Dress Up Day- Chapter 3.
By
Julie D Cole

Mom looked at me and smiled like a cat that had just got the cream.
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Well somebody had gone to a lot of trouble when we arrived back at school. There were fairy lights everywhere and drapes over the entrance doors and a red carpet out front. There was a big banner over the entrance ‘Welcome to Our First Dress-Up Day Charity Dance.’ The charity group appeared to have representatives welcoming and collecting tickets and some of the guys I knew were acting as stewards to direct cars to the car parking area. One approached us and as mom wound down the passenger window I nearly had a heart attack.

Agghh Drew Taylor!!!!!. He almost clocked me before I sank back into my seat.

I was sure that he’d looked straight into my eyes and seen who it was and for a moment it was like I couldn’t move. Have you ever had that experience? It’s like time stands still and you feel like the person is connected and down loading everything about you and now knows everything. That’s how I felt at that moment. He’s seen me, connected and was now aware that this was not the girl he’d booked a dance with but a scrawny guy who must be a poof to dress like this.

Amy tugged my arm laughing and giggling. ‘Josey it’s him, it’s him. Bloody hell it’s Pervy Taylor directing cars. I bet he’s pointing with his wotsit.”

She made me laugh too that naturally attracted his attention ‘Oh Josie, Amy it’s you I didn’t recognize you at first. Over there ma’am park over there closer to the front. Josie I won’t be long coming inside and maybe we can all have some bucks fizz together.’

Well I was dumbstruck and no sensible words seemed to come out of my mouth so Amy answered. “OK we will see you a bit later. You’re No 1 on Josie’s list. Did you know?’

Amy was nearly wetting herself by the time we moved on to the car park so I thumped her one and said I’d get my revenge.

Mom was smiling too by now ‘Well Josephine you already attracted admirers then? So you are enjoying this experience after all.’

‘No mom not really but sooner or later these mugs are going to realize it’s me and I’m in for a good thumping.’

Amy didn’t agree and anyway she felt I should play safe and hang around with her and her friends next week if I felt threatened. It didn’t sound a bad idea so I nodded and said I’d probably take her up on the offer. At least it was a chance to spend time with her and get comfortable with girls. Better than watching on from a distance anyway.

We avoided Drew on the way in as he was ogling some other innocent arrivees. I bet he pushed everybody out of the way to get this job. A few other guys were hanging around and according to Amy we were clocked as soon as we came into sight and undressed as we passed by so how did it feel to be standing naked in the foyer. I immediately put my bag in front of me as if I was naked and curved my shoulders so I could hide my chest.

‘Ha Ha Josie you have turned into a girl. Just look at you. Now you know what guys want. They just want to undress you or get inside your underwear don’t they Missis Alexander. Ha Ha I think you are a bit on the shy side.’

‘Amy you are awful. But wouldn’t you be if it was your first time out and these gorillas were hanging around waiting to swing down from the branches and do who knows what to you?

‘Monkeys yes but gorillas I don’t think so. These are just boys going through puberty and looking for reaction in their pants. Isn’t that true Missus Alexander.’

‘Well they are only boys I agree and probably they’d never say a word if they were alone. They do tend to hunt in packs at that age. Don’t you do it joseph?’

Oh she called me by my proper name. I was seemingly struck dumb again but managed to shake my head before saying yes.

‘Ha Ha you’re like Satish Gupta. Shaking your head saying yes,yes or nodding and saying No,No. Look there he is over there. Let’s say hello and see.’

‘Come on girls we’re not in yet. First stop is the powder room to make sure we look our best. Satish can wait. We girls have responsibilities. We have to look our best at all times.’

Well that was another experience. I don’t suppose many guys get chance to enter the girls bathroom to check out why it’s a rest area. I didn’t see the attraction of the place since it was just like the mens facility but no urinals. No comfy sofas or wall length mirrors. No curtains or cushions on the toilet seats. Same décor and instead of a quick delivery there was a queue to enter the cubicles and at least a 5 minute wait.

Mom found a spot to place her bag whilst she freshened up so Amy and I latched on to at least get chance to look in the mirror over her shoulder and under her arm as she tidied her hair. I still looked more girl than boy and not much sign of Joseph Alexander looking back at me. I seemed to be just one of the girls and even mum and Amy were ignoring me by now.

Mom was looking quite a bit younger than usual and hard to think she was old enough to be my mom at the moment. My God I hoped she wasn’t going to embarrass me. It was bad enough being dressed like this without any scenes from her if she decide to chase after Mr. Davies. I couldn’t imagine he was much of a womanizer so she’d definitely have to take all the initiative. I didn’t recall whether he was married or not. He looked like he needed a bit of attention and maybe he had the happy life of a bachelor gay. Well not gay exactly since he looked fit and he was a relief sports teacher and wasn’t frightened of getting stuck in at rugger according to those in the know.

‘Come on Josie aren’t you ready yet. Stop fiddling with your hair and just give your lips a freshen up.’

‘OK,OK I’m coming. No need to rush me since I’ve been stood here 5 minutes waiting.’

So out we went to find the place filling up already. What a surprise to see so many people. I’m going to be the talk of the town as well as the school if I’m not careful.

We queued for the free drink. Some bucks fiz indeed. More like fizzy apple juice and not a hint of champagne. Not that I drank much to know. Still it was better than nothing and at least there was a bar for the over eighteens. I might get away with it since at least as a girl I looked older. Funny but I quite liked looking a bit older and maybe it would be one way of getting a drink in town on Saturday nights without being pestered for my birth certificate or identity card. This get up has some advantages after all. I think I’d ask myself out if I thought I’d accept.

Amy dragged me over to her friends and mom started chatting to some parents at the bar. She had found a bar stool from somewhere and decided to sit at the end of the bar chatting to the older students who were given responsibility. I wasn’t sure what they were serving her but at least she would be staying put for a while whilst Amy and I sorted out the dancing with Mrs Bale. She had it all organized, or so she said as we chatted to her, but I didn’t see any sign of a queue for the first dances. There was going to be some sort of award at the end of the evening for the best dress up student and already the lights were being dimmed with the guy in charge of the music starting to make an exhibition of himself. I could never do a job like that.

Amy and Hev started chatting to him and by the impression I got from the nods in my direction they were setting me up for something. I’d only just got comfortable with the situation and already they were pushing the boundaries.

I seemed to be accepted even with him because I was Amy’s friend and whilst I felt awkward at first it seemed like I was not going to be rejected or treated like the specter at the feast. At least all the girls were chatting as if I’d been best friends for ages. It felt nice and I was starting to feel very comfortable. Thinking about it boys aren’t like this. So it was a lesson for me but fat lot of good that would be to the rest of the guys. Nowadays they are so frightened of letting their guard down or showing weakness they’d rather not show anything at all. What was I saying? My God I’m one of them not on the other side of the fence.

We went back to mom. She was quite content chatting to people who came to the bar and Nick Ledgard was looking after her. I really wanted to say something to him but it was like I was trapped since I wasn’t likely to be recognized unless I took off my wig and right now I felt if I did that was the dances out of the window and me having to pay back the money. I wasn’t sure that would be very easy with a broken arm and a black eye and God knows what else.

Mom offered us a drink and for once the words came out without any difficulty. Amy of course not me. I just decided what was good for her was good for me. Blimey wow!!1 ‘What’s in that mom are you trying to get us drunk?’

‘Come on Josie it’s just the one drink to make you more relaxed. You have to show these guys what we Alexanders can do on the dance floor.’

‘Mom I’ll be falling over if I drink this.’

‘Come on Josie you need to relax and what better medication?’

I took another slurp. Wow this makes me feel like dancing.

Then another shock. Mr Davies appears from nowhere and mum looks straight past me as if I’d fallen down a hole. ‘Amy please will you introduce me.’

“mom please don’t. He will find out who I am.’

‘Josie just take a stroll please. Just give me chance to at least introduce myself. I’m not going to hurt him. He looks so nice. Why not just let your mum have chance to chat at least.’

Amy dragged me away from the bar and the next think I heard was my name being called to go across to meet number 1 on the list and the DJ wanted us to start so others would join in.

‘Uggh Gary Winterbottom. He looked as if he had a frozen bum as well when he started dancing. Not one bit of hip movement. I realized that dancing as Josie made me a lot more relaxed. Or was it the drink that mom bought? Who cares I’m up and dancing and at least that’s number 1 dance nearly finished.

For number two dance nobody turned up so the music was stopped until he was found and reported for duty. Oh it was Alwyn Pardrew. Well at least he wasn’t back of the queue when the hunky guy chocolates were handed out. He was much bigger than me and obviously worked out a lot. Wow he could move as well and he wanted to show everybody. Still he was kind enough to keep his attention on me but I almost spewed up when he spun me round and then lifted me over his shoulder and pulled me between his legs.

My god I didn’t know how long I could keep this up. My wig almost came off and my dress rode to the top of my thigh exposing everything I’d got. Underwear I mean not anything else that wasn’t likely to pop out.

‘Please Alwyn. You’re going to make me sick. I’m not used to spins.’

He was laughing and intent on me doing a repeat performance. Here we go Aghhhh. ‘Alwyn please ohhhh. I need a rest.’

‘Come on stranger. Tell me who you are and agree to meet me tomorrow or I’ll buy the next dance from Freddie Fisher.’

‘Aghhhh. Ok Alwyn I give in. I’m Josie.’

‘Pleased to meet you Josie. Josie who? Where you from.’

Please Alwyn let me rest and sit down over there with you and I’ll tell you who I am.’