C-O-R-E
We're gonna fight
We're gonna score
We're gonna win tonight! WOOHOO!"
I cannot believe I'm chanting those words with about 50 girls. Did I mention I'm at cheerleader tryouts?
"Okay group B, you're up!" yells Ms. Girado, our cheerleading sponsor.
I'm in that group. Got to run.
"Touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, boys.
You make the touchdowns, we make the noise.
A boom, boom!"
We jump and turn to the left.
"Hey, a boom, boom!"
We jump and face the back.
"Hey, a boom boom!"
We jump and face the right. And then face the judges.
"Can you feel it?
A boom, boom!- Hey"
Did I say these cheers are hard to do and sound, well like a guy? My voice really hasn't changed. Somehow, I feel like I'm screeching.
"Hey, Hey you know what to do,
you got to rock with the white,
and jam with the blue!"
I know. Pretty intelligent stuff, right? So why am I out here completely, totally humiliating myself?
Last year, I tried playing football. I was the absolute worst on the team. Trey loves football. It's the one sport a big guy can play and still get respect.
"You, know Taylor, if you're a cheerleader you'll practice when we do," Trey said. "You'll be on the same field. You'll get to watch me practice."
Oh, he forgot to mention that if I actually made the squad I would probably be subject to ridicule in front of the whole school. Around here, boys don't dance. They don't cheer. I would be doing both.
Get that out of your minds though, the picture of me wearing a skirt and those little cute bloomers. I'd love to wear them, as you've probably guessed. But boys have those "macho" matching uniforms...or so I was told. Yeah right!
I practiced for a week with Trey's mom and cousin Amber to get ready. Trey's mom was a cheerleader back in the day. Amber's a year ahead of us. She's already on the squad.
I do have a confession to make. The chants, yes they're annoying. But the dances we've had to do in tryouts have been pretty cool. My jazz, hip-hop and even ballet classes have paid off. I may have sucked doing cheers, but I think I've really amazed some people by how well I've done.
And the tumbling has been really cool, too. My acro classes paid off there, too. Now the pyramids and picking people up thing, well I could do without that, too. Being the only guy out here, I've had to do more lifting than I've done in my entire life. My shoulders are more than sore.
"Okay, ladies and gentleman gather around!" Ms. Girado yells.
The moment of truth has arrived. This whole ordeal thankfully has come to a close.
"You've all done a good job today," Ms. Girado says. "You've all worked hard. But we're only going to be able to keep five of you."
I'm doing the math. Can't wait to tell Trey I gave it my best shot.
"Shelly Whitaker, Olivia Bell, Jessica Daniels, Jillian Graves and Taylor Walker, congratulations, you're on the squad," Ms. Girado says. "I need you to stay for a few minutes. Everyone else, thanks for coming. We'll have tryouts again next summer."
Taylor Walker, congratulations, you're on the squad!
Can you say completely stunned? What have I done? Part of me wants to crawl completely under a rock now. Part of me is actually excited.
The older girls on the squad are standing and applauding as we make our way to the end zone where they've been sitting.
"Taylor, you rocked today!" Amber said as she gave me a hug.
"Actually, your cheering and your moves need some work," Ms. Girado said as she hands me forms for my mother to fill out. "But those are things we can work on. The dancing and tumbling you've got to be able to do. You can't learn those overnight."
"And you're an awesome dancer and tumbler," Amber whispered.
"Cheerleading camp is in two weeks," Ms. Girado told all of us. "It's at UT. Taylor, we'll call around to see if any other teams have boys so we can figure out your dorm situation."
Among the forms was a list of rules. It also included ordering uniforms. Can I say the boys uniforms look kind of dorky?
"We're also going to have to change your schedule around," Ms. Girado said. "I'm going to have to get you pulled out of boys P.E. and into the movement class that all of the cheerleaders must be in."
Movement class? According to Amber, it's a Pilates and dance fest, along with weight training. I'll be in there with not only cheerleaders, but dance team members, gymnasts and volleyball players. All of them girls. So you won't hear me complaining about that.
"New cheerleaders need to pick up their workout clothes before they go," Ms. Girado said.
There may be a different uniform for boys when we cheer. There isn't for practice.
"This looks to be about your size," Ms. Girado said as she tossed me a tank top.
"So do these," she said as she tossed me a pair of spandex shorts, with the emphasis on short. "You'll probably need an athletic supporter under them."
I was amazed when I didn't hear any snickering.
"At least you don't have to wear a sports bra under the tank top," one of the girls said.
#####
"Hurry up!" mom yelled upstairs as we were getting ready to go over the Trey's to swim.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I yelled as I came bounding down the stairs.
"Nice tank top," mom said, noticing my quasi-nerd, quasi-cheerleader look.
"Well, it's clean," I said, trying to act oblivious to the Washington High cheerleading shirt I had on.
I was through pretending I didn't really want to be on the squad. I knew I was going to be in for some humiliation, but I was proud I made the team. And this was the first opportunity for me to wear the shirt.
"We match!" Amber said when I walked into the door at Trey's house.
Well, not entirely. She was wearing a little bikini under hers. I was wearing my dorky swim trunks that came to my knees.
"Dude, glad you're here," Trey said as we walked through the house and out to the pool.
I was surprised to see a huge banner hanging up..."Congratulations Taylor!"
There were blue and white pom poms handing everywhere.
"Trey and Amber worked hard to get everything ready," Trey's mom said.
They also brought out a cake. It had "Washington High's newest cheerleader" on it.
Taylor couldn't help but notice the pictures. There was a football player (Trey). There were two cheerleaders labeled Amber and Taylor. Both were wearing skirts. I wasn't about to protest. I wondered if mom would say anything. She didn't.
"Oh yeah, I forgot something," Trey said as he went inside.
He brought out a gift bag.
"I hope you're not going to wear that dorky suit" he said.
"Dorky suit?" I said. "It's almost the same as yours."
I looked into the bag and there it was:
A teeny, weeny, yellow, polka dot bikini.
Author's note: This is the third story in the Trey and Me series.
I could sit and watch my cousin Grace for hours. She was my hero when I was little. It didn't seem to matter that she was nine years older than me. She was my babysitter. She didn't seem to mind me tagging along with her.
She called me her little shadow. It was hard on me when she went away to college. It seemed like she just got back when she announced to the world she was getting married.
I guess that's why I was excited when my mom said we were going to see her and Aunt Meg and Uncle Carl. And Trey Harrison, well he was a little pissed when I told him we were going away for the weekend.
So here I was, sitting on her bed, watching her do her hair and put on makeup.
"So what's he like?" I said while she toyed around with how she wanted her hair.
"What's who like, Shadow?" she said. She knew who I was talking about. She liked teasing me.
"You know...Bill, the groom," I said, faking like I was irritated. "I mean, how did you know he was the one?"
She laughed.
"Come here, Shadow, sit by me," she said, making room on her stool. She pulled out her lipstick and started putting it on my lips. She also pulled out the eyeliner.
"Hold still," she said, trying to be detailed as she could with her artwork. Oh yeah, did I tell you we've always had this makeup thing going, at least since I was five?
"Well, he's handsome and very sweet," she said as she did her best to doll me up. "We're very different. He's a tough guy, but he really likes to talk. How do I know he's the one? I don't know. I get this feeling in my stomach when I'm around him."
"So that's what it will be like for me?" I said. "I'll get a weird feeling in my stomach?"
"Maybe, Shadow," Grace said. "When the right girl ... or guy ... comes along, you'll know."
Right guy? I didn't say anything.
But I knew she found my confusing gender issues fascinating, in a good, supportive way.
"You know, Taylor, if you do fall in love with a guy, I think that's OK," she said. "You know, mom told me about your date with Trey. I think that's so cute."
"Boys, ewww!" I said, rolling my eyes. "Falling in love, ick!"
"One of these says, Taylor, you will fall in love," she said. "And I'll be reminding you of this conversation."
I was relieved when a knock at the door ended what to me seemed like an awkward conversation.
"Grace, honey, you've got to hurry or you'll be late for the fitting," my Aunt Meg said as she stuck her heard through the door.
"Be right down, mom," Grace said. "Mom, do you mind if Taylor comes with me to the fitting?"
"If his mother doesn't mind, it's OK with me," Aunt Meg said. "But I don't know if Taylor will like hanging around with you and your friends as they get fitted for bridesmaid dresses."
"Shadow just got back from cheerleading camp, mom," Grace said. "I'm sure he doesn't mind being around a bunch of girls."
I told Aunt Meg I didn't have a problem. I told her it would break up the boredom. Truth of the matter, I was really excited about going.
"Have a good time!" mom said as we told her where we were going as we hurried out the door on the way to Grace's car. She didn't seem to notice I was still wearing the lipstick and the eyeliner.
Grace's friends were waiting when we got to Julia's Bridal Shop. Chelsea was Grace's maid of honor. There was also Anna, Jasmine and Christina. They were Grace's sorority sisters from Tech. Grace tried to fill me in on them on the way to the shop, but it was a bit confusing.
I apparently didn't need an introduction. I think I heard "Shadow is so cute" about a thousand times.
The fun part was watching them get fitted for dresses. Grace's "signature" color was "lilac" and watching them model the dresses and get fitted for them was pretty fun. It was almost like being at a fashion show.
Then things got a little weird. I actually thought we were through when Christina was through being fitted for her dress. But I noticed Grace looking at me and having a brainstorming look on her face.
I wasn't the only one to notice. Her friends did too.
"The wheels are turning," Chelsea said. "What are you thinking about, Grace?"
"Ladies, I have an awesome idea," she said.
"We're waiting," Jasmine said.
Then I heard Grace whisper something to them. I heard the word "Shadow", but that was about all I could pick up. Grace then went up front, disappearing from my sight.
Julia, the shop owner, came back with a dress that matched her friends.
"Shadow, come with me," she said, leading me to a changing room. I was blushing the whole time, even more so when I stripped to my underwear and put the dress on.
Like Grace's friends, I walked out and modeled for them. And then I stood still as Julia took my measurements. I was a bit embarrassed when she said I must be a late bloomer, referring to my chest. But she also said I was old enough to be wearing a training bra.
Grace and her friends did their best to keep straight faces, but it didn't entirely work. I heard a few giggles.
"Shadow, you're going to look so beautiful," Grace said, trying to reassure me. Her friends agreed.
She whispered "I'll clear things with our mothers" when I returned wearing my street clothes. I was still pretty much in a state of shock. I tried to act reluctant, but I was really excited about being one of her bridesmaids.
Grace said Bill's cousin Tucker, who was 15, would be added to the groomsmen.
"I've got to tell you Shadow, he's really a hottie," she said as we drove away. "He's going to sweep you off your feet."
I rolled my eyes. I told her I thought that was icky.
"But wait until Trey finds out," I thought. "He's going to be really jealous."
I kept quiet about the whole thing when I was in the car with Grace. This dressing up like a girl thing, the wedding, Trey, it was all freaking me out.
And here I was, dressed in a pair of Grace's shorts and a spaghetti strap top, riding with her to a beauty salon. I was also wearing a little makeup that Grace had applied shortly after picking me up from Trey's.
"Well, I just wanted a peek," Trey said in a very annoying way.
I fell for it, I have to admit it. I was laying face down by his pool trying to get some sun, you know, for the wedding.
Trying to make sure it was a "girl's" tan, I was wearing, you guessed it, the yellow polka dot bikini. It was actually the first time I'd worn it. I was too embarrassed to wear it at the party a few weeks ago.
I thought about going to a tanning booth. But Trey's mom invited me to lay out by the pool.
What did Trey do that was so annoying? After he climbed out of the pool, he walked over by me. My eyes were closed, didn't know he was there. He pulled open my bikini bottom.
"A peek?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said. "I think you have a cute butt. It looks like a girl's butt."
He was laughing. I didn't like being picked on.
"Here, get a better view," I said angrily, pulling down my bikini bottom where both butt cheeks were fully exposed. I quickly pulled them back up.
Instead of one-upping him, I believe I embarrassed myself even more.
"Trey, don't bother Taylor," I heard his mother shout from the window of the house. I'm hoping she didn't see my little display.
"Taylor, you're cousin Grace said she would be picking you up in 30 minutes," she shouted.
"OK Mrs. Harrison," I said, standing and wrapping a towel around myself.
"I'm sorry Taylor," Trey whispered.
"That's OK Trey, I know you were just teasing," I said.
"Well, I wasn't kidding," Trey whispered back. "You really do have a cute little girl's ass. I hope I get to see another view sometime."
"You're freaking me out, Trey, you do know that?," I said before going into change.
I kept quiet about the whole thing when I was in the car with Grace. This dressing up like a girl thing, the wedding, Trey, it was all freaking me out.
And here I was, dressed in a pair of Grace's shorts and a spaghetti strap top, riding with her to a beauty salon. I was also wearing a little makeup that Grace had applied shortly after picking me up from Trey's.
"Are you nervous about this, Shadow?" she asked.
I nodded. The wedding was a couple of days away. We were going to get our hair done and nails done. No one at the Salon knew I was really a boy. As far as they were supposed to know, I was a girl.
Mom wasn't really thrilled about the escapade, at least until she saw me in the bridesmaid dress. Then she got a little gung ho. Talk about embarrassing. What hair I had growing on my legs, she taught me how to shave off. And she made sure it was going to stay off.
Same with the few underarm hairs I had. I was proud of them. But now my pits were absolutely bare. Showing me how to do those things were not what I think she had in mind when the doctor told her she had a son.
"So this is Taylor?" a woman by the name of Stacy asked after we entered the salon. Grace told her I was.
She pulled me aside while another woman attended to Grace. She opened up a book with hairstyles in it. I actually had little to say in the matter. Grace was the one doing the consulting with Stacy about my hair.
"That one!" Grace said when she picked out the style she wanted for my hair.
I didn't argue. I've got to keep the bride happy. And once the wedding was over, I could ditch the curls and go back to my long, straight style.
"You're going to look glamorous," Stacy said before going to work on my hair.
I really didn't know whether to smile or cry when she was done. It actually did look beautiful. There was a part of me that wanted to keep the style.
I almost freaked out about the nails.
"You should really let them grow," Stacy said before putting on fake ones.
"I tell her that all of the time," Grace said before I gave her a really strange look.
I was in deep shock when I looked at myself in the mirror. There was a girl staring back at me.
I cried. I almost felt like running. I didn't react this way when I "dressed up" for the date with Trey, or even pretending to be a girl at the bridal shop or laying out by the pool.
But looking at my hair the way Stacy fixed it, and my nails, well you could say it shocked.
"What's wrong Shadow?" Grace asked after we left the salon.
"This is all really confusing," I told her.
"Well, if you don't want to go through with it, you don't have to," She said.
That's the problem, I thought, I really did want to go through with it.
"Grace, is it stupid that I enjoy being a girl?" I asked.
I couldn't believe I said it. I also wanted to take it back, but it was too late.
"No Shadow, I don't think its stupid," she said. "I sort of sensed it. I've always sensed it."
I swore her to secrecy. Don't tell mom, I said.
As far as anyone knew, this was going to be pretend.
"Oh how beautiful!" mom said when I modeled my bridesmaid dress for her, Trey and Trey's mom in the living room.
I blushed.
"I have to admit I wasn't thrilled about this," mom told Trey's mom. "But he really does look cute. Now I'm glad Grace asked him to be in the wedding."
"I think he'll make a very beautiful bridesmaid," Trey's mom said.
I motioned for Trey and told mom we were going upstairs.
"I've got to get out of this gettup," I said.
"Be careful, don't mess up your hair," mom said.
I rolled my eyes.
"Come on Trey, let's get out of here," I said as we walked up the stairs.
I asked Trey to help me unzip and help me out of the dress. He seemed more than eager to help.
His eyes grew big when he saw me standing in the middle of my room wearing a pair of panties and a strapless training bra as I put the dress on a hanger.
"I didn't know you were going to be wearing that stuff," he said.
"Well what did you think I was going to be wearing under that," I said, pointing to the bridesmaid dress. "A pair of boxers or briefs?"
Did I mention the pair of panties and the bra were bought by Grace for me at Victoria Secret. These weren't granny panties I was wearing.
"No, I guess not," he said with a laugh.
I turned around laughing.
"Hey Trey, look!" I said, pulling down the panties to give him another full view of my butt cheeks.
Once again, I managed to embarrass myself.
"Sorry," I said. "I just got carried away."
"I didn't mind," Trey said. "I told you I like your girly butt."
I laughed and collapsed on the bed and saw Trey pull a small box out of his pocket.
"Taylor, I've got to ask you something," he said.
"What is it, Trey?" I asked.
"When you're pretending to be a girl, would you be my girlfriend?" he asked, pulling out a necklace.
I stood up and walked over to him. I pointed to my neck.
"Your first official act as my boyfriend is to put the necklace around my neck," I said.
He obliged. I had to admit it was beautiful. I told him I would wear it with my bridesmaid dress.
"Well if you're my girlfriend now, I have another question," he asked.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Can I kiss you?" he asked.
I hugged him, nodded yes. He pecked me on the cheek.
I surprised myself when I returned it with a more passionate one. I stuck my tongue in his mouth. He did the same.
It frightened me. I ran out of my room and into the bathroom and shut the door.
"What's wrong," he asked.
I couldn't answer. I sobbed. The tears ran down my face.
"You look really pretty," he whispered, not having a clue that the girl he was leading down the aisle was a boy. But Grace was right, he was pretty good looking, you know in a girl likes a boy kind of way.
Seated a few aisles from the back of the church was Trey and his mother. Trey, well, he looked kind of jealous. I looked back and smiled.
"Who is that?" Tucker asked.
"My boyfriend," I whispered back. "I don't think he's thrilled my arm is around another boy's."
Again I found myself staring at the mirror.
This time in a dressing room. In a church. I don't think the makeup freaked me out anymore. Jasmine, one of my fellow bridesmaids, helped me with that.
Come to think of it, all three helped me into my dress. I helped them. It was almost surreal. They didn't seemed disturbed they were changing in front of a teenage boy. They acted as if I were a girl.
"Taylor, are you about done," I heard my mother say outside of the room.
"Yes, I'm done," I said, taking another stare at the teenage girl wearing a bridesmaid dress that stared back at me from the mirror. It still amazed me.
"Grace wants you in the bridal room," mom said.
"I'm coming," I said as I walked out of the room. Walking in heels still proved quite a chore, even though I had a crash course over the last few days.
Down the hall, Grace was waiting. She was sitting on a chair in front of a mirror. She looked absolutely beautiful. Grandma Ruth was standing right next to her.
"Let me take a look at you, Shadow," she said.
"You shouldn't be worried about me," I said. "This is your big day."
"I know," she said. "But I wanted you to know how beautiful I think you are."
"Girls, I got something to give you both," Grandma Ruth said as she pulled two small boxes out of her purse.
She put a pear necklace around Grace's neck. She then put one around mine.
"I wanted to give these to my two oldest granddaughters," she said.
"I'll give mine back to you after the reception, grandma," I said. "Then you can give it to Emma on a special day."
She had a stern look on her face and shook her head no. Grace smiled.
"Taylor Diane Walker, hush that talk," she said.
"Um Grandma, that's Taylor Daniel Walker, I'm a boy, remember?"
Mom had a concerned look on her face. Grace started laughing.
"Not on this day, you're not," Grace said. "Your wedding present to me is that you're a girl today. Not a boy in a bridesmaid dress."
"Listen to your cousin," Grandma Ruth said, giving me a whack on the behind. "You're my granddaughter. You're not giving it back. It is my gift to you."
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. It was my uncle.
"Ladies, the music is about to start, it's almost time to begin."
Ladies, I thought. Even my uncle seemed to be playing along.
I walked out and lined up behind the other bridesmaids. I locked arms with Tucker, my groomsman, when it came our time to walk down the aisle.
"You look really pretty," he whispered, not having a clue that the girl he was leading down the aisle was a boy. But Grace was right, he was pretty good looking, you know in a girl likes a boy kind of way.
Seated a few aisles from the back of the church was Trey and his mother. Trey, well, he looked kind of jealous. I looked back and smiled.
"Who is that?" Tucker asked.
"My boyfriend," I whispered back. "I don't think he's thrilled my arm is around another boy's."
Tucker led me to my spot in line with the other bridesmaids. Bill, the groom, smiled as his little brother came down bearing the rings. My little cousin Kaitlyn was the flower girl. She left a line of pedals.
I tried not to laugh as Kaitlyn stopped and waved at her parents. She was too cute.
Then came "Here Comes The Bride."
Grace was stunning as my uncle led her down the aisle. She was radiant, smiling. I have to admit, I pictured myself in her shoes, wearing that amazing dress.
The exchanging of the vows were beautiful. My heart went out to Grace as tears ran down her cheeks. They were running down mine, too, and the other bridesmaids. The guys kept their cool, although Bill looked a little nervous as he repeated his vows.
"Oh to be as passionately in love as they are," whispered Christina, one of the other bridesmaids, to me. "Our time is coming."
I hoped so, I really did.
I couldn't help but wonder, though. Would I be wearing a white, beautiful dress. Or would I be wearing a tux when that day arrives.