THE PROM STATEMENT: Chapter 3
By
Nina Adams

In the heat of debate, Clarence makes a Prom
Statement that would change his life forever.

In this chapter Claire’s preparations get a kick-start.

------------------------A Foundation For The Future---------------------

We all gathered in the family room with most of the boxes sitting in the middle of the floor. Rachel sat right next to me on the loveseat to provide me with support. I was going to try and bite my tongue and just accept my fate.

“Claire, I know this is all going to be so foreign to you, but I think we have enough to get you started. We really do not know how best to begin, but we figure that you needed to start feeling comfortable dressing in a more feminine way around the house. The three of us will then work with you to refine your skills. By the dance you should be more than ready.”

Before they could continue, I interrupted my mother, “Rachel and I all ready talked about this and she promised to help me, but I don’t want you to tell anyone else about all this. If my school friends found out I would be the laughing stock.”

“Honey for now, we are just going to focus on time away from school. Max is the only school friend who needs to know anything about this.”

“Okay, show me what’s here so we can get it over with.”

“Your mother and I have put together an assortment of clothes and other things so you can come home from school each day and change. We have some casual things and other clothes if you feel like being dressier or more stylish.”

“Why do I have to do this each day? Can’t I just do this when you stop by?”

“You don’t have to do this every day. If you have school activities or special plans, you don’t have to wear these things unless you want to. However, until you get more adjusted, we all agree that you need to spend as much time as possible learning how to act properly. Also a lot of the clothing is not that different from your current wardrobe. What you have on now is a perfect example.”

“Where is this all going to be stored?”

“Your mother has already made a lot of space for you in your room. We can probably make some more space later as you might need it. We will all help you organize your room so that you can find what you need.”

“Claire, let’s start with this first box. This box contains things that you will probably need every day. The box contains lingerie, foundation items, intimates and some new sleepwear. You will need these items for under your new pretty things.”

She then took everything out of the box and laid the items into separate stacks. There were more panties, with different styles and colors. There were bras, which I had a hard time not staring at. Also included were socks, tights and some items I did not recognize. Finally there was a small pile of satin like items, which apparently were sleepwear.

“Mom, that’s a lot of briefs and I don’t have any need for a bra… look at me.”

Rachel dug into one of the other boxes. She pulled out a set of jellylike blobs. “I suggest to our parents that you shouldn’t be too big on top, so we got you a ”B+” set. Down the road if you want to be more daring, we can get you a larger pair.”

“What are all these other things?”

“We have hip pads, a waist cinch and a full corset. These items will give you better shape when wearing some of the clothes. Of course, the corset will also help with your posture as well. There are a few other things, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.”

“Rachel dear, why don’t you hand your cousin the pink bra over there and those inserts. Claire, please take off your top and try the bra on.”

“Can I do that later?”

“We want to see how it fits.”

Rachel then showed me how to put on the bra and hook the clasps. “It’s best if you hook them from behind. If you do it in front and spin the bra around it won’t last as long.”

She slipped the forms into the cups and then smiled at me. “You’re on your way girl.”

My aunt was only partially pleased; she kept staring at me with her observant eyes.

“I do so many fittings at the boutiques, so I am happy that I got your size right, but the rest of your body looks like a pole.”

“Sis, what do you suggest?”

“If we want some of the nicer clothes to look good on her, we’re going to have to do a lot of work on her shape.” Each time she clearly emphasized ‘her’.

“Sharon dear, I told you, we need to focus on just clothes now. I’m not ready for those other more aggressive ideas yet.”

“Mom what other ideas?”

“Nothing dear, aunt Sharon is just getting ahead of herself with things we don’t have in the box. Let’s start by trying the hip pads and corset now”

“I don’t know how to put those on.”

“I wouldn’t expect you would. Go to the bathroom and take off your slacks and pull your legs into this padded panty. Before you get it up all the way, pull your privates back between your legs. This foundation item is very elastic and should hold everything in place. When you are done, come back out and we will help you with her corset.”

“I don’t want to come out in only underwear.”

“Honey, it’s only us girls and your aunt and cousin do fittings all day long.”

In the bathroom I did as they asked and the pads held everything firmly in place. Before re-entering the room I glanced at myself in the mirror. It was the first time I got to see the effects of the bra. I was now flat in my groin and curved in my chest area. My hair was nearly dry and draped over my head. The image was more than a little feminine; I looked like a teenage girl, maybe a tomboy, but definitely a girl. I was both scared and fascinated at the same time. I could feel myself getting aroused. It was not very comfortable with my erection pulled back between my legs. I took my time before going back to the women.

I could see on all of their faces that my new image was intriguing to them. I could also see that they noticed my slight uncomfortable bulge.

“Well at least now we have some hips and a butt. I think the corset should really help now.”

Rachel then wrapped the white device around my midsection. Together we hooked it up in the front. When we were done, she went behind me and started pulling on the strings. It quickly became uncomfortable.

My mother stopped her from making it too tight. “Rachel make it snug, but we can tighten it a little more as she becomes more used to it.”

With all of these items on, I could see my aunt beaming. “Claire, that is so much better, you’re going to be absolutely gorgeous.”

I could see my mother looking at me in a strange way. She was quiet and almost tearful.

“What’s wrong mom? I am trying to be cooperative.”

“It’s not that Claire. I never expected to feel what I am feeling right now. You look so pretty. I am okay with this, it’s just emotional for me.”

“Mom let’s try a dress on Claire, instead of the boring slacks and T-shirt.”

A couple of minutes later I was standing in front of them in a blue pullover linen dress that reached to mid thigh. I was also wearing tall black boots with 2-inch heels. Rachel brushed my hair out and led be back to our parents.

They were awestruck. They had me turn around a few times to get the full effect. I guess with all the smiles and encouragement I was getting more relaxed with them seeing me in this attire. I knew that what I was doing was kind of bizarre, but I was starting to get over the initial shock.

Sharon looked at my mother and commented, “Even without makeup, jewelry or hair, she makes an attractive young lady. She will only become more beautiful.”

“Rachel then shouted, “Mom can I try the blonde wig on her?”

“Sure honey, but I don’t think it will look good on her.”

“She pulled out of one of the boxes a mid-length blonde wig. The bleach color was a major contrast to my dark brown hair. The wig was not really any longer than my own hair, but was much wavier than my hair. She pulled my hair back and slowly stretched the cap over my crown. She fluffed it out and giggled.

“What’s so funny?”

“You look like a different person. There is no way that anyone would recognize you. Even your mother wouldn’t know it was you if she didn’t know you had a wig on. It’s cute, but the style is really for someone older. You need a more youthful look. It’s fun though to see the effect. I wish I could give you some dangling earrings to wear with it. I guess that will have to wait. Go show them.

I took a quick peek at myself in the mirror and almost swooned. I looked like a girl at school that I knew from homeroom. I always thought she was kind of cute, but maybe it was just in my head, but I thought I looked as nice as her.

Aunt Sharon pretty much mirrored the thoughts of Rachel, “you look so different, but the style is not right for you. Your face is thin, so you need more body on the sides. If you want to dye your hair blond I am sure you would look spectacular, but your natural chestnut brown is such a pretty color. I guess we’ll have to talk with the stylist before we decide.”

Her comment about the stylist brought me back to earth. “What about a stylist? This is for dressing at the house. I can’t go to a stylist.”

“You already make a lovely niece, but your hair needs body. Your mother and I go to Lulu’s and she is a magician. I am sure she can give you a look that works for Clarence and Claire. She’s not likely to cut that much off so you can always pull it back like you typically do now. We will make sure she understands what you need.”

I was very unsure about expanding on any of this, especially outside the safe confines of the house. I also did not want any other people to know what was going on. Getting my hair trimmed in a salon did not seem like a very good idea to me. This was all happening so fast.

“Can I go change now? I think this is all I can handle for one day.”

“Honey, I don’t want you to change. When you are home you need to get comfortable this way. If you want to have Rachel pick out something else for you, then that would be okay. She will help you put away the rest of your new things. And don’t forget to thank her for all of her help.

“I have to stay this way all day?”

“We talked about this, until you get totally comfortable this way, it is necessary. Besides you look very nice. If you like, later you can invite Max over to show him how well you are doing.”

“No way, he will think I am crazy or worse.”

“He’s going to see you eventually. You two are in this together, so I am sure he would be happy to come over and show his support.”

“That may be, but I am not ready to face him yet.”

“Suit yourself, go with Rachel and put your new things away.”

Rachel emptied everything onto my bed and floor. I couldn’t believe how many clothes there were. There were of course, a bunch of dresses, but in addition there was a ton of everyday casual clothing. A lot of it was not overly girlish and actually very androgynous. She put all of my new lingerie in with my boys under things. There was only one clean pair of my underpants in the drawer and she nearly filled it up with girl stuff.

We stuck some of the sweaters on my closet shelves and hung all of the dresses on the closet rods. I had three new pairs of shoes to go along with the tall boots I was already wearing. There were two pairs of casual everyday shoes and a strappy pair of dress shoes with a pencil thin heel. That pair had at least 3-inch heels. I had no idea how anyone could walk in those. The remaining slacks, jeans, and tops found miscellaneous homes scattered around my room. Some went into drawers and others hung in the closet.

The end result was that I had as many girl's things as boy's. There was no possible way I could let any of my friends into my room. Not having any sisters, I couldn’t comprehend of any way to explain the clothing away. Life was going to be very challenging until the Prom. At least there were some new clothes that I could wear that weren’t all that feminine.

My cousin and Aunt Sharon left us mid-afternoon. Shortly after that my mother asked to see me in my room. She checked out where we put everything and moved a couple of the items to other locations. When she was finished we had one more girl-to-girl talk.

“Claire, we have gotten you a lot of really nice things and I expect you to take care of them. We can re-arrange things if we need some space later. Monday, I have a floor sample vanity being delivered from Dania’s furniture. After it arrives, we can lay out and store some of your cosmetics as we figure out what you need.”

“A vanity! This is all supposed to be temporary, where are we going to put it?”

“Well you never use your desk. Most of the time you do your work on your bed or downstairs. We can put your desk in the basement. If necessary, we can move it back upstairs down the road.”

“Why do I need a vanity anyway? If you ever want to make me wear lipstick, can’t we just do that in your room?”

“That kind of silly statement is exactly why you need your own vanity. Rachel and I will give you lessons and you will need to practice-practice-practice. You need to perfect your skills, before your big dance. We will get started on that in a few days.”

“I can’t wait.”

“Don’t be sarcastic with me.”

“Sorry mom, it’s just all so much for me to absorb at once.”

“That’s why we needed time and I don’t want to push you too hard.”

“It seems like so much already. My room is full of so many new things. Do you really think I need all this?”

It will take a while to see what you really need and like. We can fill in the holes later. Some of these things are everyday items that can replace some of your dated old things with.”

“You mean the casual things for after school? I saw some of that stuff. I guess those things are okay.”

“Yes dear, those are nice, but some of this you can wear during the day. Jeans are jeans, slacks are slacks, and nobody can tell the difference without seeing the labels. It will be your secret. I’m not suggesting you were a dress to school, but jeans and a blue sweater will be an improvement on your current get up.”

“I can’t wear girls clothes to school. People will laugh at me.”

“First off, I bet no one notices, and besides you always say no one notices you at school anyway. Initially, the only things you will wear will be the neutral styles and androgynous items. If you get laughed at or it causes you any problems, we will deal with that then. You don’t even have gym class anymore, so you’d don’t have to get dressed in front of anyone. Stop worrying.”

“The corset is getting very uncomfortable, can I at least take that off.”

“How about you stay like this until dinner and then I will help you change into something more casual. At that point, you can switch into the waist cinch. It will be more comfortable and less restrictive. I want you to wear the corset whenever possible to help with your posture and body shaping.”

“Fine, I guess I can make it a little longer. What now?”

Why don’t you help me finish folding the laundry and then you can go relax in your room.”

The rest of the day was much more laid back. I changed into jeans and the top I wore in the morning. The big difference, however, was that I still wore the hip pads, waist cinch and brassiere. With my hair not in a ponytail, my appearance clearly leaned to the female side of androgynous. I finished all of my schoolwork in front of the fireplace with my mother. I was very tired from the emotional roller coaster and turned in early.

On my bed was a two-piece pajama set. It was pale blue with a tank top style on top and long silky legs. It was not part of the clothing that we put away, but was neatly folded on my bed. It was obvious that my mother had put this out for me to wear tonight. I picked them up and could immediately sense their silky smooth feel. I was tired and ready to crash so I resigned myself sleeping in them.

I removed all of my new things and carefully put everything away. As I slipped on my silky bottoms, I noticed the Victoria’s Secret label. I immediately had memories of flipping through one of their catalogs. I had always found the women clad in their sexy lingerie very erotic. Now here I was pretending to be one of those women. The combination of the sensuous feel of the material and the thoughts floating through my head began to get me aroused. I was afraid of my mother possibly coming in and seeing me that way, so I jumped in my bed and under my blankets. I stared at my ceiling in disbelief for a few minutes until I finally fell asleep.

When I awoke the next morning I could remember a restless night of sleep. I had fallen asleep quickly enough, but I woke a number of times during the night. I could not remember my dreams, but remember that Max was in at least some of them.

Before I climbed out of my bed I wondered what might be in store for me again today. I wondered if my mother would insist that I continue to dress so femininely. I figured she would at least want to know that I wore my new pajamas. As I climbed out of bed I began to panic. I could see that I had created an obvious mess in my pajama bottoms. During the night I had apparently experienced an intense sexual pleasure at some point during my sleep.

There was no way I could go downstairs like that. I wanted to show my mother that I was cooperating, but I could not go downstairs for Sunday breakfast in my pajamas with that mess. I figured my best alternative was to change into some of my new clothes to show her I was still trying.

I removed my pajamas and put on a fresh pair of panties along with the hip pads, cinch and a white brassiere. I inserted my breast forms and stood for a moment in front of my mirror. I had to admit that my enhanced body shape was quite amazing. I felt almost pleased that I had such an attractive figure. I knew it was not all me, but to my eyes it looked quite natural. I am not sure what possessed me but I shook my head so my long hair would fly around over my shoulders. It was the first time I had acted so girlishly without the prodding of a relative. I quickly caught myself and headed to my closet to find something to wear.

I grabbed a pair of what appeared to be blue jeans and a green sweater. First, I put on the sweater to cover my foundation. The sweater was very different than a boy’s sweater. It was not tight, but it contoured to my new shape. It was also extremely long. It was not a dress, but it definitely reached to the bottom of my butt. Before I had a chance to put on the jeans my mother yelled for me to come down to breakfast. I quickly shifted to sliding on the jeans. I found that these were not really jeans. They were made of soft denim, but they were actually a type of tights. They did not have a fly like a true pair of jeans. They match the sweater, but the combo was a lot more girlish than was my intention. I did not have time to change, so I slipped on the Mary Jane loafers and went down to breakfast.

When I entered the kitchen my mother did a double take. She looked me over with a pleased look across her face. It was only then that I realized that my hair was still loosely draped over my shoulders.

“Claire you look so lovely, I think you did a wonderful job picking out an outfit.”

“Thanks mom. I didn’t feel like wearing pajamas to breakfast. Is this okay?”

“Of course. I am so glad you are already getting comfortable in your new wardrobe. Your hair looks much healthier today, but really needs some body. After breakfast we will see if we can do anything with it.”

The conversation over breakfast was pleasant and not that different from our normal conversation. Every so often she would tell me to sit a little different or talk a little different. The physical coaching was easier for me to absorb than the language tips. She had me using more words like lovely, dreamy, and cute. She had me slow down my speech and even tried for me to use a slightly higher pitch. My singing voice already had an unusually high pitch for a boy, so this was not all that difficult for me to master. It was the word choices that were hard for me to grasp. She said it would take some time, but she would give me tips whenever she could.

After breakfast I helped clean the kitchen. I also volunteered to do a load of laundry. I figured I could slip in my soiled pajamas without drawing her attention. Mother, commented how pleasant I was acting this morning. She went so far as to say that she liked some of the side benefits of my personality change.

A short while after we had completed our tasks she suggested that it would be a good time to play with my hair a little. I expressed no resistance and asked her what she had in mind.

“I don’t want to cut anything, because I want that to be done professionally. Until you took the initiative to make your bold social statement, I was not real happy that your hair had grown so long. Now I look at your tresses with such possibilities. Your hair is so long that you will now be able to wear it in many different styles. After your hair gets some shaping and you put on a touch of makeup, you will be as attractive as any other girl in your school.”

“Mom, that is nice of you to say, but remember, I am not a girl. This is only to make my point.”

“Well you’re going to have to get used to being attractive. The boys, including Max, are going to find you very enticing.”

“You are making me nervous again, and besides when Max sees me, he will probably want to keep his distance.”

“I bet he loves your new look and even tells you that.”

“Well, he’s not going to see me like this for a while.”

“That’s fine. After you practice a little more and get your hair trimmed, you will project an even more radiant appearance.”

“I am in no hurry.”

“Let’s try and add some body to your hair. I am sure that will help. Follow me into my bathroom.”

Inside the bathroom she dampened my hair. She parted my wet hair straight down the middle. She then took out a curling iron and explained to me how it works. She wanted me to be able to do everything she was going to show me, on my own. She proceeded to wrap my hair around the iron and soon enough, I had dozens of cascading soft curls.

I was fascinated to see the change she created in my plain boyish face. She had not cut one hair, but now my hair looked almost like the blonde wig, but now in a chestnut brown. Mother easily picked up on my interest with the new look. She interrupted my preening in front of the mirror with a small Q-tip looking brush. She then began to stroke a pinkish red lip-gloss onto my lips. The color highlighted my lips and brightened my whole face. I was now staring at a teenage girl that reflected very little resemblance to my former self.

Inside I could feel myself getting excited again. I was not sure why I found the reflection appealing. Was it because she was a pretty girl or was it that I was happy that the image was actually me. I only knew that I found unexpected pleasure in the reflection and that I needed to keep that thought to myself.

“I think the curls and lipstick look very nice on you. What do you think, Claire?”

“I guess they look alright. How will I get rid of the curls before school?”

“Don’t worry. These will not last. If you wash your hair they will disappear. Tomorrow after school you should try this by yourself.”

“If that is what you think best, then I will.”

The rest of the day I got schooled on everything, including every aspect of my behavior and movements. She kept correcting me on my use of language as well as how I moved and carried myself. I did not realize how different boys and girls did things until she started coaching me on all of the subtleties. She had me hold my arms with my elbows in and palms out. She shortened my stride and adjusted me on how my hips should move. She even got me tilting my head when I was happy or smiling. It was a full day of relearning how to move and talk. I had only picked up some of the skills, but it was amazing to me how much I had changed practically overnight.

The activities of the day almost seem like a game and I had enjoyed getting the occasional compliment from my mother. At the end of the day I took a shower and without prodding put back on my now clean pajamas. I was still more than a little scared and confused about what was ahead, but for one day it had not been totally horrible.

-----------------------Back to School----------------------

On Monday I wore my old jeans and one of my Coldplay T-shirts. Under my manly façade was a pair of my new panties. I could see a little disappointment in my mother’s eyes when I came down for breakfast.

“Claire, I thought you would wear something new.”

“Mom, the Prom is so far away and I need to be careful at school. Dressing like a girl at home is one thing, but I do not want to look like a sissy at school.”

“We picked out a lot of things that should be fine for school. They are nicer than your old clothes and a boy or a girl could wear those neutral styles. Tomorrow I want to see you wear at least one new thing.”

“Maybe tomorrow mom, but today I have an exam and chorus practice after school. I need to be focused on school today and not thinking so much about my appearance.”

“That’s fair, but when you get home I expect you to put on your new things, including the corset. I want you to make a lot of progress before the weekend.”

“What’s so magical about this weekend?”

“Nothing dear. You just need to have goals. It will make the weekend more relaxing for you if I don’t have to coach you as much.”

“Okay mom, I will change when I get home.”

“Don’t forget to try and put some curls in your hair.”

School was pretty uneventful and I think I did very well on my exam. During chorus practice I got the opportunity for the first time to practice my new solo. After going through what I had over the weekend, standing in front of my chorus friends singing a solo seemed a relative piece of cake. I was not nervous about it at all.

Max asked me how my weekend had gone. I had a very hard time explaining to him why I had basically just hung out at the house. I was too embarrassed to tell him the truth about what I had been doing at the house. At some point I would probably have to confess to him, but I was hoping to put it off as long as possible.

He mentioned that a couple of new movies would be opening over the next weekend and wondered if I might like to go to see one. It sounded like a great idea. It would allow me to get out of the house and possibly avoid dressing for the whole weekend. I suggested we go on Saturday, but I did not tell him it was so I could get a break from dressing during the middle of the weekend. We did not pick out the specific movie or time, and figured we would do that later.

He mentioned to me that his mother was going to take him to get fitted for a tux soon. He said his mother did not want him to rent one, but rather to buy one so it would look more stylish and fit better. He laughed and said our parents were apparently very serious about this whole Prom statement thing. He asked me if I knew when I would be going to get fitted for my new outfit. I didn’t have to lie, because no one had actually brought up that topic as yet. I thought about telling him about my activities, but I thought better of it.

When I got home I did exactly as my mother had requested. I made my way up to my room and stripped off all of the boy clothes that I had worn during the day. I soaked my hair at the sink and wrapped a towel around it. I proceeded to put on the hip pads, corset and one of my brassieres. Putting on the corset by myself was a little more challenging. My aunt had shown me how to properly pull the strings when I was doing it by myself. Start at the bottom, and pull across your body. I had a hard time tying the strings, but eventually I got the task done. I selected a maroon pair of corduroy pants and a white peasant style blouse. After slipping into the clothes, I proceeded to try and curl my hair. My mother made it look easier than it really was. After a while I got better at it, but when I was done it did not look as nice as when my mother had done it.

I stood up and looked at myself in front of the full-length mirror. I looked nice but something was obviously missing. I remembered that yesterday my mother had put lipstick on me. I went back into her bathroom and found the lipstick from yesterday. I stroked it across my lips with some frustration. The first couple of times I tried to do it, I ended up looking like a three-year-old. By my third attempt, I was able to do a reasonably good job. I returned to my room after I had finished. When I looked at myself in the mirror this time I felt good about what I had accomplished. I am not sure what possessed me, but I grabbed two of the silver bracelets off my dresser and put one around each wrist. They were basic silver bands, but I thought they looked like they would match the style of the peasant blouse.

I spent the next hour doing my homework and every so often I glanced at myself in the mirror. I was excited to show mother how I had done when she returned from the hospital. When she saw me, I could see a pleased look on her face. However, she never really made a comment about my clothing. She asked me about my day and how the exam went. It was almost as if the way I was dressing was nothing out of the norm.

Shortly before we sat down to eat dinner she did comment that she thought the bracelets were a nice touch. She mentioned that silver drop earrings would have looked nice as well. I mentioned that I did not see any earrings in my room. She mentioned that it was probably because all of Rachel’s earrings were for pierced ears.

During dinner she mentioned that she had made an appointment for me to get my hair trimmed at Lulu’s Salon up in Highland Park. “Your hair is so long and I think it time that Lulu take a look at it and clean up some of your split ends.”

“Do I really have to go there already? Can’t we just wait until closer to the Prom? I will do a better job of taking care of my hair.”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head. She is the best and I am sure you will love what she will do for you. I have been going to her for almost 10 years and she is practically family. I discreetly talked to her about your wonderful plans and she said she would help in every way possible.”

“You already told another person what I was doing. You have to stop telling people. She will probably blab it to all of her customers.”

“I know Lulu and there is no way she would tell anyone.”

“What if I see some of my friends in there? How can I go to a salon?”

“Honey this salon is up in Highland Park. I am sure that most of the kids around here do not go all the way up to Highland Park to get their haircut. Lulu’s is also a bit pricey for most of your friends from school. It is an upscale salon, and besides you would almost certainly only see other girls in there. I will suggest to her that she cut your hair in the back room where there are only a couple of styling stations. Is that better?”

“I guess it’s better than having it done somewhere around here. What time do we have to be there?”

“Your manicure and pedicure are at 10 a.m., so I guess she will probably start cutting your hair around 11 or 11:30.”

“You didn’t say anything about a manicure or a pedicure.”

“You really don’t have that much to work with on your hands and feet, but you need to begin taking better care of them. After they clean them up, you can begin to let your fingernails grow a little. It’s a lot like your hair, to have nice hands it takes a little bit of work.”

“Any more surprises for me?”

“No, Claire, everything seems to be under control.”

We spent the rest of the evening much like we did over the weekend with her coaching my every movement and critiquing my use of language. I was gradually getting more proficient and after a while it didn’t seem that I had to think about it as much. The better I got at acting like a girl the less strange it felt to me. This same routine went on for the next three days. By Thursday it felt almost second nature. Only on occasion did my mother need to interject things that I was doing incorrectly.

On Tuesday I wore one of the new sweaters that belonged to Rachel. It was a very basic black with a V-neckline. It was extremely soft and I actually liked the feel of it. I did not receive a single comment from any of my friends and I continued to stay invisible to the bulk of the student body.

On Wednesday I added a pair of blue jeans that also belong to Rachel. They had a boot cut and I wore my Dansko clogs with them. On top I wore a long sleeved yellow T-shirt. The only real difference in the top was that the opening had a more oval shape to it. My change of style pretty much went unnoticed. My friend Max was the only one to ask if the clothes were new. Before I could answer, he said I looked nice.

By Friday, my anxiety over wearing the androgynous looking clothes began to melt. My biggest difficulty was trying to walk and talk like my old self. Every now and then I would find myself moving more like Claire, than Clarence. It was almost like I had to think about acting more macho. One time during chorus practice on Thursday one of my friends started complimenting me on my singing and I instinctively smiled and tilted my head a little bit. He looked at me a little strangely, but did not say anything to me.

After school on Friday I walked home with Max. We agreed to go to the movie on Saturday night at the local theater. We decided to see the movie Country Strong starring Gwyneth Paltrow. We thought we would enjoy it because it included a lot of singing and dancing. It was not exactly a typical guy movie, but we both enjoyed music so much. He was going out with his family Friday night for dinner and I basically planned to hang out with my mother at home much as I had done all week.

When I got home I wasted no time changing into some of my new clothes. I had gotten pretty good at putting on the corset and after having worn it for a full week, it did not seem quite as uncomfortable. Since it was Friday night I figured I might as well curl my hair again and look a little more stylish. I put on a long red sweater and a pair of black tights. To complete the look I put on my tall black boots. With my lipstick and curled hair I knew I looked pretty good. For some reason I wanted to look a little prettier for my mother since it was Friday. Normally on Friday my mother made it home before me, but today I had plenty of time to get myself ready. When she came through the door she apologized for being late. I came out and greeted her and told her it was no big deal. She was surprised to see that I had already changed.

“Sorry, Claire, I was hoping to get home before you. I want us to head up to Northbrook Court to check out the once a year big sale at Neiman Marcus. I see that you already changed your clothes. I was going to help you pick out something that you would be comfortable wearing out in public over your new intimates. But now I see that you have already curled your hair and look so nice. It would be a shame for you to change. This would be a very good time for my little butterfly to spread her first wings.”

“Mom, there is absolutely no way I’m leaving the house looking like this. I have no intention of dressing up like a girl in public. I put on these clothes for you, so we could spend an enjoyable evening here at home.”

“Claire, this is a really big sale and there are a few items I want to check out for myself. This will be fun for you and just think of it as an adventure. You have gotten so comfortable in your new role, that I am totally confident that it will be the same for you out at the mall. I can pretty much guarantee you that none of your Evanston friends will be spending their Friday night up at Northbrook Court. This is the next step in getting you comfortable for the dance.”

“I’m not ready to go out in public yet. People will be able to tell that I am a boy.”

“I will bet you that nobody can tell. If somebody figures out that you are a boy without us telling them, I will add $100 to your summer funds. I will even add $50 to your summer funds if nobody can tell. But if nobody figures it out, then tomorrow you have to wear a skirt or dress all day. I think that’s a very fair challenge.”

“You’ll give me money either way? That seems pretty good, but I still don’t think I’m ready to go out.”

“You are more ready than me. I am the one who has to go change. All you need is a coat to cut the winter chill. Give me 10 min. to get ready and we can catch a bite to eat after we get there. Relax this will be fun.”

As we made our way up the Edens Expressway I felt an uncomfortable chill going up and down my spine. My mind was racing with thoughts of running into somebody I might know. It would be impossible to explain why I was dressed this way. Even if somebody would understand my motivation for the Prom, it would be difficult to explain this away three months before the event. I felt a certain level of doom as we pulled into the parking lot.

We parked at the East End of the mall right near the entrance to Neiman Marcus. My mother sensed my anxiety and reassured me that I had nothing to worry about. I stayed very close to my mother as we made our way into the store. I kept looking around to make sure there was no one there that I recognized. It only took us a minute and we were in the middle of a crowded women’s department. There were racks and racks of clothing and accessories. While my mother looked at a few things for herself, it was clear she was mostly looking at things for me. As we looked through the racks, we were approached by a sales lady that asked us if we needed any assistance. I kept saying we were just browsing as my mother piled up more and more things that she considered purchasing for me.

When she felt she had accumulated a sufficient number of garments, she looked at me and said it was time to try them on.

“I can’t try them on here, that wouldn’t be right.”

“Claire, I’m not buying all of these outfits without you trying them on first. I will go into the changing room with you, but we need to see which ones fit and which ones look nice on you. I don’t want to hear an argument.”

Somewhere in the past week or two I had lost my backbone. I followed her into the changing room and began the process of trying on more than a dozen different items. One time when I came out wearing a chiffon dress one of the sales ladies commented how well it accentuated my beautiful figure. It was a beautiful short dress, but I couldn’t imagine any occasion that I would need to wear it.

By the time we were done I had two more dresses, a dressy pair of slacks, a silk tunic, and two more tops that my mother thought were appropriate for school. I thought they were too feminine, but she overruled me. We moved from the clothing department over to the shoe department. There I acquired a much more feminine pair of clogs than my old Danskos. These were a glossy dark midnight blue shade, with a slightly higher heel than the ones I used to wear. She also picked out for me a grey pair of dance flats that she said would be nice with jeans for school. They look like girls slippers, but my comments seemed to go unheard.

I thought we were done shopping as we headed to the mall to get a bite to eat. Before we could leave the store we paused for a few minutes in the cosmetics department. Mother pretended to be looking at some eyeliner for herself, and soon we were assisted by one of the specialists. For a minute or two, my mother sat in the chair as the woman assessed what she might need. When my mother got up she suggested that I sit down next.

I could see the lights go on inside the cosmologist’s eyes. I was like a fresh palette waiting to be filled. She looked at my face from every angle and asked me if there was any special look I wanted to achieve. I sat there in mostly silence, as I had no clue how to respond. Not surprisingly my mother was quick to fill the void.

“My daughter, Claire, has always been a bit of a tomboy. Tomorrow I will be taking her to get a little more style with her hair. I really don’t want her wearing a lot of makeup, but it would be nice if she had a few things to make her look a little more mature. Nothing cakey, but possibly something that might bring out her eyes and facial features a little bit.”

“I think I know what you mean. She has very pretty features even without wearing any makeup. I can suggest a few things for daytime wear. There are a few other items that would look great on her for eveningwear or possibly out on a date. If you have a couple of minutes, I would like to show you.”

“That would be wonderful. Claire, please pull back your hair, so she can try a few things on you.”

“Not too much please. I don’t usually wear makeup.”

“Do not worry, if you have on the right makeup, it really doesn’t look like you’re wearing that much.”

“Claire, pay attention to what she is doing, you might learn a trick or two.”

In less than 10 minutes my face went through a minor transformation. She lined my eyes on both the top and bottom, thickened my eyelashes with some mascara, dusted my eyelids with a hint of blue, and highlighted my cheekbones with a rosy pink. She replaced the lipstick that I had been wearing with a lighter shade of red. She worked on my eyebrows a bit, but suggested that a little shaping would make a greater difference than her cosmetic highlighter.

My mother stood calmly as she worked everything onto my face. When she was finished, she pulled out a few additional types of eyeshade and blush that she recommended for the evening. Pleased with my changes, my mother told her to ring up all of the items. It was only then, that I got a chance to see the effects.

With each change in my appearance, it became harder and harder for me to see my old self. With the makeup on, I was hard-pressed to tell that it was me staring back at myself. This was not a boy trying to pass himself off as a girl, but rather, a cute looking teenage woman. As I looked at my pretty face in the mirror I knew passing, as a girl was no longer an issue. Even my close friends from chorus, would unlikely be able to see through my deception. I felt completely emasculated.

I felt much more confidence in my appearance as we headed into the mall to grab some food. We walked through the mall and made our way inside the Claim Company. Inside, we each had a bowl of soup and shared a salad. My mother pointed out to me that it was important that I watch my figure. I really never had a problem with weight in the past, but life had changed so much in the last few days.

While we were eating our food, I noticed a couple of guys sitting at a nearby table that kept looking at me. I knew they were not from my school, because they were wearing high school colors that were not ours. I wasn’t sure why they kept looking at me, but one of them seemed to be smiling at me.

“Claire, I think those boys fancy you. I guess that is something you’re just going to have to get used to. You should be careful how you respond, because I do not think you are ready to handle the attention.”

“My God, do you think they know I’m a boy? Am I that obvious?”

“Honey, admit it, you make a very attractive young lady, and they just find you pretty. You should feel good about that.”

“I’m a boy I don’t want other boys interested in me.”

“Well right now, I really don’t see a boy at this table, nor to those boys that are looking at you.”

“Mom I’m ready to go can we leave now?”

Back in the mall my mother insisted that we do a little more window-shopping.

“Claire, I don’t think we really need many more things today, but I really want to know what types of things you like or don’t like. I want you to tell me what you think of some of the window displays. It will give me a better idea in case we want to get you anything else.”

Over the next 45 minutes or so, we walked through most of the shopping mall. At first, I was very tightlipped about commenting about woman’s fashions, but eventually I began to loosen up. At first I would say something like, if I was a girl, but before long I simply expressed what I liked or didn’t like.

“You seem to like things that are definitely feminine, but not showy or risqué. You certainly seem to be more of the “girl next door” type, rather than the attention getter.”

One of the few stores that we actually walk through was called 21 Forever. Most of the people inside the store were girls my age. It had a lot of trendy clothing and was loaded with all sorts of accessories. I ended up getting a wide belt that my mother said would look nice over one of the sweater dresses. As we left the store my mother pulled me into Claire’s Store.

“Honey, this store is named after you. Isn’t that cute.”

“Mom, what do we need inside here?”

“Let’s just look around for a few minutes. They have very inexpensive jewelry, so see if there’s anything that you like.”

While I was looking at bracelets and hair accessories, my mother was talking to one of the clerks. I rejoined her after a couple of minutes and asked her if she was ready to go. Before she could answer, she asked me if I preferred gold jewelry or silver jewelry.

“I never really thought about it that much mom, but I think I lean a little more towards silver. Gold is nice, but I think I like the way silver glistens. ”

“That is what I thought you would say. Have a seat here dear.” The clerk picked up the silver studs on the counter in front of my mother.” This will only take a minute.”

“Studs! I can’t get my ears pierced. That is so permanent and people will notice.”

“If you wear nice earrings, hopefully they will. If you stop wearing earrings the holes will fill in naturally. It is not permanent. Lots of boys have pierced ears, and beside your hair is so long, I really doubt anyone would notice. Even if they do, it is fashionable. You’ve come so far already that I don’t want to hear another word.”

“Is this going to hurt a lot?”

The store clerk interjected, “It will only feel like a pinch and would be over very quickly.”

Before I had a chance to fathom my predicament, I was adorned with two silver studs. As we made our way out of the store I couldn’t help but feel this was one of our planned stops for the evening. We worked our way out to the car to end our girl’s night out.

On our way home my mother boasted, “I told you no one would think you were anything but my daughter. You did wonderfully and I hope you had a nice evening.”

“Some of it was fun, but you have taken this so far so fast that it is getting me scared and confused.”

“I’m trying to give you confidence. If you are more convincing, then you will be less nervous and enjoy the experience a lot more. You seem to be adjusting to being Claire with very little difficulty.”

“It scares me that I am so convincing as Claire. As Clarence, nobody really noticed me. Now dressed as Claire, I am drawing attention to myself without even trying.”

“Just relax we will figure it out together. Try and think like Claire and not so much like Clarence. If you do that it will not be so confusing.”

I put away my new apparel and laid my cosmetics on top of the vanity that had recently replaced the desk in my room. As I was getting ready to turn in for the evening, my mother brought a jewelry box into my room, which was full of a dozen or more sets of earrings. “I was waiting to give these to you as soon as you had your ears pierced. For the next couple of days at a minimum, you need to keep the studs in your ears. Soon enough, you can select from these to match whatever you are wearing. There are probably at least two or three pairs that are basic enough that you could get away with wearing at school. That will be up to you, but at least the option is there.”

I looked into the box with both an appreciation and a slight feeling of distress. I thanked her for the gift and put it on top of my dresser. My mother then showed me how to correctly remove my makeup. Finally I got ready for bed and curled up under my blankets and passed out.

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I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE ALL FEEDBACK--- MY STORIES ARE PURE FICTION, BUT ARE BASED UPON ACTUAL EVENTS IN MY FANTASIES….