A young surfer goes through a painful transformation that leaves him battered, bruised and changed. As he attempts to cope with those changes and the new life he must now live he also stumbles on a conspiracy that threatens his family, his friends and the township he lives in. As a young girl can she deal not only with a new body and new feelings but also overcome the evil that could destroy her
CHAPTER 1 – Drink the Water
The golden rays of soft summer sunshine invaded my room as my brother Tim stuck his head round the door.
“Hey grom you coming or what?”
“Yeah, yeah I’m there” I said climbing out of bed looking at the clock on my dresser laughing at me with the numbers 6:16am flashing. Stepping on the hard wooden floor I winced, it felt like I was stepping on broken glass. Just lately my whole body had started to feel like it was changing, like my bones and internal organs were moving around inside me, reforming. My Mom said it was growing pains that I’d get over it after all I was only 14 and she was a nurse. I figured she must be right but I sure hoped this phase wouldn’t last long cause it was a real pain.
I stripped off my boxers, it was far too hot to sleep in anything else and climbed into a pair of salt encrusted boardies, picked up a rash shirt and stepped barefoot and bleary eyed into the hallway.
Tim and Jeff were waiting for me. They were my older brothers, Tim was 16 and Jeff was 17 both seniors at the local high school. I was only 14 and the baby of the family but we were a tight group and looked after each other. It was just us and my Mom; my Dad had bailed on us years ago in a fog of alcohol and gambling that had left my family in deep debt. We had lived in the heart of San Diego but were forced to move out of the city to a smaller ramshackle property on Imperial Beach just north of the border with Tijuana. As brothers we didn’t mind we were only a few blocks from the beach so we could do the thing we all loved, surf.
My mom worked at the local hospital and was the main bread winner but all three of us boys had taken part time jobs after school to help out. I knew both Jeff and Tim pretty much gave my mom everything they earned just keeping enough to put petrol into their motor bikes and buy surfboard wax for our boards. I worked at the local surf shop for the owner Dave McIntyre who was a crusty old guy but he had a bit of a soft spot for our family and let me help him shape boards, serve customers and generally hang around talking surfing with all the locals after school. Working there didn’t help me get much homework done but I got tons of surfing information, cheap gear and made some cash that I gave to my mom. For a 14 year old my life was pretty sweet.
Walking onto the deck we picked up our boards and climbed onto the motorbikes. I sat behind Jeff holding both surfboards one under each arm and gripping the seat hard with my legs. Tim had a surfboard under one arm and steered his bike with the other. It wasn’t exactly safe or legal but we blatted the short distance down to the beach and parked up the bikes under some palm trees and near a few cars.
“You all good Jay?” asked Jeff and I nodded although my tummy rumbled as I’d only had enough time to grab a banana off the counter before we came down.
We all stood at the top of the beach looking out to sea, the Pacific Ocean glinted in the rising sun and a long swell was rolling in then peeling off to break perfectly into barrels.
There were about six other surfers already out there so we fastened our ankle straps, picked our boards up and ran for the water.
All three of us were lean and hard with not a shred of fat anywhere on our bodies from hours of surfing. Both Jeff and Tim were bigger, muscular taking more after my dad while I was thinner and scrawnier taking after my mom, well so she reckoned anyway. My smaller stature made me more agile and quicker on the board though and I was able to cut back and respond to a wave faster than either of my brothers. Dave the surf shop owner had been a pro once and he would often surf with us and give us tips on the best way to do tricks or approach a particular wave. He had told me I had a natural talent and if I gave it my all the sky was the limit for me.
What better motivation could a 14 year old kid need to surf?
As we crashed into the water we all looked at each other with huge grins on our faces, dropped belly first onto the boards then paddled hard to get through the breaking sea.
Once beyond the waves we sat on our boards and I soaked in the warmth of the rising summer sun, closing my eyes and breathing in the salt air. For me this was heaven and I knew my brothers felt the same. Another surfer paddled over greeting us with a high five. His name was Pete and he was a friend of Tim’s.
“Hey boys, good to see ya make it out, the barrels are sweet today”
“Yeah, looks awesome can’t wait to catch one” said Tim as he began to paddle for a wave.
“Hey Jay, how’s it going? Got any new tricks?
I smiled at him and said “yeah man, I’ve been working on one all summer, I’ll show you soon.”
“Dude, I’ll look forward to it”
He paddled after Tim but called back over his shoulder, “hey Jay, might want to watch out Morgan’s here.”
Morgan Chapman was the same age as me but his parents were wealthy and that made Morgan think he could throw his weight around although he never tried anything with the older bigger guys. That meant I became a prime target and he would often drop in on me and try to take one of my waves or knock me off my board. We had competed against each other last season in the beginning grommets competition and I’d kicked his butt which didn’t go down well with him.
Part of the etiquette of surfers out here was we dealt with our own problems so my brothers left me to deal with Morgan by myself. That suited me fine, I figured the best way was to surf rings around him and that’s what I did. He saw me as his main competition and Dave figured that was a good thing as it would sharpen my riding and make me more competitive, more often than not though Morgan just pissed me off.
I looked behind me and saw a large wave forming about 100 yards back. Paddling for it I felt the first sweep of the massive power as tons of water gathered beneath me. I timed it perfectly and hit the top of the wave, popped up then pushed forward with my front foot spinning my board 180 degrees then flipping it around again all in one smooth motion. Tipping forward I sped down the face then cut back slid across the top then glided down again as the wave broke around me.
Dropping belly down I paddled out of the surf and back toward open water brushing my hair from my eyes. Like many surfers I had long bleached blond hair that my mom hated but I loved. It fit my image and besides the girls at school liked it, often giving me compliments or running their fingers through it. Of course I never had any objection to this happening for some reason.
I waited my turn as other surfers took waves then spotted the one I wanted. I began paddling for it when all of a sudden sharp pain spread through my abdomen. I coughed and flecks of blood flew out staining the water around me. However I was committed and if I didn’t go I’d be caught in the break zone and be pummelled maybe breaking my board, something I couldn’t afford to do.
Paddling hard my arms felt like lumps of concrete but I pushed through hoping desperately I’d be okay. Cresting the wave I felt rather than saw a blur of movement beside me and the body of another surfer crashed into my legs. I was tumbled off my board and caught up as the wave broke around me. Everything went dark as the water cascaded around and I was thrown under. The orbital velocity spun me in circles until I didn’t know which way was up and which way was down. My board was caught in the momentum of the wave and dragged me by the ankle strap as stars began to pop behind my eyes and I realized I was drowning. Mercifully the strap broke and I floated free but that just meant the wave could take me and slam me into the ocean floor. My whole body was wracked with sharp pain and I couldn’t move. I thought of my mom and my brothers and hoped they wouldn’t be too sad if I died.
The last thing I felt before blacking out was a pair of strong hands reaching under my arms.
I woke to the sound of bleeping machines and looked around at the sterile white walls of a hospital room. I was hooked up to the machines and noticed a needle had been inserted into my left hand pumping goodness knows what into me. The pain in my stomach was still there although much less and my lungs hurt from the salt water I’d breathed in. A hose was stuck up my nostrils administering oxygen so I decided that at that moment pain was good because it meant I was alive and I was hopefully going to be okay.
The door to my room was open and I heard my mom talking. I moved my head to listen better to the conversation she was having with a man I assumed was a doctor considering all the big words he was using.
“So he’s going to be alright?” I heard my mom query and the doctor was saying “yes but….”
“But what?” my mom demanded, she was a lioness when it came to protecting her boys. I smiled glad to have her on my side.
“Well, we did blood tests, to check everything was okay, we were worried because there was blood in his mouth and nose when he was brought in. Anyway we found that Jay has an uncommonly rare condition called chromosomal hyperplasia.”
“What does that mean?” my mom asked and I thought at the same time.
“It means his body is producing a whole lot of new cells, more than he needs, essentially it’s trying to reshape itself from a genetic level up. We need to stabilise him before any damage is done but unfortunately there is no known cure. There is only one treatment that will allow him to live but it is painful and well……..” he hesitated.
“Go on” said Mom
Well, over the period of the next few weeks he is going to cease being your son.”
“What…what do you mean cease being my son, you said he would live.”
“Oh yes he’ll live but not as a boy. You see the hyperplasia will I guess you could say reboot him from his DNA up. He’s going to turn into a girl, the treatment we have will simply speed that process up which will take less of a toll on his body and his mind. Essentially he will turn into your daughter. If it’s any consolation he is only the fifth recorded person in America that this has ever happened to.”
“Let me get this straight, you’re saying my 14 year old son lying in there on that bed is going to undergo changes to both his body and mind that will in effect turn him into a 14 year old girl. Do you mean completely, as in he’ll have breasts, a vagina, ovaries? What about his features will he look like a girl?”
“Well yes, exactly, eventually he’ll think like a girl, even act like one, you’ll have to teach him all about being female. Let me ask you something has he been complaining recently about being sore, pains shooting through his feet or legs, pain in his stomach?”
“Yeeeesss, as a matter of fact he has, is that all related?”
“Yes, you see we’ve done x-rays and well let me show you….”
At that their voices faded away as my mom was led toward the x-rays on the far side of the room. They continued discussing stuff while I lay back and tried to process the information I’d just heard. My whole body had turned traitor on me and was changing, turning me into a……a girl. The only way to save me was to speed the whole process up. Dude I thought, I was still a virgin, I mean far out I’d never even been with a girl now I was going to be one!
Jeepers would I be expected to wear dresses and skirts, what was it like to have breasts and no penis? What about surfing that was my life, there were plenty of female surfers out there but still.
At that point my mom walked in with a smile on her face but her eyes were serious and sad all at the same time.
“I heard mom”
“Heard what darling?”
“I heard you discussing the hyper, hyper…..”
“Hyperplasia”
“Yeah that, hyperplasia, that I’m gonna turn into a girl, that there’s nothing they can do.”
“Oh, um yes that’s right, I’ve just talked it over with Dr Carter, they’ve sought another opinion from a specialist but as a nurse I think he’s correct and there’s nothing we can do. It looks as if I’m going to have a daughter in a month or two rather than a son. I’m so sorry.”
She folded me up in her arms and gave me a huge hug. I buried my head into her shoulder but I was determined not to cry. Our family had been through the ringer lately and the last thing my mom needed was me snivelling and whining about my fate. I didn’t like this news not one bit but I wasn’t going to let it beat me.
“Who saved me mom?” I asked, “Who was it got me out of the water?”
“You’re brother Tim; he saw you get swiped by that little, little….asshole Morgan”
I was amazed my mom never cussed she hated swear words, it revealed a lot about how she felt about what Morgan Chapman had done to me.
“Anyway, Tim saw you go under and he paddled over, he said it was pure luck he found you; that you were caught up in all the white water. He said he just stayed under holding his breath till he got you.”
“He and Jeff are worried sick about you, I need to ring them and let them know you’re awake they’ll want to come up right away and see you.”
“Cool mom, but um can you not tell them what’s happening to me, can you leave it to me to tell them?
“Of course honey, I won’t say a word about that; just let them know you’re okay. I know you surfers deal with your own problems yourselves right.”
“Yeah mom, that’s right, I need to let them know myself that they’re going to have a little sister to look after”
I smiled at her but my stomach was churning, this was easily the biggest challenge I’d ever faced in my life.
“I’ll be with you through this all the way Hun, I mean who knows you might enjoy being a girl, you and I we can do girl stuff together, go out shopping for clothes and shoes, all that kind of thing.”
I know mom was trying to be nice, to be supportive and comforting but that stuff was the furthest from my mind.
“Yeah mom, maybe, let’s gets through the next few weeks first, the doc said it was gonna be painful.”
“WE will get through it Jay, together alright, you’re still my baby, nothing in the whole wide world is going to change that and anyway I think you’re going to make a really cute girl.”
Mom was still trying to be kind so I smiled but I didn’t know if I could do this.
CHAPTER 2 – Broken
The next couple of days went by in a blur, notable only for the conversation I had with Tim and Jeff. They were immensely relieved that I was okay but when it came time to tell them what was happening to me they fell silent and just listened. Mom sat next to me on the bed letting me tell the story without interrupting at all although I knew she would have a lot to say once they got home and they were alone together without me.
“Grom, we’re with you on this, we stuck together when dad left, we work together to pay the bills, we live together, we surf together” said Jeff.
“Nothing splits this family up, nothing, we’ve got your back dude” said Tim.
I couldn’t help it and a solitary tear spilled down my face.
“Thanks guys I love you” I said as I tried to brush the tear away.
“Bro” said Jeff “you are going to get through this easy, anyone who can surf like you this is just a walk in the park.”
Others came to visit too, Tim’s mate Pete came along with a mini surfboard just to remind me of what to look forward to when I got out of hospital, a couple of good friends from school Josh and Sam showed up and sat with me for the afternoon asking when I’d be out and cracking lame jokes. A couple of girls even turned up with a cake and a get well card but they didn’t stay too long saying something about a pool party to go to.
One of them a girl called Jasmine who I got on well with said when I got out she would organise a party for me at her place, invite all our friends and even make it a surf theme. She seemed really concerned for me. My mom had spread the story that because I had nearly drowned that the doctors were worried the salt water had damaged my lungs, that people who had survived drowning sometimes died later from complications.
I was grateful and thanked her for being so kind. I wondered what she would think if I turned up to the party as a girl.
After that the hospital stopped all visits except for immediate family. The treatment consisted of a series of injections into the muscles of my back then injections into my bones that were excruciating. Within a week the first signs of my transformation were showing, my face had taken on a much softer more feminine look while I noticed that my testicles and penis were beginning to shrink and slowly be absorbed up into my body. The doctors decided to make incisions at these points to aid this process and I had to deal with open wounds in my groin. Within two weeks I had grown a pair of A cup breasts and the doctors told me they would continue to grow over time probably to a C Cup although there was no telling if they would grow even bigger. The nurses and my mom were amazing and helped fit me into a bra and would sit next to me for hours talking with me. I was quite frankly fascinated by the whole process of their growth. For natural girls this would happen over a couple of years but for me it happened in weeks. The transition from tiny breast buds to real actual boobs was interesting. Every morning I woke up they had grown a little bit more and I would check in the mirror staring in horror as they grew.
For some of the time the doctors would give me morphine to help with the pain as my body changed before their eyes. It felt like my bones were literally trying to tear my flesh apart from the inside out and I was often forced to sit in my bed rocking or moaning as the pain overtook me. My hips widened and my waist became noticeably smaller while my ribcage shrunk down. The hyperplasia caused cells to grow inside me and one morning when I woke up a doctor confirmed what I immediately suspected. I no longer had a penis, rather overnight my vaginal cavity had formed and my body had grown a womb and cervix while my testicles had become ovaries. I felt a real sense of loss that I had never had the chance to have sex as a guy other than of course by myself alone in my own bedroom.
The doctors constantly took tests and notes and even filmed me as I changed. My whole body was open to them and they poked and prodded me without mercy. The nurses and mom would often come to my aid, shooing them out when they sensed I could take no more. They would also bundle me into a wheel chair and take me for walks around the hospital grounds so I could smell the flowers and fresh air and have some small respite from the white walls of my room.
As for me the hardest part was psychological, trying to deal in my head with what was happening to me physically. I became more and more withdrawn and morose as I dealt with both my pain and my new body. I hated being touched and grew to resent the changes, becoming convinced that this would never end and my life would just be a constant state of pain and suffering. My new breasts were the symbols of that pain and I hated them, the enlarged nipples and areoles along with the mounds of flesh sitting on my chest constantly reminding me of my new status, my new gender. I tried my best but sometimes I lashed out saying things I instantly regretted while all the while wishing that it would probably have been best if Tim hadn’t rescued me and instead let me drown. It felt like I was a prisoner living inside something that no longer belonged to me. My skin was noticeably softer and what little hair I had on my body was finer except for on my head. That became thick and after a nurse washed it I was astonished how shiny it was. As it grew out further it framed my face which was changing too. I was still me but everything was more feminine, my nose; my mouth, even my cheekbones seemed to have changed.
The turning point came when my favorite nurse, a young woman called Fleur bought another young girl in to talk with me. She was about 21 and was beautiful and fragile and I could see in her eyes she had also been through pain. Her name was Danielle and she used to be a boy too. She had identified with being a girl a long time ago and had decided to go through gender reassignment surgery. We sat and talked for hours about her pain as she explained how she had hated being male and the decision that had started her journey down the path of becoming a woman. The hormone treatments, the changes to her body, the acceptance by some of her friends and family and rejection by others we even talked about the final surgery that had given her a vagina. We became firm friends and she helped me see that there would eventually be an end to my pain and that I could cope with being a girl even if for now I hated it. We agreed that when we both got out of hospital we would keep in contact and continue to talk together about our experiences. I think her visits and her openness, the way she treated me helped me turn a really important corner, one that led away from the thought of ending my life and all this pain. I owed Fleur and Danielle a debt of gratitude I would probably never be able to pay back. It started me on the road to accepting in my head that I was really a girl but it was a long road and there was lots more to accept and lots more to learn.
One morning perhaps a week later I woke to the realization I felt no pain. My blonde hair had grown even longer and reached down past my shoulders. My skin was now soft and tanned and my figure was that of a 14 year old girl. I had long slim legs and arms with fine fingers and small toes. To my amazement my bones no longer ached and I was able to stand by myself without pain. I walked to the bathroom and sat unassisted on the toilet. Wiping myself I stood up and looked in the mirror, my shoulders were now slim and my every movement seemed more graceful. I turned and looked at my butt taking in the bigness of it and the feminine lines. Dude I thought you have a nice rear end even if you do say so yourself.
I felt my breasts as they looked back at me now a generous B cup and finally decided that I might be able to come to terms with having them, maybe just a little. I looked at the slit that was now my groin. I hadn’t really explored it at all since it had manifested itself and I looked at it now. What did people call them pussies, twat, fanny, lots of outlandish and rude names? I was tempted to call it a girls’ name like Rapunzel but settled on just calling it my vagina cause that’s what it was. I ran my finger across the outer lips of my labia and felt the tiny electric shock of arousal. I’ll leave that till later, much later I thought then looked at my face. My eyes were still a deep emerald colour but my lashes were long and dark and full. My cheek bones were now high and a light dusting of freckles spread out across my cheeks and nose. It was unmistakably a girl’s face and I had grown used to seeing it in the mirror but for the first time looking at myself without pain I was able to appreciate it. I was still me but the girl version of me. I guessed I probably looked a lot like my mom when she was 14 and decided she must have been a beautiful woman before three kids, an alcoholic husband and all the cares of the world had stolen it from her. Not that she wasn’t a gorgeous woman now but there were lines where there shouldn’t be and cares on her shoulders that shouldn’t have been there. I was fortunate to have her as my mother and decided I would try to help her even more when I got out of this place.
Mom had also bought me some clothes for when I felt better and no longer had to wear the stupid hospital gowns that they forced me to wear. No matter how hard I tried there was always a draughty gap in the back.
I looked through the bag she had brought in and saw a couple of bras and some panties. There was a pair of women’s cut skinny jeans and a pink T-shirt along with a summer dress and a few other girly looking tops in blues and greens. A pair of very short shorts was also in there but I wasn’t game just yet to be seen in those.
I chose the jeans and pulled them on over a pair of plain cotton panties. I was quite adept at putting on a bra by now and put a simple plain white one on then pulled the pink t-shirt over my head. I almost felt human again. Slipping on a pair of sandals I decided it was time to go for a walk. At that moment my mom walked in the room though and just stared at me for a second.
“You’re up then” she smiled and gave me a big hug.
“Yeah mom I’m even feeling better too, no pain. Feel like going for a walk with me, this room is doing my head in.”
We wandered out of the hospital and into the grounds. There was a large garden out the back for patients to walk through; the hospital nurses and doctors had planted it themselves in an attempt to help patients recover faster. As we walked along Mom asked me an important question, one I hadn’t really considered then she asked me one I had.
So Jayden, she only used my full name when she was either telling me off or really serious, the hospital has agreed to change your records to show that you are female, your birth certificate, school records everything that legally makes you well you, will be changed to show that your now a girl, but they asked me what name you wanted.”
Wow that’s a biggy I thought. Few people ever get to give themselves a new name, that was always the privilege of your parents and I needed to think about it.
“Gosh Mom, I don’t know what do you think I mean you gave me Jayden.”
“Well I was thinking you have the most dazzling green eyes and I guess Jayden could easily become Jade. Your middle name is Alex after your grandfather so how about Jade Alexandra?”
She looked at me hopefully and I nodded.
“Yeah dude” I laughed in my best surfie tone, “sounds wicked.”
And that was that decision made. I was now Jade Alexandra Chamberlin.
The next question is important too honey, when do you want to come home? You’ve been here for two months now but we all miss you and Tim and Jeff keep asking and…”
“How about now”
“Now?”
“Yeah now. I miss you guys too, plus schools already started back and my surfboard must have been missing me by now.”
That earned me a soft punch on the arm then another big Mom hug. I could get used to these and so second big decision was made.
Now there was just getting back home, settling back into school and reconnecting with my friends and family all as a fourteen year old girl who used to be a boy. How hard could it be?
CHAPTER 3 – The News
Mom approached the hospital and although they were reticent at first they finally agreed that I could go home the next day but I had to report back weekly for a check-up and tests which in my vocabulary meant ‘give the vampires more of my blood.’
To say I was excited to go home would be a major understatement but I was also very scared. I knew I had the support of my family and that my mom and brothers would shield me from the worst criticism or problems that came along. Still I had to face my friends and everyone else in school because I had decided it was pointless changing to another one. This threw up problem after problem in my mind and more often than not I felt overwhelmed by it all because I knew it was me who would have to deal with it.
Danielle my transgender friend was always on the end of the phone and I found myself talking to her more than anyone about my fears. She was always patient and tolerant with me but we both knew that when it came down to it I was the one who was going to have to face all those people. The best piece of advice she could give was that it wasn’t going to be as bad as I thought it would be. I really hoped not but that didn’t stop the fear.
I hardly slept that night with butterflies the size of elephants fluttering in my stomach. The wait for mom was intolerable but she finally arrived about 9.00am to take me home. Fleur my nurse had kindly organised a little gift that the other nurses and even some of the doctors had contributed to. They gave it to me as I sat on my bed in jeans and t-shirt. It was a small box and inside was a ring with a tiny emerald in it. They said it was to remind me of them but to me it was also a symbol of who I now was. Had I been a guy they would have gotten me something different like soap on a rope or maybe some surfboard wax. For a girl the gifts were different. I slipped the ring on my right ring finger and let them look while offering the obligatory compliments but inside I cringed a little.
I was wearing the same clothes as yesterday which made my mom a little annoyed as I finally fell into the passenger seat of the car, “You don’t want to start smelling of B.O. dear” she commented “you need to change your clothes and stay fresh. I want you to shower every day. I’ve bought you some new soap and body wash plus I got you some cleanser and moisturiser for your face. I’m assuming you’ll want to surf again and you know what sun and surf will do to your skin, it’s more fragile now. You’ll need to use it at least twice a day plus we need to go out and get you a few more clothes including a bikini and I’ll take you to the makeup stand at the mall you’ll need to get some foundation and powder to match your skin type and I guess we should get you a new mascara and lip gloss.”
“Mom, mom stop. Far out take a breath and chill” I said trying to slow her down at least.
“But darling you do understand this is all stuff you’re going to need and I haven’t even started on feminine hygiene products yet or the fact you’re going to need to shave your legs and underarms.” She said the last bit with a really cheeky grin on her face and this time I got to punch her in the arm.
“Yeah, yeah all right I get it you care about me and you want the best for me but mom please can we take this one step at a time cause you are really freaking me out with all this stuff.” I said it half cheerfully but also half fearfully as well. I hadn’t even considered that I might start getting a period or that I was now expected to wear makeup or even shower once a day, I mean what was that all about? As a guy who spent most of his time either in the water surfing or sitting around a beach talking about surfing I usually showered when I felt like it not because I thought I had to so I could smell all fresh, floral and girly. Normally I just smelled of salt water.
I guess reality kind of jumped up and bit me then as I sank back in my seat and contemplated the list my mom had just given me. Although I hadn’t experienced it yet I was going to get a period, that meant I had to become used to using things like pads and tampons. Instead of learning to shave my face I was going to have to shave my legs and underarms. I also knew I actually wanted to do this because I'd seen a girl at school who had decided she wasn’t going to shave and had grown leg and underarm hair. The teasing and cruel remarks would often leave her shaking or crying and the last thing I wanted was to go through that. She probably lasted a month before she started to shave again. I got that a woman’s world was a foreign thing to me and I had a huge amount to learn plus many decisions to make about the kind of image I was going to project to the outside world. I didn’t have the faintest idea what that would be other than I knew I still wanted to surf. But girls who surfed came in all different shapes and sizes, some wore makeup some didn’t many were really girly and loved to wear summer dresses and short skirts because they were at the beach.
My life was never going to be the same and I had 14 years of catching up to do. I decided if I was going to fit in and not be seen as some kind of weirded out freak that my best ally was my mom.
I turned to her and said “thanks Mom, I really appreciate what you’re doing for me, hope I’m not too big a disappointment to you.”
“Oh darling, you’re not a disappointment, these changes you’ve gone through have happened it’s in the past. You’re my daughter now and I love you. I get that you’re scared and nervous and confused but like I said before, we will get through this together. Try not to let it overwhelm you okay”
“Yeah mom, I know you’re right but well……”
She reached over and rubbed my leg giving it a gentle squeeze. “I pity anyone who tries to make you feel less of a person just because of what you have gone through. They’ll have me to deal with!”
We continued driving home and I tried to relax a little. ‘Home’ it was my sanctuary a place of refuge and a place where I could feel comfortable. I couldn’t wait to get back to it and chill out. ‘Suppose I’d better have a shower too’ I thought.
As we drove into our driveway I saw both Jeff and Tim waiting for us. They both crashed through the door down the stairs and pretty much ripped the door off the car opening it.
“Hey grommet awesome to have you home, man the surf has been going off” enthused Tim while Jeff just stood there grinning from ear to ear like a big goof. As I stepped out I was engulfed by four huge arms that literally picked me up and I was carried into the house. Mom trailed after us with my stuff while I was unceremoniously deposited on the lounge room floor.
“Whoa, whoa be careful of her you two, she’s just been through a hell of a time and I don’t want you to break her the minute she gets home.”
“Aw sorry mom, sorry Jay” said Tim with the same massive goofy look on his face as Jeff and I noted he called me Jay rather than Jade which I kind of liked. I had a feeling my abbreviated name would just continue to be used by my brothers regardless of my gender.
I stood there looking at them then kind of quizzically with my head on the side a half grin on my face.
“What you looking at?” said Tim
“Oh I don’t know, I was just wondering if it was me or if you two have gotten dumber while I was away” I said it with a huge grin then scampered off while the two of them roared their indignation and Mom cracked up laughing. I think she was just felt relieved that she had her family back together and the house was alive again.
My room was the same as before, pictures of surfers on my wall, a couple of trophies siiting on my dresser but with the addition of a full length mirror in a corner. Mom said I would need it now. I just shrugged and thought ‘whatever’
Mom had also taken my underwear from my drawers and replaced it with panties and bras in my size. As much as I appreciated what she had done it was strange seeing frilly bras and satin panties where once my old cotton boxers and t-shirts used to be.
“Where are my t-shirts Mom?”
“Just in the bottom drawer there honey, I didn’t throw them away, they’re far too big for you now but I thought till we got you some nighties or pj’s you could probably sleep in them.”
“Oh yeah right, good thinking” I said realising that girls didn’t just sleep in a pair of boxers. I had boobs to cover now.
“We need to get you some clothes to wear for school too Jade, and for going out in plus some more casual wear. I think we need to go out to the mall this afternoon just to get a few things.”
“Um sure mom I guess can we afford it though?”
“Yes dear no problems, your brothers sold a couple of things and have pooled some money together. We have enough for you.”
“Sold stuff, like what?” I asked worried it was a surfboard.
“Nothing major Jade, don’t worry it’s not a surfboard. Sheesh you look like the world just ended.”
“Yeah well not being able to surf is pretty much the same thing.”
“We’ll go after lunch” said Mom and strolled out of my room. “How about you have a shower and freshen up a bit” she called back “and put those clothes you’ve got on in the wash young lady.”
I looked around my room and decided to have the shower. In the bathroom I stripped off and threw my soiled jeans, t-shirt and underwear in the laundry basket. The shower felt great and I probably stayed in longer than I should. I covered myself in some floral body wash and scrubbed everywhere then jumped out. Instantly I had a problem because I hadn’t brought any other clothes into the shower with me and I would have to run down the hallway to get back to my room. Previously I wouldn’t have cared and just sprinted the short distance. Who cares if your brothers see you? Now however I was a girl and that was different. Wrapping myself in a towel to cover up I peeked out the door to make sure nobody was there then ran for my room. It all felt different, running this way, I noticed that with wider hips I stepped differently and that I took smaller steps too.
‘Weird’
Reaching my room I rummaged through my underwear finding a pair of white panties and a bra. Once in them I looked in the mirror and used my towel to dry my hair. Looking back at me was a young girl with long curly blond hair and emerald eyes. I decided the freckles on my face looked cute and although my body wasn’t lean and hard anymore it sported the flowing curves of an adolescent female.
Looking in my wardrobe I saw there was nothing there that I could practically wear. Everything was either too big or just wasn’t going to fit right.
The bag of clothes Mom had bought me was sitting on my bed so I tipped it all out. I had a choice the really short shorts matched with one of the blue or green tops or the summer dress. It had a floral design on it and the skirt part came down to just above my knees flaring out from my waist when I held it against me. The top part had thin straps for my shoulders but it kind of covered more of me than the rest. I hadn’t worn a dress yet and felt pretty freaked out about the prospect but then again the alternative wasn’t much better at least to me.
Fortunately at this time of year it was still really warm so I decided to try on the dress. Stepping in to it I pulled it up over my hips then adjusted the bodice part over my boobs. Brushing my hair out so it wouldn’t knot it fell around my face and down my back emphasising to me just how much of a girl I looked as I gazed in the mirror. If I had seen this girl at school or the beach when I was male I probably would have wanted to get to know her I decided. It felt like my heart was leaping out of my chest it was pounding so hard as I decided to twirl around making the dress flare out. There was something that felt really funky about doing it yet another part of me was asking the question, how could I enjoy this? After all it wasn’t that long ago I was a guy who lived in an old pair of salt encrusted board shorts and a t-shirt. Why did I enjoy this so much? What was it about being so feminine that I was beginning to like?
A soft knock came at the door. “It’s only me” said Mom as she peeked in then stopped as she saw me standing there wearing the dress.
“Oh darling, you look, you look oh my, you’re beautiful” she whispered but I had a feeling she really wanted to say ‘you look just like me when I was a girl’ as her face crumpled and tears began to trickle down her cheeks.
“Aw mom, don’t cry” I said as she came over and just held me.
“I’m not unhappy” she whispered to me, looking into my eyes, “just the opposite.”
“I was just wondering if you wanted lunch now, it’s just sandwiches sorry but we can get something else down at the mall.”
“Food is good” I smiled suddenly realising how hungry I felt but as I stepped out of my room and into the kitchen both Jeff and Tim just stopped and looked. Their jaws dropped at almost the same time and they just stared.
Mom gave a little hurrumph and they both quickly went back to making sandwiches but I understood their looks.
“You’re hot sis” blurted Tim, he was always the one to speak first and say what he thought no matter what the consequences.
“Yeah” said Jeff “I reckon pretty much every guy at your school is going to try and hit on you Jay. I might have to invest in a shotgun.”
I blushed a really bright crimson but the compliment meant a lot.
“Yeah right you guys eat your lunch, if anyone is buying a shotgun it’ll be me and if any guy comes within a mile of Jade they better have good running shoes.” My mom’s inner lioness was coming out again.
“We’re off for a surf after lunch” said Tim completely changing the subject. He looked at me expectantly and I looked at Mom pleadingly.
“Not a chance young lady, you are coming with me to get clothes. Anyway you don’t even own a swimsuit, what were you thinking of doing surfing naked?”
Tim and Jeff guffawed.
“Plenty of waves in the ocean Jay, maybe you can come tomorrow if you get a swimsuit?”
Today was a Saturday so surfing tomorrow was on as far as I was concerned which meant my first point of call at the mall was a shop that sold swim gear for girls.
The shopping mall at Imperial Beach wasn’t far away and we got there quickly. I had slipped on my pair of sandals while mom had gotten herself ready. Before we left she called me in to her room and made me sit in front of her mirror. She applied a couple of coats of mascara to my lashes and gave me some lip gloss to wear. It made my eyes seem to pop and she seemed satisfied with the way I looked. I was just amazed at how such a little bit of makeup could change my face.
“Is this really necessary mom?” and she stared at me.
“It changes your face Jade, makes you look very feminine so if you run into people from school they’re probably not going to recognise you. I thought that might be helpful.”
“Aw okay yeah good call mom” I replied. My mom was the best and once again proved to me how much she cared, plus I had a sneaky suspicion she was enjoying seeing me like this.
As we walked in I spotted a couple of guys, Jordan and Grant, who I knew from school. They stopped as they saw me a furrowed look on their brow which quickly gave way to just open staring as we walked past.
“Ignore them” whispered mom
“They go to my school, I think they recognise me but they don’t know how” I whispered back.
“All they see is two hot chicks” chuckled mom.
I giggled,” absolutely Mom”
We walked on and came to a surf shop that sold swim wear.
“Can we go in here please?”
“Sure honey”
We found ourselves in a rainbow sea of bikinis and one piece swimsuits. Looking at it all I realized just how much of my flesh would be on display at the beach but my desire to surf overcame any embarrassment I might feel. We picked out two bikinis one black and one green that seemed to cover me a bit more and would be okay to surf in. The young shop assistant rang up the sale for us and commented on how nice I looked in my dress.
I blushed and mumbled a thank you as she passed me my shopping bag.
“Have you ever thought of doing any modelling?” she asked “you have a killer figure and that face of yours is beyond cute.”
“What? Really you think so?”
“Yeah of course, in fact I know we’re looking for a model to help sell a lot of the surfing merchandise in the store. I mean this is a chain so you could have your face in every store across the country plus in our catalogue. If you want let me take a pic of you on my phone and I’ll send it through. No harm in trying aye?”
I looked at Mom who just smiled. “Your call”
“Okay then sure” I said “go for it.
“I’ll get back to you soon” she said, “give me your mobile number”
We swapped details and wandered out of the store. I was on a high and Mom looked at me raising her eyebrows.
“Wow Jade”
“Yeah, I know”
“Told you, you were pretty.”
I left it at that but the rest of the shopping trip kind of flew by in a blur. We bought a complete wardrobe of clothes for me. I tended to opt for more practical stuff like jeans and flat shoes but Mom managed to throw in the odd girly dress, some skirts and even persuaded me to buy a pair of high heel court shoes ‘just in case’.
Just in case of what I wasn’t sure but I wasn’t about to argue with her, in fact I was dying to know what it felt like to walk in them.
The experience of being a female in a dress out in public really made me realise how vulnerable I was. I was wearing a piece of clothing that was completely open around my legs. Lots of guys looked at me most of them started at my boobs, then down to my legs then back up to my boobs again. Even older guys did it and I became increasingly uncomfortable. At one point I felt like going over to one guy and asking him what he wanted but it was mom who came to my rescue.
Sitting me down on a seat and making sure I had my legs together she told me the story of how she met my dad. How when she saw him how handsome she thought he was and how he looked at her, kindly and gently. “See all these other guys” she said waving her hand, “they don’t know you, all they see is a pretty girl and they wonder about you and what it would be like to be with you. But you have the final say if you ignore them they’ll just keep on walking and look at another attractive girl. When you find the right one you’ll know darling, until then treat people with respect and expect it from them. Just enjoy the effect you have on them but don’t give them a second thought.”
“Okay Mom, sure, it’s just well its never happened to me before and it’s freaking me out a bit.”
“You’ll get over it” she said getting up. “lets go”
Eventually we headed back to the car laden down with clothes, makeup and shoes.
Loading it all in the car mom then began to head back in to the mall.
“What haven’t we finished yet?”
“Not quite, come with me there’s a couple of things we really need to get”
Heading to the pharmacy mom stopped beside the feminine hygiene aisle and picked out some petite tampons and a pack of pads.
“You’re going to need these hun, it’s part of being a woman, plus I was wondering if you wanted to get your ears pierced?”
The tampons and pads grossed me out a bit but funnily enough pierced ears didn’t.
It only took a couple of minutes and I had an earring in each ear. While mom paid the bill I walked out of the shop and noticed Jordan and Grant from school were still hanging around looking at me.
Grant sauntered over and stopped in front of me.
“Hey cutie, I noticed you before, you look familiar like I’ve seen you before but I can’t quite place it?”
I looked at him, taking in the odd blackhead in his nose and pimple on his chin.
“Do you always use such lame pick-up lines dude?” I asked and it was as if a light went on his eyes. Even with my softer, higher voice he recognised it.
“’Dude’, that’s it that’s how I know you, you’re Jay Chamberlin but I mean what happened to you, you’re a chick.”
His mate came over and stared at me too. ‘So much for the make-up mom’ I thought.
“Well yeah it’s kind of a long story maybe I’ll tell it to you some time.”
“So it is you, shit Jay you are the hottest looking girl now. WTF dude”
Just then mom walked out and saw me talking.
“You ready to go honey?”
“Um yeah, look guys I’ll explain it all at school okay, just help me out on this, don’t say anything please?”
I looked at them pleadingly but it fell on deaf ears. I knew that by Monday the whole school would know I was now a girl.
“It’s okay hun, everyone was going to find out eventually at least this way you can go into school knowing what you have to say and you’ll soon find out who your real friends are.”
“Yeah well I guess, but it sure is going to be a weird day.”
“You’ll get through it Jade, look how far you’ve come already.”
I thought about that and knew Mom was right but the biggest hurdle was yet to come. I wondered what Monday had in store for me.
A young surfer goes through a painful transformation that leaves him battered, bruised and changed. As he attempts to cope with those changes and the new life he must now live he also stumbles on a conspiracy that threatens his family, his friends and the township he lives in. As a young girl can she deal not only with a new body and new feelings but also overcome the evil that could destroy her.
CHAPTER 4 – Wrong Turn
For me Sunday should easily have been the coolest day since my change of gender. Tim and Jeff were going to take me down to the beach after breakfast to surf and there was nothing I wanted to do more. I also wanted to drop in and see my boss Dave. Tim and Jeff had gone over there and explained to him what I had been through and I was desperate to return to my old job. At first Dave had been a little taciturn with my brothers but finally caved in while mumbling something about dang girls working in his shop.
That was Dave but I really hoped he would come round and see that underneath it all I was still the same person.
I stood on the beach that morning looking out to sea. A lone seagull squawked over me and I ducked my head. The Imperial Beach gulls were notorious for dive bombing unsuspecting humans and pooping on their heads. The splat next to me when it came was no surprise therefore and I peered into the sky squinting with one eye as it sailed off obviously very pleased with itself.
The surf wasn’t much today maybe only three foot and choppy. We stood watching it and decided finally that today wasn’t our day. I had worn the green bikini and had put a simple muslin top over it. My long legs poked out of the bikini bottoms and the outline of the bikini top was easily seen through it. I looked down at my cleavage and sighed. Boobs were cool and all but also kind of just there when you were a girl, attached to you, jiggly and all jelly like. I had explored them a couple of times in the shower and the sensations across my nipples were pleasurable to say the least but I still wasn’t sure about having them. Having to wear a bra or bikini top certainly got in the way sometimes and boy did boobs get sweaty and itchy after a day sitting in a bra.
As we turned and started to walk back toward the bikes, surfboards under our arms I noticed what looked like a pile of clothes sitting half buried in one of the sand dunes. As I watched I noticed a movement and a small brown foot appeared, wiggled a bit then disappeared back into the pile. I grabbed Jeff’s arm and pointed.
“Hey I think there’s someone over there in the dunes, hope they’re okay?”
Jeff looked over where I was pointing and veered toward it as Tim and I followed.
When he got to the clothes Jeff peered down and gave them a kick waiting for a response.
The dull thud produced a squeak and a head with long black hair and dark brown eyes blinked back looking up at Jeff trying to make sense of what they were seeing. Finally the human sat up and we all realised that it was a girl probably about the same age as Jeff and very obviously of Mexican descent. She was dishevelled and her hair was a mess falling into her eyes full of knots and tangles. She held her hand to her eyes and we noticed the bruises that ran up her arms along with the needle tracks that matched the bruises.
“She’s just a junkie” said Tim in disgust “should have known”
Like most American cities ours had its fair share of drug addicts but this girl seemed different to me. She looked cultured different to the usual addicts we saw begging down town or lying in the streets. Sure her clothes were nothing special, the blouse was too low and the skirt was too high and she smelled pretty bad but there was a fierceness in her eyes and she held herself straight like she used to be someone.
“What’s your name Miss” asked Jeff
“Jacinta, please can you help me?” was all she could get out her throat closing up as her body was wracked with a coughing fit.
“We can’t just leave her here guys, look she’s sick we need to help her” I said
“You’re kidding mom will kill us if we bring a stray like her home” said Tim but Jeff bent over gently lifting under her arm.
“Come with us” is all he said and helped her toward the bikes. Tim let out a big sigh and picked up two of the boards while I took up the rear. If there was something my family had learned through all of the hardships we had endured it was that helping others who needed it was really important. I knew mom wouldn’t mind helping Jacinta out and we were all really good at making a meal stretch out to include one more. Jeff put Jacinta in front of him on his bike and held her with his body his arms around her holding the handlebars. Somehow Tim and I juggled three surfboards on his bike and we made our way slowly home.
The house we rented wasn’t much to look at, it’s faded blue weatherboards stared blankly out onto the road and weeds grew up around the driveway. The grass was mowed but the old bushes and fruit trees were unkempt and uncared for their autumn leaves giving off a golden hue as the sunlight passed through them. The landlord didn’t do much of any maintenance and we rarely saw him. All he cared about was that we paid the rent on time.
The inside was another story however. My mom kept it clean and neat as a pin and you could eat off the floor it was so shiny. Every surface was carefully dusted and wiped clean, every bed was always made up and the dishes were always washed and put away. Of course all three of us were roped in to help and despite our protests we all appreciated the effort our mom made to bring us up right while holding down her job.
There was a note on the kitchen table when we got in, mom had been called in to work an extra shift, it was something she rarely turned down for the extra money it brought us. Jeff helped Jacinta and sat her at one of the chairs at the kitchen table. She groaned as he helped her sit and one of the sides of her blouse flipped open exposing her bra. Jeff looked at me and I quickly pulled the blouse together for her and did up a button. ‘Hmmm’ I thought ‘wouldn’t have done that as a boy.’
Tim walked over and sat in front of Jacinta while Jeff went and got her a glass of water.
“How are you feeling?” he asked as he placed the tumbler in front of her.
Greedily she drank the water, spilling some down her front and then wiped her mouth. Her face was stained with dirt and her fingernails were black with the grime under them.
“Thank you” she said “you are very kind, I didn’t know what I was going to do.” Her voice was thick with her accent.
“So what happened to you” asked Tim “how did you end up lying in a sand dune with all those bruises and track marks?”
“I was abducted, taken from my home about two months ago by some men. They told me they were going to give me a better life in America that I would be rich. They lied to me; instead I was sold to a terrible man. He made me do things too despicable to mention especially in front of your sister.” She looked at me giving me a wan smile. I smiled back thinking two months. Two months ago I was beginning my transformation into a girl something I could neither control or stop, two months ago this beautiful girl was going through a transformation as well, from someone’s daughter, sister, girlfriend, into what a slave? It was something she couldn’t control or stop either.
“Go on” said Tim fascinated
“Well they gave me drugs got me hooked on heroin then forced me to sell myself and give them the money. But all the time I kept thinking I would get away that maybe they owned my body but they weren’t going to own me. I kept that part from them even when I was high and they were raping me I kept the important part of me inside, secret, unbroken.”
Jeff gave a low whistle, “so I guess there are some guys out there who are looking for you since you probably didn’t show up and all”
“No not yet, quite often the girls don’t come back sometimes for a day or two if their clients want to keep them but they know that eventually we will come back to them, that the withdrawal is too much that we will need their poison.”
Tim, Jeff and I looked at each other, what had we gotten ourselves into? We had brought a sex slave and heroin addict into our home, someone who had been kidnapped, someone who would eventually be hunted by powerful men who probably had guns and very little conscience.
And that was the problem, our mom had brought us up with a conscience, she had taught us not only to look after each other but also the people around us who needed it, but this, this was completely out of our league.
“I’ll fix you some food and Jade can you find Jacinta some better clothes to wear maybe, I don’t know you’re a girl can you figure something out?” said Jeff “and she needs a shower too.”
“So what you just ran away? What are you going to do when the withdrawal starts do you think you can deal with it?” asked Tim.
“I don’t know I guess it’s going to hurt, lots, but I don’t want to go back to them, I don’t want to sell myself anymore.”
I had dealt with pain recently and more than my brothers I had an inkling of what this beautiful girl with the long dark hair and soft brown eyes was going to go through.
“You’ll get through it” I said “we’ll help you, stay here our moms a nurse and we can hide you till you come through the worst of it. Nobody knows where you are you’ll be safe here.”
“Yeah” said Jeff looking over his shoulder as he made a sandwich for her, “stay here.”
Tim just sat there saying nothing which was very uncharacteristic of him but his eyes were soft and his jaw was set. I looked at my brothers and felt a pride welling up inside of me for their compassion and the decision that we had just made.
Surfers often take huge risks with their lives in big surf especially they are used to taking their own lives into their own hands. Today we had made a decision to take someone else’s life into our hands. For my part I knew it was the right decision to make.
I turned and went off to my room to see if I could hunt down some clothes for Jacinta. Considering her state I figured I’d probably be the one who had to help her take a shower too. This whole girl thing was really getting interesting and I still had school to start tomorrow.
I was right about the shower and as I helped her with her clothes I felt a little self-conscious looking at another naked girl. She was all curves with full breasts and a waspish waist her hips flaring out to beautiful long legs. Her skin had that golden glow most Mexican women had while her dark hair fell almost down to her waist. She seemed completely comfortable with my presence as she stepped into the hot water the vapour rising around her in waves of steam. I looked at her toes painted a delicate shade of blue and how totally feminine she was. I felt a little jealous at her beauty but also worried at how frail she seemed, her very life essence seemingly drained by the drugs she had taken.
I wondered what mom would say when she got home; boy was she in for a surprise.
CHAPTER 5 - Talk of the Town
When mom got home I stayed right out of it just sitting curled up in a chair in our living room while she discussed things with the boys.
“How are we going to help her, what are we going to do if we are all out at work or school while she is here going through withdrawal? Have you ever seen someone go through heroin withdrawal, I have and it’s not pretty, who’s going to clean up after her because I’m not?”
Mom was on a roll but I knew she had lost before she even began. She had that hard exterior of a nurse but the golden liquid interior too. She would help we all knew that and she would make sure Jacinta got through this.
It was Jeff who pleaded her case which didn’t surprise me because he had been the first to help her. I had noticed him looking at Jacinta and seen how she responded to him. Bit of a spark there I wondered.
“And what about your sister and all she has been through and is going to go through have you thought about her?” demanded Mom but I had the answer for that, it made Jacinta’s case.
“Don’t worry about me mom, I’m the one who suggested she stay in the first place. We’re just doing what you taught us and besides considering what I’ve just been through I’d be more than happy to help out, we can all take turns being with her. You were there for me when I needed you most, you still are, how can we turn her away after what we’ve been through?”
Mom sighed and we all looked at her.
“Alright, but we take turns okay, it’s going to be a rough week for all of us, especially you” she said turning to Jacinta “this is not going to be a walk in the park, you’re going to feel like someone’s ripping your insides out then shoved them back in again, backwards.”
“I know Mrs Chamberlin and believe me I appreciate all you and your family are doing. I have no way of paying you back but I promise if ever I can I will.”
“Yes well” Mom huffed “call me Michelle, that’s my first name, you can stay but when you can you pay your way by helping out round here, doing dishes, cleaning up okay.”
“Of course, thank you so much”
And so it was settled, I wasn’t sure if it was a fun thing to settle but Jacinta was staying. I think Jeff was the most happy about it but we were all determined to help. I got up and gave Jacinta a hug. I was really beginning to like how girls could just do that.
My next concern of course was school. Mom took me aside and led me into my bedroom and I sat on the bed next to her shoulder to shoulder.
“You ready for tomorrow?”
“Nope, but I’m going, I’m guessing everyone knows about me by now or at least all the ones in on the gossip will.”
“Hmm, probably, I’ve made an appointment with your Deputy Principal, Mrs Shirley just to fill her in on everything. I’ve got all the paperwork you’ll need. We see her at 8.30am sharp.”
“All good Mom, thanks” and I meant it.
“So what do you want to wear tomorrow, you really need to start out how you mean to go on.”
“Yeah I was thinking about that, I figured just jeans and a t-shirt, you know it’s pretty much what I used to wear all the time anyway.”
“Yes but Jade you’re a girl now and a very pretty one, how about a nice dress?”
“Aw mom on the first day come on that’s just not gonna happen”
“Alright how about a skirt and a nice top you can wear those strappy sandals I got you at the mall you would look so cute.”
I sighed but finally we agreed on a skirt and the sandals although I insisted on wearing a t-shirt with capped sleeves and a surf logo on it. That way I would keep at least a part of my identity. Mom picked out a pleated dark blue skirt that came about half way down my thighs and teamed with the sandals I had to admit it looked pretty cute. I also decided to wear the ring I had been given at the hospital. It had become an important symbol of my journey so far and I had become really attached to it.
“Now remember you have to keep your legs together when you sit wearing a skirt okay, none of this legs apart let them see your panties stuff and if it gets windy you have to hold the skirt down so it doesn’t blow up and embarrass you. Oh and don’t fool around with your bra in public, go to the restroom and adjust it I just hate seeing girls do that.”
“Yes Mom” I said looking at her with my best exasperated look.
“Well this is your first day back; it’s all going to be new.”
I laughed, “that’s for sure”
The next morning came quickly, it was autumn now but where we lived in Southern California the temperature was still pretty warm and so I didn’t bother with a coat or jacket.
Mom had pulled my hair back in a ponytail and I had put mascara and lip gloss on. I knew girls at school weren’t really meant to but no one ever really said anything.
Picking up my bag mom drove us both into school. I didn’t know Mrs Shirley that well she was about 55 I guessed and about 5’ 4” tall and about the same wide. She had huge boobs that kind of were in your face and she seemed to have this restless energy that made me feel like she was going to suddenly jump up and start dancing on her desk. I tried to keep the smirk off my face as I thought about it.
“Yes well Jay, Jade” she corrected herself “nice to have you back. I’ve read your file and I must say you’ve certainly been through an ordeal. I must say though you really seem to have come through it all rather well, you are just stunning young lady.”
‘Why did middle aged women always insist on calling me young lady’ I mused ‘and “I must say” honestly what was up with that?’
“Thank you Mrs Shirley” I mumbled tempted to say ‘old lady’ but Mom was beside me and I didn’t want to risk a quick clip around the ear.
“You’re timetable is still the same and I see you have Geography first up with Mr Hendricks. How about you tootle off and I’ll just finish all the paperwork with your mother.”
“Yes Miss” I said and giving Mom a quick hug I threw my bag on my back and headed out into the school grounds. The last thing I heard was Mrs Shirley saying “My look at those beautiful long legs, do you think she’d consider trying out for the cheer leading team?”
Fat chance I thought more like the surf team.
I enjoyed Geography, Mr Hendricks was funny and made the subject enjoyable. He would often talk about the ocean and the coast which always had my interest and besides Josh, Sam and Jasmine were all in the same class so at least I had some friends. Unfortunately Morgan Chapman was there too so I would have to deal with him.
I got to class as the first bell rang and walked in. The class went silent, I mean really quiet like you could hear a pin drop. Several of the boys just stared with their mouths open and I thought they would start drooling. Neither Josh, Sam or Morgan had arrived yet but Jasmine was there and she waved to me indicating a free seat next to her. Mr Hendricks didn’t use a seating plan and just let us sit anywhere so I walked over and sat down.
“Wow, Jayden is that you?”
“Yup it’s me but I’m Jade now. As you can see there have been a couple of changes.”
“A couple to say the least, so what happened, the last I knew you were in hospital after nearly drowning then I heard on the weekend that you’d had a sex change. I didn’t believe it till now. I mean wow”
“It was a disease” I explained and the whole class was silent listening to our conversation, “really rare I didn’t so much have a sex change like you’d think but my body was changed completely from my chromosomes to well everything. I’m just like you I have you know, ovaries and stuff, I can even have a period.”
Jasmine looked at me wide eyed “Really? That’s incredible so you’re completely a girl?”
“Yup, completely no going back fully one hundred percent female” I replied smiling.
Jasmine just hugged me then and pulled out her exercise book ready to start work.
“What that was it, you just accept me?” I said.
“Of course silly, actually I’d always had a thing for you, I’d always hoped you’d ask me out but you never did. Now you’re a girl well I just hope we can be friends, maybe we can hang out do stuff together, you know, if you want?”
I looked at her and one of the guys sitting behind me piped up. “Yeah Jade, you’re the coolest chick, any time you want to hang out that’s all good with me. We all heard about what happened to you but no one believed it. We all thought it was lies but seeing you now and how you’re handling it all. You were always nice to everyone you met from the first day you got here and we all knew how much you loved to surf. Far as I’m concerned dude or chick we got your back.”
Murmurs of consent went around the class and I looked at everyone tears in my eyes.
“Thanks” was all I could get out but then Morgan Chapman walked into the room and stared at me.
“So it’s true aye Chamberlin, you’re a bitch now. How ironic, specially since I was going to kick your butt in the comp this year, but I guess you’ll have to compete with all the other little girls in their competition.”
“Hello Morgan” I said staring him down, “who knows what competition I’ll be in but there’s one thing I know for sure I’d kick your ass whether I was a boy or a girl and you know what every other girl surfing out there would too. Oh and one other thing I am nobodies ‘bitch’”
The class was dead silent listening to this exchange wondering how Morgan would react. He had a reputation for having a short fuse and he looked at me grinding his teeth.
“Just cause you’re a little girly girl now doesn’t mean I won’t smash your teeth down your throat” he hissed
“Yeah, just try you half-witted little dick” I said glaring at him.
At that moment Josh and Sam walked in and spotted me sitting next to Jasmine. They walked over sensing the tension in the room. Although Sam Gibson was a pretty normal 14 year old Josh Sayers wasn’t. He played line backer for the school football team and even at his age a couple of colleges were interested in him and were involved in his coaching. When I first got to the school after we had moved here Josh had kind of adopted me. With my easy going attitude and the fact he saw me as another athlete albeit a surfer, we kind of just clicked. We were mates from then on and as far as Sam was concerned any mate of Josh’s was a mate of his so it was kind of a two for one deal. Josh stood at about 5’ 11” but everyone knew he was going to get huge. He had broad shoulders already and was easily the strongest kid in school.
He came over and looked down at me, “That you Jay” he enquired.
“Yup it’s me” I said, “okay with that?”
“You’re smoking hot now dude, chick, whatever. Damn I’m okay with that.”
He sat down next to me and pulled out his books just looking at Morgan.
“Sit down Chapman you’re fat ass is blocking my view” said Josh and at that the tension in the room vanished.
Jasmine leaned over toward me “that’s the bravest thing I’ve ever seen another girl do”
“Yeah well” I grinned at her “I hate people swearing”
She giggled and squeezed my arm. Josh looked over at me and did that guy flick of his eyebrows. Mom had already shown me how to pluck and shape mine so they were girls’ eyebrows but I did the same back at him and we grinned together.
Mr Hendricks walked in saying sorry he was late and immediately began the lesson by calling out the attendance. When he got to my name he read it out “Jade Chamberlin”
“Yes sir” I answered and he looked up at me. “Really nice to have you back Miss Chamberlin, you were missed.”
“Thank you sir”
And with that we got on with some Geography. I knew eventually things were going to come to a head with Morgan and I also knew he could be both dangerous and malicious especially when he was with his friends but as long as I had my own friends and my family I felt I could deal with him. Time would tell.
CHAPTER 6 - Good People
After Geography the day kind of went smoothly with only the odd bump in the road. I mistakenly walked into the boys bathroom at one point and caused a minor ruckus when one boy rushed too fast to pull up his fly and got his penis stuck in the zipper. I went beetroot red and backed out of there pretty quickly. When I told the story at lunch both Josh and Sam laughed so hard they just about couldn’t breathe.
Jasmine bought four of her friends over to introduce to me and all of a sudden I found myself included in the group. They were all nice girls and I felt that Jasmine was making a special effort for me. I wasn’t sure if it was because of her previous crush but I found myself embroiled in their discussions and gossip about who was hot and who was not, what teachers were cool and who wasn’t, was this new singer Lorde just the best new artist out there her lyrics were soooooo deep and so on.
Jasmine was the unmistakable leader of the group and by the end of lunch I had been roped into going to a sleep over at her place on Friday night with the other girls. Since I’d never been to a sleepover before in my life Jasmine gave me a bit of a run down of what to expect.
To me it seemed like everyone was just going to sit around and cry at a chick flick, eat really bad food, talk more about boys and do it all in pyjamas. Jasmine just laughed at that and said “Yup, pretty much”
“Sounds good then” I quipped “I’ll be there” and I think that cemented our friendship. I was now officially part of the girl’s in crowd.
Toward the end of lunch I excused myself from the group and went off by myself. I wanted to text Mom that I’d be late home. I was going to catch a bus down to the beach and talk with Dave McIntyre about my job and working at the shop. I hadn’t had the chance the day before because of all the drama with Jacinta.
Dave had kind of been a bit of a father figure to me before and I was anxious to see if his attitude was different toward me now I was a girl. It would mean I’d have to walk the four blocks back to our house but I didn’t mind it would be a good time to just think and reflect about a few things.
Mom texted back saying it was okay but also saying I had to stay in the open and I had to make sure I was home before it got dark; it wasn’t safe for young girls to be walking around then, something I had never really thought of as a boy.
At the end of the day I said my goodbyes with the obligatory hugs and waves while Josh and Sam gave me the big eyebrow flick heading down to football practice. This time I just waved back and smiled at them deciding it wasn’t quite lady like to mimic their actions.
The bus was full of school kids but I found a seat near the back and pulled out my iphone and started playing a game while listening to some music through my ear phones. A little boy from the local elementary school with a back pack nearly the same size as him came and literally plonked himself next to me letting out a huge sigh. He had the biggest brown eyes and looked up at me until I took notice of him. Putting down my phone and pulling out my ear phones I said “Hey little dude what’s your name?”
“Tyler” he said as he just continued to stare at me “I’m six what’s your name?”
“Jade, so how was your day at school?”
“Oh it was alright but my teacher got grumpy at me, I think it was cause I farted in class.”
I stifled a giggle and tried to look serious but it wasn’t happening.
He grinned up at me then. “Your eyes are green” he remarked “do you think I could get green eyes like yours they look cool.”
“Aw nah Tyler, I don’t think so everyone gets to keep the eyes they have when they’re born. Anyway your eyes are really awesome just the way they are”
“Oh, really? I think we should be able to change them whenever we want. I’m gonna talk to God about that tonight before I go to sleep.”
I smiled down at him “Yeah dude you should do that I reckon God always listens to children.”
“He does you know” he said with a serious look on his face.
I felt his little hand slip into mine then and he looked at me smiling. Resting his head on my arm he continued to talk to me about all the stuff in his life, his favourite toy dump truck, how his Mom never lets him stay up after 8.00pm, who his best friend at school was but all I really felt was this little hand in mine. He felt safe with me, secure. This was one of the most wonderful feelings in the world I thought.
“You’re really pretty” he said to me out of the blue “can we be friends, I don’t have many friends who are girls?”
“Sure Tyler, I’d like that, we can be friends.”
“This is my stop and that’s my house over there the white one” he said pointing “you can come over to play whenever you want I’ve got a tree house out the back.”
Jumping up he gave me a little wave and started to walk toward the door.
“See ya”
“See ya” I said
Looking out the window I saw a woman probably in her late twenties standing by the gate waiting for her little boy to get home.
For the first time ever I’d fallen in love with a boy and all he’d wanted was to just be my friend.
“If only life could be that easy sometimes” I muttered under my breath.
Getting off at my stop I straightened out my skirt and adjusted my bra in public.
‘Dammit girl you just broke one of your Mom’s rules’ I was thinking as I walked through the front door of the shop.
There were a couple of guys looking at surfboards and they both stopped and looked at me as I walked in.
“Wow” one mouthed to the other as they turned back to looking at the boards.
Dave was behind the counter and glanced up as I walked toward him.
“Help you miss? He asked
“Hey Dave, it’s me Jay” I said and he looked up and gaped at me.
“Jay? Wow, shit, oops sorry, far out, is that really you?”
“Yeah it’s me, I was kind of wondering if we could, you know talk and all, about me still working here?”
One of the guys looking at boards spoke up saying “Dave, bra, if you let her work here I can guarantee you’ll double the number of male customers you get within a week.”
Dave glowered at him “Hey Rich, don’t you talk like that okay, this girl here she’s like a daughter to me so show some respect.”
Rich looked properly subdued saying “sorry Dave, sorry Miss” to me then turning away. I smiled brightly back at him replying
“Only double huh?”
Looking back at Dave
“So that’s a yes then?”
“Yeah well” Dave looked sheepish, “your brothers and your Mom came in and talked to me and explained it all and well, shit, oops I mean far out, dang it all will I have to stop swearing if you come back?”
“No” I said “I don’t want a single thing to change, in fact I need a bit of stable in my life at the moment and this place well it’s…….” I trailed off “anyway what do you mean I’m like a daughter to you?”
Dave looked down and up again “You were like my son before Jay, now you’re like my daughter, simple as that.”
Relief flooded through me and I felt tears welling in my eyes. I didn’t want to cry in front of Dave but I didn’t think I could hold them back.
“Stupid hormones” I whispered and he came around the counter to give me a huge hug.
“Hey fellas” he said to the other two “piss off for a while will ya, Jay and me we got things to talk about.”
We stood like that for a minute or two then Dave stepped back and held me at arms length.
“Still gonna surf?”
“Do bears poop in the woods?” I answered “do one legged ducks swim in circles?”
“Good there’s a girl’s comp coming up soon we could enter you in that.”
“Actually I was thinking of entering the next boys comp. I want to smash Morgan Chapman out of the water.”
Dave grinned, around here girls could enter the boy’s competitions but boys couldn’t enter the girls. It was kind of a fairness thing and I really wanted to enter.
“We’ll have to train pretty hard, get your core strength up, work on a few more moves.”
“Anything it takes”
“Start tomorrow?”
“Deal” I said “I better go gotta walk home”
“Want a lift I can drive you.”
“No thanks I have a few things to think about, the fresh air will do me good.”
“See you tomorrow then and I will give you a lift home after young lady cause I doubt you’ll be able to walk after I’ve finished with you.”
There was that young lady thing again but I grinned at Dave and gave him another hug.
“See ya tomorrow”
“Looking forward to it”
I walked out of the shop feeling like a million tons had been lifted from my shoulders and began to head for home.
About half way there I heard a loud car coming from behind me at speed then suddenly skidding to a halt about five metres in front of me.
Looking at the car three guys and a girl piled out and stood in front of me.
Shit Morgan but this time he was with some skanky looking girl and another two of his mates Mark and Brett. They were older than Morgan and the car was theirs, both were losers and only hung around Morgan because he had his parents’ money.
“Well fuck me look who it is, little Miss freak”
“What do you want Morgan?” I rounded on him “leave me alone”
“Yeah well we aren’t finished bitch not after this morning in class.”
“I told you I’m not your bitch” I said it calmly but inside I was feeling that fight or flight thing and began to shake.
Morgan wanted to show off for his friends and reached for his crotch pretending to shake it at me. “Bet you’ve never had a real guy yet bitch, you could suck this.”
“Well” I looked around “show me a real guy and maybe I’d be interested.”
Morgan’s eyes became slits and he looked frighteningly dangerous. Without warning he struck out and slapped me hard across the face. I wasn’t ready for it and gasped at how strong he was or rather how much weaker I had become. I dropped to my knees on the ground as tears came to my eyes and my cheek stung. Morgan stepped toward me and kicked me hard in the side and I grunted in pain as his foot connected with my ribs. My eyes blurred and I lay undignified and panting on the ground my skirt up around my hips.
“What do you fucking say now bitch?” he whispered in my ear as he leaned over me.
I tried to move but the pain in my side held me there then all of a sudden a tiny shape, a body came flying toward me and stood over me. I heard a little voice high pitched and angry scream out.
“Leave her alone, she’s my friend”
Peering up I saw a six year old boy glaring menacingly at Morgan his fists clenched his mouth set.
Just to my right was a white house with a tree hut out the back.
“What the hell?” said Morgan then Tyler’s Mom rushed out screaming, “Leave her alone you little thugs I’ve called the police”
Morgan and his mates looked at each other then beat a hasty retreat jumping in the car and roaring off while Tyler fell to his knees and cradled my head in his arms. Tears flowed down my cheeks as his Mom ran over. She pulled my skirt down to give me some dignity then helped me sit up.
“Are you all right, what did those little punks do to you? What did they want?”
“It’s kind of a long story” I said “we go to school together”
“You weren’t his girlfriend or anything were you he’s just a horrible little boy”
“No” I tried to smile but my lip was split and it hurt.
“Come inside and we’ll clean you up, Tyler seems to know you somehow.”
“Yeah we met on the bus after school, he told me about his day”
“So your Jade, Tyler couldn’t stop talking about you as soon as he got in. He said he’d met an angel who had green eyes and had been kind to him, that you were his friend.”
“Well I’m not sure about the angel part but yeah we became friends” I said looking down at my little saviour. “That was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen dude” I said to him
He looked up at me and once again his little hand slipped inside mine. We walked like that into his home while his Mom carried my bag.
After cleaning me up Tyler’s mom, her name was Jean, gave me a lift home. Her husband wasn’t home from work yet so Tyler had to come with us sitting in his car seat, chatting away back there in a non-stop one way conversation.
It wasn’t far to my place and Jean stopped outside.
“Would you like me to come in and explain what happened to your Mom?” she offered
“No it’s okay I can explain it all. My Mom knows about Morgan. She’ll understand although I have a feeling she’s going to want to talk to his parents.”
“Yes well any little thug that can go around hitting girls like that should be arrested.”
“Trust me, after my Mom gets through with him he’s going to wish he had been.”
Saying goodbye to Jean and waving to Tyler after planting a big kiss on his cheek I grabbed my bag and walked toward the door. Evening had fallen and light spilled out from our house onto the weed strewn driveway. As I walked in the overpowering smell of vomit hit me like a sack of cement between the eyes.
It looked or rather smelled like Jacinta was well and truly going through her withdrawal.
A young surfer goes through a painful transformation that leaves him battered, bruised and changed. As he attempts to cope with those changes and the new life he must now live he also stumbles on a conspiracy that threatens his family, his friends and the township he lives in. As a young girl can she deal not only with a new body and new feelings but also overcome the evil that could destroy her.
CHAPTER 7 – Middle Man
As soon as I walked in the door Mom grabbed my arms looking at my face. I winced holding my ribs as she inadvertently twisted me.
“What happened?”
“Morgan Chapman happened” I replied and recounted the story to them, how I had dropped in to see Dave at the shop and what had happened after that.
Tim and Jeff were furious and were ready to jump on their motor bikes then and there and head up to Morgan’s place.
It took both Mom and I a good five minutes to talk them down before they saw reason.
“There’s no point in going over there angry boys, you’ll just do something we’ll all regret, they’ll call the cops and it won’t be Morgan who’s in trouble then”
Mom had a good point and I really didn’t want my brothers to get into any trouble over this I mean hey I needed them, who else was going to give me rides to the beach?
“Leave it to me” she said “I’ll talk to his folks tomorrow and threaten police action if they don’t do something about their boy. This is a pretty vicious assault”
Bruising had started to show on my cheek and my lip was fat. I ran my fingers along my ribs and although they hurt I didn’t think anything was broken. It could have been much worse.
“Go and have a shower Jade and I’ll have your dinner ready when you get out, go on scoot” she said. “I’ll show you how to use some makeup to cover the bruises later too.”
I wondered how she knew about things like that. Maybe Dad used to hit her as well. I hoped not, Mom didn’t deserve that.
Jacinta was in our back bathroom with liquids coming out of both ends so I was forced to use Moms. Hers always smelled sweet and feminine in comparison to the one we three siblings used. Mom had said I could use hers now any time I wanted and I appreciated the offer.
When I got out I threw on the short shorts for the first time and my long legs were completely on display. I didn’t bother with a bra and wore just a singlet with spaghetti straps finished off with one of my old plaid shirts with the sleeves rolled up. I didn’t realise it but I looked sexy as hell with my wet hair falling behind me and my dark eyes. I didn’t try to look anything but me but I guess my body had other ideas. I suppose I was just innocent about it all but boys would notice.
Mom certainly did and angrily whispered “go and put a bra on Jade” to me
“Why what’s wrong” I asked looking confused. Mom grabbed my arm and marched me into my room and stood me in front of the mirror.
“That” she said and sure enough when I looked I could see my nipples sticking out from the singlet material very suggestively.
“Oh! Sorry I didn’t realise” I said feeling shamed.
Mom smiled “you’ll learn Jade, you’ll learn”
While we were alone I took the opportunity to fill my Mom in on what Dave had said to me and how I was going to train for the boy’s competition.
“Good for you Jade, you know Dave has a real soft spot for you and now you’re a girl I have a feeling he may care even more”
“What do you mean?” I queried my eyebrows furrowing.
‘I’ll tell you the story one day but not now. Like I always tell you treat people with respect and especially Dave right now. It’s going to affect him every time he sees you”
“Sure Mom, that’s an easy one” but I was left wondering.
We both went back to look at Jacinta. She was doing it rough as she went through the craving stage while her body was attempting to empty itself of everything inside it. She sat on the toilet moaning while Jeff held a bowel for her to vomit in although by now it was just dry retching. Her hair was slick with sweat and she shook like she had a fever. There was no dignity in heroin addiction.
“How long will this last?”
“About a day or two, then she will begin to come out of it all but it will be at least a week before she starts to feel better. She’s a brave girl going through this. Your brothers have been amazing with her.”
I nodded and went out to eat my dinner before taking a turn on ‘the bowl’. Mom and my brothers had decided I wasn’t to take any time off school and because of my age I had to be in bed by a certain time. I reminded them I would be turning 15 next month which wasn’t far away and that senior high school was looming for me.
“Exactly why you’re going to school every day Jade and why there isn’t going to be any argument about it” my Mom wasn’t about to negotiate although my angle was obviously that I was getting older and should have more responsibility.
Funny how parents turn everything around like that.
About 9.30 I was curled up on my bed finishing off some math homework when my phone rang. A picture of Jasmine popped up with the name ‘Jaz” as the phone vibrated beside me.
“Hey Jaz” I answered cheerily “how’s it going?”
“Jade hi, good thanks, have you asked your Mom about Friday, I talked to my ‘rents and it’s all good, they really want to meet you, all the other girls are coming.”
“Uh no sorry I completely forgot I kind of got waylaid from school this evening and beaten up but…”
“What! Beaten up what happened” yelled Jasmine down the phone and so for the second time that night I recounted what had happened with Morgan.
“That little punk, so your Mom is going to talk with his parents tomorrow?”
“Yeah, we had to stop my brothers from heading over to his place and beating the crap out of him.”
“Yeah I’d have let them, but you know what I have a much better way of getting revenge on him”
And so for the next half hour Jasmine and I talked about how we would pay back Morgan for what he had done. At the end of it I thought ‘wow, I never realized just how much power girls had, after this I doubted Morgan would ever be able to show his face at school again’
“So do you think your Mom will be okay with the sleepover then? I really hope so it’s going to be soooooo much fun.”
“Yeah I don’t think it’ll be a problem”
“Coooool, so how’s your brother, Tim, does he have a girlfriend or anything” Jaz inquired coyly
I smiled to myself, just this morning Jasmine had mentioned she’d had a crush on me, now she was switching allegiances to Tim. I didn’t blame her I mean I was definitely more than unavailable and Tim was really hot. He’d had a couple of girlfriends growing up but his first love had always been surfing and not every girl could fit into his lifestyle. I figured this was my initiation into how girls used sisters to get introduced to hot brothers.
“Nah’ he’s single” I said “wanna meet him?”
“Well, you know, if it was possible” Jasmine came back, I don’t think she was ready for my up front response.
For my part I really liked her and she was really cute with her long brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. Tim was a big boy now and if he didn’t like her well he’d just say. My brother was anything but shy and after all he was 16 and she was already 15. Next year we would all be together at Senior High so how logical was that?
“Leave it to me” I grinned down the phone, this whole playing cupid thing might be a bit of fun.
We chatted on for a few more minutes and I yawned. It had been a long day and I was beat so I said my goodbyes and promised to meet Jaz outside school in the morning.
“Wear something really cute, revenge starts tomorrow” she said.
Tuesday dawned bright and clear, pretty much as always in this part of the world. I got up early and listened to the silence outside other than the odd bird song or chirp. Looking out my window I contemplated my new life. I didn’t notice but I stood with my arms folded under my breasts and my legs together. It was the way a girl stood not a boy. I was changing quickly without even realizing it. Danielle had been right about how my fears were over exaggerated and that I would be accepted much more than I thought. I hated to admit it to myself but being a girl was becoming more and more natural to me. I wanted to fight it, to somehow believe that I could return to my old body but deep inside I knew that wasn’t going to happen. My own happiness was up to me now, I could easily mope around in the quagmire of self-pity or I could embrace the changes. I figured right now I was about somewhere in the middle.
I pulled out the dress I planned to wear today and lay it on the bed. Although I had told Mom I wasn’t about to wear one anytime soon this was different. It was a figure hugging creation by Billabong Australia and we had picked it up from the surf shop in the mall. It was short and also showed off my shoulders and back. The material was kind of a cream color with flecks of black and blue running through it. Combing out my hair and leaving it to fall freely down my back I rubbed in some conditioner to make it look really healthy and shiny. I applied some moisturiser and foundation today, partly for the look but also to hide the bruising on my cheek. I added mascara and a hint of eyeliner to my bottom eyelid that really brought out my green eyes. Finishing off the look with a necklace and bracelets I looked super hot just the way Jaz and I had planned. She and the other four girls in our group Chloe, Sarah, Debbie and Lauren were all going to look amazing. Jaz had said she would ring them as soon as she hung up with me to fill them in.
I ran my finger along my lip, the swelling had gone down but it still hurt. I didn’t feel overly sorry for what we were about to do.
Poor Morgan didn’t know what was going to hit him.
Little did I know it but I was also going to get a phone call today that was going to change my life plus I had to do fitness training with Dave after school.
I looked at the little emerald sitting on my finger “Let’s do this” I said to it, picked up my bag, slipped on some cute sandals and got ready to catch my bus.
CHAPTER 8 – They Do, They Don’t
We all met together outside of the school getting looks from everyone who walked past. The other girls looked incredible with short skirts and revealing tops. I wasn’t going to be involved with the first part of the process and was feeling more and more worried about whether this was really the right thing to do. Despite my beating I wondered if we were perhaps going a little too far with our retribution.
Chloe had agreed to be the one to entice Morgan and had left a note slipped into his locker asking him to meet her near the girl’s toilets at recess. He had always had a thing for her and had asked her out on a couple of occasions. She to her credit had always rejected him.
Sarah, Debbie, Lauren and Jaz would act as back up and make sure the restroom was free of anyone else while my job was to record everything on my iphone ready to go up on You tube, Facebook and Twitter. At the end of second period Jasmine and I concealed ourselves figuring if Morgan saw us he would instantly suspect something wrong. Sarah and Debs locked themselves into a cubicle and right on cue Morgan turned up looking both anxious and yet eager. He wasn’t actually an unhandsome guy with tousled hair and a fresh looking face. Like most surfers he was lean and ripped but his aggression and mean streak meant most of the really nice girls at school didn’t want to know him. The fact that Chloe was both really nice and incredibly hot made her very attractive especially to players like Morgan.
She met him by the door and smiled all come hither and suggestive. It didn’t take long for them to slip inside while Jaz stood nearby and wouldn’t let anyone else in. About four minutes later Chloe came sauntering out holding a pair of jeans and boys underwear and within 10 seconds piercing screams and cries of “get out” and “you sick pervert” came from the toilets. Jaz, Chloe and I stood outside iphones ready as Morgan came crashing through the door trying unsuccessfully to hide his erection with his hands. He had no pants or underwear on and since he couldn’t stop he ran straight into the opposite wall. Students everywhere stopped and stared, girls pointing with their hands over their mouths while guys started to laugh. Jaz stepped over and grabbed Morgan by the hair and whispered something in his ear. Wild eyed he looked at me then looked around at all the students watching him. Many had their phones out recording his humiliation as he picked himself up then stumbled down the hallway to try and find the relative safety of a classroom or office. A lot of students rushed after him recording his every move while we girls regrouped.
“Job done” announced Jaz “he won’t bother you again in a zillion years, promise”
I felt massively bad for Morgan and what we’d just done to him. By tonight most of the student population of Imperial Beach would have seen the footage of him running practically naked down the corridors of the school after being caught in the girl’s toilets. Rumours would fly around and he would be lucky to still be attending here by the end of the week. Some would say justice had been served but I wondered if the punishment suited the crime. I made up my mind to try and put a few things right between us and visit him at home before the week was out.
As we split up to go to our respective classes each of the girls gave me a hug and told me how sorry they were I’d been beaten up the night before. They hoped I was okay and if I needed them they were just a text away. Thanking them I was glad to have friends who looked after each other but before we left a voice from behind us said “Girls we need to talk”
Mrs Shirley stood there her wide frame filling the corridor while her boobs announced her presence to all and sundry.
“Do you have any knowledge of what happened to Morgan Chapman and more importantly did you have anything to do with his, shall we say, lack of attire as he ran down the hallway just now?”
I’m sure I went bright red and looked as guilty as it was possible to look.
Chloe and Jasmine tried to vigorously deny anything but Mrs Shirley had been around the block with a thousand more students and just eyeballed us until we all became silent and looked at our feet.
“Hmm as I thought, all of you to my office please and wait outside I’ll be along shortly. Oh and while you’re waiting I want you all to have a good think about what it means to be truthful and what the word integrity means.”
She was good and we all looked at each other guiltily then made our way to sit quietly outside her office. She left us there to stew for a good 20 minutes then bustled up with a slight frown on her face.
One at a time we were led into her office and interviewed. I was left until last and by the time Jasmine came out her eyes red and tears leaving black mascara streaks down her face I knew my goose was well and truly cooked.
“So, Jade. What was your part in this whole sorry saga hmmm?” Mrs Shirley asked peering over her glasses and looking like the classic school mistress that she obviously was.
I looked at my hands spread out on my lap, my knees together just like my Mom had taught me and thought carefully about what I should say. The last thing I wanted to do was get my friends into any-more trouble than they already were but because we had been interviewed separately, I had no idea what each person had said or whether they had contradicted each other. I decided the best course of action was mostly the truth except I was going to take the blame for our actions. I started with the argument in Geography the day before, my visit to Dave and what had happened with Morgan after that.
Mrs Shirley looked very angry and asked me to show her the bruising down my side. I felt a little embarrassed pulling my dress up to show her but there was no one else to see it and she made me pull it down quickly after taking a look.
“So who’s idea was it to take the situation into your own hands and deal with Mr Chapman in the way you did?”
“Mine Mrs Shirley. I guess I was so upset and well I suppose I thought he deserved it.”
“Oh he deserves to be punished alright and punished he has been my girl but here’s my problem. By taking revenge on him it’s going to be very difficult for me to also punish him above and beyond what you’ve already done. You see you hadn’t been home when he did this to you which means legally you were still our responsibility and since Morgan is a student at this school he was also our responsibility and what he did falls under the school’s jurisdiction.”
Before I could say anything she went on.
“The funny thing too Jade is that every one of your friends out there has taken responsibility for what happened. Each one has said it was their idea. Now that leaves me in somewhat of a quandary because I have just punished each one of them after tearing a strip or two off them about taking revenge on another student in such a degrading way”
I felt the prickle of tears behind my eyes as I sensed how torn up about all this Mrs Shirley was. She was on our side and I felt the sympathy she had for me regarding the ordeal I had just been through but she also had to be seen to be just and fair.
“Whatever their punishment is I’ll do too”
“And how can I do that hmm. You are just as much a victim here as Morgan. Do you know each one of those girls out there cried not because of the telling off or because of the punishment I gave them but because they begged me not to punish you. Jasmine was even willing to do double the punishment so you didn’t have to do any.”
I hung my head while tear drops splashed over my hands and fingers staining my dress.
I couldn’t say anything as I sat and thought about what my new friends had just done for me.
Mrs Shirley got up and went over to her door. Opening it she ushered all the girls back in and closed it behind them. Jaz stood beside me with her hand on my shoulder as we all looked at our Deputy Principal.
“Girls I’ve had a think about this situation and I’ve decided that each one of you is just as responsible for it as the other, including you Jade. However I cannot deny that there were quite extenuating circumstances so I’ve also decided to change your punishments.”
Jaz began to protest but Mrs Shirley cut her off swiftly with a raised hand.
“I’ve decided instead of the two weeks of after school detentions you were going to get you’ll each be here every lunchtime this week to work as a team under my supervision and come up with a scheme to raise money for a charity. You will then execute that scheme and will raise as much money as you can for it. The person who will decide which charity the money will be donated to will be…”
She looked at me “Jade”
I heard a collective out take of breath as each one of us thought about what Mrs Shirley had just said.
Two weeks of after school detentions would have meant the involvement of our parents. I wouldn’t have been able to work at the surf shop or train with Dave for the competition. It would have meant the money I got from him wouldn’t have gone to my Mom.
This way we got to work together as friends and do something positive.
In unison it seemed we all said thank you to Mrs Shirley together looking suitably humbled by this wise woman’s compassion.
“Right then off to class with you, your punishment starts tomorrow” she said “and I don’t ever want to see any of you in trouble like this again, are we quite clear.”
“Yes Ma’am” we all said and hurried out of that office as fast as we could. Splitting up I followed Jaz and gave her a big hug.
“Thanks, Mrs Shirley told me you offered to do double the detentions so I wouldn’t have to do any” I said softly
“Wouldn’t be fair for you to do them would it” Jaz was grinning from ear to ear as she hugged me.
“Well I’m so glad to have you as a friend. By the way what did you say to Morgan before he ran off?”
“I told him to look at you, how incredibly beautiful you were and that if he ever laid another finger on you again I’d organise to have his nuts chopped off”
We both laughed and hugged again. I loved how girls could do that so easily
“See you at lunch”
“Yeah we have to think up some money making scheme”
“Could be fun”
Jaz wandered off toward her class as just then my phone began to buzz in my bag.
The number wasn’t one I knew so I answered it simply saying ‘hello’
“Hi is that Jade?” came a girls voice.
“Umm yes”
“You don’t know me but my name is Bridee Gordon, I work for Human Resources at Chances Surf. Anyway your photograph was submitted to us yesterday by one of our employees and we really liked what we saw. I was wondering if you might be available to come in to our San Diego office next week after school for a photo shoot. We’d like to consider you as one of our models for our new line of swimwear coming out next spring along with some of our clothes. It may mean having you in the water on a surf board though, think you’d be up for that?”
“Really? Honestly?” I said “on a surfboard yeah that would rock”
“Yup it pays good money plus if you’re chosen there’s a chance of a contract and who knows where that might go.”
“Umm look I’d love to can I talk to my Mom and get back to you, I mean I’m only 14?”
“Of course but don’t leave it long. Can you let me know by tomorrow?”
“Sure” I said
We swapped details and she hung up.
Wow I thought what a ride, life was getting crazy.
A young surfer goes through a painful transformation that leaves him battered, bruised and changed. As he attempts to cope with those changes and the new life he must now live he also stumbles on a conspiracy that threatens his family, his friends and the township he lives in. As a young girl can she deal not only with a new body and new feelings but also overcome the evil that could destroy her.
CHAPTER 9 – Banana Pancakes
School dragged after that but finally the bell went at the end of last period and I rushed to get to Dave’s. I wondered if Tyler would be on the bus today and sure enough he climbed on board and spotted me. His face lit up and he ran to take his seat beside me.
“Hey Jade, how are you, I’m good, Mom said I was her little hero, whatever that is but I got some chocolate last night.”
“Hi Tyler, really that is awesomely wicked. Did you eat it all up?”
“Yup” he said his eyes wide as saucers as he recounted the tale.
We talked non-stop all the way to his house as he held my hand. At times he would jump up and tell a story and at others he sat quietly listening.
“Will you be here tomorrow?” he asked
“Sure will”
“Cooool see ya tomorrow”
“Say hello to your Mom”
“Okay” he said then it was his turn to plant a big sloppy kiss right on my lips.
As he disappeared I gently touched my lips with one finger and in some small way I began to understand how a mother loves her child. I wasn’t free of the self-pity quagmire yet but a little six year old boy was sure doing his best to dig me out. I waved to him out the window and he waved back his school bag swaying. His Mom saw me and waved too mouthing “Hi Jade”
I mouthed back “Hi” before the bus roared off in a cloud of diesel fumes.
Jumping off the bus at my stop I walked toward the store noticing a black car out the front and two guys in there talking to Dave. One was massive and moved slowly yet his eyes looked left and right quickly like a cat while his partner was thinner dressed in a pair of black pants with black fancy boots that came to a point with a silver tip. His shirt was white and open at the neck where two or three gold chains hung. He had a pointed face too, like his boots and a thin moustache and slicked back hair. His eyes were black as coal and he didn’t smile. They weren’t white guys but neither were they black, somewhere in between, Mexican or Puerto Rican maybe.
They were showing him a picture and he was shaking his head.
As I entered the store they were turning to leave and the thinner one grabbed me by my upper arm his hand completely encircling it. He wasn’t rough but he wasn’t gentle either.
“Hey girlie you seen this person?”
He held the photo up to my face and I instantly recognised who it was. I pretended to scrutinise it then shook my head.
“Nope never seen her in my life, why what’s wrong?”
“Aw she’s my boss’s daughter and she’s gone missing. He’s really upset about it so he’s got all us out looking for her”
He wasn’t a very good liar but I continued to pretend although inside I was scared to pieces.
He produced a card with the lettering ‘Melville Imports’ on it and a mobile number.
“If you see her give that number a ring okay. There’s a reward of a thousand bucks if she’s recovered”
“Yeah sure” I said taking the card and carefully putting it in a side pocket of my bag.
He didn’t say ‘found’ or even ‘located’ he said ‘recovered’ like a possession rather than a daughter.
As they left I knew Jacinta was in big trouble if she was found by these gorillas. When I got home I’d let my Mom know what had happened. Maybe it was time to involve the police.
“You okay” asked Dave looks like those guys really shook you up.
I decided not to tell him anything yet so just said “Oh yeah all good” but his look said he didn’t believe me. I obviously wasn’t a very good liar either but he let it drop.
“Go get changed” he said “and does that dress have to be so short?”
I laughed.
“You sound like a Dad”
He smiled sadly at that and I wondered what I’d said wrong.
Hustling off, I changed into a bikini and rash shirt. True to his word Dave put me through the workout from hell and by the end of it I lay panting on my back in the sand barely able to move.
“Well that was a good start but we have to get you doing more and faster. It looks like you’ve lost some of your speed and power Jay but you make up for it with better co-ordination and grace”
I looked over and poked my tongue out at him. He grinned at me and once again I saw that flicker of sadness. Getting up I wobbled over and just gave him a hug.
“Thanks for doing this for me, I really appreciate it”
“I’ll give you a ride home” he said gruffly.
Dave’s car was one of those old jalopies with more rust patches than paint and saggy seats that didn’t let you look out through the windscreen without craning your neck. It probably belonged in a museum somewhere but Dave loved it and everybody knew that for him the trappings of success didn’t come so much from what you owned but what you did for others and how hard you worked on a surfboard.
He did something no one had ever done for me before and opened the door for me to get in. I thanked him and jumped into the seat as he walked around to the driver’s side. I guess you could call Dave nuggety when you looked at him. He had a craggy face that had the wrinkles around his eyes of someone who spent hours in the sunshine while his body was all sinew and muscle from paddling his board through wave after wave. As soon as you met him you couldn’t help liking him and everyone within about a ten mile radius could hear him when he laughed. He was always straight up with everyone, never told a lie if he could help it and expected the truth too.
Which is why he looked directly at me before we drove off and said “You know who she is don’t you?”
“Yeah, sorry I lied before but I didn’t really think I should talk about it. Her name is Jacinta and she kind of fell into our lap. She’s been staying at our place for a few days now getting over her heroin addiction. She told us she’d been kidnapped from her home in Mexico and made to work as a prostitute here. I guess those guys were part of the gang that controlled her.”
“So she’s at your place with your Mom and the boys and you’re what, helping her get over heroin? Shit Jade do you know what could happen if she’s found, what they would do to you and your family?”
“Well what could we do no hospital was going to take her without any citizenship or insurance and the cops would probably have thrown her in a cell to dry out alone and in agony and then just thrown her out into the street again.”
“You could have left her where she was and just kept on walking, that’s what you could have done and not risked your lives for some strange girl.”
“Come on Dave, can you really see any one of our family ever walking past someone who needed our help and besides three of us found her so she had no chance she had to come with us”
He graunched the car into gear and moved slowly off toward home. The sky was turning that evening color of indigo mixed with oranges and yellows and blues far out on the horizon. I guess Dave conceded defeat at that and asked me another question.
“So how are you coping with all the changes, is it weird?”
It was a question I had a feeling he would ask in one form or another and I wanted to be truthful with him.
“Yeah of course it’s weird, it’s something I never ever in a million years thought would happen to me and I’d probably jump at the chance right now if someone told me I could go back to my old life.”
“It must be hard for you and your family coming to terms with it all, but I guess when all is said and done at least they still have you, your alive, they still get to be with you whenever they want and you can still do the things you want to do. Being a girl could be seen as a blessing.”
“That’s one way of looking at it Dave I suppose and yeah being a girl definitely has its advantages I mean breasts are cool, but it’s like every morning I wake up and it’s the first thing on my mind. I can’t get past this new body.”
“Jade that’s gonna happen day after day you’re going to wake up and it will be at the front of your mind but I can promise you one thing”
He looked over at me and I looked at him in the eyes.
“One day you’re going to get up and it will be the second thing you think about”
He reached over and rubbed my arm and smiled.
‘Another step out of the quagmire’ I thought.
We pulled into the driveway and I noticed a single bulb was turned on valiantly fighting the gloom lurking around it in the little carport that the boys kept their bikes in. I saw Tim crouched over his motorbike a spanner in his hand as he adjusted something. Dave swung out of the driver’s seat and walked over to him peering down at what Tim was doing.
I walked toward the door and thanked Dave for the ride. He waved his hand and said
“You working tomorrow?”
“Yup if you need me”
“See you there”
If I ever had to pick someone to be my Dad I knew who would be at the front of the line.
As I walked in Mom was working at the stove while Jacinta stood at the bench chopping something up. Although she was still pale she looked a whole lot better and I felt glad for her. She still looked thin and frail though.
“Hey Mom, I’m home and Dave’s out there just talking to Tim if you want to say hi.”
“That’s great honey, can you go out and tell him to come and see me when he’s finished with Tim?”
“Sure Mom”
As I wandered back out I ran straight into Jeff and just bounced off of him.
“Hey watch it ya big heffalump” I joked and he ruffled my hair.
“Careful boy” I said “takes me ages to style that” although it was a mess after my workout.
“Yeah right grommet, looks like it” he smiled as I skipped off to give Dave, Mom’s message.
“Hey Dave Mom wants to chat with you when you’re finished out here.”
He looked up and said sure thing so I went back to my room and quickly changed into some comfortable clothes. Brushing out my hair took a little more time as I worked to get the knots out. Girl’s hair sure took more effort especially when it was long.
When I got out to the kitchen Dave and Mom were sitting at the table laughing while Jeff and Jacinta were standing together putting the finishing touches to our dinner. Tim wandered in wiping grease off his hands so I plopped down beside Dave and put my head in my hands looking around with a big smile on my face. It felt warm and cosy all together and the atmosphere was like a big woolly blanket that wrapped us up securely. The windows in the kitchen were dewed up and little rivulets would run down every now and then. It meant it was cool outside but warm in and I felt the happiest I’d been for a long time. Dave stayed for dinner, he even made banana pancakes for dessert and we all enjoyed the banter and talked about surfing, school, more surfing and maybe a little bit more about surfing. I laughed till I cried as Dave regaled us with stories and Jeff or Tim would add their bits to what he said.
Jacinta leaned against Jeff and I could tell he was loving her closeness to him. It was a magic night and none of us wanted it to end while the spectre of Jacinta’s hunters was forgotten for a short while.
About 8.00pm Dave leaned back in his chair and excused himself saying he needed an early night at his advanced old age. We all laughed at that and Mom got up to walk him out to his car. We all said goodnight and I gave Dave a hug beaming at him.
“This has been the best night” I said
“Yeah it felt…..good” Dave replied
Jeff and Jacinta got up too announcing they planned on having a stroll around the block and did anyone else want to come.
“You should go too Jade, it’ll help work out the lactic acid from your muscles after this afternoon” said Dave as he left.
“Would that be okay guys” I asked
“Sure Jay, you know you’re always welcome” said Jeff so I rushed off to get my coat.
I heard Dave’s car clunk off and Mom walked back in her arms folded over her chest.
“Don’t be too long it’s cool out” she announced as we walked through the door.
“No worries Mom”
We got to the end of the driveway and turned left walking toward the ocean and the distant crashing of the surf. The closer we got to the beach the more expensive and modern the houses became. As we walked I asked Jacinta what it was like to be owned by the gang.
“It’s horrible Jade, you have no say about anything in your life you can’t go out to the mall shopping when you want, you can’t even pee without permission. They make you do things when they want you to do them and you have to sleep with the men they tell you to, sometimes up to four or five men in a night.”
“Really” my eyes were wide as she spoke.
“There was one guy who I thought was really weird he used to take me up to the edge of the airport runway over there” she said pointing “He’d want to fuck me while a plane was overhead and just as it went over us he would scream and come all over me.”
I gasped this was more than I had ever heard about sex and it both fascinated and sickened me.
As we rounded a corner and about to head home I noticed the glint of a car parked on the side of the road. Normally that wouldn’t be anything to worry about but I noticed that it was black under the street light and there were two guys sitting in the front. One was huge while the other guy seemed to be thinner. I wasn’t sure but the thinner guy might have had a moustache and coal black eyes.
CHAPTER 10 - Enemy
I stopped dead still, like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. Jeff and Jacinta looked at me startled.
“Those guys in that car up there” I whispered it even though there was no way they could hear me “they were asking about Jacinta this afternoon……in Dave’s shop”
Just then both of them climbed out of the car looking at us, trying to make out our features in the gloom one smaller guy, one huge.
We turned around walking away from them as quickly as we dared but I heard a car engine start and the smooth noise of it slowly moving toward us.
Jacinta’s eyes were panicked; I could see she was scared out of her mind. She was also in no fit condition to simply run away. We needed to find a place to hide.
“This way” whispered Jeff “in here”
We ducked into someone’s driveway and behind a big fibreglass boat with a huge motor attached to it. Behind that was a garage that had a narrow gap between it and a fence that separated it from the neighbours.
Sidling down it, Jeff helped Jacinta over the wooden palings then watched as I pulled myself over. I felt his strong hands around my waist steadying me as I swung over the top. He disappeared for a second then quickly followed as we found ourselves in the back yard of another home. As he thumped down on the grass we heard running footsteps and knew they weren’t far behind us. Somewhere in the distance a dog barked as we crouched by the fence. We laboured to control our breathing fearful that we were making too much noise and would be heard.
“Whatever we do we mustn’t lead them back home” Jeff said in a hoarse whisper “there is no way we can let them know where we live”
Jacinta and I nodded, understanding exactly what Jeff was saying.
“We need to stick together Jeff; Jacinta is weak and isn’t going to be able to outrun those guys”
“Yeah, we have to find a place to hide somewhere they won’t find us”
“I could always give myself up” said Jacinta a resigned look in her eyes “it’s me they want or actually it’s what I stole from them that’s important”
“Stole from them” said Jeff a look of surprise written across his face and which I’m sure my face also mirrored.
“What do you mean?”
The clatter of a metal dustbin against the garage, one that Jeff had just put there, interrupted us and we scurried across the wet grass slick with evening dew. Dim light filtered across the lawn from a distant street lamp while the flickering of a television screen behind a curtain lit up our faces in garish colors. We crept around a corner into the darkness. Adrenalin was coursing through my body and I felt myself shaking but not from the cold air. Jeff was the same as he put a comforting arm around Jacinta’s shoulders, the veins standing out in his arm. Creeping to the front, sticking as much as we could to the shadows and as quietly as possible we saw the silhouette of the black car parked across the road. The thinner of the two gangsters was in the driver’s seat and we knew that it was the bigger guy behind us.
“What are we going to do?” Jacinta asked.
“Go back” said Jeff “we’ll climb the side fence into that next house then make our way parallel to the road. If we do that we can head our way down to the beach and hide in the dunes.”
I calculated the distance in my head and how fragile Jacinta was.
“We’ll never make it Jeff, it’s too far. What if he head across to the park and hide out there?”
“Maybe Jade, but we’ll be in the open across all those houses and yards before we get to safety. Think we can do it?”
Jeff looked worried; Jacinta looked drawn and pale in the cold light.
“If we stick to the shadows along the edges, go as fast as we can, I think it’s our best chance.”
We heard a thump as the big guy made his way down the gap between the fence and garage. I wondered that nobody came out to check on the noise but then remembered this was America, people were more interested in their television programs.
It was now or never and we headed deeper into the shadows to cross the side fence. Jeff literally threw me over and I sprawled in a heap on the concrete on the other side. It brought home how much smaller my girly body was. I weighed so much less now and I rubbed a skinned knee as I jumped back up ready to help Jacinta over.
We could hear the big gangster getting closer to us and the fear spurred me on.
Jacinta came over slowly and I whispered under my breath almost crying with frustration “Hurry, Hurry, Hurry” as Jeff helped her.
Jeff leaped across and we leaned against the fence catching our breath for all of a full second then picked ourselves up and skittered from one house to another. Ultimately however we had no choice and had to emerge onto the road. I looked around the corner and saw the car hadn’t shifted but it was facing toward us and for a few seconds we were going to be in full view before we could disappear into the park. We would then have to run blindly into the shadows behind some trees then into an area of mangroves and mud. If we could make it into there we had a chance but what were the odds, Jacinta was tiring quickly and I knew there was no way we would even contemplate going without her.
“Can you make it” Jeff asked her and she nodded her head, “I’ll try I promise”
We waited as long as we dared letting Jacinta gather her strength for the effort. We were bruised and bloodied from climbing over fences and crawling on all fours. Jeff had run straight into a concrete post and his nose was bleeding profusely while I nursed my bloodied knee and my bruised ribs ached from where Morgan had kicked me. I could only imagine how Jacinta felt after the withdrawal she had been going through.
We took a breath and reached deep into the last of our reserves. Sprinting onto the road we ran as hard as we could toward the darkness. It felt like running through treacle and each second felt like an hour. The lights of the car came on and the motor screamed as it became a race between us reaching the park and the car reaching us. I ran as fast as I could while Jeff grabbed Jacinta and practically dragged her along. We reached the edge of the park as the black car screamed to within a few feet of us skidding to a halt. I made for a line of trees and their relative safety, falling behind one. The lights of the car highlighted Jeff and Jacinta as I looked back and I could see she was tiring too fast. My brother was a big guy, his shoulders broad with powerful legs honed by his hours on a surfboard.
For years he had been my hero, the big brother every little kid aspired to be like. I watched as he turned and simply picked Jacinta up into his arms and ran with her for the safety of the trees. The car door opened and it was like slow motion as Jeff ran and the thin man got out, a pistol in his hand. I held my breath as the distance between Jeff and the tree grew smaller and the gun came up as the thin guy took aim. I could tell Jeff wasn’t going to make it by a fraction of a second.
Scrabbling around I felt a rock under one of my hands and without thinking stood up and threw it. Pure desperation was all that drove me and I swear I threw it with my eyes closed. My sore ribs shrieked but it hit the driver’s side window shattering the glass causing the shards to fly up into the gangsters face. He fired high and the crash of the gun was so loud I screamed. The thin man clutched at his eyes as we all ran straight into the mud and fell, pulling ourselves along and through it with our arms. Jacinta held on to Jeff’s neck as he pushed with his legs and pulled hard, wildly, into the darkness. As we did so we heard the man screaming Jacinta’s name.
“You bitch, we’ll find you, he won’t give up, and you know that! He wants his money back Jacinta, hear me, he wants it back you fucking bitch” His voice rose an octave as he held his bleeding face.
“Give it back and we might let your friends live girl, understand, you’ve got two days or we will hunt you down. I’ll make you watch as I cut your boyfriend up and you know what we’ll do to the girl.”
We lay there listening and I felt chilled to the bone hearing his threats and what could happen to us. We were covered from head to toe in mud and our breath came in huge ragged gasps.
“Lay still Jade” said Jeff his hand on mine trying to both comfort and calm me. We lay still in the darkness covered in slimy, sticky, smelly, all concealing, beautiful mud.
Eventually we heard the car drive off, stop, heard a door slam then speed into the darkness.
We waited for at least 15 minutes listening hard for the thugs to return. I began to shiver from the cold and Jeff put his arm around me pulling me close.
“Let’s go” he said and we worked our way through the mud and out onto the park edge. Carefully we made our way home using the most circuitous route we could. Jacinta was spent and Jeff carried her the whole way in his arms. He didn’t stumble or falter nor did he say one word as he held her. I led the way and we stumbled through the kitchen door an hour and a half after we left.
We must have been a sight covered in blood and dirt as we fell inside, both Tim and Mom leaping up as we came in the worried look on their faces changing into one of real concern.
Tim took Jacinta from Jeff seating her gently on a kitchen chair while I fell into Mom’s arms sobbing. She held me close cradling me and looked at Jeff.
“What happened?” she asked as Jeff slumped tiredly into a chair next to Jacinta.
“Lots to talk about” he said “the cartel that owns Jacinta just found us. Jade saved our lives; if she hadn’t been there I don’t think we’d have made it”
I stood there being held by my mother. The feel of her breasts against mine, the fact that I was filthy and she didn’t care even though her clothes were now covered in mud. My lank wet hair dripping dirty water on to her shiny floor meant nothing. At this moment all that mattered was I was in her arms and I was safe.
I felt the saltiness of my tears on my tongue and looking into my mother’s eyes I saw tears there also, streaking her cheeks and mixing with the mud I had inadvertently rubbed onto her.
She took charge “Jeff take Jacinta and get her in the shower to clean up then you do the same. Clean up the blood then I want her in bed before she has a cardiac arrest on us. Tim can you find them some fresh towels please”
She looked at me tenderly, gently brushing the hair from my eyes “I’m going to look after my daughter”
She led me to her bathroom and carefully removed my clothes. I stood naked shivering on the cold floor as the shower warmed up. Mom did the same and stripped off her dirty clothes.
Looking at my mother standing there naked I should have been embarrassed, as a boy it would have been creepy but now it just seemed……natural. We were just two women, mother and daughter.
Despite the fine lines in her face and the difficult past years she still had a beautiful body and I thought if I looked like that when I got to her age I’d be doing pretty well. Her breasts were larger than mine but still shapely, beautiful mounds on her chest with large areolas and nipples. Since we shared the same genes I guessed I still had a bit of growing to do in that department. My smooth long legs and womanly hips matched hers; the downy fuzz formed at the V between our legs was the same color. The only real difference between us was my younger skin and perfect 14 year old complexion.
“My god you have the sexiest backside” she commented and I blushed, high praise from my Mom.
She hummed as she soaped down my body and I recognised it as a lullaby she used to sing to me when I was about five years old. I was too exhausted to even help her as she carefully scrubbed me over trying not to hurt me too much when she came to my bruised ribs although I grimaced when she got to the grazes on my knee. She gently washed shampoo and conditioner through my hair, using her fingers to knead it through, taking her time making sure it was done properly. As she did this she suddenly stopped, looking at my leg as a streak of blood diluted with water dribbled down it.
“Well honey, I wondered when this was going to happen ever since you became my daughter. Welcome to truly being a woman.”
I looked at her uncomprehendingly for a second then looked down at my leg and the blood.
It originated from me or more specifically from my vagina and instantly I knew what was happening. My body was once again confirming my femininity, the fact that I was completely and fully woman. I shook as I was flooded with emotion, with the realization that I wasn’t a boy child any more but rather a young woman, one who could bear a child of her own now, one who someday could become a mother herself just like my own who had borne me.
Mom held me as we both cried together, both bonded by blood and the love that only a mother and daughter can share.
I didn’t care that we were naked or that it was late at night, all I cared about was being there, close to her. For the first time since the Hyperplasia I felt comfortable in my skin, comfortable with who I was. In the most visceral, primal way I identified with being female, with the ability to create life and nurture it within me. It was every woman’s birth right and now although I hadn’t been born a girl it was my gift too. I felt like every girl who had gone before me and would come after. This period, this unyielding cycle of womanhood had started in me, only ever broken if I became pregnant.
Mom hopped out of the shower leading me by the hand. Throwing a towel at me she went to a drawer and pulled out a pad. Expertly placing it inside my panties she gave them to me and I put them on after towelling myself dry.
“You’ll need to wear a pad for the next few days Hun although the first couple of periods for a girl are often spotty and irregular. We’ll leave the whole tampon thing till later” she smiled.
Not for the first time I appreciated my Mom the nurse.
I yawned as I pulled one of my old boy t-shirts over my head, they were really coming in handy as nighties and looked cute on me and then she was all business again.
Combing out my hair as we sat on the bed legs folded up underneath me in only the way a girl can she then tucked me in securely and ran her fingers through my hair, leaning over me.
“I’m proud of you my darling precious Jade, you’re not just my gorgeous girl on the outside but the fiercest most exquisite on the inside too. I’m not sure if you’re ready to hear this yet but I’m so, so glad you’re a girl, my girl, and I love you.”
I squeezed her hand
“You know what Mom, I’m glad I’m your girl too. I love you so much”
The darkness of sleep overtook me but it was filled with dreams of running and men with guns.
In the morning Jacinta was gone.
CHAPTER 11 – Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
We sat around the kitchen table discussing the situation we found ourselves in.
“You look nice today” Tim had commented to me as I walked out so I did a little curtsy with a smile in return.
I didn’t feel nice after last night. My legs and arms were all scratched up and I had my first period. I felt blah and had really just thrown on a pair of jeans to cover up all the cuts and grazes. The fact that the jeans hugged my figure and emphasised my long legs, small waist and rounded butt was lost on me.
“We need to find her” Jeff was saying to Mom as I sat down with a bowl of cereal looking at everyone questioningly.
“Jacinta’s gone honey” Mom said to me by way of explanation.
I slopped milk into my bowl and thought about the news that had just been presented to me.
In one way I wasn’t surprised by it after the threats the skinny gangster had breathed last night. I figured Jacinta had probably laid awake thinking about them for a long time. I knew that she and Jeff had formed a close friendship over the short amount of time they’d known each other and that the attraction they each felt was about as obvious as a pimple on a teenager’s nose. She and I had also formed a friendship based on our experiences plus I just really liked her she was, as far as I was concerned, an awesome person. The fact she was incredibly sexy and classically beautiful wasn’t lost on Jeff either. She must have felt an agony of guilt for dragging our family into this whole mess.
But she wasn’t what she seemed either, she’d stolen money from a cartel of gangsters who obviously specialised in kidnapping and prostitution and goodness knows what else.
So the question was……….what else didn’t we know about her?
I gazed out the kitchen window lost in thought as the other three talked round and round in circles about what they should do. The sky was grey and threatening this morning with low clouds sailing slowly past in a sullen and intimidating march. It didn’t often rain down here in Southern California but when it did it was like the heavens opened and angels poured colossal buckets of water out that drenched and swamped everything. Water would run inches deep down the roads, overrunning the drains and flooding neighbourhoods. As a little kid in San Diego I’d love those days and we would go out and play in the storm waters coming home soaked to the skin, much to our delight and our Mom’s disgust. To her credit though she never stopped us, always letting us have fun and play together. She knew it was forming the bonds of love and friendship that made us the family we were.
“My heart always said people were inherently good, but my experience says otherwise” Mom was saying to the boys when I cut in.
“I know where she is right now”
“Aye, what?” Tim said
“I know where she is, I can take you to her”
“Where” demanded Jeff
“Up at the airport, at the end of the runway, that’s where she hid the money”
“And how do you know that Jade?” queried Mom with a frown on her face.
“Well when I was talking to her last night she was telling us, me and Jeff, about this freaky guy who used to take her up to the end of the runway and fu… umm have sex with her while the planes flew overhead.”
“Yessssss” go on said Mom
“Anyway she knows that area really well cause he did it with her lots. Plus when we found her in the sand dunes she had dirt all over her even under her finger nails but she was in a SAND dune. She had obviously been somewhere before that and I figure she’d been digging with her hands. Who would ever think to look for a sack of money at the end of an airport runway?”
They all looked at me incredulously at first then comprehension dawned.
“I’m going up there” said Jeff
“I’m coming too” Tim replied jumping up from his chair.
“Me three”
“No” said Tim a hard look on his face
“Why not?”
“Because you’re too young Jay I don’t want to see you get hurt, there could be trouble”
“What if I insist” I snapped back fire in my eyes
“Then I’d insist back”
I knew I had lost and I sat back in a huff, pouting.
Mom chuckled and I looked at her angrily
“What?” I blurted
“I’ve never seen you pout before Jade, you look absolutely gorgeous”
I couldn’t help it and a half smile came to my face
“They’re right you know, what if something happened to you? They could never live with themselves.”
“Yeah, well I looked after myself pretty well last night”
“That’s different Jade, and you know it. It was a situation you just fell into. Let the boys go up and get her, you have to go to school.”
The high pitched ‘barp’ of the boy’s two stroke trail bikes shattered the morning stillness and they took off in a cloud of blue smoke. I had to stay now anyway.
“Make sure they text me and let me know if they find her, please Mom” I pleaded
“Of course honey, now go and finish off getting ready for school and pack a coat it looks like rain”
“Sure Mom” my mood was as dark as the clouds hanging over our house.
School was about as boring as it could possibly get that day although I couldn’t concentrate on much of anything anyway. I must have seemed like the quintessential sullen teenage girl and I suppose if I was being honest that’s what I was. Jaz and the other girls asked if I was okay and I blamed it on having my period. That involved about 15 minutes of advice and giggling over all the names girls give our peculiar monthly visitor. ‘Fred the Red’ instantly became my favorite.
About half way through Period two during Math my phone went off in my bag. I was in an agony of indecision knowing if I pulled it out and looked at it I risked having my phone confiscated for the rest of the day. We had Mrs Revell for Math and she was a stickler for the rules but my curiosity won in the end and I just had to know.
I tried to get the phone using all my teenage ninja stealth tactics while the class was working quietly on a problem and Mrs Revell had her head down doing something at her desk. Leaning over my long blonde hair got in the way and I brushed it behind my ear. That caused the girl beside me to shuffle in her seat and I froze. Nothing happened so furtively I reached down and held the phone inside my bag as I read the text.
All it said was “Got her, talk tonight. T”
I breathed a sigh of relief that was short lived as a beautifully manicured hand was held out in front of me. The long nails were perfectly shaped and painted a deep crimson color. I looked up into my teacher’s face and tried to smile but none was returned.
“Miss Chamberlin, you know the rules. You can pick your phone up from the school office at the end of the day.”
“Aw Miss please” I begged but it was futile, I was losing every argument today.
I dumped the phone into her hand and she walked away giving me the obligatory “get on with your work” line. She was a young teacher only recently married. Tall and slim with a great body and long silky hair, every boy in the school lusted after her. Today she was wearing a tight pencil skirt and high heels that made her backside sway very, very sexily. All the boys in the class had looked up and were following her every move with greedy eyes. I understood what they were doing with my mind and I knew that as a boy I would probably be trying to hide a very involuntary erection about now. But as a girl although I could appreciate another woman’s body aesthetically it did nothing for me sexually. Just as my body had changed I knew that my mind had too and was still changing. As slowly I embraced who I was as a young woman I knew it was boys that I was becoming attracted to.
Two things happened at lunchtime, firstly it began to rain. Like always big fat raindrops came down one by one. To me it always seemed like a naughty little boy was throwing eggs as they splatted individually against the concrete then it would get faster and faster until a curtain of water would appear before your eyes almost like magic and rivers of water would pour through the drains with little bubbles on top being carried away to oblivion. It was the kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. I was mesmerised by the rainfall; I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world.
Second we girls had to congregate in Mrs Shirley’s office to organise the charity scheme that was our punishment. I had noticed Morgan wasn’t at school today and I had determined I would try and catch a lift to his place to chat. He lived in a house right on the beach with a swimming pool and large reflective glass windows that looked out toward the ocean. Sometimes I envied the wealth and privilege he’d been born into but if I was truthful I wouldn’t have given my family or my life up for anything.
We haggled and laughed together as we discussed who we should give the money to and how we should raise it. Mrs Shirley sat at her desk pretending to work but now and again would throw a suggestion of her own in that would steer us in a whole new direction and I suddenly realised that she was really enjoying these crazy, happy girls all talking and laughing at the same time and bringing her office to life. By the end we had brought it down to two options and about three schemes. I was swayed toward giving the money to an organisation that fought the sex trade of young girls in South East Asia and especially in Thailand while a couple of others wanted to organise to raise money for water tanks in villages in Tanzania. We went away agreeing to come to a decision the next day and as I looked back I noticed Mrs Shirley gazing down at her desk a big smile on her face. Looking up she waved to me and I waved back. There was a lot I could learn from that woman I thought as I skipped along the corridor to my next lesson my grumpy mood of this morning forgotten.
The end of the day finally arrived and I rushed off to pick up my phone from the office so I didn’t miss my bus down to Dave’s. Walking out of the office I bumped into Lauren one of our group. She was easily the quietest of us all but also the highest achiever. Tall with long, straight auburn hair cut with bangs and big brown eyes, she had the body of a dancer which is what she was. She was walking with a guy, taller than her with dark hair and carrying a camera. His eyes were a deep blue and I instantly recognised him as Lauren’s brother Phil. He was a photographer for the school newspaper and had earned the nick name ‘Peter Parker’ after Spiderman’s alias and if truth be told he did look a lot like Andrew Garfield the actor who actually played Spiderman in the movie.
His real passion was photographing landscapes and the ocean however and I had often seen him down at the beach in the water taking pics of surfers and waves when I was a boy.
“Hi Jade hey do you know Phil my brother?” Lauren asked introducing us and I looked at him noticing for the first time how handsome he was from a girl’s point of view.
“Hi” he said sticking his hand out to me and looking at me in the eyes. His look didn’t waver he didn’t run his eyes down my body or look at my breasts he just stared into my eyes.
“Umm hi” I answered staring back at him. Shaking his hand felt like a jolt of electricity right through my bones.
“How are you?” I asked
“Really well thanks” he kept looking into my eyes and I felt that at any second I was going to melt into a little jelly on the floor.
“Still coming to the sleep over Jade?” Lauren asked and it broke into the moment and I looked at her
“Ah yeah, absolutely can’t wait, hey gotta go” I added “gotta get to work down at the surf shop. Really nice to meet you” I said to Phil and he smiled shyly
“Nice to meet you too Jade, hope to see you later”
“Yeah, that would be nice” I replied skipping off noticing how strangely wet I felt.
For the next few hours, okay for the next couple of days, I couldn’t get his face out of my mind. I hoped we would run into each other again soon. There would be a few questions asked of Lauren on Friday night I decided.
I didn’t notice but she was digging him in the ribs as they walked off and he kept staring back at me for a long time.
Jumping on the bus we drove through the pouring rain toward my stop. Tyler wasn’t there today and I hoped he wasn’t sick or something. Maybe his Mom had just decided to pick him up because of the weather.
Unsurprisingly there were few customers in the shop today so I busied myself tidying stuff up and making the place look neat. Maybe I took after my mom a bit after all. Dave sat in his little office out the back doing the books so I went in and plonked into a chair facing him.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, anything” he said
“I’ve noticed that sometimes when you look at me you kind of look sad and I was wondering if I’ve done something wrong?”
Putting his pen down he hung his head for a second then looked up at me taking a deep breath.
“You’ve done nothing wrong Jade, nothing at all it’s just that, well when you came into the store the other day and every time I’ve seen you since you’ve reminded me of my own daughter.
“I didn’t know you had a daughter, I mean I haven’t even met your wife”
“Yeah well there’s a reason for that you see about 10 years ago before I even knew you or your family, my wife was involved in a car accident. Actually it was a day like this pouring with rain and she was driving home after picking our daughter up from school. She would have been about your age at the time.” He choked up a bit but kept going.
“Anyway my wife was killed instantly, the other driver had crossed over into the wrong lane, couldn’t stop, hit them head on. My daughter survived, they cut her out of the wreckage, took her to hospital, then called me. When I got there she was pretty banged up so they let me just hold her. We talked for ages about stuff, you know things young girls like, what she wanted to do when she got out of hospital. I just held her Jade, I prayed like you wouldn’t believe but I guess it must have been around two in the morning I felt her go. She died in my arms.”
“Her name was April, it was the month she was born in, she had long blond hair and she loved to surf so you see when I saw you that first time……” He stopped a single tear ran down his cheek. I didn’t know what to say so I sat there, quietly, collecting my thoughts.
The rain had stopped and all I heard was the drip, drip, drip of the spouting as water ran off it.
“I know I’ll never replace your daughter Dave” I said finally “but I do know one thing, I love you like my Dad and I love surfing with you and hanging out together and working for you so you know if you ever want to yell at me or treat me like your own daughter…..”
“That’s just it Jade remember I told Rich that you were like my daughter?”
“Yeah” I answered
“Well you see I meant it.”
No more words needed to be said we understood each other utterly and completely.
“And there’s another thing, I really like your Mom, in fact I was thinking of asking her out.”
Dave took me home and when we got there he came in. Jacinta was sitting at the table with Jeff and Tim, Mom was standing over them. In the middle was a stack of money.
“How much is there?” I asked in wide eyed wonder I’d never seen that much in my life.
“800,000” Jeff said
Dave let out a low whistle.
We all sat together me on one side of Dave, Mom on the other. It felt good to have him there; his strength and wisdom would be needed.
It was time to go to war.
CHAPTER 12 – No Other Way
After school the next day I decided to go to Morgan’s place and talk with him. I wasn’t really sure how it would pan out but I was determined to put a few things right with him and ask him to come back to school.
The night before had been interesting to say the least, Jacinta had run off to retrieve the money and had wanted to give it all back to the gang. As I had suspected she had gotten to the point where she just didn’t want to put us in danger anymore and had decided to give herself up to them despite the consequences, which for her would mean having to sell her body again, heroin addiction and eventually a slow and agonising death.
I thought of that decision as I walked down the road toward Morgan’s and how Jacinta was willing to sacrifice her life and happiness for our family. What was so special about us that would make her do that? Not one of us wanted her to even go there, not even in her dreams and we all confirmed that vehemently, even Dave told her she was being silly which earned him a swift look from Mom. I thought she was going to flick his ears but instead she smiled at him with her eyes and my heart leapt. I could only imagine what my mother was like when she was younger, she must have melted the hearts of many young men with her kindness and beauty. Dad was a real fuckwit for leaving her I thought.
Mom had wanted to go to the police lay the whole story out to them which I agreed with but Dave and the boys had reservations. They argued that the police would need names, dates, facts and details and places. The testimony of an ex-heroin addict prostitute who was also at the moment an illegal alien wasn’t going to cut it in any court of law. Unless we could give them the rest, all they would do is take the money, put it in storage and basically cut us loose. Maybe they might be able to catch and arrest the two hoods who chased us but gangs like that had plenty more to take their place. The police couldn’t protect Jacinta or us forever and we all knew that this was an amount of money that they would kill us for to get back. I guessed they would probably kill us for revenge and to make a point to anyone else foolish enough to cross them too. Even if the police were investigating these people it would be on-going and take a long time to get convictions and break them up. In the meantime we would be on our own.
Finally we decided to hide the money and hide Jacinta. The easiest place to do that was at Dave’s, as he lived on the other side of town about as far away as you could get from gangs and trouble or so we hoped. When things cooled down Dave reckoned we could somehow give the money back and if we were lucky the gang would go away. Jeff, Tim and I would continue on at school as normal and life would go on.
If that didn’t work and they got violent Mom had asked and Dave just said “Leave it with me” The way he said it was chilling, I hadn’t heard him talk like that before. There was more to him than I thought.
Dave had asked Jacinta what she remembered when she was taken, where she was kept.
“Not much really, I was handcuffed and they put a hood over my head. I know their distribution center is big, it’s where I was taken first, there were cells where they kept the girls like me, they had no windows except in the doors so they could check on us and it was dry but musty you know and there was always this sound a drone like air conditioning.”
We nodded and she had gone on.
“They had drugs there and money lots of cash, it’s where they got the girls hooked on heroin or whatever they wanted really. They preferred drugs that didn’t wreck our skin, kept us hooked but they wanted us to still be pretty for the clients. They never gave us meth for that reason, I’m glad that stuff is really evil. After a while I figured out we were underground and there were numbers on the walls which puzzled me for ages till I figured it out.”
“An old military establishment” Dave had said, “long abandoned and long forgotten by now most likely.”
Jacinta had nodded yes then told us how she had then been bundled into a van, once again handcuffed and hooded. She had counted the seconds in her head as they drove then added up the minutes until they reached San Diego where she had been dropped off at a place, a brothel, where she had been put to work. She thought the whole trip was no more than an hour maybe an hour and a half from start to finish and it was windy, lots of corners at first but then they hit a freeway and it was fast and straight. That’s all she remembered. It left us thinking.
Mom had insisted that I should go to the sleepover with the other girls and asked Tim if he would drop me off as she had to work. He begrudgingly assented after I smacked him over the arm. He then effortlessly picked me up and dumped me on the living room sofa and began to tickle me mercilessly. This led to Jacinta jumping on top of him then Jeff jumping on her. I think I was flattened to the size of a pancake as Mom and Dave just laughed at us while I squealed and yelled like a girl, which is exactly what I was now.
Morgan’s house was huge with one of those solid front doors with a brass knocker thing that no one used because it also had an electronic bell to push. Mrs Chapman answered the door and I introduced myself.
“Hi I’m Jade, I was wondering if Morgan was home, we go to school together”
“My” she said “you are a pretty wee thing aren’t you. Of course, he’s in his room, come in.”
With that she led me into the house, which had some pretty impressive views of the ocean. I noticed some surfers riding waves out front of the place and wished I could be out there too.
“Morgan! There’s a girl from school here to see you”
I heard a door open on the floor above us and Morgan came out looking over the balcony.
Seeing me he sullenly said “What do you want?” with a sour expression on his face.
“Don’t be rude Morgan!” His mother said “come down here and have some manners”
He stomped down the stairs, his whole body language telling me I was the last person on the planet he wanted to see.
“I’ll get some lemonade for you two” Mrs Morgan chirped “please sit down Jade”
I sat demurely as possible saying thank you and giving Mrs Chapman a smile.
‘What a lovely lady’ I thought ‘I wonder what happened that made Morgan such a bully?’
I sat with my knees together and leaned forward toward Morgan. I had worn a short skirt today with a top that showed off some of my cleavage, I had wanted to look as girly and feminine as possible. I wore makeup and had even put nail polish on for the first ever time, well I had Mom do it anyway. It was a cool shade of dark metallic green.
I wanted Morgan and his parents to identify with me fully as female and by the looks I got all day at school from the boys, I guessed I’d been successful, at least with them.
Mrs Chapman brought out two glasses of lemonade and placed them on a table in front of us. Making an excuse she walked off toward the kitchen leaving us alone.
“So” said Morgan “what do you want Jade”
‘Hmmm good start’ I thought ‘at least he called me Jade’
“Well I guess first off I wanted to apologise for the other day. What we did to you was mean and I feel really awful about it, so sorry. Secondly I wanted to ask you what I’d done to make you hate me. It’s not like I’m really going out of my way to try and hurt you, I mean we hardly know each other and third I was hoping you’d come back to school”
Morgan looked down at his feet. I knew he was thinking about his answer and probably how open he wanted to be with me then he took a deep breath.
“As soon as you turned up, you know as Jayden, you were popular with everyone. You were handsome with the blond hair and green eyes and all the girls were ga-ga over you. You had the cool big brothers and you all had that surfie vibe going on. You all turned up on those trail bikes with the boards under your arms and you were tight, like nothing in the world would ever tear your friendship apart. I don’t think I’ve ever been so jealous of anyone as much as I was with you. I have no-one like that; I’m the only child in this family, my parents stopped after me. Do you know what I’d give to have what you have?”
I looked at him as sympathetically as I could. I wondered if I’d still been a boy whether we would be having this conversation right now. As a girl he was opening up to me, sharing his feelings, but I was remembering my beating.
He went on “now look at you a real babe. I can’t win Jade, you even beat me in the surfing comp and you’re probably right you’ll beat me as a girl in the next one as well. When I saw you at school the first time, you know in class, all I wanted to do was ask you out, yet I felt so angry that you had turned into well you. I attacked you instead”
He looked at his feet
“I’m really sorry but I don’t know how to make it right.”
“Come back to school” I said “learn to be kind especially to girls instead of hitting them. You don’t have to be a player Morgan; lots of girls would go out with you if you just changed your attitude and stopped trying to be some kind of macho gangster. You know thinking about it I have just the group for you to join to help you do just that. It’ll be a bit embarrassing at first, you’ll be the only guy but it might just help.”
“Doing what? Why would I want to? If I did would you come out with me on a date?”
I sighed, he really didn’t get it. All he was doing was making excuses and feeling sorry for himself.
Standing up I moved to the window looking out. Morgan followed and stood behind me, I felt his breath on my neck. Suddenly I felt his hand on my bottom moving down my skirt and toward the hem. I grabbed his wrist but he was way too strong for me. I realised that in my naivety I had dressed not in a feminine way like I thought but far too sexily, in a way that just turned Morgan on. As far as he was concerned I was a conquest, a girl for him to win.
“No” I said but he kept his hand on me, moving it up the inside of my skirt toward my panties. I was helpless to stop him so I twisted, turning to face him our noses nearly touching. He pressed me against the cold glass of the window and leaned against me. His fingers reached the edge of my underwear while I tried desperately to stop him.
“Come on Jade, I know you want it, why else would you come over here?”
“To talk Morgan, that’s all, to let you know I was sorry, don’t you get it? Get off me or I’ll scream”
His eyes went cold and he backed off
“Fine, you might as well leave then.”
“Alright” there was no argument from me at all and I headed for the door as quickly as I could.
Mrs Chapman came out from the kitchen
“Oh you’re leaving already?”
“Yes, thank you for the lemonade Mrs Chapman but I have to go, homework and stuff you know” I smiled at her
“Well come over again whenever you like dear, I’m sure Morgan would love to see you again”
“Yes right” I said as I walked through the door vowing that returning was about the last thing I would ever do. Some leopards really don’t change their spots I thought as I practically ran all the way home and threw myself on my bed. I had come face to face with one of my greatest weaknesses as a girl. Had we been alone together Morgan could have done whatever he wanted to me and I would have been powerless to stop him.
I had begun to accept myself as female, had enjoyed dressing and feeling sexy, the friendship I was developing with Jaz and the girls was fun and exhilarating and the relationship with my Mom was getting better and better. Being a girl was becoming normal for me, being a piece of meat for any random guy especially low life’s like Morgan was not. I was determined never to get myself in that situation again.
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Friday evening came around quickly and the situation I had found myself in with Morgan was semi-forgotten as I prepared for the sleepover. I was unusually excited and viewed this as yet another initiation into girlhood. Tim had Mom’s car as she had taken the bus to work and I jumped in beside him.
“Thanks for taking me”
“No problems sis” he smiled over to me as he put the car in gear and drove off.
Jaz’s home was located further back inland at the foothills of the San Diego Wildlife Preserve and was nearly as flash as Morgan’s place. It stood two stories high and had a swimming pool out the back sparkling blue as the sun began to set behind us in the west.
I jumped out of the car and Tim got out too.
“Gotta see you to the door” he said and walked beside me as we approached. To say I felt safe and secure in the presence of my brothers was an understatement. They were my greatest friends and biggest heroes. As a girl they had protected me, accepted me and continued to love me through everything just as they said they would.
The door opened before we even got to it and Jaz bundled out stopping still when she saw Tim. She was a tall girl but only came up to Tim’s shoulder but then again so did I. He had wide shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist which always caught the eye. His wild brown hair fell down to his shoulders and was kind of curly like mine not tight curls but loose and long. He was trying to grow one of those goatee beard things which Mom hated but I thought looked really funky, not that I’d tell him that.
It was his eyes though that was his most amazing feature. Whereas Mom had said I’d inherited my grandmother’s dark green eyes Tim had inherited Moms. They were a deep blue and whenever he looked at you it was like a laser beam had been turned on and he was looking directly into your soul.
He turned them on to Jaz and smiled.
“Hiya” he said “I’m Tim”
To her credit she composed herself, just, and reached out her hand.
“Hello I’m Jaz”
They touched and I smiled, I recognised what she was feeling. I think she probably hid it a little better than me though.
We walked to the door and I gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek.
“See ya tomorrow Jay”
“Yeah tomorrow”
He wandered back to the car while Jaz stood at the door watching him. We both waved but she didn’t move until he had driven off.
“You really like him?”
She glanced at me and smiled.
“Yeah I really do”
“You know he’s one of the good ones Jaz, he’s loyal, funny, kind. If you want him I won’t stand in your way but you have to promise me, like really promise me that you won’t hurt him”
“I promise Jade, with all my heart I’d never hurt your brother”
“Good”
“And besides did you see his ass when he walked off OMG!”
We laughed as we walked inside. I was the first one there and was introduced to Jasmine’s mother and father. They were both jovial and friendly and I was quickly made to feel like I was part of the family. Before long I was sitting at their breakfast bar chatting to Jaz’s Mom while a glass of orange juice sat in front of me just waiting to be sipped.
As the others arrived the house filled up with girls and excited giggling and chatter filled the lounge room. Jaz had decided we would all sleep in there on some big foam mattresses so we could lie down, watch a movie and eat pizza together. Her parents were a great couple and gave each of the girls a hug as they walked in; everyone obviously knew each other well.
Once we had settled in and Jaz’s parents had been banished she turned to me and said
“Jade we know you’ve been through a pretty tough time and we wanted to do something for you. We’re all really glad that you’re here and our friend so we want you to come to my room cause well just come with us”
They all smiled and clapped their hands in front of them as girls do and Jaz took my hand leading me to her room and made me sit down.
She began to comb out my hair as the others watched and then Sarah and Debs took turns to work some magic on it that I didn’t understand twisting and turning my hair until it was pinned into the most striking shape. It’s called a ‘chignon’ said Lauren as I looked at myself, my long neck emphasised by the beautiful hair-do they had created. Lauren and Jaz then went to work on my face giving me what they called a smoky eye that darkened the lids and made my eyes look exquisite. They did my make-up foundation, bronzer, blush but left my lips nude just adding a little bronzer with gloss over top.
Lauren stood behind me her hands rested lightly on my shoulders as Jaz pattered over to her bed where a large box tied with a green bow sat. Calling me over she said open it and as I did a dress was revealed. It was a deep green color with silver sequins sewn onto it, thousands of them near the top fading to just a few on the skirt. The bodice was sleeveless while the skirt flared out from my waist made of organza with a satin under skirt. It reached to the floor and I gasped.
“It’s for you” said Jaz as tears prickled my eyes. No-one had ever given me a gift as expensive as this before and I was truly touched.
“You’re not allowed to cry you’ll ruin your makeup“ said Sarah as they helped me out of my clothes and into the dress.
Jaz leant me a pair of her very high heels and I put them on then looked at myself in the mirror.
Her parents had tip toed in and were watching from the door way as tears filled my eyes and I thanked each of them.
“You are gorgeous” her Dad said, “Jaz told us what happened to you and how you were beaten up by a boy at school but also how you wouldn’t let it get you down and well this is our way of saying we care about you. We hope you’ll wear that to the dance coming up at school.”
Her Mom chimed in “Jade you’re more than gorgeous you are stunning my girl, can we take some pictures?”
I didn’t have much choice and so I stood there posing as they snapped away with their digital camera, some as a group and some of me individually. I wobbled around on heels much to everyone’s amusement and decided I needed to get used to walking in them.
Jaz took the camera and connected it to her laptop and downloaded the photos. We sat as she made a slide show and played them on the screen. I was amazed at how I looked I didn’t recognise myself with the dark eyes and sculpted cheek bones.
She then opened her Facebook page and before I could protest she uploaded a few pics onto her timeline. Within seconds a ton of people had ‘liked’ the photos and comments were being made asking who the girl in the green dress was.
She laughed delightedly and simply answered ‘Wouldn’t you all like to know’
I changed back into my comfortable clothes but decided for the time being I liked my hair and make-up this way so didn’t change it.
We had pizza and watched a weepy movie and I relaxed in the company of my friends. It was an awesome evening and I appreciated all they had done for me. Saturday morning came all too quickly but Mom finally picked me up and after talking for a little while we headed home with a large box sitting on the back seat and a green bow around it.
I didn’t know it but another little present had been slipped into my bag with a little note. One I would find later that day.
CHAPTER 13 – Crying Shame
Mom seemed really happy on the drive home and we chatted away about things. I enjoyed how much closer our relationship was and that Mom and I could talk so openly together now. It was one of the benefits of being a girl and one I appreciated. The topic of the modelling offer from the surf wear shop came up, I had told Mom about it earlier and she had been supportive of the idea at the start so I had phoned them and said yes. I had to be at their San Diego office at 10.00am this coming Wednesday so Mom had offered to drive me. It meant a day off school but when Mom had phoned and talked to Mrs Shirley she had been really supportive of it all with only one condition that I catch up on any work I missed for the day. Something I was happy to do. Mom had commented on just how nice our Deputy Principal was and how much she seemed to like me. I had blushed at that thinking about the times in her office and how much we were enjoying our little project with her. It was always something I looked forward to and I practically rushed to her office at the start of lunch just so I could work on it. We had all agreed to raise money to support a women’s group who were raising money to fight the trafficking of sex slaves in Thailand, something that was now close to home for me considering our recent ‘adventures’ with Jacinta.
“So do you really want to do this whole modelling thing Jade?” Mom was asking and it shook me out of my daydreams.
I thought about it and said “Yeah, I do Mom why?”
“Well you’ve been through a lot recently, I mean far more than the average teenager and well this just seems to be kind of a major distraction when really you should be settling down to your new life and getting on with school don’t you think?”
I knew Mom was testing me but I had thought it through and come to my decision.
“Mom you’ve always taught us that one of the most important things to do in life is to make memories and this is an opportunity to have a big adventure that’s going to do just that, plus I’m going to make some money that’s going to help us all out. Besides you’ll be there with me so it’s kind of a chance to have some time, just you and me, so I was kind of really looking forward to that.”
Mom looked over at me and I knew I’d won.
The road was windy from Jasmines house and she concentrated on driving but the smile on her face told me she was looking forward to having some time alone with me too.
As we rounded a corner a large black car swooped past us going the other way. Seated in the front were a couple of guys, one large, one skinny. I turned around quickly in my seat as they wooshed past and said to Mom,
“That’s them, that’s the guys who chased us the other night, Mom turn around we need to find out where they’re going.”
To her credit Mom didn’t argue, much, and slammed on the brakes doing a quick U-turn on a straight stretch of road. Her old blue Toyota wasn’t made for hot pursuit but she managed to catch up enough to keep the black car in our sights. Both of us knew that if these guys were out here they were more than likely heading toward their ‘Distribution Center’ and if we could find that we could go to the police with some concrete evidence. That would mean freedom for Jacinta and for us from this evil gang.
We followed them for perhaps another 15 minutes as we wound our way into the foothills behind San Diego. As we rounded a corner on to a straight stretch of road we stared perplexed the black car had disappeared. Slowing down Mom continued and I noticed just to our left an old gravel road. Dust was slowly settling back down as if a car had just passed over it and Mom stopped. We looked up the road then at each other
“What do you think?” Mom asked
“We have to find out Mom, if this is where they took Jacinta then it’s also where they keep and probably manufacture their drugs. If we can confirm it’s there then….”
We both knew we had to go up that road but we were both frightened, it was a dire risk, if we were caught……
Mom made her decision and swung the car onto the gravel. It was rutted and shook us around as we negotiated the corners. Mom drove slowly fearful that we would stumble on to the gangsters at any turn.
After about five minutes we came upon an old faded sign on the side of the road stating
‘SLOW DOWN’
‘San Diego Military Academy’
‘No entry except to authorised Personnel’
Just around the corner was a large fence.
We stopped and Mom carefully backed the car until she could turn facing back down the road. We climbed out and I looked up. A ridge ran to the west of the fence and I figured if we climbed that we could get a view of the compound and I could take some photos of the place with my iphone. We weren’t really dressed for hiking in the wilderness or climbing but we were determined to get as much information as we could. To me it felt eerily still and every noise seemed to be amplified as we made our way up the hill. It was a decent climb and we were breathing heavily when we suddenly popped up on to the top. Dropping on to our bellies we looked down onto the fenced off area. I was surprised to see it was really only a fence that stretched in a square about 20 metres by 20 metres. In the middle was a low concrete building grey and forbidding with a rounded metal roof that sprouted air conditioning vents like mushrooms. A heavy steel door was set into one wall. The building looked old but both the fence and the steel door were shiny and brand new.
Sitting beside the building were three cars, two were black and new, one of them was the one we had just followed, from where we were we could hear the ‘tink, tink, tink’ of the hot motor as it cooled off. To the side and closest to the door was an old car its faded roof seemed to have more rust than paint on it and I knew the front passenger seat was saggy because I’d sat in it just the other day.
All of a sudden the steel door opened outward. It didn’t make a sound as it swung on its heavy well oiled and brand new hinges. A man I’d never seen before stepped out, he was a white guy, heavy set with a middle age paunch. He sported a beard and moustache and was wearing an expensive suit. Behind him following closely was a nuggety figure shading his eyes from the bright sunshine. They were talking quietly and neither Mom nor I could hear what they were saying as we watched them. I took some photographs with my iphone as they spoke and I looked over at Mom. There was pain etched in her face, exactly the same as my own father had caused when he had left us all those years ago and my heart went out to her.
“Mom we gotta go, our car is parked on the side of the road, Dave will recognize it when he drives past.” I whispered.
I was scared out of my wits, all I wanted to do was get out of there and I figured Mom was feeling exactly the same. We backed off on our stomachs as quietly as we could then when we thought we couldn’t be seen we turned and ran. We rushed down the slope, round trees and over ditches, bashing shins and praying we wouldn’t twist an ankle hoping that Dave and the strange man would talk for a little longer, give us time to reach the Toyota and get away. The forest seemed to taunt us as we ran forever and I almost sobbed with joy as we reached the bottom and spotted our little car sitting patiently there for us. We sprinted for it throwing any caution or need to be quiet to the wind.
Stumbling in Mom started the old girl up and I breathed a sigh of relief. Dave was nowhere in sight. Mom mashed the accelerator and we took off. She drove as quickly as she could on the gravel then accelerated sharply once we reached the safety of the tarmac.
She kept looking in her rear vision mirror but there was no sign of any pursuit. Tears were in her eyes as she drove and I could only imagine what was going through her mind.
It was a quiet trip home each of us lost in our thoughts. We were on our own again just our family and Jacinta.
Jacinta! The thought came to me, she was at Dave’s supposedly hiding out.
“Mom” I said “Jacinta”
“I know honey” she said quietly.
CHAPTER 14 – Bubble Toes
We got home and Mom pulled into the driveway shutting down the motor. She sat back in her seat and rubbed her eyes wearily.
“What are we going to do?” I asked tears in my eyes this time, events seemed to be spiralling out of control.
“Let’s go in and talk with your brothers. The first thing we have to do is go get Jacinta then we have to go to the police. We have photographs this time surely they will listen to us.”
Jeff and Tim were sitting at the table when we walked through the door both were bare chested, wearing a wetsuit but with it open dangling at their waist. They’d just polished off a big plate of bacon and eggs and looked set to go off surfing.
We sat down and they both noticed the worried look on Mom’s face.
“What’s wrong?”
Mom filled them in on what had just happened while the boys sat quietly listening. The problem of Jacinta dawned on them quickly and they made plans to head over to Dave’s to get her. We figured Dave would be headed to his shop, rather than home, to open up for Saturday morning trade and Jacinta would be alone at his place. That is if he hadn’t already taken her back to their facility by now and that’s why he had been there in the first place.
“You know it all kind of adds up” I mused “it kind of explains a few things like why those gangsters were in his shop asking about Jacinta. I thought they were asking around but really they knew Dave, were probably pushing him to use his contacts to find her. Then she just fell into his lap with us. Then when we were talking he didn’t want us to go to the police remember, he said he’d deal with it and we even let her go with him to his home with the money. We trusted him. The only thing I can’t figure out is why? Why would he get involved with scum like that?”
“There could be lots of reasons” Mom said reaching over and placing her hand over mine. I noticed my green nail polish was chipped and messy. I wanted to take it off and re-do it. Funny how the little things can get to you in times of stress.
“Go and get Jacinta” Mom said to the boys “Leave a note for Dave, tell him she’s gone surfing with you, that you don’t know when she’ll be back and not to worry about her. That will buy us some time.”
Turning to me “Jade when they get back I want you all to go surfing, take Jacinta, get her into the water maybe, in a crowded spot where there are lots of people, surfers too. We need witnesses that see you all, can testify that you were all together. While you do that I’ll go to the police and show them the photos you took. Can you download them to your laptop and print them off for me please?”
“I can go one better than that Mom” I smiled. Pushing some buttons on my phone the printer in my room began to buzz. “Bluetooth Mom, they’re printing now, welcome to the 21st Century”
She smiled and kissed me on my forehead.
“Where would I be without my girl?” she laughed
“Probably stuck somewhere in 1999” I smiled back I liked being her girl.
The wait for the boys however was interminable.
I helped Mom clean up the house while we waited for them. I cleaned up dishes and helped with laundry. I noticed that I had more of the mannerisms of a girl now, quite often I’d push my hair back behind my ear or adjust my bra strap across my shoulder. When I walked around the house I walked like a girl, my hips swayed more and my breasts moved inside my bra always making their presence felt. I didn’t have to try to be like a girl I just was one, it was becoming as natural as it was when I was a boy. I didn’t think about wearing a skirt or a dress it just seemed to be part of my normal everyday life now.
Unpacking my stuff from the sleepover I threw some of my clothes into the laundry and felt something heavy in the bottom of the bag. Reaching in I pulled out a box about 10 inches long wrapped with a pink ribbon. Undoing it I pulled some wrapping paper off and held a vibrator in my hand. I was stunned, a little note was attached that simply read ‘Have fun’
No signature or anything
‘Jaz’ I thought ‘the little minx’
Carefully placing it into the drawer that held my panties I sat on my bed and thought about myself and my new sexuality. I had ‘explored’ myself sure, checked out my new girl parts and felt inside my vagina with my finger experiencing the pleasurable feelings all women have. I had touched and played with my clitoris bringing myself to an orgasm in the shower one evening which had led to me losing my balance, falling over on my backside and nearly breaking everything. I had giggled too loudly as it happened and Mom had knocked on the door asking if everything was okay. It was hard to think up an excuse but I had managed to squeak out “I’m alright” as I sank down in the shower under the warm water in a fit of hysterics. Mom had walked off probably shaking her head and muttering something about young girls.
I had stared in wonder at my arousal one night and how the lips of my vulva had spread open like the petals of a flower as I rubbed my finger across them and become oh so wet. That full length mirror had sure come in handy. But I’d obviously never been penetrated before and I wondered what that would feel like and I determined to find out that night in bed with my little ‘gift’.
My sexual awakening as a female was only really beginning and I found myself more and more curious about who I was now not just as Jade the girl but as Jade the woman.
The jury was still out but every day was bringing new revelation and insights into this feminine world, helped along by my friends and family. I fantasised about making love not with another girl but with a boy and what it would be like. It’s not that I was in a rush to actually experience it I think in many ways it scared the hell out of me but I knew in due course it would happen. Like most girls – I know I saw myself as one now - I believed in the notion of romance and love and forever but I had fought some hard battles so far both with myself and with the world. I had seen and experienced first-hand how cruel people could be to each other and as I began to cross the threshold into being a woman I wasn’t stupid enough to think that everyone I met had my best interests at heart. I knew I had been remarkably blessed with an amazing family and the start of friendships with a bunch of girls that I hoped would last a lifetime. These were gifts I wasn’t about to take for granted and I knew I’d do anything for my brothers and my mother.
My reverie was interrupted by the faint sound of two stroke motorbikes in the distance. I leapt off my bed and rushed outside to see if Jacinta was with the boys. Long dark hair blowing in the wind was the first thing I saw and the graceful long slim arms of a Mexican beauty holding on to Jeff’s waist. At least she was safe.
I rushed over to her and hugged her neck. She returned it then stood back and looked at me.
“How’s my ferocious Jade?” she asked in her sexy accent
“Much better now you’re here, you wouldn’t believe how worried I was about you”
“Ah dear Jade with your love and your wildness I missed seeing your beautiful face, if not for you I’d probably be dead now or back living as a prostitute in some other part of this country. Tonight you and I are going to cook dinner for everyone; I’m going to teach you how to make my mother’s secret recipe Enchiladas, but you must promise never to tell anyone else especially your brothers, that way they will always come back to you begging you to cook for them”
We laughed gaily together and walked inside hand in hand while Tim and Jeff just looked at each other and grinned. The way to a man’s heart truly was through his stomach.
Mom was inside and we talked more about what we were going to do. We had no idea how Dave would react to Jacinta’s return to our home. We needed to keep her safe but we couldn’t just up and leave for another part of the country, we had made a life here. The boys had also left the money at Dave’s place, strangely it was still there which was baffling as we had assumed that was the reason Dave had gone to the gang’s compound, to return it.
Going surfing this afternoon was the easy part, we got the reason for taking Jacinta along and introducing her to the surfing community. Like all communities of surfers around the world it was tight and close. We had been accepted into it immediately and as our mother, my Mom had become their Mom. She fed them, gave them shelter when they needed it, a shoulder to cry on or a word of encouragement at just the right time. Often over the past couple of years we had surfers of all shapes and sizes stay and enjoyed some pretty off the hook parties. If Jacinta was part of us then she would be a part of them also. I guessed rightly that she would be seen as Jeff’s girlfriend and that meant instant acceptance for her although I figured there’d be a few broken hearts amongst the girls too.
I pulled out my wetsuit and threw on a bikini. It was still a little weird putting one on instead of a pair of boardies but looking at myself in it made me smile.
“You sexy beast” I said pouting to myself in the mirror.
We headed off to the beach and especially to the pier where most of the surfers would be today. It was a classic wooden design with barnacle encrusted posts that ran right out to sea with a restaurant called ‘The Tin Fish’ at the end of it. Thousands of people walked it every day or would go there to fish, enjoy the views or have a meal. It was one of my favourite places on the beach and I had spent many an afternoon fishing for mackerel with my brothers when we weren’t in the water surfing. Sometimes you could catch a mackerel a minute, we only had one fishing rod between us so we’d take turns reeling them in and we would laugh and jump for joy when we caught one.
Seals and dolphins could often be seen playing in the water around the pier and one of my most treasured memories was an afternoon when a dolphin came right up to my board and blew water all over me. I had been alone at the time so had dropped off my board and just floated as she swam around me. I had reached out to touch her but she remained just out of my reach, then she would swim in and turn just in the nick of time as I laughed and splashed. Her grey and white sides were without blemish so she was young and she seemed intent on just playing with me. I knew she used sonar and could literally see through me. Some scientists even speculated that dolphins could read our emotions. If this one could read mine she would have known my excitement and joy. For months afterwards I had told anyone who would listen that I wanted to be a marine biologist studying dolphins and had researched all about them on the net.
The surf was pumping today and at least 20 to 30 surfers were already out there. We introduced Jacinta to everyone as we stood on the beach getting ready. A number had heard what had happened to me and came up to see if I was okay. Most were just curious or concerned while a couple poked me in the arm to see if I was real. That is until they saw the looks on Jeff and Tim’s faces and backed off. I even had a couple of guys ask me out on dates but of course that is until they saw Jeff and Tim’s faces and backed off.
“Hey” I said to them “they were cute”
“Not on our watch” Jeff had said and Tim just nodded. No one messed with their sister without their permission. I felt kind off half pissed off with them and half all warm and fuzzy at how protective they were.
The girls that we knew were mostly welcoming to both Jacinta and I although some of the more skanky ones just looked down their noses at us.
Jacinta had much more experience with bitchy girls than I did and simply turned her back on them then smiled at the others and started talking about how she liked one girl’s hair and how another girl did her eye makeup and would she teach her. She was an instant hit and I thought to myself, ‘hey I’ve got a built in big sister now. She could teach me a lot about getting on with other females’
I was included in the conversation too and before I knew it I was having my hair discussed while other girls were either pondering what the best makeup look and colors suited me or trying to set me up on a date with their brothers.
As much as I enjoyed the conversation, and believe me I did I mean what girl doesn’t like to be the center of attention now and again, the lure of the waves became too much. Picking up my board I excused myself and ran for the water. The waves had been built by a storm out to sea over the past week then the wind had turned offshore making the waves peak and turn into barrels.
I duck dived under and paddled as hard as I could to get out of the break zone then sat up on my board squinting out to sea. My long hair hung behind me wet and glistening in the sunlight and I felt at peace.
I managed to catch a couple of good waves dropping off the lip and into the pocket then speeding out of the barrel while I trailed my hand along the wall. I tried to kick up off the trailing edge of my board and launch myself into the air then come down still on balance just as the wave would overtake me. I had seen my surfing heroes like the Brazilian Gabriel Medina, Australian Taj Burrow and especially the world number one Kelly Slater, who was my all-time favorite, do this and like every young surfer I wanted to emulate what they did. I was in awe of what they could do on a board.
As a girl I noticed my leg strength wasn’t the same but my natural anticipation was still there and I could read the wave in the same way as always. What I didn’t notice was how much more fluid and graceful I was. Although Dave had told me about it I was able to move more elegantly through the water on my board. My center of balance was different being a girl but this actually lent itself to my style of surfing and I was really enjoying myself.
I glanced back to shore and happily saw Jacinta sitting in the middle of a bunch of girls all animatedly talking and laughing together. The crowd protected her and she seemed to be enjoying the company.
I paddled over to Jeff and Tim who were sitting together. We made a triangle in the water and they looked at me as salt water glinted on their faces and drops sat at the end of each strand of hair held their magically by surface tension.
“I’ve been watching you” Tim said “you don’t even know how really good you are do you? Those drops and jumps are awesome Jade.”
“Yeah Jay, honestly I gotta say you rock that board, I’m really jealous. I think now as a girl you’re even better than you were as a guy. The way you move on the board and can just change direction at will is awesome. I’ve never seen another girl do that except for maybe some of the pros like Laura Enever or the Hawaiian Malia Manuel” added Jeff.
“Really you think so?” I asked this was something my brothers hardly ever did and they never gave praise unless you earned it.
“Yeah we really do” Tim said “actually I can’t wait to see you compete”
“Aw thanks guys, but you know what, I reckon the best thing is just being out here doing this with my brothers, especially when I catch more waves than you cause you’re so fat”
They roared with mock laughter and Jeff launched himself off his board dunking me into the water.
When we came up Tim looked pensive.
“Hey look” he said nodding toward the shore.
On the road next to his car, hands in his pockets, stood Dave. He was looking right at us.
We continued to surf not ready to hit the beach just yet but we all kept an eye on Dave who continued to wait.
As I caught one wave and dropped into the pocket, the middle of the wave where you actually do the surfing bit, I noticed a head in the water holding a camera.
Who the hell would be filming me I wondered as I spun off the back and sat down on the board.
The cameraman swam over, I could tell it was a guy by the way he moved in the water, then he popped up beside me.
“Hey Jade, shit you’re good”
I looked at him, recognition slowly dawning and instantly I felt self-conscious.
“Hey Phil, fancy seeing you here?”
‘Shit’ I thought ‘what a lame thing to say’
“Yeah well it’s kind of my hobby, filming in the water. I have a few favourite surfers I love to take pics of. Actually I now have a new super most favourite of all surfer I like filming, easily the best on the beach”
I must be thick “Oh really, yeah cool, who is it?”
He tilted his head to one side and looked at me with those eyes. Slowly he held his camera up to his face, protected by its waterproof casing and clicked.
I felt stupid as I realized who he was talking about.
“Oh me then” I babbled “I like your photos, they always look awesome in the school newspaper you’re really talented”
‘Honestly Jade pull it together, how can this boy turn your brain to mush so easily come on girl’ I felt like slapping myself.
“Thanks, it must be the mutual admiration society meeting right here. Look I’m gonna be straight up with you, I know you’ve been through a lot of shit but ever since I met you the other day I can’t get you out of my head”
‘Neither could I’
“I’d really, really like to get to know you better, you know if you’d like to that is” he stammered a pleading look in his eye.
We looked at each other “You look pretty pathetic begging like that, but my god you’re cute when you do” I answered.
He splashed in the water and floated on his back smiling.
“That’s a yes then?”
“Yeah, I guess it’s a yes then”
“Sooooo can I come over tomorrow maybe, we could go for a walk, chat, maybe get coffee or a shake or well anything you want actually”
“I’d like that”
“Say about one o’clock?”
“Sweet az” I said
“Umm mind if I hang around do a bit more photography get some more pics?” he asked
“Sure, get my good side” I joked
“Every single one of your sides is good, my god every side is perfect” he didn’t seem to be joking.
Despite being in the water I felt hot, flushed. Was this love or just lust? I wasn’t sure but it felt good.
I didn’t surf that well for the next little while but Phil clicked away regardless. He was now my favourite photographer.
Dave was still waiting as we exited the water.
I guessed it was time for a serious talk.
He approached all four of us, Jacinta included, as we dried off.
I decided it was time for some very hard questions to be asked. It was probably dumb but I felt brave with my brothers next to me.
“Ahh yeah gidday guys” he nodded his head and I wondered if he was turning Australian.
Jeff and Tim did the old eyebrow flick, neither friendly nor unfriendly. I simply remembered how Dave had likened me to his daughter.
It was now or never time for the truth.
CHAPTER 15 – Sleep through the Static
“So how’s things?” Dave asked
“All good” said Tim.
“Just all good?”
“Could be better you know aye Dave, lot’s been happening” Jeff added “don’t really know who to trust these days and who’s gonna stab you in the back, you understand”
Tim and Jeff stood there large and intimidating, I could see the conflict in their eyes. They were seeing a man who had supported them and made them welcome in this community, someone they thought they could trust with their lives but now someone who had ripped all that away from them in just one morning. I decided to end the agony.
“I saw you this morning”
He looked at me with a frown on his face
“Really Jade? Where?”
“At an old military place right out the back of San Diego you were there talking to some guy”
Dave just stood still, he didn’t move, didn’t even blink.
Then he seemed to deflate, like a football going flat and he sat down on the sand his knees up by his chin looking out to sea. His face had gone pale almost ashen so I sat next to him, leaned against him.
“Remember how you told me about your daughter how she died in your arms was that a lie?”
“No of course not why would anyone lie about something like that?”
“Remember how you said I was like your daughter and how much I reminded you of her remember how I saw you as my Dad, someone I could trust, someone I could look up to”
He nodded
“So what’s the truth?” I asked
Jacinta and the boys sat next to him waiting as he composed himself. A light wind was blowing from behind us and I shivered. Tim put his arm around me and I snuggled into his chest, he felt warm, safe.
“After my wife and daughter died I changed” Dave began “for a long time I wanted to die too, suicide was on my mind constantly, I’d dream up scenarios of how to do it in my head, at one stage I came really close. I was hurting in a way no man should ever have to hurt it was an ache that started in my heart then just kept going it never stopped even when I was asleep I felt it. I’d lost the two most precious people in my life. It was at that point I guess I sought out relief, a way to forget and lose myself all at the same time. I met a guy who knew a guy, you know how it goes and before long well I had a needle and a bag in front of me and I didn’t care. The road to addiction didn’t take very long and before I knew, I was in so much debt I thought I was going to lose my business. The gang, the same ones who took you Jacinta, also owned me. I had nowhere to go and nowhere to hide. Anyway I was an addict for about two years then two things happened that got me off the drugs then after that another thing happened then well a fourth thing that pretty much turned my life around”
“Go on” said Jacinta, gently, kindly she’d been in his place not that long ago
“First I decided to go for a surf one day. It was rough and I was a bit strung out but I needed the head space. I went alone and the surf was broken and big no real pattern to it. Anyway I was out the back when I saw a monster coming. It was like a train and reared up so high it was one of those freak waves you get every now and then you know……..”
We nodded we had all seen them, monster waves that come along ever so rarely but if you could catch them it was like catching a tiger by the tail, once you were on the ride you had to see it through to the end or risk a mauling.
“Anyway I came off the lip and just went straight down the face looking to hit the bottom then sweep back up, you know how it goes but I wiped out dug the front of the board in and just went over. I remember going under, being dragged along smacking up against the sea floor, hitting my head, my ass, everywhere I was just tumbled like a toy. I must have blacked out for a couple of seconds then when I woke I was just floating and I thought this is it, the end, no more Dave McIntyre. In a way it kind of felt like a relief like I didn’t have to fight anymore that all I had to do was just give up and I could be with my wife and daughter. It felt like the easiest decision in the world. Little stars were exploding in my head, behind my eyes and I was pretty close to just blacking out for the last time.”
We all sat there, the cool wind, the sand beneath us forgotten as we listened to what it was like to die. I continued to cuddle into Tim, he seemed to really like it, like he was protecting me, I liked it too. I listened to the steady rhythm of his heart it felt strong. No one said anything just gave Dave time to continue. It was the strangest thing but I was feeling his story not just listening to it. I could feel his emotion as he spoke and I guess what I was experiencing was empathy but it was more than that. It was raw and powerful but it was also gentle and feminine. I think I was feeling what every woman feels when someone pours out their heart. It was a mixture of compassion and love. If this is what it meant to be a woman then the tide was turning. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back anymore.
“I woke up some time later, I was lying on the beach as the swash of the waves just broke around me, my lungs and the back of my throat were burning. I don’t know what happened or how I got there but I swear at one stage I felt hands around my ankles like I was being helped some way. You guys know I’m not religious but something was there that day or someone I don’t know but my time on this planet wasn’t over, there were more waves to catch”
He smiled ruefully
“After that I had a new sense of life like it needed to be lived not wasted, people around me mattered again”
“Go on” Tim said but we all could have said it, time was forgotten.
“Well second I met someone who said something to me that was like a light bulb turned on in my head. He was a little English guy, kind of rounder than he was tall and he came into my shop looked at boards and stuff and we got talking. He ran a business and he said he’d never had an employee ever quit because they were unhappy and he’d never had to fire anyone. I was intrigued I’d never heard of anything like that, I asked him what his secret was. His answer blew me away. He said that one of his personal values was always to believe the best about someone. That the reality was that around him you could screw up and it doesn't bother him. He said that he would just make sure that his opinion of someone goes to a higher level anyway because he thought that is what life should be like. That we should give each other space and grace to become better. He believed the best way for that to happen is when someone sees you better than how you see yourself because then you have something to step into. From that time on I was determined to make that me. I had a reason to live again. That’s why I agreed to train you for the surfing competition Jade.”
He looked at me and I looked back steadily into his eyes, like I cared, which I did.
“Third well that was easy I met a family who knew how to love”
“Fourth one of that family became like a daughter to me and ever since I met her I’ve felt like a Dad again. That’s why she needed to be protected, why I was up at the Facility, that’s what they call it, ‘The Facility’ like they’re in some kind of spy movie. Anyway I’d come off the drugs but I still knew these guys, they are like leaches. I talked to the head honcho a guy by the name of Warren Melville. He’s a spineless piece of shit but he’s cunning. Gets others to do his dirty work for him but he makes all the money, doesn’t lift a finger to help anyone but himself. I told him I could get his money back and if I did would he be willing to call it quits just let you all walk away”
“So he knows about us?” asked Jeff “knows who we are?”
“He knows about you, knows that a family is sheltering Jacinta but he doesn’t know your names or where you live although he knows the general vicinity. His goons told him about the run in they had the other night, how you got away. They weren’t flavor of the month after that I’ll tell you. It would just be a matter of time before they found you though”
It was a sobering thought knowing that these guys knew about us. That we were on their radar, that we could be found at any time.
“What would they do to us if they found us?” asked Jeff
“They’d have no use for you guys or your Mom, you’d be lucky to be left alive after they got their money but they’d take Jacinta back and Jade, get them hooked. Probably relocate Jade to another part of the country, New York, Miami, Chicago. She’d be another young junkie working for a pimp.”
Scratch the sobering thought now it was terrifying.
“So what did this Melville dude say?” Tim demanded, he was angry.
“He wants his money above all else, all of it back. But he gave no promises said he’d think about it. Asked me how I could get it for him. I just said I had contacts in the community and that I could act in the middle, get it back, that the people involved were frightened just wanted it to all go away but that they would be protected by every surfer out here and was it a fight he really wanted. He agreed he needed me as the negotiator and he didn’t want the attention especially if the police got involved. All I can say is I’m hopeful”
“So we can give the money back and if we’re lucky we get away with our lives, if we’re not we could be killed and two of the people I love most in this life could be sold as prostitutes and forced into drug addiction” said Jeff.
Jacinta looked at him, two of the people he LOVED most. His statement wasn’t lost on her or on me either but then again I knew he loved me as much as I loved him. We were family after all.
“Pretty much” said Dave
“Fuck them! Fuck them all, no way am I living like this. They think they can frighten us, scare us into submission no fucking way!” I’d never seen Jeff like this, it kind of scared me but it also made me proud. My real Dad was gone my oldest brother was stepping up.
He continued
“We know where they are now and what they do. They infest our community with their drugs and make girls their slaves. Now they’re threatening my family. Whose side are you on Dave, will you help us?”
Dave looked him in the eye then over at me.
“Your side, I’ve always been on your side, I’ll protect you guys with my life”
“Yeah” said Tim “but we need help and time to plan”
“We have to go on like nothings’ happening, till everyone’s ready.”
‘How the hell was I going to concentrate on school now, on being a model on Wednesday when all this was going on’ I wondered.
CHAPTER 16 - Hope
When we got home I’ve never seen my mother so relieved as when we told her what Dave had said. She beamed for the rest of the day and even broke out into humming that little lullaby again as she sat and mended a pair of Tim’s shorts. She had been to see the police, had given them the photographs but all they said was we had some photos of a couple of guys and a building. Unless they had ‘just cause’ to search the building there wasn’t a hang of a lot they could do. Mom had suggested they do a stakeout like in the movies but they just laughed.
“This is real life lady” the officer had said and threw the photos into a tray that was already full to overflowing. Mom had shrugged her shoulders and left wondering what had happened to our justice system.
Dinner of course was spectacular, the Enchiladas Jacinta and I had made weren’t eaten by Jeff and Tim as much as they were inhaled. I had so enjoyed making them with her and we had laughed and squealed and giggled all the way through the process. I was becoming really close to her and she kept calling me her ferocious little sister. The boys of course had been kicked out of the kitchen while Mom pottered around looking over our shoulders offering the odd suggestion. As a boy I hadn’t really thought much about cooking, to me meals just magically appeared at just the right time and my job was to help clean up the mess afterwards. As a girl making a meal and cooking was curiously therapeutic and I enjoyed it greatly. Perhaps it also had something to do with my fellow chefs.
I rang Jaz after dinner and filled her in on all the gossip but didn’t go into any details about what was happening to our family. We talked about boys (Phil) and hair and movies and makeup. We squealed and giggled and she told me what she thought of him. It felt good to have a friend to chat with and hey we were 15 year old girls, well nearly 15 anyway. As I put the phone down Mom came in and picked up a hair brush. She had gotten into the habit of brushing my hair at night and I had fallen in love with her doing it. She had a knack of getting the knots out easily and by the end my hair looked and felt like spun silk. Over the two and a half months since my transformation it had grown very thick very quickly and fell down my back.
“Mom do you think I’m pretty” I asked her as she pulled the brush through my hair.
The brush stopped and I could see her looking at me in the reflection of my mirror. She had one of those expressions on her face that said ‘are you stupid of course you are.’
“Don’t be silly Jade, you’re not just pretty you’re beautiful”
“Yeah but Mom, honestly”
“Jade every young girl goes through this, they all wonder if they’re attractive enough, whether they’re too fat or just right. It’s just natural I did it, you’re doing it and if you have a daughter she’ll probably do it”
A daughter, I hadn’t considered that. I might actually have a daughter or son or even both. I’d heard about childbirth in my health ed class but now as a girl it was real, one day I’d be going through it, I put the thought out of my head. Although actually I kind of hoped if it did ever happen one day I’d have a kid like Tyler. I wondered how he was I hadn’t seen him for a while. Mom kept brushing.
“Thanks I guess it’s just this is so new to me and I know I can’t go back to my old life anymore so I just need to know I’m going to fit in, that I actually you know look like a real girl.”
“How many times have you been into a women’s restroom now?”
“Ahh I don’t know heaps”
“Has any other woman ever told you to leave that you don’t look ‘female’ enough to be there?”
“No, never”
“You look like a real girl Jade, trust me” Mom was so logical. I giggled
“If you could go back would you?” Mom asked “back to Jayden”
“Actually I was thinking about that just today in fact and you know what Mom for the first time the answer was no. I don’t think I would. I kinda like being a girl, its cool.”
“I’m glad darling, you’ll find there are huge advantages to being female Jade, the world is opening up for women, you can be anything you like, be who you like. I don’t suppose’ She cleared her throat “you’ve thought about boyfriends or ummm girlfriends have you?”
“I like boys Mom, actually there’s ummm a boy who kind of likes me, he wants to take me out tomorrow for coffee or a soda or something”
“Really!? That’s…..nice. What’s his name?”
So I filled my mother in on Phil, how he was Lauren’s brother, how he was a photographer blah blah.
She ummed and ahhed as I told her while she brushed my hair out then proceeded to give me advice on boys as if I didn’t already know I mean I had been one. She repeated herself at least a million times (no exaggeration) about what boys really want and to be careful while I assured her I wasn’t even going there.
“We’ve just met Mom we’re just friends”
“That’s what all the girls say Jade. Just try not to be alone with him tomorrow, please, for me, go to the Mall or something”
“Sure, of course”
She got up to leave and gave me a big hug after putting the hair brush away
“Just off now honey, gotta go out”
“Huh go out now, what for” I asked with a frown it was late
“Just have to go buy that shotgun I was talking about the other day”
I fell back on my pillow and laughed my hair cascading around me, my mother would probably do that too.
CHAPTER 17 – Fortunate Fool
My date with Phil went too quickly, we went to the mall like Mom suggested after I introduced him to her. He had this little scooter thing that sounded like a sewing machine but we both fit on it and we zoomed off in a cloud of smoke zipping between cars.
Fortunately I wore jeans but I’d decided to put on the sexiest top I had, it was low cut with spaghetti straps and made of silk that was a baby pink color. It only came down to the top of my jeans so my midriff was exposed now and then. Matched with a black cardigan that sparkled in the light and with jeans that emphasised my rear I looked super hot or so Jacinta said when she critiqued me.
We had chatted over a soda and laughed about the same things. He didn’t take his eyes off me or even attempt to look at another girl. He made me feel……good.
All too soon it was over though and as we walked through the mall I felt him slip his hand in mine our fingers lacing together. He gave my hand a little squeeze and I smiled to myself.
‘Yup I’m a girl’ I thought as I squeezed back
When we got to his scooter he smiled over at me.
“That was fun, I love being with you” he said
He seemed shy, maybe a little nervous. I didn’t get it until he leaned over and kissed me. It took me by surprise at first then I responded and kissed him back. It was gentle our lips just pressed together, I closed my eyes and felt his breath tickle my cheek. We held the kiss and I opened my eyes to see his looking straight at me. He put his arms around me and pulled me close, I felt his warmth and put my arms around him gazing into his eyes.
“I could get used to this” he said
I smiled at the cliché but in a funny way it felt right.
“Yeah me too”
“I guess I should take you home”
“I guess” but I didn’t take my arms from around him, this date was getting better and better.
He laughed “You know if I don’t get you home I’m going to have to answer to your brothers and your Mom. There is no way I’m risking that”
I kind of did a mock sigh and chuckled thinking about Mom and her shotgun. My uncle had told us stories of how he and Mom had lived by orchards out east and that as kids they’d raided the apple trees. The orchardist had shot at them with a shotgun full of salt peter to scare all the kids away. I had this mental image of my mother shooting Phil in the butt.
“Let’s go” he said and I slipped onto the back of his little scooter and snaked my arms around his waist holding him tight leaning my head against his back. He was right I could get used to this.
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“Grom, its October 6th next weekend that’s your birthday got any plans?”
“Umm no why” I asked Tim curious
“Cool don’t make any”
“How come?”
“Thought you might like to go surfing up at Blacks Beach with a few of us, maybe stay the night sleeping in the dunes.” Tim was sitting playing with his motor bike again as I watched. If he wasn’t surfing he was working on the darn thing. He’d usually look at Mom and go “Homework? What homework?” then go back to tinkering whenever she asked.
“Really you mean it?” I was over the moon I’d never had the chance to go on one of these adventures with my brothers I’d always been either too young or doing something else at the time and Blacks Beach was one of the top surfing spots in Southern California. It was bounded by huge cliffs about 300 feet high and the waves were legendary, really fast and really big as they jacked up after moving over an underwater canyon.
“Yeah, thought we could all go in Pete’s Kombi, take a tent, cook some sausages up for dinner. Ummm I was kind of wondering if your friend, Jasmine, wanted to come too. You know keep you company, Jacinta’s gonna tag along with Jeff. It would be fun. A few of the other guys were talking of coming as well. Might be a bit cool but hey this is California”
I ran over to him and squeezed him as hard as I could then did this little dance in front of him that probably looked really girly, but I didn’t care. I had a feeling this was going to be the best birthday ever.
“She likes you, you know”
“Aw yeah I figured as much I umm wouldn’t mind getting to know her”
“I’ll ring her now”
I skipped off to my room and rang Jaz explaining the invitation to her and who would be on the trip. I think Tim heard the squealing outside as he worked on his bike. Jaz had to do a bit to persuade her parents but finally they relented since both Jacinta and I would be there. The three ‘J’s’ I thought Jacinta, Jasmine and Jade. We were now officially the three Musketeers for this coming weekend.
We still had to get through the week but I didn’t mind, I could see my friends and Phil at school, we were still working on our charity project plus I had the modelling opportunity coming up. Morgan Chapman had returned to school a much more subdued and quiet guy. I hadn’t told anyone what he had tried to do to me at his home and I intended to keep it just between him and me. He steered clear of me and I kept away from him so it all worked. I continued to work a few days a week at Dave’s shop and would train on the days I didn’t. I even saw Tyler on the bus most days and he excitedly asked me if I could be his ‘fishal babysitter’ I told him I’d talk to his Mom and if she wanted me to babysit and I was free then sure I’d love to make it ‘fishal’. He’d grinned manically and just about tripped over his feet in his rush to tell her that Jade was his new babysitter. She waved and I held my fingers to my head like they were a phone mouthing “I’ll call you” She gave me the thumbs up as the bus chugged away.
I loved my little group of friends we were tight and getting tighter. I’d known Josh, Sam and Jasmine since I’d started and the other girls just seemed to fit together perfectly plus Phil had ‘joined’ the group which didn’t worry me in the slightest although I wasn’t too sure how Lauren felt about her brother hanging around so much. We sat together, talked and laughed together. Life was getting back to normal.
CHAPTER 18 – Inaudible Melodies
Jacinta and I walked through the mall looking for the shop we had come there for.
I wanted to spend some of my savings on some very intimate and sexy black lingerie and had persuaded Jacinta to accompany me to buy it.
The shop assistant walked over to us eventually. We had found the store, it was lined wall to wall with every piece of intimate girly underwear you can imagine from push up bras to lacy panties and boy shorts. They even had a section with corsets. I was drawn to the beautiful baby doll sets however and held the filmy material between my fingers wondering what it would feel like to wear one of these. Jacinta was no better and we spent a good 10 minutes enraptured with just looking and touching.
“Is there anything you’re interested in?” the girl said
“Um yes I was wanting to buy a black push up bra and um some matching boy shorts please, sexy ones” I was half embarrassed half freaking out excited.
The shop assistant looked me over and smiled, leading me to a rack of bras. She sorted through them and finally found what she was looking for.
“What cup size are you?” she wasn’t talking to herself as much as to me, looking me over assessing my size.
“Let’s try a C cup I think” and she handed me a selection of three very lacy, very sexy underwired bras. “Go and try these on see what you like then we’ll find some matching panties”
A C cup I was astonished, really, I looked down at my breasts, wow I thought.
Walking in to the changing rooms I quickly pulled my top and bra off. Trying on these bras was somewhere between exhilaration and a spiritual experience. They pushed my breasts up and gave me cleavage. I was gobsmacked looking at myself in the full length mirror. The assistant knew what she was doing; I wanted to buy all three. Finally however I decided on the two I liked best and wandered back out. It took another 15 minutes to decide on the panties but I was soon walking from the store with two matching sets of rather sexy lingerie. Jacinta and I strolled along giggling like school girls, which I suppose is exactly what we were.
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The big dance was coming up and I couldn’t wait, I had the most beautiful dress to wear. It was Wednesday recess and I was walking to my locker with Jaz. Aside from Jacinta she was the closest girlfriend I had and we shared everything together.
Coming to my locker we noticed a flower had been taped to the door, a red rose, but it was dead, curled over and wilted, the green leaves now dry and brittle. Slipped inside the locker was an envelope, just plain, white. I looked at Jasmine as I opened it. We both stared at the writing:-
I LOVED YOU
WHY COULDN’T YOU LOVE ME BACK?
A genuinely large shiver went up and down my spine.
The main corridor of our school was like any school lined with lockers and punctuated by doors that led to classrooms or laboratories. Students were sitting inside some listening, some with heads bowed concentrating on the work given others laughing and talking. Jaz and I hurried along not seeing any of it. We needed to see Mrs Shirley and show her the note. Was it for real or was someone pranking us and who could it be? This was not making my day. Additionally Jaz and I had skirts on that were probably far too short so not only were we going to get advice and help we were probably going to get told off as well.
Knocking on her door very timidly we stood outside waiting, trying to pull our skirts down so they kind of looked a bit longer than they actually were. I rubbed a little of my lip gloss off too and tried to make a sweet innocent face although in reality I was feeling pretty freaked out by the note and just looked scared.
Mrs Shirley came to the door and looked at us smiling.
“Come in girls, is something wrong, what’s the matter?” she always got straight down to business.
I showed her the note and the flower that had been taped to my locker. I think she noticed my hand shaking as I passed it to her. I saw her looking at my skirt but she said nothing about it. For her it was compassion first, justice second. I knew I’d get the telling off but it wouldn’t be now.
“Sit down girls and fill me in” she looked at the note again as we sat on seats in front of her desk. I pressed my knees together and put my hands in my lap. It wasn’t done consciously I just did it.
“We found this on Jade’s locker” Jaz indicated the rose “and then we found the note slipped inside. It freaked us out, what should we do?”
“Well the first thing you must do is not panic ladies and you’ve already done the second thing and that is to bring it to me. Now Jade is there anyone you know who might send you a note like this a, ahh, jilted lover shall we say, not that you would have a lover at your age but you know what I mean”
“Well I did go on a date with a boy, Phil Thomas, he’s in the same grade as me and I um kissed him”
“And that’s it?”
“Yes ma’am that’s right”
“And you were straight up with this boy, you haven’t two timed him or anything?”
“No ma’am I have enough trouble keeping up with one boy let alone two” Mrs Shirley chortled at that for some reason.
“Yes well be that as it may I think I’ll call young Phillip in and have a bit of a chat with him and see if we can’t get to the bottom of this. See if he knows anything. Don’t worry girls I’m sure it’s all very innocent, maybe a boy with a broken heart. I have a feeling you are both going to break a few in your lifetime”
We both blushed looking down at our toes.
“If only we could have a TARDIS Jade and be able to go back in time and sort these messes out before they start hmmmm”
Jasmine’s eyes shot up while I looked perplexed. What was a TARDIS?
“You watch The Doctor Mrs Shirley really?” Jaz was beside herself.
“Of course Jaz, all cultured intelligent people do, isn’t Matt Smith divine and that David Tennant wasn’t he just gorgeous?”
This led on to a protracted discussion about Time Lords, Daleks, Cybermen and Weeping Angels. I sat there in a daze as they talked and chuckled together about some British television program and which episode was their favorite. Jaz looked over at me.
“Oh Jade you don’t know what you’re missing Doctor Who is just the best TV program in the world. You are so coming over one night and watching it. I have all of them.”
I nodded giving her that fake smile that said ‘Yeah right sister’ but I had the feeling I had no chance and would soon be initiated into ‘The Doctor’. The letter was forgotten, for now.
“Now since you’re both here you might as well help me. What class are you supposed to be in now?” said Mrs Shirley
We were both meant to be in Math but missing that would be sensational.
“I’ll let your teacher know. Now the school has decided to introduce a school uniform”
We looked aghast ‘Uniform!!!’
“Don’t look like that, it’s not going to be worn all the time, we simply want to introduce a dress uniform for our students when they represent us at something. For instance if you did hockey and went as a team to play another school you would all wear it and look very smart before changing into your playing uniform. For the girls it would consist of a nice black blazer and a white blouse and a black pleated skirt, not quite as short as the ones you are wearing now though” she looked pointedly over her glasses at us, there was the telling off.
“The blazer would have our school crest embroided onto it. What do you think?”
I actually liked the idea and thought it would make us look very smart and nice.
“I like it” I said
“Good because you two are going to be our girl models. I want to put some photographs on our school website and into a newsletter home to parents to let them know about it. Any objections to doing a little modelling?”
We had none especially if it got us out of Math.
“Can you suggest a couple of boys who might be willing to help us with modelling the male version at all?”
I had just the two.
“Josh Sayers and Sam Gibson they’d make lovely models”
“Right go and get them” she looked them up on her computer and gave us a slip of paper to give to their teachers.
We skipped off to get the boys. This was going to be fun.
Assembled back in Mrs Shirley’s office we were all smiles and laughter as she handed out the clothes. We were to get changed in our respective restrooms and come back quickly with the emphasis on quickly. Doing so we admired each other standing there waiting for the photographer to organise himself. Jaz and I had been given skirts that came down to just above the knee. Too long we thought so we did what all girls do who have to wear a uniform skirt. We rolled the waist band to make them shorter. Being pleated they flared out from our tiny waists and showed off our legs. The blouses sat outside the skirt and then the blazer over that. We looked really snobby and flash.
Josh and Sam had long dark trousers and a white shirt with a tie. The blazer was cut for a man and I had to admit the boys looked really handsome other than Sam’s mess of hair. Mrs Shirley sent him off to comb it and when he came back we were led off to the front of the school outside the administration building and beside the school flagpole where the American flag fluttered. Josh was paired with Jaz and Sam with me. We took pictures standing together or separately which reminded me of the surfing shoot. The photographer said Jaz and I had very photogenic faces and seemed to take an awful lot of us. For one shot Sam had to put his arm around my waist and seemed really reserved.
“Come on Sam I won’t bite” I grinned at him “We’re friends remember”
Tentatively he reached his arm around me and held my side. I could feel his whole arm shaking and when I reached around to hold his hand he was sweating.
“Are you okay?” I asked genuinely worried for him, maybe he was sick.
He glanced at me then away
“I’m fine, let’s just get this done then we can get changed”
He was on edge, unusually so. I decided we needed to talk.
After that the photographer seemed to take a never-ending time. How many did he need for a school newsletter and a website I wondered but finally it was over and we could get changed. Mrs Shirley thanked us and looked pointedly at our skirts before we left. We got the message loud and clear, she appreciated modesty from the girl students and it was the school rules that our skirts had to be a certain length. We took that as a first and final warning. Longer skirts tomorrow or face the consequences. Before we left though Mrs Shirley told us she’d tried to get a hold of Phil but he wasn’t here at school today. She’d rung home and his Mom had confirmed he was there sick. It didn’t look like he was the mysterious letter writer.
I caught up with the boys and walked next to Sam, he was quiet
“Everything okay you seemed really nervous holding me today”
He stopped and waved the others to continue. When they were out of earshot he breathed out noisily.
“Yeah look about that, sorry but every time I’m close to you I get that reaction.”
I looked puzzled “How come?”
“Have you looked at yourself lately? Ever since you turned up to school as a girl every guy has gone gaga over you. Haven’t you noticed the stares or how guys open doors for you or offer you things?”
I thought about it and acknowledged that perhaps Sam was right but I hadn’t really noticed; it just seemed to be part of my day. Didn’t guys do that with all the girls?
“Jade!” he seemed exasperated “you’re beautiful, gorgeous, stunning how else can I put this? Whenever I’m around you I can’t think I can hardly breathe and you don’t even notice me. Shit my heart stops when you laugh or smile.”
I smiled
“See like that, honest I can’t take it any-more, other than perhaps Jaz who maybe comes close to you and your brothers got her, you’re the most beautiful girl in school. I’m just Sam I have no chance”
“Sam if I wasn’t interested in someone else and you asked me out. I’d say yes. I think you are kind and gentle and considerate. You’d make a fine boyfriend for any girl in this school and beside you’re not bad looking, specially when that hair of yours is combed”
He didn’t seem convinced and a dark look came over his face.
“Yeah well its okay for you to say” he stomped off in the direction of his classroom but the bell rang for lunch. Students poured out of the doors of each room and he was quickly lost to sight. I stood there jostled a bit by the thronging masses wondering about our conversation. Turning on my heel I made my way to my locker. Jaz was standing there looking at the door taped to it this time was a yellow carnation wilted and dead like the rose. Jaz held her iPhone in front of her looking something up on the net. She looked at me.
“You know how a red rose symbolises love and affection?”
“Yeah”
“Do you know what a yellow carnation means?”
“No” I dreaded the answer
“It means rejection and disappointment”
I opened my locker wondering if there was a note in it……..there stuck to the side sat an envelope.
“I think I know who it is” I said to Jaz
CHAPTER 19 - Flake
That night Mom told me to pack an overnight bag.
“Huh, what for?” I’d asked
“Well if you must know” she said hands on hips and a huge smile on her face “We’re staying overnight in San Diego in a flash hotel then on Thursday you and I are going to get some pampering. Since you won’t be here on your birthday I’ve decided this is your present, just a bit early and no questions about whether we can afford it okay”
“Okay sure wow, umm what do you mean by ‘pampering’”
“Just trust me Jade you’re going to love it, pack a bikini too you’re going to need it”
Tim walked past and smacked me playfully. “Pampering huh” he commented. I kicked him in the butt and instantly got a lesson in how much weaker I was now.
“I’m glad you’re on my side” I said breathlessly to him after he had dumped me on my backside
“Always and forever sis” he said over his shoulder as he sauntered out toward his motorbike “Always and forever”
I rushed off to pack a bag.
Wednesday dawned calm and clear and we jumped in the little Toyota early to beat traffic and make our 10.00 am appointment. We sailed up the freeway singing along to the radio and giggling at some of the antics radio DJ’s got up to. It didn’t take too long and we were soon in the vicinity of the offices we needed to be at hunting around for a car park. San Diego is a diverse city with a vast disparity between rich and poor. Some of the mansions in the hills or near the ocean are massive while the homeless can be seen living under bridges or in alleys. I always felt sad seeing them. The city itself was huge and growing bigger. Massive skyscrapers stood in the Central Business district located down near San Diego Bay and it was home to the U.S. Navy who had shipbuilding and submarine yards there, aircraft carriers, destroyers and so on. As you can imagine you could find a sailor on every corner.
Today was a different story though and I was both nervous and excited as we entered the office. A beautifully dressed and made up receptionist met us and asked us to wait. She wore a dark purple dress that fit her like a glove emphasising her small waist and long legs. Her makeup was perfect with dusky smouldering eyes, complemented by her dark red lips and smooth skin while her chestnut colored hair fell in waves around her face and down her back. I was in awe.
In due course Bridee Gordon came out and I began to wonder if Chances only employed incredibly attractive women. She had high heels on with a dark blue dress that said corporate and sexy at the same time. She had brunette hair cut in a bob that fell to her shoulders and perfect makeup complimenting her classically beautiful face.
She smiled warmly at us with a set of perfect white teeth and shook our hands.
“My Jade you are quite the rare beauty” she said looking me over while I blushed. This from a woman who could be in ‘Vogue’ magazine.
Ushering us through we walked to a private elevator and up to a large floor that had a studio, dressing rooms and a makeup room with mirrors and lights. I felt like I’d stepped onto a Hollywood movie set.
“You have just the look we’ve been searching for Jade, thank you so much for agreeing to come up here to do this.” Bridee gushed “I have a feeling you’re really going to enjoy today, you’ll be working with some other surfers as well plus we’ll be doing some individual shots of you for next year’s spring catalogue. It’s just still photos today but if our marketing manager likes what you’ve done we’d like to invite you back at a later date to be involved in shooting some advertisements for TV. Oh and we probably won’t have time to do any action shots down at the beach today so we’ll have to leave that till later”
“Jade can you go with that lady there” Bridee said “I’m just going to talk with your Mom about all the legal stuff since you’re so young. She’ll take you and get your hair and makeup done then fit you into a bikini for your first shoot. After that we’ll redo your hair and so on then get you to pose in some of our clothes with the others, then a few by yourself.”
She was like a machine gun rattling off instructions while I just stared in wonder around me as I was led to get my hair done. The stylist made me sit down and began brushing out my hair then did a plat down the front left of my face. It looked really cute so I got her to show me how to do it so I could copy it later at home.
Next was the makeup artist who cooed and enthused over my cheek bones and ‘gorgeous’ eyes. By the time she had finished I didn’t recognise myself. This wasn’t young girls playing around with makeup, this was a professional and I can honestly say I felt beautiful when she was through with me. The bikini I was asked to put on was a royal blue that clung to my boobs, showed off my nipples and was so small I felt I was naked. Walking out I spotted the other models being used today and just stood still. My stomach went into overdrive as I was introduced to both Anastasia and Gabriel two of the top female and male surfers in the world. Chances had done a sponsorship deal with them and part of that was they would model swimsuits, boards and clothes for them. I was star struck as I was introduced and just about peed my bikini when I shook Gabriel’s hand. They were both incredibly nice to me as I stammered out a hello. The other surfer/model I didn’t know but had heard of. His name was Nick Kelly and he was a rising star around San Diego and was tipped to go places in the surfing world. He was tall and wide with a shock of dark hair on his head. He always seemed to be laughing and his eyes creased up as he told jokes and kidded around with us. The photographer and another guy who kind of directed us around were all business like and soon we were being bossed into all sorts of poses and positions. At one stage I had to sit on Nick’s shoulders while he held a surfboard. Anastasia and I cycled through bikini after bikini together and I became fast friends with her. We laughed and chatted as we posed especially at Nick’s never ending one liners and jokes. After the others heard that I actually surfed and wasn’t just some model pulled in for the shoot they opened up, encouraging me and asking if I’d like to go surfing with them some time soon. I was over the moon and realized that this was a fairy tale come true. I also couldn’t help noticing that Nick would seek out my company whenever we had a break and would sit next to me shoulder to shoulder his leg touching mine. It didn’t help that he was handsome and funny and kooky and just plain likeable either but I felt conflicted. Here I was attracted to one of California’s top surfers and someone who was obviously attracted to me while at home was the sweetest kindest guy who just a few days ago I had kissed for the first time.
‘Damn it’ I thought ‘I really didn’t need this right now but oh my god he’s beautiful’
We shot picture after picture and I got to wear all the new clothes the shop was bringing out next Spring. After one set they’d take us girls in and change our hair and makeup then give us new clothes to put on then send us back out. I went from sultry and sexy to girl next door and back again. By the time we were finished I was exhausted, famished and ready to stop.
This whole modelling stuff was way harder than it looked.
Nick wandered up to me and put his arm around my shoulders, grinning like a Cheshire cat. He was nothing if not cocky yet he got away with it because of his humour and just downright sexiness.
“So are you doing anything this weekend?” he asked
“Umm it’s my birthday and my brothers are taking me surfing at Blacks Beach, we’re camping overnight in the dunes”
“Your birthday, cool how old are you 19, 20?”
“No just 15” I said blushing he must think I’m just a baby.
“Really, wow you look older, I mean you know with all the makeup and stuff, I didn’t mean……”
I smirked, girls have so much power if the boy likes you this was so cool.
“No offence Nick I’ll take it as a compliment, so how old are you then 40, 41?”
He laughed at that and any tension we felt evaporated. “Nah just 17 it’s all these wrinkles though”
I felt comfortable and at ease with him, we smiled easily together.
“I’m not doing anything this weekend so would it be okay if I met you there, kind of tagged along? I’ll bring a present”
“Sure, but you don’t have to go out of your way with a present, I’m not a materialistic girl, maybe just a Ferrari or a Porsche. Nothing expensive” I giggled and he grinned.
“I love your laugh” he said
‘I love your smile’ I thought but in the end I said nothing. Was I being disloyal to Phil with this flirting? I didn’t know after all surely we were just friends even though I’d kissed him. ‘Argh’ I thought ‘boys!’
Mom walked in at that moment and smiled at Nick.
“You finished hun?” she asked
“Think so, I was just talking to Nick. Oh um Mom this is Nick Kelly, he’s kind of been my partner today. He surfs too”
He turned the full force of his smile on my Mom and she smiled back.
“Nice to meet you Nick I’m Michelle” they shook hands
“Pleased to meet you ahh Michelle, you have an amazing daughter”
Mom looked at me “I know, more amazing than you’d ever believe”
Saying our goodbyes after swapping mobile numbers Mom led me out. A security guard rode down with us and let us through the door. It was already dark and cool and the night seemed to press around us. A couple of young girls in really short skirts and low tops were standing on the other side of the street. They looked at us then looked away, we weren’t potential clients. I studied them as we walked past they looked about 18 or 19 but could easily have been older or younger it was hard to tell. Their eyes darted around not only looking for clients but also potential threats. They seemed haunted, that could be me.
“He seems a nice guy” Mom commented stirring me from my thoughts
“Yeah” I said a dreamy look appearing on my face and Mom laughed.
“Let’s go to our hotel, we can grab a bite to eat on the way and freshen up. Do you want to do anything tonight?”
I was exhausted “Watch a movie in our room and fall fast asleep after a nice hot shower” I suggested.
“You young kids these days, no stamina” Mom laughed as we walked to the car our arms around each-others waists.
Thursday was pampering day and I awoke looking out the window of our 20th storey room with the most stunning views of the Bay and the Pacific Ocean. From this height I could see the curvature of the Earth as the sun reflected off the smooth sea turning it a deep blue. A couple of ships sat on the horizon floating between sea and sky one of them bristling with antennas and satellite dishes heading off to guard our borders while the other was loaded down with cargo containers heading in to port with electronic stuff from Korea maybe or cars from Japan.
I was wearing a beautiful soft lavender nighty that only barely covered my rear and did little to hide my breasts. My long blond hair fell down my back messed up by my sleep. I stretched luxuriously forgetting I had no panties on. The nighty lifted and had anyone been around they would have had a good view of my shapely legs and butt. It spoke still about the innocence I had of my developing figure and ignorance over what I looked like and the effect I had on males.
I thought too about both Nick and Phil and felt queasy in my stomach. Life had just got a whole lot more complicated after yesterday. I didn’t really get it at this stage but I was going to have to break one of their hearts.
After dressing and a light breakfast, we girls had to watch our figures you know, we headed off to the spa. It was nestled in one of the more up market neighbourhoods in San Diego and was flanked by green lawns and fancy houses. Driving in we parked in one of the spaces and wandered through the large doors that opened silently as we approached them.
A young receptionist greeted us wearing a white smock but like all receptionists in San Diego was gorgeous and friendly.
We were led into a room where we changed from our street clothes into the most sumptuous bath robes that were baby pink and had the name of the spa stitched on to them in fancy lettering.
Next we were led into a studio where two women who looked to be Japanese began to work on our backs and legs massaging and kneading the knots out. The oils they used smelled heavenly and after half an hour we both felt exceptionally relaxed. Next came these hot stone things that were laid along our spines. At first it almost felt like we were going to be burnt but in actual fact after another ten minutes I was so relaxed I wanted to fall asleep.
However we were roused from our slumber and led to another room where we sat down and were given facials that left our skin smooth and glowing.
“I could get used to this ‘pampering’ Mom” I quipped
“Me too honey, me too” she said as she let the woman apply more cream to her face.
‘If only my brothers could see me now’ I mused
Finally came the manicure and I was given the choice of gel nails or a shellac finish. I chose the shellac in a cool soft mauve color that the manicurist raved over. After having my nails shaped and cuticles taken care of along with some tut tutting and strict instructions about how I should take care of my hands I looked down at what were now my really funky fingers.
“Thank you” I gushed “they look amazing” I was now a nail polish addict and wanted to go out and buy about 20 bottles of nail lacquer. “Get good stuff” suggested the manicurist “OPI or China Glaze, Sally Hansen or Zoya are tops” I made a mental note of the names and decided before we headed home I would be visiting a store that sold those brands.
Around 3.00pm we were in the car and headed home. I had bought my nail polish while Mom had bought some more cosmetics and a few new bras for both her and I. She seemed to enjoy shopping together with me and for my part I simply liked being with her. There was probably still a bit of boy in me because I just went in bought the stuff I wanted and walked out. I had a feeling though that may change over time as pretty clothes and shoes called out their siren song to me.
Arriving home the boys were about as interested as doorstops in our experiences so we raved about it to Jacinta who joined in to our enthusiastic talking then started on dinner. Pete, Tim and Jeff’s friend, turned up in his Kombi van and we chucked some of our stuff in it ready for tomorrow. It was a burnt orange color with widened rims and could carry up to six people easily. Minted in the early 1970’s it was a real classic. Almost everyone in the community recognised it instantly and loved the old school surf feel it gave off. We were all eager for the trip and spoke loudly and excitedly to each other. After a couple of tents and some sleeping bags were thrown in and our surf boards were strapped to the roof we relaxed in our kitchen and chatted over our food.
Plans were made on where we would meet, what time we would leave, whether we would get a surf in before it was dark and what food we would need to bring. If Mom, Jacinta and I had our way it would be more than a few sausages and a slice of bread. None of the boys argued about that surprisingly. They thought taking girls on the trip was all positive and no negatives so long as we filled their bellies. As I was now officially on the girl’s side we laughed at their trash talk and made fun of how much richer women made their lives. It was funny how my life had changed so drastically but it also felt warm and comfortable.
Tim and Jeff also shared an idea they had about starting a business together with Pete once they had finished school. They talked about opening a surf shop that sold surf wear and all the accessories but they also wanted to branch out and shape their own boards. They would have a range of different lengths from long to short, basic to competition.
“And where were you thinking of getting the money for all this?” Mom asked
“Well we’ve saved a bit of money and we could sell our bikes plus Pete has some cash. There are a couple of empty shops down by the waterfront and we could lease one of those.”
“Plus Mom from all of what I did yesterday with the modelling and maybe the television commercials they could use that money.” I added
“No way hun that money is going into your college fund” Mom retorted
“Yeah Jay, there’s no way we’re gonna take that money from you but we were wondering if, well, you wouldn’t mind if we called the boards ‘Jade’” said Tim
“As in ‘Jade Surfboards’ we thought it had a cool vibe” Pete continued
“Plus we were going to call the shop ‘Jade Surfboards’ as well, the logo would be in a cool metallic green color, plus you could be in the promo pics and in our catalogue” Jeff said “Women’s Surfing Champion Jade Chamberlin on a Jade surfboard, wicked aye!”
I was speechless and just scratched my chin blinking at them plus I guess blinking back the tears.
“You mean it really you’re not just pulling my leg?”
“Nope, no way we’re deadly serious” Pete said “and besides we’d have the hottest looking, best girl surfer on the coast doing our advertising for us for free. How can we lose?”
I looked up at Mom, she had tears in her eyes and then over at the guys.
“Deal!” I exclaimed and flung my arms around their necks and kissed their cheeks, Pete went bright red.
Not a lot of sleep was had that night but there was a ton of talk and planning and laughter.
CHAPTER 20 – Do You Remember
In autumn the temperatures stay warm in Southern California so I lay in bed wearing just my chemise reflecting on events.
Someone had a crush on me for some reason and thought I’d rejected them. The weird thing was I didn’t know what I’d done to make them think that except for the conversation I’d had with Sam. He was a really nice guy but he’d never shown his true feelings toward me since my transformation. How was I to know he felt like that? I wondered if he really was the one leaving dead flowers in my locker, it really seemed so out of character and besides he had been with us at the photo shoot for the new school uniform when it had all been planted. I wasn’t sure if I actually would have gone out with him in all honesty but I had never gone out of my way to hurt him either. Was he correct about how boys perceived me, was I really that pretty? It was hard because as a girl you tend to look at yourself in kind of a harsh light and not as the world sees you. You look at all the little flaws and try to hide them sometimes forgetting about all the good things too.
My recent experience with Morgan had also helped me understand my vulnerability as a girl. I was physically weaker than most guys and some of them took that as a right to dominate or control the women in their lives. I’d already been through enough to see how it all worked. But I also had fantastic role models in my life women that showed me how my actions and words would dictate how others might treat me. I wasn’t about to let all this negative stuff determine who I was or how I responded to it but that was easier said than done.
That brought me back to whoever it was that seemed hell bent on freaking me out. So what was this person’s intention for me? Did they want revenge or to scare me, how far would they go?
Suddenly my phone went off and I think I left my imprint on the ceiling it gave me such a fright. It was Jasmine who had yet another idea to catch the culprit.
“We need to spy on your locker!”
“What do you mean spy on my locker, are you mad how are we going to do that?” incredulity dripping from me
“We need to make a spy hole across the corridor from your locker, the girls toilets are there we just have to drill a hole so we can spy through the wall”
I was amazed, the girl wanted to drill a hole in the wall of the school so we could spy on a locker, she really was mad. This was not only why I loved her but also looked forward to every day. She turned life into an adventure although I pitied anyone who got on the wrong side of this girl except Tim of course.
“What the heck” I said “let’s do it” and so for the next ten minutes we discussed how.
As she outlined her plan I threw some of my own suggestions in this time, it was important no public humiliation happened. Mrs Shirley had taught me well on that score. We would also let whoever it was go knowing we knew who he was. I hoped that would be enough to make him stop and leave me alone.
Jaz agreed although she wasn’t too sure about the letting him go with just a warning part even though I was.
The house was still and silent after we hung up. Mom had worked a late shift last night and was still fast asleep and I heard nothing coming from Jacinta or the boy’s rooms. This was always a special time of day for me, most teenagers slept in as long as they could but since becoming female I would wake up quite early. Most mornings I would usually lie in bed, look at my phone or maybe read a book. Currently I was crying through ‘The Fault in our Stars’ and wondered how anybody could have the heart and courage to write such a story.
Today I decided to get up and enjoy the morning before I had to go to school. I threw on some panties some old track pants and a thin sweat shirt. I had no bra on and my nipples poked through the material rubbing sensually as I walked. I had to roll up the arms so my hands could poke through and I marvelled at how small they were now, my fingers long and feminine, my nails painted.
I felt my breasts bounce as I moved; it was the most feminine feeling, one that every woman identified with and no man ever could. Walking outside my breath turned to vapour in the still fresh air as I stood in the grass and revelled in the cool dew between my wiggling toes. My nipples were instantly hard and I folded my arms around them, hugging myself keeping me warm. The sound of the distant surf crashing against the beach filled me up with its beauty and rawness while pink and yellow light played around my feet turning even the ugly old street lamps into works of art as the sun rose wrapping everything in its warmth. Behind me the old blue weatherboards of our house turned into silver slivers reflecting the light making me squint if I looked at them. I loved this old place it was home.
As the world around me slumbered I had those fleeting minutes to soak in my world and feel one with it. I thought of Nick and of Phil, my life up to this point and the amazing people in it. Especially I wondered what would happen to us and how we would get through all the craziness.
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I met Jaz as early as I could that morning. We locked ourselves into a cubicle in the girl’s toilets opposite my locker and climbed onto a toilet seat balancing precariously. Jaz produced her dad’s cordless drill from her bag with a big drill bit in it to make the hole. It looked huge in her delicate hands.
“Did you charge the battery?” I asked
She cocked an eyebrow at me as if to ask ‘Do I look stupid?’ then grinned as she tweaked the trigger making the drill turn.
“Of course sweetie” she giggled then looking around she began work making a hole in the dry wall. It took seconds and we had a hole to spy through just high enough to see everything without having to tip toe. I walked into the corridor and looked up. The hole was almost unnoticeable amongst the grime high on the wall. All we needed to do now was cut classes, stand on a toilet seat and spy on my locker. I felt like I was in one of those horror movies where there were eyes in a painting looking at the unsuspecting victim. Except I was the eye and my stalker was the victim.
For those who have never tried it standing on a toilet seat looking through a hole is hard work.
"Was that you?" I asked at one point
Jaz looked over her smile a mixture of wicked pity.
"Macrobiotic diet" she simply stated
"Lucky I love you sister" I retorted back grinning
Jaz and I took turns but nothing happened for two hours. At recess we took a break and stood around in the corridor talking with friends. Sam hurried past me at one stage and I caught him by his shirtsleeve.
“Can we talk please?” I asked “we really have lots to discuss.”
He looked bashful and wouldn’t meet my eyes but mumbled a yes. I was glad.
When the bell rang Jaz and I slunk back into the toilets and waited until the corridor cleared. Suddenly I heard a sharp intake of breath as Jaz squinted through the hole.
“No!” she exclaimed “look!”
I jumped up on the seat and watched through the hole as another dead flower was taped to my locker door and a note slipped inside. I couldn’t believe who it was.
Jaz and I looked at each other amazed and dismayed.
“What should we do?” I asked
“I have no freaking idea” Jaz responded “This is way out of my comfort zone”
We exited the stall. While Jaz packed her bag I leaned against the door staring into space. So this was the person who had a crush on me, who thought I’d rejected them. It was the last person I’d have ever thought of. I needed to talk to them but how, what could I say?
I didn’t have the courage to do it not yet and I swore Jaz to silence.
We went out to my locker and I carefully removed the flower. The corridor was deserted as we read the note. It didn’t really matter what it said we both knew who my rejected admirer was. There were only two words;
UNDYING LOVE
The flower was a pink carnation.
CHAPTER 21 – You and Your Heart
We all gathered at our place straight after school, I especially wanted to forget all the stupid dramas there. Jaz had brought a bag to school and then caught the bus with me. Tyler had jumped on too and sat between us chattering away and without even trying had won Jasmine’s heart as well. I could only imagine how many girlfriends he would have when he got older.
Pete eventually showed up with his girlfriend Elley who we had known for a little while and all liked. She was shorter with one of those bubble butts, large breasts and long dark hair. She adored Pete and he adored her and as far as he was concerned it was a match made in heaven. Packing the Kombi took no time as we threw in pillows and bags of food that would probably feed an army plus anything else we thought we needed.
Mom gave us all a kiss and told us to be careful as we clattered off, the Volkswagen motor roaring its air cooled message to the world.
Black’s Beach wasn’t that far away and we parked in the car park then lugged our stuff into the dunes. We kept to the northern end of the beach because the southern was the most popular and also got nudists although at this time of the year we didn’t really think there would be that many. The boys kept commenting on ‘shrinkage’ because it was cooler, thinking they were hilarious.
The guys erected the tents behind a dune while we girls laid a large plastic sheet on the ground, set up chairs and dragged an old log over for a seat and began to prepare a meal. It was too late to surf by that time so we sat around a little camp fire we had made munching on slabs of bread filled with salads, salami and cheese. We kind of fell into a natural order where Pete and Elley sat together, Jeff and Jacinta and Tim and Jaz who made a very cute looking couple in my esteemed opinion. She adored him, her loyalty to him had no bounds and he treated her like a princess. Well a princess who would have to put up with motorbikes, surfboards and grease. Secretly I knew she would absolutely love being part of his world, I certainly had no objections; I’d get to spend lots of time with her.
Although I didn’t have anyone as far as a guy I wasn’t made to feel left out as we talked and cackled together.
The topic of Jacinta and the money came up though and for a while we were serious.
“How come Dave hasn’t given the money back yet?” Tim contemplated
“Maybe he just wants to keep it” said Pete in between mouthfuls of bread
“Nah I don’t think so, he’s not like that. He knows that this Melville dude wants it and thinks Dave is negotiating to get it back. I figure they’re putting some serious time into trying to find it themselves but they also know Dave’s probably their best bet on getting it back so they’re playing the waiting game.” Jeff spoke with authority and we all listened “Dave knows the money is his only bargaining chip and if he gives it up there is no guarantee that they still won’t come after us and try and take Jacinta back.”
“They have to find us first” Tim said grimly
“Yeah true, so Dave’s walking a fine line between how long they’ll wait and how much he can get from them to protect us. All that’s really keeping us safe is that they don’t know he actually has the cash.”
As they spoke I looked into the fire meditating on their words. I was sitting on a log next to Jaz and had involuntarily scrunched closer to her without even knowing it. She held my hand as I realized she probably didn’t know what we were talking about. ‘Better fix that’ I thought and whispered a hurried explanation into her ear. Her smile became a serious frown as she looked around at us. The gravity of our situation thundered in like a freight train. We huddled together resolute and determined. Us against the world.
The morning dawned clear and calm with a slight breeze coming in from the east and blowing down across the dunes and out to sea. I knew it would pick up throughout the day and the waves would jack up and be spectacular by about mid-day. I sat alone on the fore dune looking out to sea wrapped in my sleeping bag as the sun’s rays crept relentlessly across the beach then onto the ocean. A lone surfer was out there making the most of his solitude and the fact he had every wave to himself. He was really ripping it up turning and twisting his board like a pro. Looking closer I noticed he had a shock of black hair and was tall and wide. Recognizing the figure I got up and raced back to the tent and threw on my wetsuit picked up my board and sprinted for the ocean. I was breathless as I hit the cold water but paddled hard through the break zone and came up my hair streaming while I spat out salt water.
Nick Kelly sat on his board about 25 metres away watching me. As recognition dawned he tried to look nonchalant but couldn’t keep the huge grin off his face. Paddling over to me he was all power and the muscles in his shoulders writhed like snakes under his thin wetsuit. I was wet with arousal and could feel my body pulsate as he drew closer.
“You came then” I said smiling
“Wouldn’t miss a certain girls birthday for the world” he said “Happy Birthday”
“Thanks” I breathed as he kissed me softly on the cheek. I’d never felt like this about anybody else in my entire life and I ached to have him close to me.
“Can’t waste these waves” he grinned and for the next hour we surfed together just he and I. I noticed he let me have all the best waves and whenever I surfed he watched me, as I sat on my board he watched me. When he surfed I marvelled at his skill and power. That hour alone with him was incredibly special and something I knew I’d remember for the rest of my life.
As we walked out of the water through the swash and backwash of the waves his hand sought mine. We walked hand in hand up the beach and if he had wanted to take me somewhere alone I knew I would willingly give him my body and my soul. I also knew that without a shadow of a doubt he felt the same about me.
We got to where he had left his stuff and he knelt down to pick up his towel. I thought he would use it to dry himself but instead he put it around me and rubbed my back while he stared into my eyes. Leaning back down he pulled a small box from his bag and offered it to me.
“For you” he simply said
I opened it and sitting inside was a delicate piece of green stone carved into the most exquisite shape. Like a figure eight but the top part of the ‘O’ was smaller than the bottom and it twisted together. It was held by a fine gold chain. He picked it out and put it around my neck as I held my hair out of the way for him.
It’s greenstone, or Jade. There’s a little country way down in the South Pacific called New Zealand. Their indigenous people are called Maori and their name for it is Pounamu. That shape means ‘infinity’ to them or ‘forever’ hope you like it”
Like it, it must have cost a small fortune and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
“Thank you, I um I don’t know what to say, it’s beautiful. I love it” I really did. Softly I kissed him on the lips.
We strolled across the sand dunes to our little camp and I introduced him to everyone. The boys already knew of him and welcomed him like a brother shaking hands while the girls all raved over my necklace.
We surfed together for the rest of the day and Nick hardly left my side. He constantly gave me encouragement and praise for my surfing while the crowds that eventually turned up made way for him like he was royalty. Which he was, surfing royalty and therefore by extension I became his Princess. I felt like one all day and decided this was by far the best day of my life so far bar none.
To my delight Nick decided to stay the night with us and threw some gear he had in his car into the boy’s tent. ‘Funny he just happened to have a sleeping bag in his car’ I thought and as we sat around our little camp fire again that night the circle was complete. We fit like hand in glove and as Nick told jokes and we all laughed and chattered our problems seemed a long way behind us.
They came for us that night. It was a little past midnight when they turned up their footfalls making no sound in the soft sand. All three of them carried guns, I was fast asleep.
CHAPTER 22 - Adrift
The first I knew of what was happening was a hand over my face and a soft voice whispering in my ear.
“Someone’s here” whispered Jacinta.
I shot up then took a few seconds to realise what was happening.
“What the fu……”
“Shhhh” whispered Jacinta “I said someone’s here they’re over by the boys tent”
We peered out of the tent flap. The moon was casting an eerie glow across the dunes, silhouetting the grasses and plants that grew in them reminding me of ghostly fingers sticking up as if from a graveyard.
Three dark figures were standing near the tent that the guys were sleeping in moving slowly and carefully, trying not to trip over all the paraphernalia we had left lying around. I roused Jaz holding my hand over her mouth and shhhing her as she woke, her eyes wide.
I recognized the three immediately, they looked menacing and dangerous especially with guns in their hands.
I watched as the flap at the back of the boy’s tent, furthest away from the men was drawn open and Tim’s head appeared. Without warning he began to yell
“Girls, run, get the fuck out of here; Jacinta, Jade run take Jasmine!”
It was like a switch was turned on and we shot from the doorway like it was on fire. Turning left away from the men we tracked along the side of the tent then started to climb the soft sand of the dune.
No bullet came
My legs felt heavy, dead as I scrambled, pushed in absolute dread.
No bullet came
We reached the top of the dune falling in a heap together, sobbing as panic set in, scrabbling then tumbling down the back face to the bottom; legs, arms, bodies everywhere
No bullet came
We lay there our breath coming in huge rasps, Jacinta moved first and we followed and we ran, crouched into the darkness circling the campsite as three beams of light from three high powered torches held by three men with three guns began to strobe around, looking for us, hunting. We ran into bushes and through the spongy sand that clung to us, held us back like grasping hands, whispering to us that we wouldn’t make it, we kept running.
Then all of a sudden the lights went still. We climbed a dune opposite from where we had disappeared, it overlooked our camp, we lay still, watching.
What I saw made my heart stop. My brother was held upright, the huge gangster holding him by his hair, blood pouring from a cut in his head, mingled with his hair matting it making it look silver in the light of the torch. His face was bruised, one eye already closing but he looked defiant, unbroken just yet.
“Tim” I whispered
The one called Warren Melville spoke first, he was obviously the boss.
“Come in here boys and girl” he sneered gesturing with his gun “I want all of you to sit on that log just there”
The five left did as they were told, sitting together, drawing strength from each other.
“Who the fuck are you?” demanded Nick and received a back handed smack across his cheek from the skinny guy.
“Shut up mother fucker and listen or I’ll shoot a fucking hole through your kneecap”
I lay there terrified clutching Jacinta’s arm. She rubbed my hand and moved closer to me. I could see his face was already bruising up in the torch light but he held the gunman’s stare.
“How did you find us?” asked Jeff his eyes also betraying his anger and loathing of these men. The big guy pointed his gun at him cocking it, I was genuinely afraid he would pull the trigger but Melville pushed his hand down.
“Your mate Dave McIntyre told us” his smile was sinister, evil. I knew we had little chance of mercy from him.
“I don’t believe you” Jeff answered back
“It wasn’t easy getting it out of him believe me, I mean we broke every one of his fingers on his hand and he wouldn’t talk”
I took a sharp breath in choking back the tears as Melville continued “Then Carlos here” he nodded to the huge guy “broke a few teeth but still nothing.” My terror increased tenfold. If they were prepared to do that then what would they do to us?
“It wasn’t till we brought Mrs Chamberlin in, Michelle isn’t it? Then he started to talk”
Both Tim and Jeff stood up, flexing their hands their bodies rigid, ready to fight despite the fact they had no chance.
“Sit down boys, he’ll live and we didn’t harm your mother” Melville smirked; I wanted to punch his face in.
Melville turned, speaking into the night, talking to us as his goons held their guns on the others.
“I know you’re out there girls, listening to this. Are you scared? Don’t be I don’t intend to harm those pretty little faces. But…..” he hesitated then carried on “if you don’t come in right now and sit next to these others I’m going to have Carlos and Luis start on the girl first then move on to another then another. You can watch your friends be hurt, maybe lose some teeth, perhaps we might break some bones. It’s your choice girls you can simply walk on over here or you can lie out there watching us hurt them. It’s the noise you know, that’s the worst part, hearing bones snap or teeth shatter………” he left the words hanging in the air. We had lost and he knew it. He stood there arrogantly, his gun held down by his side his face shrouded in shadow as we stood, walked dejectedly toward him. Jacinta led she knew this man, she was amazing only 17 but she showed no fear and we drew strength from it. Jaz and I followed holding each-others hands. Jacinta stopped in front of him, held his gaze, no fear.
I rushed to Tim hugging him my tears running down my face splashing onto his chest.
“I’m okay Jay” he tried to smile his teeth and lips were covered in silver blood.
“Take me” Jacinta was saying “I’m the one you want, leave them alone, all they did was help me, show me compassion”
“Ah yes well you see that’s the problem right there Jacinta” Melville looked down on her, he was easily 6’2” or more, his gut hung over his belt “we can’t have people thinking they can get involved in my business. That’s a bad thing” he emphasised the word ‘bad’
He went on “Lessons need to be learnt, pain needs to be felt so…… they are going to lose that which is most precious to them”
He looked over at me “Take the sister too”
Carlos the huge goon came, roughly dragged me over to stand in front of Melville. He grabbed my face held it tightly in his hand turning my head from side to side shone his torch in my eyes.
“Fuck me, she’s a pretty one. I’m going to make a lot of money out of you” I shook, petrified by his words but Jacinta’s warm hand slipped into mine and I looked him in the eyes into his soul, it was dead.
“I’m not afraid of you”
“Well maybe not yet” he said then went over to the others and squatted in front of them.
“If you try to follow us I’ll kill them, if you look for them, I’ll kill them. Do you understand?”
They stared back at him, I knew they would look, I also knew they knew where we were being taken. There was a window of time to reach us before we were moved on. I drew confidence from that.
The others said nothing just looked at Melville steadily, no emotion.
“DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!” Melville screamed
“Yeah we understand” Jeff said quietly “we understand perfectly” He wasn’t looking at Melville, he was looking at us trying to convey his message. We got it; my brothers would never stop looking, they would come.
Jacinta and I were pushed along, up the pathway to the cars, stones bruised our feet and we stumbled. Melville’s goons held us, helped us along, roughly holding on to our arms. In the streetlight I saw three cars their paintwork glinting, the Kombi and another vehicle, Nick’s car, an older 4x4, raised up, chrome bullbars plus a black car off to the side sitting separately. The front tyres were slashed on the other two, flat, they wouldn’t be following us tonight unless they had spare tyres.
We were pushed into the back seat, the big goon, Carlos sat next to us the other two in the front. Hoods were secured over our heads.
“Be strong little sister” Jacinta whispered to me.
Darkness fell.
CHAPTER 23 – Losing Hope
We drove along the freeway in silence then hit the windy parts until finally we came to a sharp left corner followed by a rutted gravel road. I knew where we were and where we were going. The car stopped and I heard a fence slowly rolling back then we moved forward and stopped again. The motor was turned off and we sat in complete and utter quiet, all I heard was my breathing inside the hood.
“What do you want done with them boss?”
“Throw them in a cell; inject them tonight they’ll be ready to do whatever they’re told by the morning.”
“Sure boss, anything else”
“Yeah actually hold off on the heroin; let’s see what they’re like in the sack in the morning, both of them together, boss’s privilege. Then we can hook them up after that”
They climbed out of the car while we were pulled out by our arms and led through the large steel door. Once inside our hoods were removed and we were shoved into an elevator. It plunged down about 20 or 30 meters then the doors hissed open. A huge cavern opened before us. I stepped out quickly before I was shoved and stood looking about. The walls were concrete and stretched about 50 meters back into the earth to my right. The ceiling of the cavern was high with huge lights illuminating it reaching all the way back. Rooms had been built inside the cavern with bare framing and no ceilings to them. Cubicles really, I guessed it was where they manufactured and sorted their drugs. In the far reaches of the place I could vaguely make out doors and a windowed office; the gangs living quarters. On my left and about 10 meters away was a set of large double doors with a truck parked in front of them. Obviously there was more than one way into and out of this place. A row of cells was set back into the wall and we were led toward one near the end. Each cell had a window and as we walked past I looked in. Every room had a girl or two lying on a bed. They had lank hair, greasy and unkempt, their eyes were unfocussed and I could see the track marks up their arms. They were all in some state of undress most staring vacantly into the middle distance. A couple were obviously new here and stared at me pleadingly in the throes of their first heroin high. A guard with an automatic rifle wandered around inside keeping an eye on everything but I saw no one else. It was a vision of hell.
We walked into the cell and the door was locked behind us. It was a typical cell with a single bed on one side and a toilet on the other next to a wash basin, nothing else.
Looks like we would have to share the bed but at least it would help keep us warm I thought.
Jacinta checked the window in the door then squatted on the toilet releasing a stream of urine. I looked away trying to give her privacy in a place that afforded none.
“Sorry Jade” she said
“Don’t worry” I smiled “you’ll be watching me soon enough. So what are they going to do with us?”
“It sounds like Melville wants to rape us both in the morning. Once he has had his fill of us he will then give us over to his men to have more ‘fun’. After that I’m so sorry but they will inject us and we will be on the road to addiction. More than likely the both of us will be split up and moved once they have us hooked.”
I knew the rest I’d seen the girls on the street corner in San Diego. I was still a virgin, I had imagined I would give myself to the man I fell in love with, not this. I felt numb.
“Why do they do this, I mean we could easily be their sister or cousin”
“Slavery has been around for hundreds of years Jade, do you think just because we live in the 21st Century that it has been abolished? Sure we don’t keep African people to work on plantations anymore instead it is now young women who are the slaves and pimps use them to make money. One pimp with a stable of a few girls can bring in up to 2000 dollars per night per girl. Do the math, he keeps most of that money too or it goes to the cartels that operate the sex trade in this country. In America alone these cartels make over 1 billion dollars a year”
“But it’s wrong; we’re human beings what kind of men could do that?” I was distraught, not at my own fate but at the callous way a man could do that to women, to girls no older than me.
“Some men are like that, they are not all kind and loving, like your brothers” she said it with so much sadness I think she had fallen in love with Jeff. I could see how easy that would be to do.
“So most of the girls are like us just teenagers, forced to sell themselves every night?”
“Most of the girls are under 18 and you have seen what lengths these men will go to, to recover their ‘property’ if we try to run away, so yes we have to sell ourselves”
“How do you know most this?” I frowned
“Google” she smiled forlornly, “doesn’t take a genius to look it up, just someone who cares.”
I sat on the bed huddled together with Jacinta, contemplating, thinking, planning. I could see no way out but I was determined to find one, I wouldn’t give them my soul even if they tried to take my body. We fell asleep like that cuddled together to keep warm but also to find security in each other, comfort.
It was maybe 4 o’clock in the morning when I heard a key in the door, the smooth mechanism slipping open and I saw a figure enter the cell. At first I thought I was dreaming that it wasn’t real then I felt a hand on my shoulder, shaking us awake.
I looked at the man and drew back in horror; it was the tall skinny one Luis standing over us looking down as we crouched in fear. Was he here to hurt us? Squatting beside the bed his eyes watchful, flicking between us and the door he began to speak in hushed whispers.
“My name isn’t Luis its David, David Manual, I’m D.E.A.”
Our eyes shot up, D.E.A. that was Drug Enforcement Administration, what was he doing here?
“I’ve been working undercover for a few months trying to crack where the drugs are coming from and how they distribute them around the country. You girls were low priority for me, my main mission was the drugs but I couldn’t let them fuck you up like the others. I’ve had enough of seeing young women passing through here like cattle being turned into zombies just for a man’s few minutes of pleasure”
We were dumbfounded; I think I felt my chin hit the floor.
“So you have been working here pretending to be a thug but really you are a police man?” Jacinta asked
“Kind of, I’m more a federal agent; we’ve known about these guys, their drug business; prostitution and stuff for ages. These are some really dangerous fucked up individuals here” he looked worried, anxious “Sorry about before, but if I wasn’t believable they would never have taken me on”
“Would you have shot us?” I whispered angrily
“Probably if it meant getting the drugs off the street, yeah I guess I would, sorry” he looked sad, conflicted “We need to get you out of here, I have a way”
“Not without the others” I looked him squarely in the eyes
“Others, what others?”
“The other girls, the ones in the cells, them”
“Are you crazy? There’s at least another eight or ten of them”
“Your plan was to get us out using the truck I bet so why can’t we take them with us?”
“No actually I was just going to take us up in the elevator, I didn’t consider the others. Besides we don’t have enough time, everyone’s asleep right now, there’s only one guard on and I can take him out but it will take a long time to get those girls awake and on to the truck, it’s a huge risk. Once those doors start to open people are going to start to notice. There’s another four guys back there if you include that fat shit Melville and it’s all going to hit the fan. Do you want to take the risk?”
Jacinta and I looked at each than back at David. He was the real deal, a man who cared, who was putting his life on the line for a couple of girls he hardly knew.
“Yup” I said
He sighed exasperated but nodded his head.
“Alright we have to work fast. I’ll take out the guard then I have to find the truck keys and get the doors opened. Once that happens it’s going to make a huge noise and all hell is going to break loose. We have to have all the girls loaded in the back and ready to go before I open the door. That’s your job; you have to get the girls into the truck before I hit that button. If you don’t we go anyway and leave them behind understand?”
We nodded together. I was determined to set them free despite the risk.
“Okay here’s the key to the doors, it’s the same key for every door. The hard part is going to be waking them up and getting them into the back of the truck quietly. I want you to wait here for me and count to one hundred, slowly” he emphasised “I should have taken care of the guard by then. You need to move fast after that, I’ve got to get to the end of the building near the sleeping quarters. The truck keys are kept in Melville’s office. I have to find them and get them back here. Can either of you drive a manual transmission?”
“I’ve ridden my brother’s motorbike” I volunteered “that’s manual”
“Not quite the same kid but it’ll have to do. I’ll get you the keys, you’ll have to start the truck and drive it out of there after I go back to open the doors. I’ll be running my ass off to catch up with you and jump in so don’t go too fast okay” He smiled, it made me feel confident, I nodded yes.
“Let’s do this then” he said “Ready?”
We nodded again; I was scared to death but determined, I could see Jacinta was the same, a mixture of fear and determination etching her face, he disappeared out the door. I began to count under my breath; slowly.
CHAPTER 24 – Better Together
Once I’d made it to 100 I peered out the door. There was no sound, no movement.
We didn’t know if David had been successful or not but we had to go. We crept out of the cell and turned, looking about us, we silently began to open doors. Once we had done that Jacinta ran over to the truck and opened the back tail gate. It screeched as it swung and we froze looking around waiting for a reaction. None came. Scampering back we went first into the room of the two girls who seemed to be new here like us. They were asleep but fitful, twitching and moaning my heart went out to them. I gently shook them and they woke bleary eyed and terrified.
“Shhhh” Jacinta whispered as they looked at us through wide frightened eyes. “We’re here to get you out”
They clung to each other, assessing the situation, probably trying to clear their heads and think straight. We grabbed them and pushed them through the door, all the while I was counting in my head, one minute; two. Jacinta led them to the truck while I went into the next cell. The other girls were much harder to rouse, we had to shake them hard, put our hands over their mouths.
‘Three minutes, four minutes’
We had all but three girls crouched in the back of the truck. These last were the most difficult, almost comatose, we couldn’t wake them.
‘Five minutes, six minutes, seven minutes’
David appeared beside me carrying a set of keys. He threw them at me, then simply grabbed a girl over his shoulder and carried her to the truck throwing her roughly in the back. The two newer girls took her and sat her up against the side. He did the same for the other two, by the end he was sweating, droplets falling from his hair; his shirt soaked outlining his hard body.
In the meantime I had scrabbled and picked up the keys, hurried to the driver’s door and climbed in. David stood beside me looking through the window.
“Don’t try and start it yet wait until the doors start to move, its fuel injected so it will go straight away even when it’s cold. Do you know how to start it?”
“Just turn the key” I stated
“No it’s a diesel you have to wait a few seconds then start it” He turned the key on and a little squiggly orange light came on in the dash.
“You can start it when that light blinks off understand?”
I nodded staring at the light willing it desperately to go off. Pushing in the clutch I selected first gear on the stick shift. I’d never done this before but thanked Tim silently for teaching me how to ride his bike and prayed I wouldn’t stall it.
David ran off, he had to run the length of the doors to the button mechanism that rolled them back along the wall on rails. 20 seconds later he was ready. The little light had gone out and I turned the key. The motor wound over a couple of times and caught, billowing a cloud of black smoke as it roared into life. David hit the button and the doors moved, screeching and grumbling, ever so slowly, the gap growing wider. In the corner of my eye I saw him sprinting for us his arms and legs pumping furiously but I also saw lights go on in the living quarters at the end of the cavern, movement reflected in the windows, a door opening.
The cavern doors kept moving slowly, agonizingly finally there was enough room. I let out the clutch and pushed hard on the accelerator, the truck screeched forward, lurching, hopping then picked up speed. It didn’t stall. Jacinta was sitting next to me; she rubbed my arm encouragingly as we headed for the opening as we both breathed a sigh of relief.
The sound of the gun was monstrous in the enclosure of the cavern. The big guy Carlos was pointing his pistol toward us but he was too far away, the bullets zinged off somewhere, harmless. I kept driving, David was sprinting, oh so close, Carlos was running too, he was fast for a big guy.
I lifted my foot and the truck slowed dramatically, David was able to catch up to us and crashed against Jacinta’s door holding on, then opening it forcing his way inside, Jacinta made way for him.
“Okay, go hard kid, drive get us the fuck out of here”
I pushed hard on the accelerator, changed into second gear the transmission squealing its dismay at my rough handling. I didn’t care. It was pitch black and Jacinta flicked the headlights on for me as I concentrated on driving. I had to turn hard right in the gravel and the back slewed around before correcting itself. The girls in the back screamed. The road we were on was a spur connecting to the main gravel road with a gate at the end.
“Drive through it” David yelled as the truck continued to accelerate. I struggled hard with the steering wheel changing into third and smashed through the gate, posts and wire flying everywhere. More screams.
‘This would be fun’ I thought ‘if it wasn’t 4.30 in the morning and we weren’t being chased by a gang of psychopathic criminals.’
I sped along the gravel as fast as I dared keeping the truck in third gear revving the crap out of it. The others kept looking behind us for lights but there was nothing……yet. The truck was hard to control it felt like a wild animal intent on killing us as I fought the steering wheel, keeping it on the road almost by the force of my will. I concentrated on the pencil thin beams of light as we careered around corners. Coming to the tar sealed road I swung on to it the truck rocking dangerously as we took the corner. We all screamed as a wheel lifted from the ground then crashed back down.
David grinned over at me “Gonna have to change my undies after that one kid”
“Where should we go?” I yelled at him
“Head toward town, toward the hospital, I’ll phone ahead” he produced a cell phone from his pocket, there’ll be a shit load of cops waiting for us” I didn’t hear him say “I hope” under his breath.
“Why the hospital and not the police station?” Jacinta yelled
“We’ve got to get those girls help” he answered “plus they’re going to need to dig this bullet out of my back”
We looked over startled as the truck thundered on. I noticed the back of David’s seat was slick with blood. Jacinta held him forward ripping some material from the hem of her skirt and pushed it against the wound stemming the bleeding. There was no exit hole; the bullet must have been near the end of its trajectory and travelling slowly.
I drove as fast as I dared then I saw lights appear in the rear view mirror accelerating fast but still quite a way behind us.
“They’re behind us” I screamed “coming really fast”
We were nearly at the freeway on ramp as the pursuing car caught up. There were no other cars on the road and I was able to push the truck as hard as I could control it but the other car was newer, faster, more powerful. We didn’t have a chance of outrunning it.
We ran down onto the Freeway the motor of the truck grumbling and clattering as I put my foot flat to the floor. The whole truck shook like a giant hand had grabbed it but it still wasn’t enough.
I noticed lights in the distance coming toward us, some cars but they were on the other side of the road. As we drew nearer I noticed it was more than one car, in fact quite a few, a little blue Toyota in front, a couple of trail bikes and an orange Kombi van a few other cars behind those, some new, others with surfboards on the roof. I opened my driver’s side window, flashed my lights and tooted the horn. I waved as hard as I could; a head on one of the motorbikes turned, looked then kept on riding.
They didn’t see me!
“We need to get David to a hospital Jade he’s not well” said Jacinta he’s losing a lot of blood.
“Keep pressure on the wound” I yelled over the engine, I was channelling my Mom the nurse.
We raced on for another couple of minutes the black car now only seconds away right behind us trying to pass, I wouldn’t let them, weaving over the road my eyes fixed on the rear vision mirrors.
All of a sudden as if by magic, two motorcycles appeared one on each side of us. One came right up beside my window, a head encased in a helmet looked at me, his eyes were like flint.
He screamed something at me but I couldn’t hear him.
“What?” I mouthed
“Slam on your brakes and hold on” Tim shouted again
I nodded at him and screamed as loud as I could into the back
“HOLD ON”
I grabbed the steering wheel and mashed my feet down as hard as I could pushing in both the brake and the clutch pedals. Smoke streamed from the tyres as the nose of the truck dipped precipitously.
The black car with four bodies in it couldn’t stop in time, smashing directly into the back of the truck. Its hood crumpled up and white air bags went off encasing the occupants. The two bikes came to a skidding stop and my brothers hit the engine kill switches and jumped off just letting the bikes fall to the ground.
Tim took a baseball bat from the side of his bike held there with a bit of rope, Jeff swung a metal bar. They walked quickly past us toward the car. I jumped out ready to follow.
Tim’s voice was quiet, commanding; deadly serious.
“Stay there”
He approached the driver’s door as it swung open Carlos lurching out he looked huge but he was also dazed from the collision while smoke and steam billowed from the bonnet of his car. He held his gun but he wasn’t as fast as my brother. Tim swung the bat connecting with the big man’s wrist. Melville was right the sound of bone snapping was hideous, I jumped. Carlos screamed his voice high like a woman’s. Tim swung again with all his strength fury in his face as the bat connected with the side of Carlos’ head. He dropped like a stone.
Cars, all these cars suddenly appeared people tumbling from them running, stumbling.
Melville charged from his car his gun up, he pointed it at…….me, aiming, squeezing the trigger; I felt like a rabbit caught in headlights, blinking, time slowing down.
But he was no match for Jeff. This time the metal bar connected with an elbow and the gun sailed from his hand clattering onto the concrete. Melville slumped to the ground in agony clutching his arm I could see the white of the bone poking through his sleeve and I felt like vomiting. Jeff stood over him, his chest heaving as he raised the bar again this time aiming for his head. The muscles in his arms stood out like ropes.
A slim figure rushed toward him jumping at him clinging to him her arms locked around his neck tears streaming down her face.
“Don’t do it please don’t do it” she begged “I need you”
It felt like forever as Jeff stood there the bar raised then it was as if all the emotion, the rage just seeped out of him and he sagged, dropped the bar put his arms around Jacinta and just held her. I’d never seen him cry before but at that moment he buried his face into her shoulder and sobbed.
The other two thugs were dragged from their vehicle and easily disarmed; the fight had gone out of them when they saw their boss lying on the road. They sat against the car their hands on their heads.
Tim stood there then turned to face me. He pulled his helmet off and his head was swathed in bandages. He looked like a mummy. His face fell and the baseball bat slipped from his fingers when he saw me. I must have been a sight, my face pale I was splattered with Agent Manuals’ blood. I shook violently as the effects of the adrenalin worked their way through my body. He started to run but he was overtaken by a figure sprinting toward me. She swept me up into her arms and held me so tight I couldn’t breathe. Tim was a second behind her and I felt his strong arms encircle us both holding us up.
‘Group hug’ I thought ‘awesome’
Other figures came running too, Dave was there grinning with a tooth missing but miraculously his hands were okay. I found out later Melville had lied to us; he’d never broken his fingers. Just the threats to my Mom were enough. She had been visiting Dave at the time the gangsters had turned up, seems it had been a little embarrassing; they had to get dressed rather quickly. Carlos had smacked Dave around afterwards just for the sake of it. I didn’t feel sorry for that thug in the slightest.
Dave was concerned “Did those fuckers hurt you?”
“No” I replied
Mom told him off “Dave no swearing around my daughter”
I giggled hugging her even harder. He looked sheepish so I hugged him too.
Jasmine was there with her dad, how she persuaded him to get involved was beyond me but she sidled up to us and put her arm around Tim’s waist. He looked at her and smiled shyly.
Finally a lone figure stood a little apart watching us a smile on his face. I reached up and felt the cool jade stone around my neck. It was still there.
“Mom there’s a DEA agent in the truck, he’s been shot and needs help; his name is David” I said remembering
She disentangled herself from me and shot around to help him. That was my Mom she’d stop a thousand cars to help a little old lady across the street.
I stood alone then; looking pretty pathetic I guess but glad to be alive. We walked together and he wrapped me into his arms. This time the kiss was real, passionate I melted into him, felt his lips; the salt of our tears mingling.
“You know next time we go surfing together I get to choose where we go”
I leaned my head against his chest and chuckled
“Deal”
Jeff walked toward us
“Looks like you’ve got yourself a date for that dance Jay”
I looked up into Nick’s eyes as they reflected the red and blue lights of some approaching police cars.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world” he said
CHAPTER 25 – Sexy Plexi
It had been two weeks since we had escaped from Melville and his gang. Most of the bruises were beginning to fade, cuts knit together
and a dentist had even been able to save Dave’s tooth which meant he didn’t look like a pirate anymore. Officer Manual had come close to death but had pulled through after being rushed to hospital in a rescue helicopter and the abducted girls had been returned to their family and friends after suffering through heroin withdrawal but at least they were free. Court dates were being prepared and we were all expected to testify, something that didn’t thrill me.
The most contentious issue had been what to do with the money. The boys saw it as a life changing opportunity which could buy us a house and help them start their business. Mom had argued that the money wasn’t ours and should be handed in to the police and besides it was money that was gained through the suffering and misery of others. They both had compelling arguments for and against. As for me I just sat there and enjoyed their company or would get up and potter in the kitchen. I was enjoying cooking more and more and had begun looking at recipes that Mom had or were on-line. It was something I’d never really had an interest in when I was a boy but now as a girl I was having fun learning. The decision about the money was in my Mom’s hands though and we eventually decided to return it to the police.
Obviously Jacinta’s needs had also become a priority and to no-one’s surprise Dave came to her rescue. Between him and Mom they agreed to sponsor her to stay in the country and he even gave her a job at his store. She stayed in our guest bedroom which was right next to Jeff’s. He was over the moon and one night on a trip to the bathroom I happened to see her sneaking in to see him. I grinned to myself and never said a word to anyone. I understood the depth of feeling they shared.
I had recently visited the hospital for more tests and had amazed the Doctors. It seems the Hyperplasia was more invasive than they thought. The cell regeneration had completely rewritten my DNA and had changed not only my features and sex but they confirmed what I already knew in my heart. I had changed from being XY to XX plus the oestrogen was having a significant effect on my brain development. One specialist had suggested that nature was correcting a mistake and that I was always supposed to be a girl. I wasn’t prepared to go that far but if I was being honest with myself I felt far more comfortable in my skin now than I ever did as a boy. Not only that but I was also aghast to learn that I was not really interested in being a tom boy. In fact both Jacinta and my mother went to great pains and had a lot of fun reminding me how girly I was becoming. I would refuse to leave the house without some makeup on and with Jacinta’s help had begun a regime to look after my skin. I was never seen without nail polish both on my fingers and toes and often chose to wear a skirt or dress over wearing jeans. I was determined to learn how to walk properly in heels and often wore them around the house or out to the mall. I loved playing with hair and learnt about up-do’s, chignons, what to do to straighten curly hair and how to plat, I guess I just loved pretty things.
I’d also had a long and difficult talk with Phil and had explained how much he meant to me but that at this moment in time Nick owned my heart. Although he was really upset he told me he understood. I wasn’t too sure though because he withdrew from my circle of friends and we hardly saw much of him after that. It was easily one of the hardest conversations I’d ever had and I’d cried myself to sleep over it all that night.
The fact I cried more easily and felt more deeply surprised me too but in a good way. I was enjoying the new me and even Jeff and Tim were noticing. They were gentler with me, very protective and kind. We hugged more and laughed more. They always made a point now of including me in their plans and in their lives. We had even been on a date together with our respective other halves Nick and I, Tim and Jaz and of course Jeff and Jacinta. We had so much fun going Ten Pin bowling and out for dinner we all decided we would do it more often. Jaz and Jacinta had even agreed to learn how to surf much to the boys delight.
My relationship with Nick was growing. He lived an hour north of Imperial Beach but in a very short space of time I think he could drive his old pick-up between his place and ours in his sleep he did it so often. I had been introduced to his parents, Glen and Rose and his sister, Emily who was older than Nick and in her second year at College. They had accepted me instantly and I was welcomed into their family.
It was Saturday evening, Nick and I lay on a Japanese futon in the back of his pick-up truck overlooking the ocean. It was cool so we were covered in a blanket snuggled together eating Chinese takeaways. As far as I was concerned it was the perfect date.
I was contented sitting in the back. I didn’t have much money but as far as I was concerned I was rich. The sun was setting over the rolling, heaving ocean, the light played off the water turning it a deep mysterious blue; sunsets in this part of the world were spectacular and we were alone.
Nick turned on his side and looked at me. I was lost in my thoughts looking out to sea, appreciating how fortunate I was.
“You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen and you scare me to bits.”
“Scare you how come?” I was genuinely dismayed turning toward him, until he said;
“Because you reached into my chest and ripped my heart out of me and it’s horrible. For the first time ever someone holds my heart and it’s your choice. You can hold it or crush it and all I can do is trust you.”
This boy certainly knew what to say, I looked into those deep blue eyes and saw he was serious. I instantly melted inside, I knew I felt the same but how do you find the words to even begin to express teenage love? It was something physical, that delicious pain in my heart whenever I thought of him.
I leaned over instead and gently caressed his lips with my finger, touching every part of them as I looked into his soul. We kissed and in it I tried to let him know just how deeply I felt. His hand touched my side working its way up caressing, embracing then holding my breast. I gasped as the sensations shot through my body, I was instantly wet.
I knew where this could lead “Do you think we should?” I asked
“It’s completely up to you; I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do”
I loved him even more. I felt his tongue in my mouth and I sucked on it greedily. He let me lead him as I lifted my arms and he removed my top.
“That is one very sexy brassiere” he laughed. I was wearing the new push-up I’d bought. He leaned down and pulled the side of the bra down flicking his tongue over my nipple. I shut my eyes tightly as my head fell back. It was as if a jolt of electricity had flown between my breast and my groin. I couldn’t hold myself up and fell, lying in the crook of his elbow looking up at him. He could do anything he wanted with me right now, I couldn’t resist. He kissed my shoulders and neck as he held me and I moaned. His fingers found my wetness and he touched me, fondling my clit, he brought me to the edge. As I looked at him with hooded eyes unable to speak, it became unbearable and I slipped over into the first orgasm a boy had ever given me. I convulsed in his arms as wave after wave washed over me and through me. As the feeling subsided I rolled into him, burying my face into his chest a single tear washing across my nose. I didn’t feel like a girl anymore but a young woman, I felt complete. I reached over, feeling his erection underneath the denim of his jeans. He was hard, ready; I wanted so desperately to give back to him what he had just given me.
“Not yet my darling, but soon when the time is right, when everything is perfect” he whispered gently in my ear.
As far as I was concerned the time was right, it was all perfect but I trusted him, we were young, we had all the time in the world. We stayed cuddled together like that for a long time. He held me until the stars shone and the moon rose; just a sliver like a smile beaming down just on us.
CHAPTER 26 – Same Girl
The school dance was coming up quickly and at lunch each day the girls discussed everything from dress colour to dress length, makeup looks to hair styles and what color nail polish would complement our dresses. The guys of course discussed football.
I found myself as enthusiastic as all the other girls and particularly loved talking about colors and fashion. My interests had changed a lot as a girl I realised, although my passion for waves was still the same. My training and preparation for the upcoming competition had continued right throughout the last few weeks plus the advantage from all this was that my body was lean and toned especially my long legs; while remarkably I still maintained my C Cup breasts.
The last flowers were taped to my locker on Friday. I came upon them at lunchtime but had no idea what they were. This time it was a bunch, white with fine red detail on the petals and red stamens. I took them to a biology teacher who told me they were Mountain Laurel, both intricately delicate and beautiful but also deadly poisonous to animals including humans. That was a little scary considering I knew who had left them. The flowers this time were a warning and a signature, the note simply said: Tomorrow.
I guessed the dance would be where something would be said or done to bring this all to its little conclusion. I was determined to deal with it first before it all got out of hand but the preparation was going to take up most of my time or so I found out. Mom and Jacinta first took me to get my nails done. I got long gel nails with a white French tip that were as gorgeous as they were totally impractical.
“How am I going to pick things up?” I protested to which Mom replied
“You’ll get used to it”
I shrugged and laughed they did look elegant after all.
Then came makeup and hair. Mom and Jacinta fussed over me, braiding my hair into an adorable style that I loved. I got them to do cat eyes with ultra-long mascaraed lashes for my makeup; they looked wicked. By 4.00pm I was ready other than putting on my dress, something I wasn’t allowed to do until after I’d eaten just in case I spilled something on it. I was too nervous to eat anyway so just moped around sipping on a juice and texting Jaz. She was feeling exactly the same and raved about her dress which she assured me would complement mine perfectly and we would make all the other girls jealous and the boys would all desire us. I giggled to myself nervously thinking about making boys desire me. Oh how my life had changed. I felt a small twinge of sadness deep in my soul for what I’d lost but in reality I loved who I now was and the person I had become.
By the time Nick arrived I had my dress on along with my new lingerie. I had also worn my little jade pendant and it looked exquisite snuggled into my cleavage plus Mom had lent me a pair of her diamond earrings. To say I felt totally feminine and completely girly would be an understatement. None of my family had ever seen me like this and they were all lined up as I came out of my room balanced perfectly on my high heels. I walked gracefully one step in front of the other, practiced and ladylike. I would have loved to walk down some stairs like a movie star but our old house didn’t have any. The dark green dress swished as I moved the sequins twinkling in the light. Mom had tears in her eyes while Jacinta just beamed, holding on to Jeff’s arm as he stood there with his mouth open.
Tim and Nick were both wearing suits as they were both obviously going too, they looked handsome and broad shouldered. Tim’s tie was purple to match Jasmine’s dress while Nick’s was dark green to match mine.
“Fuck” said Tim as he watched me and got a quick smack on the arm by Mom.
“Sorry” he said “but honestly just, I mean, look at her; what else can you say?”
Nick walked toward me this look in his eyes that said everything he was feeling. I was lost in the moment as we stood in front of each other looking into each-other’s eyes. I smiled shyly, nervously as he gently kissed my lips careful not to smudge my lipstick and gave me a single white rose to pin onto my dress.
“There are no words to describe how perfect you look” he said
I looked him up and down and suppressed a shiver at how handsome he was.
“You look soooo amazing” I said it quietly just for him to hear. At that moment it felt like just he and I were in the room.
“Come on you two time for some photographs” Mom broke the spell and promptly began setting us all up together as she clicked away with her little digital camera. We laughed and giggled through it and I especially loved feeling Nicks arm around my waist holding me close.
Finally we jumped in the car and Nick drove us the short distance to the venue. This was a special event, one that Mrs Shirley had thought of and organised because she felt young people needed to be exposed to more formal occasions in their lives. Although not the official prom it was seen by most of the student body as just as important. It was unique to our school and a tradition everyone loved. It wasn’t held in our school hall but rather at a local convention center. As young people we all felt both awed and honored to be treated so well by our local community.
Nick parked and rushed around the front of his car to open the door for me. I had nervous butterflies as he held my hand and we walked toward the entrance. Jaz was already there with Tim while all the other girls were milling around holding their date’s hands or squealing at each-others dresses. Josh was there looking massive, he had asked Sarah to be his date and she looked stunning in a blue knee length satin dress that clung to all the right places. They both looked happy and relaxed together and I thought they made a fantastic looking couple. Sam however wasn’t there and I felt sorry that he felt he couldn’t come. He wasn’t my stalker and my heart went out to him. I hoped we could still be friends although I knew how guys felt when they were relegated to the ‘friend zone’ by a girl.
As we walked in a spotlight zoomed in and held on each couple for a few seconds then moved on. I was temporarily blinded when it happened and stood there until my eyes cleared. When they did I saw Lauren standing at the other end of the center looking straight at me. She was beautiful in a baby pink dress that fell to the floor with a plunging neck line that showed off her stunning breasts. Our eyes locked for a second and in that moment she knew that I knew who she was. She bowed her head then looked back up at me holding my eyes in a challenge I was ready to meet. I held her gaze until she looked away. We had things to discuss her and I.
Nick took my hand and led me out onto the dance floor. It was a Black Eyed Peas song so we shook our booties and laughed together. Dancing in heels was surprisingly easy I found and was silently grateful I’d done so much practice. A slow song came on next and Nick held me close. I leaned my head on his shoulder and listened to him breathe as we moved together as one. I wanted to make this moment last forever but eventually we made our way over to our table and plonked down beside Tim and Jasmine. She leaned over and hugged me her long slim arms encircling my neck.
“Just because you’re my best friend” she whispered then let go and put her hand into Tim’s lap his giant one closing over hers. I once again saw the adoration in her eyes, she was a lucky girl and he was a lucky guy.
I did the same and put my hand into Nick’s and rested a while just chatting over the music and saying hi to people. A number of guys came over to ask me to dance and I ended up in huge demand until Nick rescued me chuckling something about having a super model for his girlfriend. Eventually however the need overcame me.
“I need to pee” I whispered to Jaz who like all good girlfriends grabbed her bag and we wandered out to the bathroom together giving the boys a wave. I found a stall after waiting in line and sat down. This was one of the disadvantages of being female but I guess it was a small one in comparison to all the advantages I felt I’d gained.
Once I’d finished I made a beeline to the mirror and stood next to Jaz. We primped, touched up our lip gloss, checked our hair and generally did all those things girls do that drives guys mad while they’re waiting. Doing it all with much longer finger nails took me a bit longer but I was getting the hang of it. I just didn’t want to scratch my own eye out.
Lauren was waiting for me as we exited. Jaz wanted to hang around but I said it was okay and followed Lauren to a quiet place.
Once there I turned and looked her straight in the eye. I couldn’t deny how beautiful she was, her dark brown eyes looking through thick lashes, her full lips and high cheek bones. She looked ravishing in her dress all curves exuding sensuality and sexiness.
“Hi Jade” she whispered “you look amazing, there are no words to describe just how hot you look tonight”
I blushed mumbling a thank you. “You look gorgeous yourself Lauren”
There was a moment of awkward silence so I launched in
“Why did you put all those notes in my locker, all the flowers?” I asked “what was that about?”
“You know then, I thought you did. Was it the flowers?”
“Partly, but also the fact I kind of saw you doing it as well. I spied on you from the toilets”
“Oh” she remarked
“So why did you do it?”
“Why do you think? I’ve had a crush on you since the first day you came back as Jade. You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen and I guess the fact you were once a boy just turned me on like crazy.”
“So you like girls then?”
“Well both really, girls and boys but if I was forced to pick then yeah I like girls and I wanted you”
“It’s kind of a funny way of showing it”
“Got your attention didn’t it” her smile was ravishing
I studied her face, the intensity of her eyes how set her jaw was, she was telling the truth she really was attracted to me. Part of the boy inside me rose up intrigued by her confession but in the pit of my stomach I knew I could never love her as a boy, I could never satisfy a woman as a man. There was no stirring between my legs, no teenage erection and there never would be again. If I was going to ever love another girl it would have to be as a girl and I wasn’t sure I could go there. But then again I didn’t think I could survive a day living as a girl and look how that turned out.
“Do your parents know?”
“I doubt they’d understand, I mean they’re both pretty old school you know, a woman’s place is in the home blah blah. I can’t imagine them ever accepting that I’m a lesbian”
There it was the L word, I thought about Nick and then about Lauren. I looked at her, really studied her. Nope I thought she still had two eyes a nose and a mouth she looked pretty normal to me.
“Surely you’ve thought about it Jade. I mean you were a boy once, you liked girls didn’t you? Do you think you could like me, maybe even love me?”
“I don’t know I mean if I look deep in my heart then yes once upon a time I did like girls and if I was still a boy and you were talking to me like this I’d be so flattered and I’d say yes to you in a second but…”
“But you’re a girl now and everything’s changed and you have feelings but not for me, for Nick right?”
“Yes for Nick, I’m attracted to him; as far as a teenager can I think I love him I want to know what it’s like to make love to him one day. I mean, I have no problem with your choices and that you like girls, gosh look at us we’re pretty damn lovable no matter who we like” I grinned trying to make her understand but she just looked heart broken.
“Aw Lauren please don’t cry” I hugged her as a tear rolled down her cheek. I had no words.
Slowly she pulled back and then carefully gently almost without thought our lips met. Hers were softer, more searching, more sensual in every way and I felt myself respond as her tongue touched mine, probing, reaching out. Was this happening was I really kissing another girl?
Suddenly the kiss became harder more passionate as she reached around me, pulled me close, my body said yes to her while my mind screamed in both lust and confusion.
‘What about Nick?’
Our breasts touched and our dresses slipped against each other, I was wet with arousal, this felt so right yet so wrong.
I pushed away from her breathing hard my head swirling in a miasma of conflicting emotions. Looking over I saw Nick just standing there.
How long had he been there? What had he seen?
“Nick please” I called but he shook his head and walked away. I ran after him pulling at his arm.
He turned “Hey Jade I can’t compete with that, if that’s what you want……”
“No honest it was just a girl thing, it’s not what it looks like please……I love you” I emphasised the ‘you’ I wanted him so much.
“You love me?” he searched my eyes looked into my soul “don’t mess with my heart Jade honestly I can’t take it, the moment I first saw you I loved you. I got lost in your eyes and I’ve been lost ever since so make a decision cause I’ve already made mine.”
I grabbed him and pulled him to me throwing my arms around his neck, kissing him hard my tongue thrusting against his teeth forcing its way into his mouth. He pushed against me, I felt his hardness the muscles under his shirt his animal strength as he held me. Yes this is what I wanted, who I wanted. I held on to him with all my strength, my chest heaving.
“I’m sorry, there can never be anyone else but you, please” I gazed up at him
“And how can I resist those beautiful eyes” he smiled as he held me close.
“Let’s go home”
I walked with him arms around each-others waists close together.
“I’ve entered the surf competition you’re in” Nick said non-chalantly as I picked up my clutch and said goodnight to everyone “the winner and runner up get a special invitation to the Junior World champs in Hawaii next month. It’s an opportunity I can’t turn up”
“Good” I smiled “I can’t wait to kick your butt”
Pond Life
CHAPTER ONE
Doug Pond had a normal life in most respects, he worked in a normal finance job he had a normal girlfriend and lived in a normal apartment in normal New York. Born in Richmond Virginia Doug left there as soon as he could looking for fortune with perhaps a little fame and notoriety thrown in. His family were proud of his success but rarely visited him.
Doug wasn’t normal though, he was hungry and thrived on success, and he was willing to do things others weren’t to get ahead. If a little old lady defaulted on payments Doug had no compunction about repossessing her home. He was silver tongued and could talk people into anything even if they couldn’t afford it. He soon gained a reputation of getting things done in his firm and had been promoted ahead of others with more seniority and less ruthlessness.
Doug was a tallish guy, not physically imposing but handsome; he also walked with a limp. Many wondered but he never told anyone why. The truth was he’d had a crazy childhood with his best friend Steve Hamilton. Steve was a wild child who was constantly in trouble at school and with the law. Although he didn’t do anything really serious he had gained a number of minor convictions for shoplifting and graffiti. Doug was drawn to him and the exciting life he led. The fact was though they were both on the road to prison and didn’t even know it but that all changed one summer night when Doug was 17. Steve’s dad was wealthy; not billionaire rich, but he had money. He also collected cars, the faster the better. He had a ’69 Mustang, a worked ’72 Camaro and his pride and joy a 2012 Aston Martin Vanquish painted in a deep crimson color, the same as a woman’s lipstick. He had imported it from England and no-one drove it but Steve’s dad, no-one! Well that is until he went away for a weekend with Steve’s mom and left the boys alone at home.
“Come on” Steve had said, Doug wasn’t too sure, I mean it was an expensive car, powerful too. Steve couldn’t drive that well plus it was a right hand drive on an American road but he was insistent. Doug gave in.
Steve was killed instantly when he failed to take a corner at over 100mph. They slammed into a power pole driver’s door first. Doug had to be cut from the car by emergency services. They told him he was lucky to be alive however his pelvis had been crushed and needed to be screwed back together with steel plates. From that day on he limped, during cold wet weather it throbbed painfully especially in the morning when he got up and it was often cold and wet on dark New York mornings.
It was one of those cold nights when he and his girlfriend, Alisha, decided to go out. Although his hip hurt Doug was determined to have a good time. The nightclub was called Nomad, loud music pumped from the door and even louder people thronged its entrance. Doug liked that he knew the bouncer, he liked even more that he and Alisha were let through the door before anyone else. Life was just fine Doug thought, just fine indeed. He pulled Alisha through; she hurried almost tripping in her high heels. He didn’t really care though, she was lucky just to be seen with him. Finding a seat he asked her what she wanted to drink.
“Vodka and tonic” she shouted over the roar and he wandered off to get it for her plus a beer for himself. The dance floor was seething and pulsing with people, he pushed his way through to the bar not caring who’s feet he stood on. Girls stopped and called him rude, guys just glared, he didn’t care. Ordering his drinks he spotted a woman on the other side of the bar that could only be described as breath taking. Tall with golden hair that fell half way down her back she had perfect skin, perfect teeth, and perfect breasts.
She was standing there chatting with a couple of friends, balanced easily in five inch heels her legs reaching all the way up her body to her neck or so it seemed. The dress she was wearing was short and sparkled, a lot, and clung to her body emphasising those perfect breasts. She was too good to be true and Doug felt drawn to her as if some invisible magic rope was pulling him, irresistibly, irrevocably.
Limping over he stood close studying her brazenly. Her hair was even more amazing close up, full and multi-hued lighter golden strands flowing through darker ones. Her skin was smooth covered by only a thin layer of foundation her eyes dark and made even darker by the makeup she wore. Tiny diamond earrings sat on her ears glinting in the swirling lights of the night club.
“Hello” he said offering his hand to her.
She stared at him but didn’t offer hers back; her eyes hooded her face unreadable. She gave him a cold dismissive smile one that said ‘not interested, don’t even try’ but he tried anyway.
“Doug, pleased to meet you, I’ll buy you a drink?” he was insistent, rude, almost arrogant. He was used to getting his way, especially with women.
She turned to him expressing her irritation in her body language, back straight, eyes cold.
“No thank you”
“Aw come on baby, let me buy you one, we could talk who knows where it might go from there” he smiled his most charming smile but she remained unmoved.
“I said no thank you, why don’t you just tootle off to your girlfriend or boyfriend or whoever was stupid enough to come out with you and leave me alone” she said. Her voice was ice, it scared him in a way he didn’t even understand but he was angry, it rose up in him like a tidal wave. No bitch spoke to him like that.
“Well fuck you then” he spat “fucking whore, you think you’re too good for me? What a bitch”
Instantly she stood right in front of him smiling in a way that somehow terrified him deep in his soul. How did she do that so quickly?
Her voice was soft yet hard, calm but angry.
“I promise you, you’ll regret this night for a very long time” her dark grey eyes peered into him and he shuddered.
“Ah piss off” he said as he spun on his heel and stumbled back to Alisha with their drinks. Slumping into his chair he looked back but the woman was gone.
His dreams that night were strange, nightmares of a golden haired woman laughing cruelly at him. He tossed and turned. In the morning he was as tired as when he’d fallen into bed the night before. He couldn’t brush off this feeling of dread that seemed to envelope him.
Getting up he scratched at his nipples they felt like they were on fire. Looking in the mirror he frowned, had he lost an inch in height? ‘Weird shit’ he thought as he limped painfully to the toilet to relieve himself. As he stood there he looked at his arms. Normally the muscle and veins popped out like thick cords of rope but today they seemed a bit slimmer less obvious and was the hair lighter less dense? He shook his head trying to clear it. Taking some painkillers from the bathroom cabinet he swallowed them with a mouthful of water.
He had a feeling it was going to be a rough day at the office and he was right. He couldn’t concentrate properly; his itching nipples were driving him mad and he even snapped at his favourite secretary. Finally at 4.00pm he decided to toss it in and go home.
Throwing his tie on the bed he glanced at himself in the mirror before heading to the shower. There were dark rings under his eyes and he felt terrible. He looked at his hair; it looked shaggy, longer than normal. Climbing into the shower he made a mental note to get a haircut tomorrow. He liked being neat and tidy.
Dinner consisted of leftovers as he sat in his pyjamas trying to concentrate on a television program. It was some reality show; television was infested with them, something about people having to live like someone else, ‘Walk a mile in their Shoes’ it was called. He flicked it off and decided on an early night. Walking to his bed he scratched at his nipples, what the hell was wrong with them?
His sleep was punctuated by dreams again, he wouldn’t remember them in the morning just the feelings they evoked, the fear and vulnerability. He woke sweat dripping from every pore in his body the urgent need to urinate forcing him up. The first rays of morning light were playing through his bedroom window as he limped painfully to the bathroom. A stranger seemed to blink at him as he walked past his mirror. He stared in wonder was his hair even longer maybe a shade lighter and what was the puffiness around his chest? He couldn’t think straight it felt like someone had inserted cotton wool into his brain. Without knowing he sat down to pee. ‘What the heck’ he never did that although it was easy when you felt this tired. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. Looking down he gaped at his stomach. “I’m fat’ was all he could think, ‘Time to go on a diet’
His time at the office seemed to pass incredibly slowly that day like he was walking through setting concrete. Every step was torturous and he just couldn’t concentrate. Little errors crept into his writing and his secretary shook her head as she corrected what he had done. What was up with her boss today, he didn’t normally make such silly mistakes and what was with growing his hair long? Maybe he was losing it she wondered.
On the way home Doug stopped in at his local barbers. Sitting in the chair the barber commented on how soft and thick his hair was, almost like a girl’s. Doug just asked him to chop it off. Walking through his door afterwards Doug felt famished, he’d hardly eaten anything all day. Strolling into the kitchen he remembered his diet, he didn’t want to look fat. Preparing a garden salad he sliced a couple of thin pieces of chicken breast with it and sat down to eat. He felt slightly full after, maybe his stomach was shrinking he pondered.
Looking around his apartment he began to notice how messy it was and got up to clean. Throwing clothes into the laundry he took out the vacuum and gave everything a good going over. Some of his old trophies and an old football sat in a corner. They didn’t look right there anymore so he threw them in the trash. Limping over to the living room window he pondered the dark blue curtains. They were a bit old and ragged perhaps he should change them; a nice dusky pink color would suit this room so much better anyway.
Brushing his teeth that night Doug noticed his fingernails, they’d grown long over the last couple of days. Pulling out the clippers he re-shaped them, short and manly. Sitting down to pee, which he didn’t even think about anymore, he then climbed onto the bathroom scales. He’d lost 10 lbs something inside him liked that, being slim suited him. Climbing warily into bed he scratched absently at his chest, switching the light off he wondered what tomorrow held for him.
As usual Doug woke early, it was the best night’s sleep he’d had for a while. He stretched and felt something wasn’t quite right. Actually no it was the reverse. What had been wrong was now right. He felt his hip, it didn’t hurt anymore and there was absolutely no pain. Jumping out of bed Doug felt a slight tug on his chest but he ignored it as he walked then ran around his bedroom, no limp! What had happened was this a miracle? He walked into the bathroom and sat to pee, it seemed right to do it this way, almost natural. Standing he looked at himself in the mirror.
“What the?” he whispered
The first thing he noticed was his hair, long, soft, full, like a girl; almost down to his shoulders. Hadn’t he just had it cut yesterday? His fingernails had grown overnight too, long and shapely. What was this?
Then he noticed his chest, breasts! Tiny ones but still breasts. He touched them, the nipples stuck out large and erect, and the aureoles were big and dark brown. For the first time Doug felt truly scared. What was happening to him? He chose a tight singlet then put on a larger shirt one he had bought a while ago that didn’t quite fit right. It hid the tiny lumps and he breathed a sigh of relief. At least no one at the office would notice. Slipping on a pair of pants they felt loose, even doing his belt up fully they didn’t feel right around his waist. It seemed much smaller now. He needed to get to the bottom of these changes but how; maybe it was something in the water? No don’t be stupid he thought it would be happening to everyone. He couldn’t concentrate properly on the problem his brain just couldn’t find solutions
His secretary did a double take as Doug walked into the office. She thought of herself as a pretty open minded and tolerant person who accepted people at face value. She got on with most and was well liked in the office. She didn’t mind working for Doug although she hated how he could treat clients who got behind on payments. His hair was still long and she felt jealous at how sleek and shiny it looked but it was the way he walked. It seemed effeminate, just too girly like his hips had suddenly widened overnight and he didn’t limp. She wondered what was happening.
“Good Morning Mr Pond” she greeted him.
His answer surprised her not by its content but by his voice. It seemed like a whole octave higher.
“Good morning Jess” but she felt like she was talking to another woman not a man.
As he entered his office she stifled a giggle. His butt looked awfully like a teenage girls.
Doug simply couldn’t concentrate again. He tried to audit some of the financial accounts he was responsible for but just didn’t seem to understand some of the big words used. Tears ran down his cheeks as he tried to deal with the frustration he felt. ‘It wasn’t fair!’
Standing he walked out to the men’s restroom stretching his arms above his head outlining his small breasts. Maybe a good walk might help he had thought.
His secretary watched him as he did so and swore that as his arms came up and his shirt tightened around him that Doug had boobs. They poked through the fabric and were they nipples, surely they were nipples. She wondered why he hadn’t said something if he wanted to become a woman she thought, men did it all the time now. It was no big deal; in fact she thought if Doug became a female he would probably be a much nicer person to work for.
Meanwhile Doug pushed on the door and wandered into the men’s restroom. Was it him or did the door seem a bit more difficult to push today? Maybe it was the hinges. Sitting in a stall he pulled his pants down, sat on the rather cold seat and tried to pee. Nothing seemed to work so he concentrated as hard as he could to relax his muscles. All of a sudden the urine came gushing out and it made such a cute tinkling sound in the water. Funny it didn’t normally sound like that Doug thought but he stood lifted his good old cotton boxers then pulled up his pants.
The next couple of days marched on like this for Doug. It was a relentless tide of changes that he just didn’t seem to notice anymore. Jess became more and more worried as she noted what seemed to be happening to her boss. By Friday of that week she couldn’t believe her eyes. Doug’s shoes seemed to flop on his feet as he walked in and he didn’t even try to hide the fact he now had some rather large breasts poking from his shirt. At least he could wear a bra she had thought he’s flopping all over the place; he needs to have some decency. Doug’s hair was now to his shoulders and was full and sleek; his skin like alabaster smooth and even. His hips had spread and his rear filled out so much his pants hardly fit him anymore. She was genuinely concerned they might just slip down his legs as he walked. Even his belt was fully done up, his waist was so small now. She was truly surprised, could doctors make these changes to a man so quickly and why did Doug not say anything to her. She was a little hurt not to be in on the gossip.
She thought up an excuse to go in and see him after about three minutes. He was sitting at his desk looking at his finger nails which she noted he had painted a very feminine pink color. She had no objection to men painting their nails in fact she thought it looked kind of cute on some guys but pink? Maybe a blue or a black that would be cool, even Johnny Depp did it and he was dreamy. Then again was her boss even a man now, she wondered if he still had a penis. Surely he must, recovery from that kind of surgery took ages but she wasn’t looking at a man anymore that was for sure.
“Umm Mr Pond”
He looked up and smiled at her
“Oh look at your dress its sooooo cute where did you get it, I just love that color.” He gushed
Jess stood there about as confused as a grown woman could be. Doug’s voice was definitely a woman’s one now and he seemed to enjoy pushing his chest forward showing off a very impressive pair of breasts. If she didn’t know better she would have thought he was coming on to her. He looked her in the eyes and smiled again.
“How do you do that look with the eyeliner and shadow I really like it. Could you show me one day?”
Now Jess was creeped out. Her male boss who looked like a woman was asking her for makeup advice.
“Mr Pond are you okay? I mean have you looked at yourself in a mirror today?”
Before he could answer the phone on his desk rang. It was the direct line, Mr Sebastian, the big boss.
“Yes sir, right away sir” Doug purred getting up.
Mr Sebastian wants to see me, we can gossip later Jess” Doug smiled walking out his hips swaying, one foot after the other like a model on the catwalk. Jess just shook her head and wondered if it might not be the time to put in for a transfer.
Doug stood outside Mr Sebastian’s door pulling on his shirt, fussing with his hair, checking his shoes then knocked. Mr Sebastian’s secretary opened it up and stared but her professional demeanour kicked in and she stood aside.
“Come in” she said and walked out as he walked in.
Mr Sebastian sat at his desk concentrating on some paperwork then looked up clearing his throat. He was an older very distinguished man, perfect silver hair and rugged features; he always wore expensive tailored suits with designer shirts and a silk tie. Today his suit was a fine black wool, white shirt, his tie sky blue. Doug thought he looked very handsome, he wondered what he was like in bed.
“Sit down Doug we need to talk, things well ah your section hasn’t been doing too well since you um how can I put this?”
Doug just sat there looking at his boss, batting his eyelashes, his legs crossed.
“Doug I’m going to have to let you go people in the office are talking and well your work is suffering. Normally I make people give me a week or two before leaving but ah look I’m going to give you a generous severance and well you don’t need to come in on Monday okay”
Doug felt like he’d been hit with a baseball bat, let go, fired! What the hell, I mean sure he’d struggled lately, things weren’t easy but fired!
Doug felt the tears in his eyes then they trickled down his cheeks, he couldn’t stop them
“But Mr Sebastian please what will I do how will I live?” Doug’s tears streamed down his face.
“I’m sorry Doug I really am maybe, you know, when you’ve fully gone through, um whatever surgery you need to go through, I don’t know come back and see me I’ll see what I can do maybe there might be a spot in the secretarial pool”
Doug couldn’t believe it and what was the old man on about surgery was he going senile, Doug felt fine, actually better than fine he didn’t limp anymore.
He got up and walked dejectedly out of the door. He didn’t look back it was beneath him. Walking to his office he closed the door with a gentle click and looked around. Picking up a box he began to throw a few of his possessions in, a framed photo of he and Alicia on holiday in Spain, a little clock, some other knick knacks.
A knock came at the door and Jess walked in
“I just heard I’m so sorry what are you going to do?”
“Oh Jess” Doug wailed “I don’t know, look at me I’m a mess I can’t stop crying, I think I’m losing my mind and I’m unemployed and and……”
Jess gave him a hug noticing the prominent breasts pushing against her, the now slim shoulders and fine arms with hardly any muscle.
“Do you have much money; what about Alicia can she help?”
“I don’t have much at all it’s all gone on our lifestyle, the nice apartment, the lease on the car, I guess they’ll take that back. I didn’t want anyone to know but Alicia left me last week, just walked out saying something about needing a real man that I didn’t satisfy her anymore.”
Jess nodded, her feminine empathy working overtime. She didn’t get that Doug didn’t see the changes that had happened, how his body was well a girls, why with a little make up and the right clothes Doug would be positively lovely, maybe not model material but he had beautiful skin, nice features. An idea came to her.
Doug I have an uncle well he’s a distant relative really but he’s looking for someone, a person who can help him with some writing plus do some duties around his home; he has this big place out in the country side. You’d live in, the costs would be minimal, I could give him a call arrange an interview maybe, what do you think?”
Doug thought it over, he realised he had no choice it was that or live on the streets or worse go back home to Richmond.
“Um sure that would be great what do you think I should wear?” Doug felt truly helpless for the first time in his life.
“Well not those clothes that’s for sure” Jess said “how about we go out and get you some new stuff, something that fits your new body.”
New body Doug looked down at himself, the rather large breasts and small waist; yes he needed some new clothes.
“You do realise what you look like now, how you’ve changed?”
It was like a light bulb going on in Doug’s head, he was a girl; his whole body had changed. He struggled to think, to remember when all this started but he couldn’t. It would come to him though he was sure of it, when he wasn’t trying so hard, that’s when it normally happened.
“I’m a woman now aren’t I” Doug whispered “I’m a girl”
“Well you sure look like it, you’ve got the curves now that’s for sure, you can’t hide those big girls” Jess laughed pointing at his new breasts.
Doug blushed and reached up holding one in his open hand, balancing it, feeling the weight.
“I bet they’re really uncomfortable without a bra, we need to get you one”
“Do you think I should change my name Jess, it sounds kind of funny being called Doug when I look like this?”
“Yeah you probably should, I mean Doug isn’t really a girl’s name is it. What do you like?”
“Doug thought for a few seconds, Amy, I like Amy”
“Done” said Jess “from now on you’re Amy Pond”
By 5 o’clock that evening Jess and Amy were shopping. A cosmetics girl at the local pharmacy tried out lots of looks, bras were bought, clothes and shoes too. Jess couldn’t understand how or why her old boss took to this so well. By the end of the evening both were exhausted but Doug had well and truly transformed into Amy. His long soft hair framed a face enhanced by dark smoky eyes, red lips and perfect foundation. His bra pushed up his cleavage while he wore a low cut top that showed it off. A pair of dark women’s pants finished the look with a pair of 4 inch heels.
Amy couldn’t believe the transformation but it felt good, it gave her this tingling feeling inside that she loved. Why didn’t she enjoy shopping before she wondered, in her past life; although the past seemed to be getting darker and darker. To Amy there was just now.
Neither woman noticed her as they walked from the store. Tall with golden hair that fell half way down her back she had perfect skin, perfect teeth, and perfect breasts. A slight smile formed on her lips as the two walked past her. She turned on her high heels and walked away from them. The lessons were about to start.
CHAPTER TWO
Jess was good to her word and Amy was soon sitting in front of her ‘uncle’. She got the distinct feeling it didn’t matter what she said he would have given her the job anyway because all he did was stare at her breasts the whole time. Amy wished she had something to cover them up with and hated how uncomfortable he made her feel. If she didn’t need the job and the money, well.
“So anyway” he was saying talking to her boobs “you’ll have to come and live in the mansion. Jess tells me you’re very good with words plus I’ll need you to help around the house now and again, a bit of cleaning and what not, think you can handle that?”
“Yes Mr Darvill, I think I can handle that”
“Oh we don’t stand on ceremony here child, call me Arthur, Mr Darvill is so terribly formal”
“Ah yes of course, um Arthur” Amy smiled “so when would you like me to start”
“Oh, yes well as soon as possible my girl, what’s today” he peered near-sightedly at his watch “Friday!” he almost yelled the word and Amy jumped.
“Well you can move in with your things this weekend, start on Monday how does that sound?”
“That sounds wonderful” Amy said uncrossing then crossing her legs trying to get comfortable as Arthur watched her. She wondered if he’d start drooling. ‘Oh why is this happening to me I don’t deserve such rotten luck’ she thought to herself ‘if I was a man this wouldn’t happen’
A man, hadn’t she been one once she couldn’t remember. It sounded silly but she was sure in her past….. But she just couldn’t remember.
“I will have a few more things to go over with you when you move in my dear till then I’ll get my assistant Ms Sladen to show you around, get you a key and give you the alarm code, all that. Bye for now”
Arthur’s assistant bustled in as he pressed a buzzer. Amy stood and smoothed her skirt, wishing it was a little longer. Ms Sladen nodded to her boss then motioned for Amy to follow her.
“He’s a bit of a lecherous old fart” she said when they were out of ear shot “but he’s got a heart of gold once he gets to know you and he pays well”
She wore a severe skirt and blouse that hid her legs but emphasised her tiny waist. She wore little make-up but Amy could see the faint outline of a suspender belt under the skirt. There was more to her than met the eye Amy thought. She was also not someone to trifle with and Amy soon found herself saying yes Ma’am or no Ms Sladen. Formality at least with this woman seemed to be expected.
Her room was tiny but well-appointed with frilly curtains hanging at the window a single bed and separate bathroom all painted in baby pink. It was definitely a girl’s room but Amy didn’t mind she was a girl after all.
“Now there is one absolute expectation that all staff must do if they wish to work here”
“Oh um of course what’s that” Amy said smiling
“You must wear one of these at all times under your uniform”
Ms Sladen held up what looked to be underwear but seemed to be made out of some malleable kind of substance. They looked a bit like granny undies to Amy but she took them from Ms Sladen and turned them over in her hand. There was a hole where a person could defecate through other than that they were completely enclosed. They felt cool to the touch and were probably ultra-comfortable to wear.
“What are they?”
“Oh just part of the uniform my dear, do try them on see if they fit. I’ll turn around if you like give some privacy. Everyone wears them even me” she smiled
Ms Sladen turned her back as Amy reached under her skirt and pulled her dainty black panties down and slipped them over her high heels. Balancing carefully she pulled the new underwear up
“Done” she said. They felt amazing, clinging to her like a second skin, moving with her almost like they weren’t even there.
Ms Sladen turned still smiling. Pulling out a remote control she quickly pushed a single button then slipped it into her hand bag. Amy felt nothing so was perplexed.
“What was that?”
“Oh it’s just the dedicated remote to your chastity device my dear. You see you won’t be able to take those off now until we let you. They’re made of a space age material that moves with you, they even have a subcutaneous porous layer that allows you to urinate right through them. You can shower in them do everything in them but as soon as you try to remove them or if you or someone else tries to touch you ‘down there’ they will become totally rigid and impervious. You can’t break them off, cut them off, nothing. The feel of them will make you constantly horny we’ve found, yet you can do nothing to relieve yourself”
Amy felt sick to her stomach.
“So no masturbation no sex whatsoever, for how long?”
“Oh that’s up to Mr Darvill although he normally wants his new staff to remain chaste for at least six months although one silly girl who tried to get them off with a knife had to endure 18 months. He was most cross with her as you can imagine.”
“But why” Amy cried touching the new garment feeling it shimmer and harden under her fingers then soften again as she removed them.
“Why obedience of course my girl, you must learn obedience, learn your place. It’s amazing what a young fulsome girl in the prime of her life will do to relieve her needs after so long. Oh and don’t worry about your period either the blood simply soaks through the material effortlessly. All you have to do is wear a pad inside some other panties like you would normally do. Ingenious don’t you think?”
Amy felt weak, unsure of herself.
“Please be back here with your things by Sunday evening, here’s a key to your room. We do give you privacy you know. Don’t even try to remove the chastity device either my dear he’ll know and it’s impossible plus do you really want to risk being ‘locked away’ for a year and a half?”
She was defeated, how could she be treated like this? She couldn’t even touch herself. Ms Sladen was right though Amy already felt extremely horny, she knew she would be very obedient if it meant being able to remove the device after six months. She also knew she would have to return. There was no going back now.
CHAPTER THREE
Amy sat in front of Mr Darvill again, legs together looking as prim and proper as she possibly could. The last day had been torture for her and she had cried most of the night feeling constantly horny without being able to scratch the itch that she felt deep inside. Every time she touched the chastity device it hardened and wouldn’t let her relieve her desire so she resorted to playing with her nipples which only helped in the short term then just made everything worse. Now she was squirming on the inside while trying her best to look calm on the exterior.
“How are you feeling my dear?” Mr Darvill asked smiling cheerfully. “I do hope everything is to your liking in your new room, if there’s anything you need just let Ms Sladen know”
Amy was tempted to ask for the remote control to her device but knew that would be futile.
“Thank you sir” Amy uttered
“Now your duties Amy I’d like you to do some housekeeping for the next few days if you wouldn’t mind. Just a bit of cleaning and so on you know how it is, the place is a bit of a mess. Being on staff here will require you to do a little of that don’t you know” Mr Darvill rambled on while Amy sat there.
“You’ll need to wear the house maid’s uniform but you’re a girl so you’ll be used to all that I’m sure”
Amy wasn’t sure of anything. She just wondered how she found herself in a strange man’s mansion doing maids duties when she used to, used to ……... What did she used to do? She couldn’t remember much wasn’t it something to do with money?
Amy felt like crying again, she’d done a lot of crying lately. In her dreams she remembered a man called Doug but who was he and why was he so important to her? She could just get up and leave but where would she go? She had no-where else now, no money, nobody to go to.
Mr Darvill dismissed her and she got up to go. She was wearing a pair of black pants and an androgynous top which Mr Darvill obviously disapproved of. He coughed and told her to change into her uniform immediately then report to Ms Sladen for duties. Wandering to her room she noticed a note on her bed telling her that her uniforms were in her wardrobe and she was to put one on and meet Ms Sladen in the kitchen. Looking in her wardrobe Amy gasped, all of the uniforms were either frilly maid’s dresses or very severe long Victorian dresses that looked heavy and uncomfortable. She also had to wear black seamed stockings and black high heeled shoes. There was a tiny white apron for the short dresses and a long robust looking item for the Victorian dress. Today she was expected to wear the short dress and apron with a tiny cotton like hat on her head. The note also told her that her make up needed to be perfect and she had only half an hour to report. Amy hurried as quickly as she could to get ready slipping the 5 inch high heels on last. Tottering down the hallway she reached the kitchen five minutes after she was meant to be there, apologising profusely. Ms Sladen was sitting at a table and looked up as Amy entered. She smiled coldly but said nothing about the girl’s tardiness looking her up and down.
“You look wonderful dear; I do love seeing a girl in frills. Now I have a list of jobs I’d like you to complete today but first there are a few rules of the house you must obey and I do mean ‘obey’ if you ever want to be out of your device.
Amy was all ears she was determined to do as little time as possible in this infernal contraption.
“Very well, rule one is when you are working you may not sit down at all. You will either be standing or on your knees scrubbing”
Amy nodded as Ms Sladen went on. “You will curtsy to anyone who is your superior and as of today that means everyone since you are the new girl here. You’re uniform must always be worn immaculately and lastly and this is very important you will do a perfect job or you will be made to do it again. You will not finish until I am satisfied with your work”
Amy nodded and attempted to curtsy although it was a rather poor attempt. Ms Sladen made her do it again and again until she was satisfied it was done demurely and as femininely as possible. Amy felt very girly and submissive by the end of her impromptu lesson. Finally Ms Sladen let her go and she began on the large list she had been given, Ms Sladen’s parting words ringing in her ears.
“You’re the new girl so remember your place!”
Amy tried her best to clean and dust the areas given to her. Baths and showers needed to be wiped out while beds needed to be made. She took her time and tried to do it right but she wasn’t used to doing housework in a mansion especially wearing 5 inch heels and dressed in such a skimpy dress. She couldn’t wait to get changed out of it. Moving from room to room she vacuumed them out leaving them fresh and sparkling. In her head she kept thinking and wondering if this really was her place? Should this be her lot in life just because she was a woman but she felt trapped and isolated? She needed a friend someone to help her, to give her hope. That friendship would come in the most unlikely of places.
Reporting back to the kitchen she was hobbling a little her feet sore and throbbing from her shoes and her back ached from bending over. Ms Sladen was waiting for her.
“Well done Amy you’ve done a great job but there is a couple of rooms I’d like you to redo I’m not entirely satisfied with them. Giving her a piece of paper with further instructions Amy sighed heavily and limped back to re-clean the rooms. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she wondered what else was in store for her that night. She was soon to find out as Ms Sladen explained her evening duties.
“You will change into your long serving uniform and wait on Mr Darvill and me at dinner Amy. Cook will show you what to do now go and have a shower and be back here in half an hour. Oh and this time don’t be late or you’ll be doing some more cleaning tonight.”
Amy hurried off to do as she was told cursing the heels she was wearing. A quick shower and she changed into the long Victorian style uniform. It was heavy and hard to move in. Amy felt exhausted but knew she needed to do this. Standing at attention beside the table Amy poured wine and delivered food. All the time either Mr Darvill or Ms Sladen would give her instructions on what to do and how to do it. By the end of the evening all she wanted to do was fall into bed.
This was to become her routine for the next few weeks until one day she met Sam. He was lying under a bush near the back of the property looking very sorry for himself. Amy had been let out for a break and happened to come across him. Instantly her woman’s heart melted he was handsome but obviously hurt. She leapt into action.
CHAPTER FOUR
Amy slept fitfully that night dreaming of being a man it was so lucid she could see herself in a mirror with a flat chest and hard abs then all of a sudden she began to change, her body grew breasts as she watched then her penis shrunk and reformed into her very own pussy, her hips widened and her hair seemed to grow from being very short to falling in long waves down her back. She groaned in her sleep tossing and turning then whimpering as her dreams twisted and turned inside her mind. Finally she seemed to relax as inside her dream she saw herself for who she really was and the great gift of womanhood she had been given. Gazing at the curvy soft body in the mirror, the full sweep of her hips leading up to her swelling breasts, her long legs, the full ripe lips and dark eyes made up with mascara and eyeliner. She held up her small dainty hands and admired the long red painted nails. She saw a beautiful woman and realised she lived inside this body. Amy didn’t understand why but suddenly she felt contented and happy as she looked at herself.
She was woken by a wet tongue in her face and a black nose snuffling at her. Giggling she sat up in bed and the little dog, Sam, that she had rescued the night before leapt up onto her bed. She smiled and laughed as he licked her nose shushing him as he made some noise. He was deliriously happy to see her and his tail wagged so fast it was a blur as she rubbed his chest and behind his ears. She had fixed his sore paw the night before and bandaged where it had been cut. Sam of course had ripped it off and licked it clean. Jumping on Amy’s bed he wiggled his whole body and grinned at her, well in a doggy kind of way. Amy was happy she had a friend even if for a short time. She’d probably have to give him back to his owners but until then she had him to talk to.
Amy decided she could sneak some food from the kitchen for him and could take him out for a walk each evening when everyone else was asleep. Looking after a dog wasn’t something she’d ever done she was sure of it but it felt good. She also felt intensely horny and despite herself found her hands wandering toward her groin. The chastity pants thwarted her attempts however and in her desperation she rubbed and tweaked her nipples hard to find relief. It only left her frustrated and tearful. Why oh why did they do this to her? What had she done?
“We’re going out today Amy” Ms Sladen announced as she walked into the kitchen, to do some shopping, I’ll have the clothes I want you to wear delivered to you after you’ve completed your duties this morning. Make sure your makeup is perfect and put on some nice heels too there’s a good girl.”
Amy was beside herself she was going out beyond the four walls of the mansion; she would see people, real people different from the normal staff. Hiding Sam under her bed and shushing him to silence the clothes were delivered to her door in a nice pink bag. Pulling them out she gasped. A pretty but very small pleated pink mini skirt coupled with a sleeveless and very low cut top that barely covered her boobs. Amy was incredulous yet in a peculiar way she liked the clothes, they were sexy and made her feel very feminine. Coupled with the heels no one would mistake her for anything else but a beautiful young woman. She placed a shawl around her shoulders and made sure her makeup was indeed gorgeous. Her skin looked flawless, her eyes smoky. Amy was hot and looked very attractive as she walked out of her room. She’d left some food for Sam and he was now curled under her bed letting out little snoring noises. She smiled to herself as she strolled down the hallway her butt swinging in the sexiest of ways, her skirt swinging from side to side showing off her long legs that looked slim and shapely due to the heels.
Ms Sladen looked her up and down as she entered the study and Mr Darvill gave her an approving smile as she stood demurely looking at her feet but secretly pleased with how desirable she looked.
“You look very lovely my dear” Mr Darvill observed “do be careful at the Mall or all the men will just eat you up”
Amy blushed at the compliment even as something at the back of her mind tugged at her made her uncomfortable at the thought that she was desirable to men. ‘Conflicted’ was the thought that came to her mind but she felt so good she ignored it.
“We’re going shopping for supplies Amy plus a few other things so just follow me and help out where you can. Just be pleasant and friendly okay.”
Amy nodded her understanding and sat in the passenger seat of Ms Sladen’s car her legs together, her arms folded lifting her breasts and showing off her ample cleavage. Ms Sladen smiled to herself; Amy was coming along very well, very well indeed.
Pulling into the car park Amy exited the car one leg after the other knees together, a perfect lady. Ms Sladen got out too, her long hair swinging behind her, both women looked stunning.
Walking together their heels clicking on the concrete, butts swaying they looked and felt immensely desirable.
Men’s eyes slid to follow them and other women looked positively jealous as they walked by. Amy felt so good to be out of the mansion and looking so hot. She stared brazenly at other women and smiled at a guy if she though he was good looking. This new found boldness delighted her. She was both cute and alluring. Men found her irresistible. The feeling it invoked in her was addictive.
“It’s nearly lunch time lets go in here for a drink and a bite to eat” said Ms Sladen.
She walked in to a cafe while Amy shadowed her looking around. It was an intimate place, music played softly in the background, a group of 20 something women sat at a table by a window overlooking a water feature in the center of the mall with goldfish swimming lazily about in the pond. They chatted and laughed, legs crossed, elbows on tables, perfectly relaxed, perfectly feminine but they all watched the two sexy women in short skirts as they walked in. Women knew competition when they saw it. Two young men sat close by hunched over their meals eating slowly. They both looked up as the women came into view, both straightened up, puffed out their chests a little more. Amy thought they looked very handsome. Ms Sladen chose a table between the group of women and the two men. Amy sat down crossing her legs and studied the menu. Both guys stared at her and grinned at each other. Their lunch just got a whole lot more interesting.
After ordering Ms Sladen sat there looking at Amy and smiled one of those ‘well here we are’ type smiles.
“Have you ever given a man a blowjob Amy?” she said it loud enough for everyone close enough to hear. The men’s ears pricked up instantly while a couple of the young women tittered and put their hands over their mouths. Amy went instantly red and gaped at Liz Sladen.
“Um well that’s an interesting question I um” Amy was flustered
“You should you know, one day, soon; really you’d enjoy it” Ms Sladen was serious, her face straight she looked Amy directly in the eyes.
“It’s quite an experience your first time.”
The two men looked at each other and one leaned over clearing his throat
“Excuse me but I couldn’t help overhearing what you just said and…..”
Ms Sladen looked over at him and scowled.
“This is a private conversation if you don’t mind”
“Yes well but I mean if she wanted to you know practice on someone you know I’m available” he stammered with a big grin on his face.
Amy thought he was very handsome in a hipster kind of way; he had one of those wispy beards going on with shoulder length brown hair and deep blue eyes with long dark eyelashes. He looked at Amy and her heart fluttered; he was certainly gorgeous.
Just then the waitress arrived and placed the women’s orders in front of them.
Amy thanked her but continued to look at the guy while he stared at her. Ms Sladen’s voice was frosty but she had a half smile on her face a little like all of this was planned but of course that was impossible, wasn’t it?
“So Amy how are you enjoying the job?”
Amy’s attention was diverted back to her but she kept looking sideways at the boy.
“Well it’s not really what I was expecting but um well it’s all I have so I guess I have to make the best of it.” Amy’s concentration wavered and she took a small bite of her food. All of a sudden she didn’t feel hungry anymore. He continued to stare.
Ms Sladen wiped her mouth and excused herself
“I must use the bathroom”
Amy got up to go with her but she was waved away
“No stay here and relax Amy I’ll be fine” and Liz Sladen walked off toward the ladies room leaving Amy alone.
The young guy came straight over and sat down in front of Amy.
“Hi I’m Rob pleased to meet you.”
Amy didn’t know whether to be flattered or worried or maybe a bit of both. She knew where this was leading but her chastity device was really making itself known as her pussy lubricated. She was intensely attracted to this young man but knew she couldn’t do much about it. What should she do?
Rob sat there looking at her trying to make small talk. Amy was coy but wanted to talk to him.
“Can I get your number?” Rob asked beguilingly and Amy melted. Giving him her number and smiling into his eyes
“Call me” she whispered huskily.
She’d never flirted before, she liked this lesson.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Amy the annual mansion ball is coming up soon and I’d like you to help out” Mr Darvill muttered as he looked around his office absentmindedly. Amy was standing before him in her French maid’s uniform and high heels. She was used to wearing these clothes now and swished about the large house doing her chores efficiently and effectively. She loved how her bottom wiggled as she walked and how her long legs looked slim and sexy in her heels. The skirt flounced around her stocking clad thighs in a way that made her feel feminine and sensual all at once.
Mr Darvill was looking for his spectacles and Amy kindly removed them from his head and handed them to him. He smiled in that bemused professor kind of way and clucked at himself for being so forgetful. Amy reflected on how different this man could be. Sometimes he was sharp as a tack and seemed to be able to look deep inside her, knowing all her secrets and at other times like now he was a doddery senile old man. She had developed a real soft spot for him and treated him like a kindly old grandfather, while he in turn was obviously genuinely fond of her albeit in a rather paternalistic way.
“How would you like me to help sir?” Amy enquired speaking softly, respectfully to her employer.
“Well my dear I have a very important client coming to the ball. He is rather wealthy and young and quite good looking and I was wondering and you can say no if you want to, but I was wondering if you might like to be his date? You’ll have to get all dressed up in a nice dress and get your makeup and all that done but well I’d really appreciate it and of course you won’t have to pay for anything…..”
Amy’s heart almost leapt out of her chest
“Oh yes Mr Darvill I’d love to, that sounds divine, so you mean I’ll wear a ball dress and get my hair done and everything. Can I choose the colour and style of the dress and I’ll have to get my nails done and choose some shoes.” Amy gushed as she skittered over to Mr Darvill and hugged him. He seemed a little taken aback, hemming and hawing in the gruff way old men do but he was also smiling wickedly almost as if he just knew she would say yes.
“So ahh talk to Ms Sladen, I’ve instructed her to take you shopping in a day or two and get, you know, all the girly bits taken care of for you. The ball is this Saturday and what’s today, Tuesday yes Tuesday so you’ll have to get onto it quickly so off you go and do your chores and then have that talk. Yes very good” he mumbled to himself as Amy floated out of the doorway on cloud nine adrift in a sea of frilly and feminine thoughts about dresses and makeup and nail polish and shoes. The day seemed to disappear for her as she did her work, humming a song to herself lost in her own little world. She visited her room to bring Sam a snack and he greeted her wagging his tail deliriously happy to see her leaping up to lick her hand. She giggled and scratched behind his ears. No one seemed to have noticed she had kept him and for his part he had bonded with her. He slept on her bed at night and she would sneak him out each evening for exercise and to take care of his ‘business’. She loved him and had decided never to give him up, his companionship and loyalty kept her sane during the long dreary days of cleaning and looking after the mansion.
She also kept in contact with Rob by text but they never seemed to be able to connect, he being kept busy at his company and her of course working in the mansion. She didn’t realise it but slowly she was falling in love with this mysterious man as he continued to text her heart felt messages and share his day with her. She would sit on her bed at night with Sam snuggled at her feet a tear falling down her cheek if he shared that he’d had a tough day or giggling if he told her a funny story. He was the perfect gentleman and treated her like a far off princess, romancing her with his words. He always asked her how she was and about her day and would sometimes ring her just to hear her voice. Aside from the excitement of the upcoming ball she thought about him constantly and hoped one day soon she might be wrapped in his arms safe and secure with him just as he was in her heart.
On the Thursday Ms Sladen and Amy jumped in the car and headed to the local shopping centre. Amy was led to a small shop near the rear of the center where a small Asian woman waited. She was an expert seamstress and had a range of diaphanous and gorgeous ball dresses lined up on a rack as the two women clicked in on high heels. Amy’s eyes shone as she looked upon the beautiful dresses. She was in girl heaven as she was made to stand on a raised plinth and Mrs Yee the seamstress measured her, taking notes in a little book and clucking over her like a mother hen. Amy was given the choice of colour and style and she tried on dress after dress taking her time as she twirled and turned looking at herself in a full length mirror. The feel of chiffon and satin, silk and lace encasing her body, slipping sensually over her bare flesh as she moved gave her goose bumps. Some dresses hugged her tightly while others were ethereal and felt like she had nothing on at all flowing about her like the soft breath of a lover.
Ms Sladen gave her opinion on each one and had Amy twirl and turn showing off the pleats or darts in a dress or how it hung from her body. The women smiled and laughed together more like sisters now than employer and employee.
Finally Amy chose a soft lavender colored dress made of a sleeveless satin bodice paired with a satin skirt overlaid with chiffon and covered with sequins that made the dress shimmer and glitter in the light. Amy’s slim shoulders and arms were left bare while the skirt flared out falling all the way to the floor. It was the most beautiful thing Amy had ever seen and as she looked at herself in the mirror she was overwhelmed by how it made her look but mostly by how it made her feel. She looked hot and sexy which made her feel hot and sexy. It was the most delicious and quite addictive feeling in the world. Amy felt like crying, she was being treated like a princess by people who were showing her kindness and care even though she was simply a maid. It was so different from her distant past, a past she tried so hard to remember but always seemed just beyond her reach, lying there in the darkness and recesses of her mind. A past where she knew she’d been someone unlikable and distant. Someone she didn’t want to be anymore.
Saturday morning dawned calm and clear, the bright sunshine streaming through the high window in Amy’s room. She stretched and felt the little warm body at her feet, tail wagging as he saw her eyes open. The lavender dress hung in pride of place from a hanger in her wardrobe while a pair of light purple, high heeled shoes sat underneath it, complimenting the dress. Amy smiled to herself, today was going to be a great day and she was excited. Ms Sladen was going to take her to get her nails and makeup done for the ball tonight then she would be putting her dress on and joining her date for a night of dancing and romance and glamour. This was more than a favour for Mr Darvill it was her coming out and the first time she would have the opportunity to be beautiful and desirable. Rushing through her duties after feeding Sam and giving him a pat she was soon once more in the car heading this time to a local beauty parlour.
This was entering the very heart of femininity and she felt all warm inside, a tingling that started in the pit of her stomach and went all the way up to her head and shoulders and down to her toes as she sat in front of the young girl who gently held her fingers, shaping her nails and applying a coat of bright red shellac to them. Once finished Amy admired the look and feel of her hands turning them to show off the length and colour of the nails. Next she sat as Sarah her stylist placed a cover over her shoulders and twisted and pulled her hair into the most intricate shape while light curls fell to the side of her face framing it and highlighting her cheekbones and delicate nose. Amy loved the pampering as a makeup artist then took over. Light layers of foundation were applied building up to give Amy a flawless look. Powder followed, brushed on tickling Amy’s face in the most delicious of ways then blended in. A delicate layer of blush was applied to her cheeks then her brows and lashes were darkened before lashings of mascara were applied making her eyes look dark and opulent. The intensity was increased even further as eyeliner was applied in a cat like look then darker eye shadow. A bright red shade of lipstick that matched her nail lacquer emphasised her lips making them look full and sensual. By the end Amy was breathtakingly beautiful and Ms Sladen smiled to herself at how far the woman who was to be her protégé had come. This was going to be quite a night for the young lady who had once been a cruel and ruthless man.
“Now don’t smudge your lipstick Amy but if you do I’ll show you how to fix it yourself” said Liz as she placed the tube into Amy’s purse.
“Let’s head off and go and get dressed up shall we” as Amy stood slowly, gaping at the gorgeous woman staring back at her in the mirror. Thanking everyone profusely and giving them a hug that didn’t smudge her makeup she followed Ms Sladen out of the door and back to the car. Arriving back at the mansion it was 5.30pm and time to put her dress on.
Ms Sladen had decided Amy should have bare legs tonight so as she slipped the dress on and it was zipped up at the back the feel against her thighs was almost orgasmic. She shivered involuntarily as the gossamer of satin and chiffon caressed her. Slipping the heels on to her feet to finish the look Amy felt simply fabulous. She hoped both Mr Darvill and her date would be pleased. By 7.00pm she was ready; many guests had already arrived as she joined Mr Darvill and Ms Sladen in a little room near the large main hall. Amy was exceedingly nervous but excited to be standing there and noticed her hand was shaking a little. Liz Sladen noticed it too and reached out holding Amy’s hand comforting her.
“We have something for you” announced Liz as she produced a jewellery box. Mr Darvill stood there beaming as Amy took the box, eyes wide as she opened it to see a pair of diamond encrusted earrings that would dangle tantalisingly from her dainty ears glittering and shimmering like the sequins in her dress. Ms Sladen helped her put them on and they set off the beauty that Amy had become. She tried to hold back the tears but they came anyway and she wiped delicately at the corner of her eyes trying to be careful with her mascara and liner.
“Thank you so much” she whispered her voice betraying her as both Mr Darvill then Liz Sladen hugged her.
“We’re proud of you young lady” said Mr Darvill meaning it “you’ve come a long way and learnt many good lessons”
Amy smiled and sighed, this was the best day of her life.
Mr Darvill then led the way and moved out into the body of the hall followed by the two women. Both of them were stunning, Ms Sladen was wearing a little black dress that emphasised her small waist, long legs and full round breasts. Her hair was caught up in a fashionable bun that made her face look thinner and brought out her cheekbones. Her eyes were dark like Amy’s while her lips were pouting and sexy. Nearly every guest stopped and it felt like a collective intake of breath occurred as the two took centre stage. Every man’s eyes were on them as Mr Darvill moved across the room and stopped beside a young man who was smiling delightedly at Amy. He had one of those wispy beards going on and his long brown hair and deep blue eyes captivated Amy as she looked at him.
Mr Darvill led him back across the ballroom floor and began to speak but was interrupted.
“This is huge! I didn’t know you were going to be my date, I don’t think this night could get any better” Rob said holding Amy’s hand. She in turn simply whispered
“Hi”
“You know each other” queried Mr Darvill and Rob laughed.
“Yeah we’ve kind of met but wow Amy, just wow you look beautiful, actually I have no words to describe how wonderful you look tonight, would you like to dance?”
Amy simply nodded as he led her onto the dance floor. Holding her they moved as one together, him leading, her following, and her dress swishing around her legs as she twirled breathlessly around the room.
“I had no idea it would be you” Rob laughed
“Me either” said Amy as he held her “but I’m so glad it was. This has really turned out to be the best night of my life” she giggled.
“I’m staying the night here” Rob grinned “in the guest bedroom.” The inference was clear and there was nothing Amy would have loved to do more than spend the night with him but her chastity was still attached to her, love making was impossible; Amy nearly cried in frustration at the thought of it.
Mr Darvill leaned over to Liz.
“Did you give him the remote?”
“Yes of course” she answered smiling.
“It’s working out quite perfectly isn’t it, I do think young Douglas has learnt his lesson don’t you and he will make such a wonderful addition to the team don’t you think?”
“Yes I do, I think she’ll be splendid” Ms Sladen commented back “I actually have a new assignment waiting for her once she has consummated her relationship with Robert.”
“So I assume you believe Douglas will choose to remain as Amy rather than revert back?”
“Wouldn’t you, what has he got to go back to now? When we give his memory back I don’t believe she will want to be a he again.”
“I tend to agree with you Liz, I mean we’ve never had anyone turn have we?”
“Exactly” Liz smiled; she mentally patted herself on the back. She had never had anyone turn and she prided herself on the men she chose and the women that they became. Amy was no exception. Liz thought about her mission, her passion really, to take men who should know better, who had the potential to be great and then facilitate their transformation into women. Not just any women though, ones who would be role models who could be taught to love and to care. Who would join into the mission and become beautiful spirits. Of course Liz too had started as a man and been transformed by her own mentor, she had been given the gift of shifting, of being able to transform into a different female form. It had been Liz that Doug had attempted to chat up and it had been Liz who had rejected him then begun his change. These changes weren’t something that could be explained they just were, no one questioned them, they didn’t need to, and it created stunning women. Liz loved her job.
Amy and Rob danced the night away, eyes only for each other. He made a point of holding her close, their bodies touching, each feeling the electricity of the other; that shared heart beat only lovers can experience. The other guests smiled at them, lost as they were in each other, recognising the love they shared yet unaware of the texts and calls each had made, how they had longed for each other, how much this meant to them.
By the end of the evening as the crowd began the ritual of leaving, thanking their hosts, hugging friends, collecting scattered belongings, Amy sat at a table resting her head on Rob’s shoulder a contented look on her face. Her feet ached and her legs throbbed but it was all worth it as she absent mindedly stroked the back of his hand with her finger making small circles then tracing her finger nail along one of the veins. For his part he felt the loving touch, the security she felt around him, her trust in him and he knew he was falling for her. He’d never felt this way about anyone before in his life but this woman did something to him. He wanted to see more of her, feel her touch, her breath on his neck, kiss her deeply, make delicious love to her.
He whispered into her ear “Let’s go” and he took her hand leading her toward his room oblivious to everything else. She followed a knot of fear in the pit of her stomach. What would happen when he saw the chastity device, would he just throw her out? She didn’t think she could bear that. Stopping at his door she held his hand holding on as if her life depended on it, which to her it did.
“Rob, I need to tell you something” she began but he hushed her placing a single finger over her lips.
“I know” he smiled, “but you see they gave me this.” He held up the little remote control. “You’re not going to need to wear that thing another minute”
He pressed the button and Amy felt her device loosen, freeing her from its prison.
“From now on we belong to each other; our bodies aren’t our own anymore.”
Amy was delighted almost speechless as he picked her up and carried her in to his room. Putting her down he reached around her slowly pulling on the zipper that held her dress. Loosening it fell to the ground around her feet revealing her bare perfect breasts and the now relaxed chastity device. He moved his hands sensuously over her body and she let out a low moan as his fingertips started on her shoulders then worked down to the top of her breasts, caressing them lightly moving over her nipples. She arched her body into him, the ultimate seductress, her desire for him overtaking everything else. Their love making was slow, a spark that became a raging fire. He brought her to the brink time and again then when he finally let her tumble over into the abyss of orgasm she felt him release, felt the oneness of their souls and she remembered everything; who she had been and who she now was. Somehow Amy knew she had a choice; that she could go back to being the old Doug or remain forever as Amy entwined in the arms of her lover. All she had to do was decide and speak the words.
“Make love to me again please” she begged looking into Rob’s eyes. She had made her decision, no going back, she knew it was right.
Arthur Darvill and Liz Sladen sat together in his study enjoying a glass of wine. It was late and that relaxed fog of tiredness enveloped both of them probably helped along a little too much by the wine.
“So who is the next assignment Liz? The one you have planned for Amy”
“Well his name is Aaron, he’s 29, comes from Knoxville Tennessee. Actually he’s very similar to Amy except he just has no idea how to treat a woman. He can be cruel to them, immature, acts a little too much like a baby when he can’t get his own way. He has a bit of a disability and uses it as an excuse not to work. We’re going to give him the same options Amy had. I’m confident he’ll change, become a better woman and better person. His life is going to get very interesting”
Mr Darvill smiled and stretched in his chair.
‘Interesting’ now that was a good word to describe what was about to happen.
CHAPTER 6
Aaron Hickman sat on his bed, a remote control in his hand, munching on potato crisps, his stomach peeking out from under his shirt. His bed was a mess.
He called out to his mother over the deafening sound of the Halo game he was playing with his friends over the internet.
“Hey wench; bring me a sandwich!”
Aaron’s Mom sighed as she leaned over the washing machine pulling out the clothes that needed to be hung on the line outside. Fortunately most of them weren’t Aaron’s because he hardly ever changed what he wore. Black jeans, black Metallica t-shirts that was about it. She wondered how she ever got a son who was so lazy, so indolent. If only he would help around the place even lend a hand with the dishes, maybe help cut the lawns now and then. But he wouldn’t. She blew a wisp of hair away from her face, a single tear running across her cheek and splashing on the floor, unnoticed, uncared for. She had been a pretty wee thing once, carefree even happy with her life but the years had taken their toll, little crow’s feet clung to her eyes and wouldn’t go away no matter what creams and potions she used, her body sagged under the weight of not only having to care for herself but the man child who resided in the upstairs bedroom.
Aaron giggled to himself, ‘wench’ he thought, he was so funny. He liked having a mom who was his personal servant, life was great, he didn’t have to work and he was waited on hand and foot. He’d trained her well.
“And hurry up” he screamed as he killed off yet another one of the enemy on the screen. He was going out tonight to a club, a new metal band was playing, they were supposed to be good, he was going with a few mates, all of them metal heads, he couldn’t wait. The band was called ‘Pond Scum’ and the singer was supposed to be really hot. She had a voice to die for too but all the guys wanted to go to see if the rumours were true, that she was smoking. Her name was Amy Pond, hence the band’s name. They all said she was ethereal, beautiful even and had the biggest rack.
The club was awash with people and smoke, that kind of smoke that was almost sweet smelling but not quite, combined with copious amounts of beer and spirits, no-one drank wine here, well not unless they wanted to find themselves beaten to a pulp in the alleyway behind the club, things were pumping. Aaron and his mates pushed their way inside. Aaron was the battering ram, huge arms, muscular body overlaid with far too much fat for a 28 year old. Everyone got out of his way, not only because of his bulk but also he needed a shower, the acrid smell of body odour announcing his presence. Girls wrinkled their noses, held their hands over their faces, guys just got out of his way; he had a reputation.
‘Pond Scum’ were about to come on and Aaron pushed his way to the front of the stage, right in the middle, where he would get a good view, could get really involved in the mosh pit if he wanted to.
Three guys walked on, winding their way around the mic cables and stands and musical instruments, taking their places. The club became dark and a hush came upon the crowd. A single spotlight blinked on and she was standing there, right in front of Aaron, above him but so close he could smell her perfume. How she managed to get there without making a noise he didn’t know but he was transfixed by her beauty, especially her eyes they looked into him, deep into his soul and he shivered. She had long black hair, a wild mane that glowed and reflected the lights. Indigo and red, blues and greens all seemed to shimmer from it. He stood there, still, as people around him began to dance and writhe to her deep strong voice that rose and fell in the first song of the night, reaching out to him, wailing his name. Or so he imagined.
He reached out, tried to touch her but she moved away, like a ghost, then floated back moving from one side of the stage to the next, working the crowd whipping them to a frenzy. Aaron was being jostled by the people around him but he didn’t care, he had eyes only for her, a need rose in him, a desire to have her, to own her. She was the loveliest thing he had ever seen and he was used to getting what he wanted, he reached out again this time catching the heel of one of her boots. They were black, spiked heels, coming almost to her knees. He thought they made her look hot. Instantly a security guard came over grabbing at his arm but she effortlessly disentangled herself from his grasp, again Aaron wondered how she did it. He was strong yet one second he had her the next second he didn’t.
Waving the guard away she bent down, the band played on, a guitar solo screeching and howling. She grabbed Aarons chin, pulling at his beard, looking into his eyes. Her smile was wicked, he was paralysed, she spoke so only he could hear.
“We want you Aaron, it’s time to learn your lesson”
The room spun and Aaron felt nauseous, he couldn’t stand upright then everything went black.
Aaron woke the next morning, lying on his bed, he felt strange as if he were about to vomit but he held it in; the room was spinning again. Once everything came to at least a partial stop he looked around. He found himself in a little girl’s room, the walls were pink, white lacy curtains hung at the windows, a poster of some current boy band hung on a wall, another with a pretty fairy dressed in a wraith-like dress above him. He shook his head, tried to clear it and felt soft hair flip against his face. Suddenly he felt scared, really scared. Pulling at the covers he stood up. He was wearing a short night dress, thin legs poked out, his toes were small the nails painted a soft pink. He walked over to a full length mirror, a girl maybe 12 years old peered back at him. She had long dark hair, a pretty face, small white teeth. Her body was thin and frail with tiny breast buds that poked into the material of her nighty.
This time he screamed. The sound that came from his mouth was high pitched the soprano of a little girl. He stopped, momentarily confused then came to his senses. He looked at himself in the mirror again then reached down, pulled up the hem of the night dress. He was encased in a pair of frilly panties with little pink horses over them. Reaching for the waist band, tremulously he pulled them down. What he saw next chilled him to the bone. The hairless vaginal opening of a pre-pubescent child was there. Not the large heavy penis and testes he was used to, surrounded by the dark hair of a 28 year old man. His mind began to work overtime trying to make sense of the impossible. He didn’t yet try to understand how this had happened or even why, all he asked himself was how could he get back to his real body, the man’s one. He wanted his strength back, his musculature, his cock. Aaron walked over to his dresser, dazed beyond words. Some school exercise books sat there. The name written on the front read Lara Hickman, the’ i’ had a little heart over it instead of a dot and someone had drawn a rainbow and hearts in the corner. The writing inside was neat and tidy. It was definitely a girl’s book.
Opening a drawer it was filled with girly underwear, all different shades some with heart prints or stripes, others plain. Another drawer held girls tops, again of different shapes and colours. Yet another had skirts or jeans neatly folded and stacked. Walking over to a wardrobe he opened the door. Dresses greeted him, some frilly, some lacy, a couple were even made of satin, one pink and one a soft lavender colour. This little girl obviously did dancing as one of her activities.
Aaron walked back to his drawers and suddenly felt the pressure of his bladder. He needed to pee, urgently. Rushing to the bathroom, this was still his old house he mused, he stood at the toilet bowl and lifted the lid.
“Fuck” he thought and turned quickly, jumping up onto the seat. Try as he might he couldn’t seem to go until suddenly everything seemed to switch on. The stream of urine made that girly tinkling sound as he sat there, the relief flooding through him.
Sitting on the toilet he reached down to the hairless vagina and began poking and prodding. It was definitely a girl’s. He understood what he was and the realisation paralysed him. Questions tumbled into his mind.
What would his friends say?
How was he going to go out into the world like this?
Was he going to have to go to school like this even?
What the fuck had happened to him?
He remembered the night before the beautiful singer grabbing him. What had she said, something about learning his lesson. Well lesson learned bitch he thought. He would find her, make her turn him back. Then reality struck, how does a weak little 12 year old girl make anyone do anything?
Suddenly his mother’s voice rang out
“Lara are you up? You need to get ready for school dear. Remember you have to pack for the holidays too; you’re spending the summer at your Aunt Jess’s. I think she wants to take you to the mansion this year. Can you come straight home this afternoon so we can do that together, I want to make sure you’re ready. Isn’t it exciting only two days of school left then holidays”
“Yes Mom” Aaron called not wanting to rouse suspicion but his heart quailed. What the hell was the mansion and who was this strange Aunt Jess, he’d never heard of her before? This whole thing was getting weirder and weirder. And why did his Mom call him Lara like she just somehow knew he’d turned into a girl?
Dressing quickly in some jeans and a t-shirt Aaron tumbled down the stairs and into the kitchen. His Mom was there but she seemed somehow different, kind of lighter, her skin didn’t seem to have the same wrinkles and appeared fresher, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She smiled at Aaron and came over to hug him.
“Morning sweetheart” she said kissing the top of the little girls head.
“You need to brush your hair though Lara and honestly you’re not going to school dressed like that. You know my expectations now you run straight back up and put on a dress and those nice Mary-Jane shoes we just bought you, with some socks. You’re going to look and act like a lady do you understand! Oh and honestly girl you’re starting to develop boobs so for goodness sake put on a bra. You don’t want the boys looking at your nipples poking through like that do you?”
Aaron was thunderstruck; a DRESS and Mary Jane shoes and a bra! She must be joking!
“But Mom”
“No arguing young lady” Mom retorted “get up there and get changed or by hokey…..” she left the threat unfinished, hanging in the air. Aaron slunk back up. This was really turning into a crap day now. He had to go to school in a dress.
Stomping back up the stairs Aaron pondered his predicament. Somehow he’d been changed into a little girl. He wasn’t happy with it but he knew he had to deal with it. All the rest of his life was both the same yet different. He still had the same Mom, he lived in the same house so he must have access to his old group of friends. Would they know him as Aaron or as Lara? Would they even know him at all? He didn’t have a job so that didn’t count but he obviously now had a school life. Who were his friends there? He figured he’d find out soon enough.
He had an idea how this had happened. It was that rocker chick Amy Pond. She had told him he was going to learn a lesson and he had woken like this. He had the option of tossing everything in and crying his life away in his bedroom or making the effort to find out what this was all about and do something about it. He opted in his head for the latter, surely whoever or whatever had done this to him would show themselves soon enough. Surely he would have the option of changing back into his old body. Aaron decided that for the time being as much as he hated it he would go along with these bizarre changes and see where it lead. He wondered if the whole thing with ‘Aunt Jess’ and the ‘mansion’ had anything to do with it. Time would tell, in the meantime he had to act and be a 12 year old girl.
CHAPTER 1
An unpleasant drizzle ground a thin layer of new snow into the sidewalks. The moon was a cold ball draped in mist, unwilling to combat the frigidity in the air.
It was late and I was tired, the sound of house music spilled out on to the sidewalk from a club just 50 metres away, bodies spilled out as well, young men and women most of them intoxicated, laughing or yelling their goodbyes, couples with their arms around each other or groups of girls chattering excitedly clacking down the road in high heels and short sparkly party dresses their breath rising as vapour in the freezing air.
I rubbed my eyes wearily and looked around me, looking for one woman in particular. She hadn’t left yet I was sure of that and it was my job to watch her, not that she knew that, not yet anyway. Her name was Dr Nicole Jones and she was very special, a top bio chemist who was working on top secret stuff. She was also beautiful, tall with long brunette hair, amazing figure and dark blue eyes any guy could easily get lost in. I mean hey I had blue eyes too but hers well…
She had decided to go out tonight and so I followed, discretely but always staying close. My employers had invested an obscene amount of money into her and they didn’t want their investment damaged. I decided to wander into the club even though I knew she was okay in there, I figured nobody would try anything with so many people around.
The club was packed with people, some of them sitting at tables, some on the dance floor rubbing their bodies against each other, girls with boys, boys with girls, girls with girls in one large group that seemed to move with one mind. Nicole Jones was easy to spot, she stood out not just because of her height, especially in the heels she was wearing, but because she was easily the most beautiful woman in the place. She had a dress on that accentuated her figure, clinging to all the right parts and giving a view of just enough cleavage without looking slutty. It was a dark blue but sparkled as she moved and only came down to about mid-thigh. I guessed her age at about 25 but I was never that good at guessing a woman’s age. The company hadn’t told me how old she was, it was just my job to follow and make sure she got home in one piece. She was chatting to a couple of other women standing by the bar sipping cocktails, looking out across the dance floor laughing at things the other two said. I liked the way she smiled, it wasn’t just teeth but her whole face lit up and she seemed to glow. It was probably an illusion but then again it could simply have been she was an extremely attractive woman and I was feeling both attracted to and very protective of her.
I made my way to the bar, pushing through bodies and stood about three metres from where she was and ordered a coke. No alcohol while on the job. She looked at me then looked past me, as if I was a ghost. I smiled to myself that was exactly how I wanted it to be. I didn’t stand out; I wasn’t a big guy, probably on the slim side really no discernible or defining features. I blended in to my surroundings easily but first impressions can be very misleading.
Dr Jones began to move. She stretched first like a cat, arching her back and smiled at her friends. It made her incredible breasts stand out and caught the eye of every man within about 10 metres of her which meant every guy in the room. She moved to each of her friends, hugging them and saying her goodbyes. Anticipating her movement I slipped off my seat and quickly moved outside pretending to be looking for someone as she walked past me. She had a spectacular rear end made even more remarkable as she walked and the silky garment she wore moved with her accentuating every curve. I immediately noticed two guys drop out of the shadows into the street light; they were alert, watching everything while appearing to simply saunter down the sidewalk moving in the opposite direction to Nicole. They were dressed casually but they were clothes that allowed them to move freely, act quickly. One was tall, like a basketball player, muscles in his shoulders and arms, the other was more stocky and wide, and a short cropped military hairstyle. Mercenaries I figured. I moved walking quickly past Nicole pretending to wave to someone behind the two mercenaries but angling toward the tall one. They were momentarily confused by my actions which was all I needed. He didn’t see my kick as I was side on to him, my boot connecting with the side of his left knee. He stumbled crying out from the sharp pain and I turned my punch driven from the hip connecting with his temple. One down no real energy used but the other guy was quicker than he looked and was rushing toward me ready to use his bulk to lift me up then pile drive me into the concrete, except I wasn’t there. I moved almost serenely my rear foot arcing around, my left arm rose to gently push his right arm away from me. Momentum did the rest as I moved behind him placing my elbow into his shoulder and spun him around at the same time my other arm came up under his chin and I felt his teeth shatter as his jaws smashed together. The stiff arm tackle knocked his head back while his legs kept moving forward and for a split second he came up off the ground then fell with a sickening thud the back of his head hitting the concrete. Nicole had frozen, her eyes, darkened by her makeup, wide and terrified. Shouts came suddenly from down the road and another two guys seeing what had happened began to run toward us. I have this terrible habit of making flippant comments at the most inappropriate times so with a brief grin and in my worst Arnold accent I said
“Come with me if you want to live”.
Grabbing her hand we ran which I admit wasn’t easy for her in spiked stiletto heels.
We reached the lobby of her apartment building easily, it was only a block away and we disappeared. The two thugs had been too far away to catch us. Breathlessly we clambered into the elevator and rode up to the top floor. She hadn’t spoken, seemingly trusting me with her life yet I was a complete stranger. I guess terror can do that. She was shaking and not from the cold, the adrenalin coursing through her blood stream.
“Who the hell are you?” she said “What the fuck was that all about?”
Her voice was sharp, scared and she was breathing heavily.
I grinned at her, breathing in her perfume as we stood outside her door, she was an extremely attractive woman and I was enjoying myself immensely.
“Hi” I said offering my hand to shake hers, “Ethan Lyons, pleased to meet you, I’ll be your designated bodyguard tonight”.
She looked at me and I saw understanding flash in her eyes then anger. Wow she had beautiful eyes, accentuated by the dark mascaraed lashes and eye shadow that gave her that smoky eyed look. Right then if she’d asked me to strip naked and run up and down the hallway singing the Star Spangled Banner I probably would have done it. Instead she jammed her key into the lock and huffed into her apartment throwing her bag on a counter with the keys. I followed, gently closing the door behind us.
“You work for the company, don’t you?” she said, her arms crossed defensively across her chest, her hair looking wild and unkempt around her face. “Ummm yeah I do, I was hired to follow you and make sure you’re kept safe. The company doesn’t want anything happening to its star bio-chemist” “Who were those guys then?” she said. “Well, they wanted you that’s for sure” I grinned “my guess is they work for either the mob or a rival company and they want whatever you are working on, cause whatever it is it’s going to make someone very rich.”
“The formula” she breathed the words more than spoke them. “well they can’t have it, fuck them, I’ve invested a lot of time into it and it’s going to revolutionise health care in this country and probably the world” “No-one is going to get rich from it I plan to give it away” I arched my eyebrows and smiled. “I like the way you think Dr Jones, also the way you swear” She relaxed at that and looked at me. “You certainly are deceptive for someone your size Mr Lyons. You handled those two guys like they were toys, where did you learn how to do that?”
“Oh” I said “I spent a bit of time in Japan, you know how it goes, kid gets bored, kid learns a bit of martial arts.” “It looked like more than a bit Mr Lyons, it looked like a lot of learning to me” she said.
I grinned back at her again, “Well I’m a quick learner I guess”
I looked around her apartment it was definitely feminine but classy, all the best stuff in the kitchen area with a woman’s touch like little dried flowers in a vase near a book stand with copies of cookbooks on it. The living area held the obligatory sofa and plasma television, a picture of a beach landscape on one wall. Doors to what I assumed to be her bedroom and another to the bathroom. Everything was in its place. She was incredibly neat and tidy. The place was huge.
“So what is this formula Nicole, why is it so important that they need someone like me to look after you?”
“It’s a retro-virus engineered with gene therapy to change someone’s DNA protein structure,” “Ah huh yup yup I get it” I said shaking my head ‘no’. She smiled “well what it’s designed to do is change the human body you see and that’s only the half of it because we have managed to combine it with the latest nanite technology. The idea is to be able to grow limbs back for amputees or heal tumours. I mean the skies the limit really“
“Nanite technology?” I questioned. “Well ummm kind of like tiny wee robots that are injected into the blood stream. They help create in a body whatever needs to be done once the protein structure has been made malleable by the retro-virus and gene therapy” she explained.
“Shit” I said “I get it, that is amazing and most definitely worth millions, hell billions!”
“How on earth do you think you are going to get away with giving it away?”
“Well you see that’s where you come in” she said. “I need to disappear with the formula without anyone, especially the company, knowing I’m gone. I can synthesise more of it and then go public with the results. I’ll take the patent out on everything and release it through something like the Red Cross. Free to anyone who needs it”
“And I come into this how?” I said
“Look at you, then look at me” said Nicole “we could be brother and sister. You’re slim but strong, you move faster than anyone I’ve ever seen yet so amazingly graceful. Plus you have a skill set that means you can really look after yourself. We even have the same coloured eyes. Why with a little ‘help’ you could be me.”
“I could be you? Umm last time I looked I had a penis and you had breasts. You know, me boy, you girl plus I’m a bit taller than you and well……”
“Yes but the formula can, well, change you. It could make you into a replica of me. You could take my place here while I could disappear and complete my work. You would be contributing to helping thousands maybe even millions of people. Imagine the suffering we could stop or alleviate”
‘Okay, okay whoa hold on, let’s just back the truck up here” I said. “Firstly you could turn me into a girl! Shit! Secondly even if I was willing, could I be turned back and thirdly and this is the kicker it wasn’t a coincidence that I was chosen to be your bodyguard was it. You chose me”
Nicole licked her lips, which I found to be incredibly sexy and looked at me straight in the eyes. “Yes I chose you” she said you were a fantastic match and the company agreed despite your rather steep fee.
“Well” I said, “you know, a guy’s gotta eat”
Suddenly she changed tack and stood up, her legs looked fantastic. “I need a drink do you want one, I’m parched.”
“Umm yeah sure what have you got?”
“Wine, beer I think, water out of the tap”
Yeah I’m still on duty I thought, damn. “Water please” I said “gotta keep a clear head.”
“Coming up” and she turned to walk toward the kitchen. My eyes followed her shapely rear end admiring it for the work of art that it was as she sauntered through the door.
She came back out in a couple of minutes bearing a wine glass for her and a large glass of water with ice in it for me.
“Cheers big ears” I said then immediately said”not that you have big ears, in fact, you know, they are very nice and shapely.”
Dr Jones just smiled and took a sip of her wine while I took a large swallow nearly choking on a lump of ice.
She laughed then and I think I almost fell in love with her, it sounded like fairy dust being sprinkled in one of those movies.
She came over and sat next to me and I took another breath of her perfume, mumbling something about how good she smelled then something like how late it was and how tired I suddenly felt. The last thing I remember was Dr Jones slowly lowering my head on to a pillow as I slumped into her arms.
CHAPTER 2
It was dark when I awoke, the numerals on the clock beside the bed reading 6.30am. I was immediately aware of three things that concerned me greatly. First my arms and legs were restrained and I couldn’t get out of bed, secondly when I woke in the morning I normally had a raging erection and a great need to pee. Neither of these things seemed to be manifesting themselves and thirdly and most concernedly I really didn’t feel like ‘myself’. I was different but just couldn’t quite put my finger on how. I couldn’t touch myself due to my restraints so I decided to follow my training and be quiet and think about my predicament. That took all of about 10 minutes and I simply couldn’t come up with any solutions. Instead I decided to try another way and began to yell as loud as I could. That lasted for about two seconds as the voice coming out of me sounded very peculiar, a bit like fairy dust being sprinkled in one of those movies.
“What the fffffffuuuuuck” I thought.
Then it all hit me and I just knew what had happened. At the same time the door to my room opened and Dr Jones stood there silhouetted by the light behind her.
“You’re awake then” she said.
“You did it didn’t you” I said, amazed at how I sounded, my voice a near copy of hers. “You’ve made me you; I’m a woman aren’t I?”
She didn’t obfuscate anything which I was immensely grateful for. “Yes you’re a woman, you look very much like me and would pretty much pass as my twin sister, well you will once I’ve finished with you anyway. The gene therapy, retro-virus and nanites have done an amazing job on you.”
“How long have I been out?” I asked
“About a month” she said “which in itself is incredible really I thought the changes would take longer but your body just seemed to soak it all up and pretty much changed before my eyes, almost like it wanted to change.”
“A month” I screeched then calmed down, “how come I don’t need to pee?”
“Catheter” she said simply, “you have one inserted in you.”
“Okay, logical” I said, “and I assume I no longer have a penis because I really can’t feel it anymore.”
“No you’re a complete woman in every detail including a full set of breasts, a vagina and ovaries. You can ovulate, have a normal, regular period and get normally, regularly pregnant.”
She said this matter of factly but I didn’t really feel matter of fact. I felt numb.
“Do you want to see yourself in a mirror?” she asked. “If I take the restraints off will you try to run? You’re completely naked you know”
“I won’t run and yes I’d like to see myself please”
“Okay then I’ll remove the catheter and restraints and get a mirror for you to see yourself. You seem to be taking this a lot more calmly than I thought you would”
“Well yeah I guess it’s part training but also part me, almost like my mind has transitioned to this new circumstance in the same way my body has. I don’t feel, how can I put this, anxious or anything, just numb”
“Hmm” Nicole said, “Interesting”
She turned and went out bringing back a full length mirror. She then stripped off the sheet and blanket that were covering me and I could finally look down at myself. All I could really see were my toes peeping out above a generous set of breasts. Next she bent between my legs and I felt her do something then the catheter was carefully pulled out through my new urethra. It felt very weird to know I was going to have to pee from there now rather than through my penis. Finally she undid my leg and arm restraints and she helped me sit up. My first feminine experience was feeling the weight of my breasts as they hung from my chest. It wasn’t uncomfortable, just unusual, where once there were just pectorals now there were these, well, breasts. I reached up to hold them and was amazed at how sensitive my skin felt.
“Stand up” Nicole said and so I swung my legs around and off the bed. I was a bit wobbly not having stood for so long but with a little help I eventually got there. The first thing I noticed was my overall shape, definitely a woman but I’d lost some height and weight. My hips were now bigger and I knew my rear end was too. My new breasts moved with me making their presence felt with every movement.
“A bra will help that” said Dr Jones, noticing my discomfort.
“Yeah I guess it will, over shoulder boulder holders aren’t they?” I smiled. I was still getting used to this new higher pitched voice.
Nicole laughed, “yeah that’s them, there are some in the draw over there I’ll get you one to put on along with some panties.” You’ll have to wear a panty liner for a while as there will be some extra discharge from your new vagina as it settles down to being normal.”
“Okay, right” I said, “awesome, discharge, just what every girl wants”
Nicole went to the drawers and pulled out a plain white underwire bra and some white lacy panties. She expertly placed a panty liner inside them and told me to put them on which I did marvelling at how they fit and the fact there was no visible bump out front. She then helped me put on the bra doing up the strap clasps at the back and adjusting the shoulder straps. The support was immediate and I got why women wore these things. Nicole then stuck her hand inside the bra holding on to each breast to arrange them properly in each cup, straightened each strap then gave each boob a squeeze allowing her fingers to brush lightly across each nipple. I gasped at the erotic sensations and she giggled. “How does that feel?” she asked already knowing the answer. She threw a silky pink bathrobe at me and I slipped it on, noticing how sensual it felt. This was turning out to be a very unusual morning and I determined to explore these new sensations later on when I was alone.
“Come with me, you must be hungry. We’ll eat first then talk” she said, “You can help me prepare something”
I walked out intensely aware of my bra, my breasts and even how my hips swayed more with each step. It was kind of the same walking action as when I was a guy yet so different.
We made some food and poured a glass of orange juice each then sat down.
“So what’s the deal Doc? What do you want from me?”
“Well as I explained to you on the first night we met I want you to take my place and live my life here while I continue work on my gene therapy and the nanite technology that worked so well on you. If you do this for me I’m prepared to pay you a total of ten million dollars; one million per year for two years as living expenses plus another eight million at the end when I return. I’ve already set up a bank account for you.”
“Shit! You want me to be you for two years. I’d have to be in this body for that long, living here in this apartment on a million dollars a year? Where’s the money coming from?”
“That’s the idea” she said “I need you to do this for me. To use those skills you have to fit perfectly into my life and be able to protect yourself if anything, you know, happened. Don’t worry where it’s coming from I have a wealthy benefactor who is more than willing to finance all of this. He has the same philanthropic attitude as me.”
“And if I say no?” I said looking her in the eyes with a serious expression on my face. “Will you turn me back into me?”
“Yes” she said “but I’m really hoping you won’t say no. I’ll teach you everything you need to know to fit in and just imagine the incredible adventure you’ll have, plus you’ll be doing something that could benefit the entire human race. Think about the ex-soldiers hurt by land mines or gunfire who could have limbs grown back. Young children with cancer made whole again, all for free because you said yes”
“Yes” I said
Her eyes lit up “Really! Ethan oh thank you” she gushed throwing her arms around me and hugging me so tightly I thought I was going to black out. Our breasts mashed together which wasn’t entirely a bad thing but strangely I didn’t feel anything from it. She or rather we looked like two incredibly beautiful twin sisters and I was on the receiving end of a hug but it didn’t stir me in the same way as if I’d been a guy. This raised a question that really needed to be answered.
“Nicole, what about, you know my feelings toward other people. Will I like girls or guys?”
“That’s up to you I suppose” she said “I’m straight and have been in a couple of serious relationships with men but well you need to sort your own feelings out regarding all that really.”
“Hmmm okay yeah I guess I do, that’s important” I said as I contemplated the answer.
“And what about turning me back that is all possible right?"
“Yes” she said “I’ve taken D.N.A. samples from you when you were male which will act as the blueprint to turn you back. However there are three situations where I couldn’t or wouldn’t revert you back to your old self.”
“What are they?” I asked
“Well, the first is if you get pregnant, the nanites inside you will then act to protect the unborn child and will seal your D.N.A. from any further possible changes. You would remain female and a mother forever.”
“And the others?” I asked determining there and then that hell would freeze over before I got pregnant.
“Well if you decided after two years that you wanted to remain female I would instruct the nanites to seal off your D.N.A. to make you permanently female, but I wouldn’t do that unless you were adamant that’s what you wanted. The third is if for some reason the D.N.A. samples I took are somehow lost or stolen. Then we wouldn’t have the blueprint to turn you back. You’d be stuck as you are.”
Nicole continued, “Now about your name, you will take over my life in about a months’ time after you’ve had time to adjust to being female and being a scientist. You’ll be Dr Nicole Jones and I will become your twin sister Emma. Until then however I’ll be Nicole and you’ll be Emma. Think you can cope with that?”
“Of course no problems” I said looking down at myself sitting at the table. I had my legs crossed naturally and was leaning on my elbows on the table resting my chin on the back of my hand.
“You’re already acting and behaving like a woman” said Nicole noticing it too. “Like I said it’s almost as if your body wanted and accepted these changes naturally.”
“Shit” I thought “she’s right, what was happening to me?”
CHAPTER 3
And so over the next month I became a student of all things feminine and sciencey. I learned about different types of clothes such as skirts, dresses, pants, bras and panties, petticoats and slips.
I also learned about makeup and how to apply it such as foundation, powder, mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, lip gloss, concealer and all the other unction’s women used. I learned how to walk in high heels and Nicole made me walk up and down the halls of the building for hours getting used to wearing them without tripping. She taught me how to put one foot in front of the other letting the natural sway of my hips push me forward so it looked like I was gliding gracefully rather than clopping along like an old horse. I was taught how to sit like a lady with knees together or legs crossed, even how to be seductive.
I even studied basic genetics and bio-chemistry so I could pass as Nicole but most of all I began to act like the woman I appeared to be and felt I could pass for Nicole when the time came.
Then about two weeks into my tuition I woke one morning feeling like the earth was about to swallow me. My insides shrieked at me and I felt bloated and puffy. There were spots of blood on my sheets and my boobs were killing me. At breakfast I was cramping and nearly bit Nicole’s head off for no good reason.
“Are you all right?” she asked and when I explained how I was feeling and what had happened she just grinned and said
“Well this is where the womanhood bit comes in. You’ve got your period so I’d better show you how to use a tampon and pads. It can get a bit yucky sorry but every woman has to deal with it.”
“Great, now I’m going to bleed out of my vagina for a week aren’t I?” I said “that sounds like fun”
Nicole giggled again and remarked, “yup it’s like natures little chastity belt for a week. All you want to do is curl up on the sofa and eat chocolate but really it isn’t that bad and at the end of the day most women kind of welcome it because it lets them know they can have children and they are operating normally up there if you get my drift”
She hurried off to the bathroom coming back with a pad and a tampon wrapped in plastic. She expertly twisted the plastic off then pulling up her robe she showed me how to insert the tampon into her vagina. Pulling her labia apart with two fingers she slid it up inside her with just the white string dangling between her legs. Producing another tampon from her pocket she handed it to me and told me to copy her. I twisted the plastic and peeled it off, looking at the white plug in my hand. Gingerly I spread my labia in the same way as her and pushed the tampon up inside me the white string now dangling from my pussy. It was unlike anything I had felt before, not uncomfortable but certainly ‘there’ ever so slightly making its presence felt. Next she gave me a pad which I fitted into my panties.
“Best to be safe than sorry for your first time.” she said “I bleed pretty heavily when I get my period so I guess you will too. I’ll organise with my doc to get you put on the birth control pill it may help you with dealing with all this. Also remember to change your tampon every few hours just for safety and because you really don’t want any leaks”
“Ok thanks” I said sincerely, this part of being a woman was scary.
“Might pay not to wear anything white for a few days either” said Nicole, “accidents can happen”
Like Nicole suggested I bled heavily for my first time rather than lightly like most girls do when they first start their period. She seemed to think that it was because of my biological age and my body was making up for lost time or maybe the nanites had something to do with it. Whatever it was I was introduced quickly to dealing with this peculiar female occurrence. The fact that this was going to happen to me every month was not a wonderful thought.
CHAPTER 4
One evening about a week later when it had all finished Nicole invited me to her room saying “I want to let you experience what it feels like to make love as a woman” as she slid under the covers of the bed. I slipped in too enjoying the sensual feel of the silk sheets as they caressed my hairless form. I turned over toward her and smiled, “Okay” I said with both excitement and trepidation in my voice. “But this is weird”
Nicole pushed herself upright sitting naked with her back against the wall her legs spread apart. “Sit between my legs facing away from me” she said so I slid over and did what she said leaning back against her, feeling her breasts against my back. “Comfortable?” she asked and I nodded not really trusting my voice. “I want you to let me know if you like something or not, just make it obvious if you like it” she giggled. “Sure, anything for a laugh” I said as her fingers slowly slid up my torso as she began to lightly scratch her finger nails over my nipples. The shock wave they caused flew from my breasts all the way down to my vagina performing cartwheels in my stomach on the way. The stimulation was intense and insistent and I groaned involuntarily, with my nipples becoming erect then the feeling of wetness in my groin almost overwhelming me. I shuddered and Nicole said”So I guess that means you like it?” “Ohhhh yes” I whispered, caught up as my body took over from my brain and I realized that I would be willing to do just about anything for this to continue. She slowly, brought her right hand caressingly down my body while her left hand continued to play with my hard nipple.
I parted my legs willingly, almost involuntarily and felt her index finger move over my Mons and touch my clitoris. This was the first time another human being had been down there and I gasped realising how sensitive this little thing was as it peeked out from under her little hood. My head came back and I moaned even louder as her finger gently but insistently massaged me and I felt the pleasure build like heat and fire in my belly as it radiated outwards. Nicole reached over and picked something up from the side of the bed but I was too lost in the sensations my new body was feeling to notice what it was until the low buzzing noise started and it was lightly pushed against my clit. It was a vibrator and the electric feelings were now intensified ten-fold, my body aching and twisting to the beat of a thousand tiny drums. Nicole slowly moved it from my clit circling it around my pussy lips then edged it closer to my opening, I realised I was sopping wet and the vibrator moved easily inside me, This was a sensation unlike anything I had ever felt before as the vibrator both filled me up and simultaneously sent a million shock waves pulsating from my vaginal walls to every part of my body. I used my own fingers to hold and squeeze my breasts and nipples as I now came close to the edge of what I knew would be my first orgasm as a woman. The build up to it was incredibly intense and similar to what I would feel as a male but was so much more. I couldn’t take it anymore and slipped over the edge my body pulsating in wave after orgasmic wave that seemed to go on forever.
Once I had kind of regained my senses Nicole simply said “and now for the wonderful part of being a woman, multiple orgasms.”
She slipped around me and brought her head between my legs. I lay back against the pillow and arched my back as this time her tongue began to dance across my clit. It seemed like she was playing musical notes on my clit as I felt another orgasmic wave begin to build. This one was intense but again radiating out from my pussy into my breasts then out to my fingers and toes. I was lost to the sensations in my body and knew without doubt that I wanted to experience this again many times.
Yet in one way I felt strangely unfulfilled and I wondered what it would be like to have a man inside me. What it would feel like to be with him. As good as this felt I began to think that as a woman I was actually more attracted to men.
Nicole climbed up the bed and snuggled with me until we fell asleep in each other’s arms.
CHAPTER 5
It had obviously been a while since I’d seen anything but the four walls of the apartment and I was going a little stir crazy, something Nicole noticed. Also my hair had grown out quite quickly thanks to the futuristic technology inside me and it desperately needed the attention of a stylist.
It was Saturday morning so after breakfast she said,” I think we need to introduce you to the world Emma, plus I’ve made a couple of appointments for you to get your hair and nails done and get your ears pierced, so I’ve put some clothes out for you that I want you to wear. Your purse and handbag are there too so get dressed and made up we’re hitting the shops” and with a big smile she spun and headed off to her own bathroom to get ready her hips swaying as she walked and I stared. Did my rear end look just as spectacular as that now when I walked? I guess it did. ”Make sure you use a panty liner today too and throw a couple more in your bag” she called over her shoulder, “and throw a couple of tampons in too, a girl can’t be too careful.”
“Right” I said sarcastically but as I walked into my room I knew I would do what I was told, it concerned me that I could start my period again and the last thing I wanted was to be caught without protection.
Hmmm hair and nails plus earrings, this was going to be interesting I thought.
Sitting on my bed was a baby blue sleeveless A line dress that would come down to just above my knees. The skirt was flared and pleated while the bodice clung to me emphasising my breasts and showing off my cleavage. The look was finished off with black 4” inch high court shoes, black stockings and a black handbag. A cardigan that was also black was there too thin sliver threads running through it making it shimmer and glitter a little. Very feminine I thought but maybe not too warm. Ahh the things we do for fashion.
My heart started beating faster and my stomach was knotted, my usual sense of humor was gone and a sense of both trepidation and excitement had replaced it, excitement because I was finally going to get out, trepidation because for the first time I’d be doing it as a woman.
I dressed in a set of blue lacy panties and bra, making sure to put the panty liner in and throw a couple of extras into my bag. I rummaged around and found a couple of tampons and put them in there too. I decided to wear a slip as well then pulled the dress over my head. I pulled it down over my breasts and made sure it fit just right, fussing a little with the hem. I pulled the coat on and sat down at my mirror to apply my makeup. This would just be for the day so I followed Nicole’s less is better principle. Some foundation and a little powder, mascara, eyeliner, (I still poked myself in the eye a couple of times) and lipstick, a bright red to compliment the blue of my dress. I was proud of how I had learnt to do this so quickly but I had a good teacher and I was motivated by both the thought of getting this life over with as easily as possible plus the thought of $10 million.
A Pandora bracelet and a plain gold necklace complimented my look and a spray of Chanel perfume completed my routine.
I threw the lipstick, mascara and eyeliner pencil into my bag along with my wallet, slipped on the shoes and checked myself in the mirror. Staring back at me was a beautiful brunette in a hot dress and stiletto heels, albeit with unruly hair despite my attempts to brush it out. I smiled and did a bit of a twirl and realised that together with Nicole we would be the twins that were every straight guys’ wet dream.
“Emma, are you ready?” called Nicole from the hallway. “Coming” I said and clicked out of my room. Nicole looked hot in a black dress that was similar to mine but covered her breasts more and she had a light coat on. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail and she had made her eyes a little darker than mine, more smoky. “Wow” she said “you look amaaaaaazzzzzing” I felt myself blush and said “you look incredible too.”
“We are going to set that shopping mall on fire today” Nicole said and I stopped in mid stride, which is not easy to do when wearing 4” stilettos.
“Shopping mall? I thought we were just going to a hair stylist?”
“We are but they’re located in the big mall across town” said Nicole, “and besides we both need a little retail therapy and I want you to get used to being seen as a female in the big wide world and feeling female out there. Now are you ready, have you got everything you need?”
“I guess” I said, the knot in my stomach twisting a couple of turns tighter, and as she opened the door for me I walked out into an adventure I knew I wasn’t prepared for and would never have dreamed possible only a few short weeks ago. Our heels clicked in unison on the tiles as we walked to the elevator to ride down to the garage and Nicole’s car.
It was a reasonably quick trip across town but I became more and more nervous as we neared the mall. What would people think? Would they realise I was really a man in a 25 year old woman’s body? Would I remember to sit with my knees together or cross my legs? What if I needed to pee? What if I started my period again? How do you talk to a hairdresser? What if some random guy tries to hit on me?
All these questions swirled through my mind as Nicole parked the car. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this” I said, feeling panic set in.
“Oh don’t be silly, you’ll be fine” said Nicole, “you not only look female, remember you are female. Nobody is going to see anything different. If I didn’t know you and I saw you walking in the mall I wouldn’t look twice, I’d simply see you as another woman going shopping”
“Now let’s go!”
I took a deep breath, “alright let’s do this” I whispered to myself and opened the door. I got out of the car as lady-like as possible trying not to show off my underwear and stood up a little uncertainly. Grabbing my handbag and pulling my cardigan tight around me I slammed the door and said to Nicole
“Well lead on Macduff.”
She giggled and took my hand looking directly in my eyes. “You’ll do great, look at us we look amazing. Just relax and have fun, we can do what all women do in the mall after we get your hair and nails done. We can try on clothes and shoes, drink coffee, buy make up, anything we want”
I smiled a wan smile and looked back at her. “Alright I’m in your hands, lets’ go have fun sister.”
We walked toward the mall entrance and into the brightly lit foyer area. The normal shops and twinkling lights were all there and it was huge. Two guys walking along in suits both turned in unison to look at us, lust showing clearly in their eyes. “Ignore them” whispered Nicole conspiratorially as she led me deeper into this labyrinth. I concentrated most on just walking in my heels so didn’t really take a lot of notice of exactly where we were headed but we eventually found ourselves outside a hair dressers store that seemed like it was branded exclusively for women appropriately called DE MOP.
“Are you okay?” asked Nicole, you’ll be in here for a little while so do you need to pee or anything?”
“No I’m fine” I said, so we walked in and I was introduced to my stylist, Vicki a young woman about 22 years old I guessed. Nicole explained what was wanted and that I was to have hair extensions and that my hair should look similar to hers. Vicki was all fine with that and Nicole said she was going to do some banking and other legal stuff and would be back in about an hour.
I found it surprisingly easy to chat to Vicki as she did my hair, although she led the conversation talking about hair, boys, the weather, boys again and just about anything that came into her head. Eventually she stopped and asked how I liked it. Looking back at me in the mirror was a woman with long brunette locks that now came mid-way down her back in a waterfall of sleekness. The unkemptness was gone and I was truly stunned. This wasn’t me but I hesitated to pinch myself mainly because it would hurt.
“Wow” I said “that really looks amazing, no more than that, just like incredible” I gushed. What was happening to me I thought, I’ve only been a woman for five minutes and I’m over the moon with a new hair style. I’d even forgotten to be nervous, instead I couldn’t wait for Nicole to get back to see the new me.
At that moment she walked into the store and spotted me. “Fantastic” she smiled and gave me a hug. What a difference that makes. I thanked Vicki and told her I’d be back after she explained how to care for my new extensions. Nicole had already paid so we headed back into the mall. I noticed as we walked guys everywhere would stare, it made me both uncomfortable yet strangely flattered. I was a hot woman walking along with my equally hot twin sister. In some ways it creeped me out but in others I really liked it.
However a new problem had arisen and I whispered to Nicole,” I really need to pee now”
“Okay well there’s a bathroom just up ahead we can use that one”
This was the first time I’d used a woman’s public restroom and I was again a little nervous about walking in there, but my need outweighed my trepidation and I stepped through the portals into a place no man ever gets to see. As we walked in another woman walked out and smiled at us and I felt a little better. There were about four or five women already in there, checking their make up in the mirror, brushing out their hair or washing their hands. It was a bit bigger than a guys’ restroom and of course only held stalls no urinals. It smelled way fresher and there were mirrors everywhere. I hurried to a stall, locked the door and quickly pulled my panties down to pee. Suddenly I realised that everyone in the restroom would hear the tinkling sound. What did most women do? Did they care if others could hear them going? As a guy I’d just stand and direct my pee to the side of the toilet bowl or urinal so it was virtually silent. As a woman there was no such option. I decided to move as far forward on the seat as possible to try and get my pee to hit the front of the bowl but no such luck. The familiar sound of a woman urinating came forth and I wondered if I should whistle or something over the noise. No perhaps not I thought and decided to just let it happen naturally and then wiped when I had finished, breathing a sigh of relief.
Pulling my panties up and getting my dress straight reminded me of how much more time it took for me to pee than it ever did as a guy. No more just whipping it out and whipping it back in and being on your way.
Nicole was waiting for me as I exited the stall and suggested I freshen up my lipstick before we left. She smoothed out the back of my dress and I turned around to study myself in a full length mirror on the other side of the restroom. A young woman looked back at me with piercing blue eyes darkened by the mascara and eyeliner she wore. She looked pretty and sexy in the dress she was wearing and the heels on her feet made her legs look long and slim. I looked critically at her face and decided her makeup was just right and a part of me in the back of my head realised that it wasn’t just my body that was feminised. Slowly my mind was becoming female too. As we left for the nail salon just around another corner I felt a tinge of regret that I was losing myself to this woman but also a little excited about the adventure in front of me.
I also realised that with everything else I’d been experiencing in the mall I hadn’t noticed my feet but being in heels now for a few hours they were beginning to protest a little. I was also feeling quite hungry and would have killed for a sandwich. No such luck though as I was led into the nail salon where we would both get a pedicure and manicure. My stomach rumbled, but at least I got to sit down. The technician was a young Asian woman with little English. I pointed to the colour of nail polish I liked, a nice red that matched my lipstick and she began to shape my nails which were long but looked like spoons having had no real attention by me. She squared off the tips and made them look very feminine I thought. The red polish was applied while Nicole had gone for a dark silver look with flecks of blue in the polish. After that came the pedicures and I got her to paint my toes the same red. It felt great to take my shoes off.
Admiring my new look we left and I could still feel the weight of the polish on my nails. It was both unusual yet cool at the same time. As a man you could never really wear nail lacquer but now as a woman it was both accepted and almost expected. The differences between the sexes was highlighted to me by some paint on my fingernails and I was reminded how much appearance was so important to a woman. What we looked like and how we presented to the world was vital, but who to? Did women do this to attract guys, impress other women or just make her feel better about herself? I suspected all three were central. I determined there and then that when and if I ever got back to my male body I would get my nails painted and tell anyone to fuck themselves if they didn’t like it.
Again as we walked, we were the object of most guys’ stares, but I tried to ignore it. I was still conflicted about my feelings and whether I wanted to be with a guy or a girl. The stares and attention however was actually giving me quite a buzz, something Nicole noticed and commented on. I just mumbled an answer back along the lines of neither being able to confirm or deny anything. She just smiled a knowing smile. I was then led into a pharmacy where Nicole spun a story about me being afraid of needles and I’d only just been persuaded to get my ears pierced but I wanted it done now, blah blah. The young assistant was really not interested and produced the piercing gun. I sat down and in seconds had a pair of diamond earrings in place that Nicole had bought for me.
The rest of the day went by in a whirlwind of shopping punctuated by food and coffee. Most of the shop assistants complimented me on my hair or dress or nails and I began to quite enjoy the attention. My poor feet however were beginning to protest by late afternoon. I mentioned this to Nicole and she agreed that it was time to head home. We had bought a couple of dresses, some exercise gear for me, boots and shoes and to my eternal gratitude a winter coat. All of it looked so well-tailored and pretty. I had nearly forgotten what it was like to just wear a pair of old jeans and a t-shirt.
As we headed for the car however Nicole stopped and handed me a twenty dollar note.
“What’s this for?” I asked.
“Well I’ll take the shopping but you can’t come back home in the car, I want you to find your own way”
“What!” I said “you’re kidding right, ha-ha little joke on me?” I looked quizzically at her.
‘Nope, you need to learn how to be alone in the city as a woman, feel what it’s like to be more vulnerable. Although you have skills that most women don’t, you are now weaker, a bit slower and you’re wearing 4” heels. Its’ 5.00 pm now, I’ll expect you back home by 6.30. We are going out for dinner; I’ve booked reservations for 8. You’ll need to freshen up and change before that. There’s a bus stop near the front door of the mall, you’ll need to find the right bus to take. Do you remember the address?”
I nodded and without another word she collected up the shopping bags pulled out the new winter coat handed it to me and strode off to the car without looking back. I was more stunned than anything but then I came to my senses and my instincts kicked in. As a guy riding a bus across town was nothing to me but I was a 25 year old woman now, in a dress and high heels with 20 dollars to my name.
It was cold and dark as I walked out of the main entrance not seeing the eyes that followed me; they were mean, hard eyes. The wind whipped around my skirt and my stockings were useless against the cold so I wrapped my coat firmly around me and walked over to the bus stop.
I decided that the best person to ask about buses was a middle aged man standing at the stop. He was leaning against a pole reading but his suit was well pressed and I guessed he was an office worker or something on his way home from work.
“Excuse me sir” I smiled batting my eyelashes, “but would you know which bus to take to get to High Street across the city?” I was devastating.
He stood a little taller when he saw me a smile came to his lips and his eyes then took all of me in, resting a little longer on my breasts than was comfortable. Hmmm I thought ‘so he’s a typical male’, I was ready to rip his balls off and feed them to him if he said just one wrong thing. Instead he was pleasant, walked me over to the bus schedule at the side of the station and showed me the correct bus I’d need to take.
“You need to hop on the Number 255 bus Miss” he said “it takes you right along High Street so all you need to do is get off where you want to. It’ll be along in about 5 minutes”
“Thank you so much I don’t usually bus across the city” I remarked, as he said something to me then walked off to jump on his bus. Something like “Sorry gotta go” I thought.
I looked around and realised I was alone other than a couple of young guys I judged to be about 18 or 19 with back packs on and wearing jeans and t-shirts plus those big puffer jackets that all the kids wore now. They looked innocuous enough but the man standing behind them didn’t. His dark eyes told me who he was and what he was there for. He was about 6’ tall and heavy set with the beginnings of a paunch, maybe 40 years old. I knew he was both experienced and extremely dangerous. I figured the only thing stopping him doing whatever it was he had planned for me were the two boys between us.
I was intensely conscious now of what I was wearing and how I looked. I was a woman, much weaker than him. I was wearing a dress that emphasised my body but didn’t really allow me to move as freely as I’d like, 4” heels that made my legs look incredible but I wasn’t going to be running a marathon in them. It was winter with snow on the ground so flicking them off to run was going to be my last resort. I had to think of what to do if he made a move but I realised the only thing I needed was to get on my bus. Looking at my watch though, that was still a few minutes away.
Suddenly the two boys began to walk off, waving and calling to a couple of young blonde girls that came out of the mall. “Shit” I thought “what the hell am I going to do now?”
Paunch guy smiled, nothing warm or friendly at all though, just one of those ‘I’ve got you now’ kind of smiles that made me want to smash his teeth out. He moved lazily blocking the entrance to the mall so I couldn’t get back there, and then he began to walk toward me.
CHAPTER 6
I stood frozen to the spot for all of half a second, then years of training took over and I decided to act.
“What do you want?” I said as loudly as I could positioning my body side on to him, presenting a smaller target and one which could move laterally away from him, forcing him to turn to follow me and giving me a second or two more reaction time.
“I need you to come with me missy” he growled, “there’s people want to talk to you.”
“Why?” knowing full well what they wanted but I needed to stall for time, maybe my bus would turn up or someone would walk past but that wasn’t happening yet.
“You know why missy, although you had us fooled for a while there with two of you showing up. So which one is you then? Is you Dr Jones or is you a twin? Doesn’t really matter to us we’ll get what we want regardless. Didn’t know there was a twin though” he rambled
“Yeah well I’m not coming with you fat boy”, I spat goading him. “Why don’t you just fuck off to the sewer you came from and leave me alone!”
“Can’t do that missy, I got instructions. You gotta come with me one way or another. If you fight it’ll just be worse for you that’s all. Nothing personal, I mean shit look at you, hate to mess up that pretty face of yours”
I smiled grimly as the all too familiar rush of adrenalin filled my veins. I had long ago learned how to control it, focus it into a rage that made me faster and stronger. Despite being a girl now I wasn’t going to go down easy. “I’m not coming with you, you piece of shit, do what you have to!” I screamed at him in a voice that was all too high and not nearly frightening enough for my liking.
He began to move and I tensed, then his face changed, his eyes went down and he hunched his shoulders up, dipping his head while behind me I heard the crunch of tyres and the most beautiful sound in the world as a police siren chirped. I looked at the familiar silhouette of a police cruiser idling beside the kerb.
“Thank God” I whispered under my breath as a man’s voice rang out, “Hey lady are you okay? Is he bothering you?”
I spun and walked rather unsteadily toward the cruisers window.
“Oh officer I’m so glad you’re here that man he was threatening me” I said in my best scared voice.
The officer looked and grimly said “He’s taken off, must have scared him”
I looked more closely at my saviour and instantly took a liking to him. I couldn’t gauge his height but he had dirty blonde hair cropped close but would curl up a bit if he let it grow out. His eyes were an intense pale blue and his teeth were white, located as they were in a tanned fresh face. He smiled and I felt both instantly safe and more than a little attracted to him. He looked like the lone surfie police officer.
“Hey where do you live?” he asked “I’ll give you a lift home, I’m about to go off shift anyway so it won’t be any bother. I don’t want to take the risk of that low life coming back and hassling you.”
“I live up on High Street” I said
“Really that’s about half an hour away, you mean I’d have to put up with you for that long?” he said it with a giant grin.
Instantly I felt at ease with him and walked around the car falling into the front seat in the most unladylike manner possible. But I didn’t care I felt safe and it was warm inside the car.
“My names Tom Cook, how do you do?” he said reaching over and shaking my hand gently.
I thought quickly and said “Hi, I’m…… Nicole, Nicole Jones, you can’t possibly believe how pleased I am to meet you” I said smiling shyly at him. He was both freaking me out and turning me on at the same time. I had decided to use the name Nicole because on Monday I assumed I would be taking her identity, best to start now with Officer Tom.
He put the car in gear, wound up his window, and talked to his dispatcher on his radio, just advising her where he was going and what he was doing. We glided off in the powerful cruiser as I sat next to him smelling his masculine scent and just enjoying the silence.
“So Nicole, tell me about yourself, where are you from” Tom said.
I hated lying to him but I gave him Nicole’s story, how I was a bio-chemist, that I worked in medicine and that I had moved to the city for my job.
For his part he spoke about his family, his love of surfing and the outdoors, his job, he even had a pet Labrador called Charlie. He sure pushed all the right buttons for me and I forgot for a while what had happened and the danger I had been in. The best part though was when he said he was single and lived down by the ocean just Charlie and him.
“Sooooo are you in a relationship at all? He asked and I baulked. What could I say? No I’ve only recently become a woman and I’m a 25 year old virgin……
Instead I just told him the current truth. “I’m single; I live with my twin sister in an apartment up on High Street. To be honest” I said “I’ve only ever been in one relationship and it didn’t really last” That bit was a lie but I could hardly tell him the full truth really.
“Oh wow, I’m surprised, I’d have thought someone as pretty as you would have guys ten deep wanting a relationship”
“Yeah well I guess I’m just looking for the right guy” I said, “you know that knight in shining armour who rescues the girl and carries her off to his castle by the ocean” I smiled at him shyly but inside I wondered what the hell I was doing. How could this policeman I’d just met turn me into girly jelly?
Suddenly he turned and we were on High Street, where did that time go it felt like only five minutes not half an hour.
“What number?” he asked
“Number 425 just up here that big apartment block. We live on the top floor.” I said.
“Sure” and pulled over to side of the road outside the apartment.
“Ummm I was wondering you know if it would be okay if well you know, maybe we could catch up again sometime, soon, you know like maybe oh I don’t know next Saturday? We could swap mobile numbers, maybe have lunch together then we could go for a walk along the beach, take Charlie, you could meet him, I’m sure he’d like you”
I smiled brightly and saw his eyes as I did. He melted in front of me and I realised just what power a pretty girl had.
“I would really like that Tom, I’d love to meet Charlie and go for a walk with you”
“Okay, awesome I’ll pick you up from here about 11.30 next Saturday morning is that okay?” his smile radiated from him.
“That would be great”
Tom then picked up my hand and leaned across toward me, which wasn’t easy in a police cruiser with all of its ‘stuff’ in there, but he managed and gently kissed me on the lips.
“This day just keeps getting better and better” he quipped. I giggled and jumped out of the cruiser thanking him very sincerely.
“Cool” he said, “see ya later”
“See ya later” I smiled and watched as the cruiser pulled away. I turned on my heel walked into the lobby and took the elevator to the top floor. I couldn’t wait to fill the real Nicole in on my little adventure but also take these damn heels off, my feet were killing me.
I rapped on the door of the apartment as Nicole hadn’t given me a key yet and she opened the door quickly after checking through one of those little spy hole things.
Her face fell as I relayed the story of my meeting with paunch guy and she rushed over to hug me while repeatedly saying
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean for that to happen, please forgive me.”
I remained calm throughout it all, in fact almost serene. I felt a rush because I’d actually enjoyed my girly day with her, I’d survived the encounter with paunch guy and in the process I’d met a really nice police officer by the name of Tom.
I held Nicole at arm’s length and noticed she was crying, the tears leaving dark streaks down her face from her mascara. “It’s okay; I survived and had a great day with you. Paunch guy was nothing he’d be on his way to hospital now if he’d tried anything and hey I got to meet a hot cop. Did I tell you we were going out on a date together next weekend?”
“A date, you’re going out on a date already?” exclaimed Nicole
“Well yeah, is that okay?” I asked, “I mean you know, he’s a cop so he could come in handy if we need him and besides he’s a really nice guy”
“We could all go fishing or surfing together” I quipped.
“I think the main concern is that the people who want the formula know there are two of us now. That could compromise everything” Nicole said a frown on her face.
“Not really, when you disappear and I take your place as you, their focus will simply change to trying to get me” I mused. “They’ll forget you I reckon. We can still pull this off.”
Nicole giggled, it was a sound I really liked and squeezed my hand. “I knew you were the right one to pick, look at me the big hot shot scientist blubbering like a little school girl because her bodyguard, who looks very sexy by the way, nearly got hurt.”
I laughed and squeezed her hand back, “All in a days’ work sis, but I really need to shower and get out of these clothes. Are we still on for dinner at 8 or did you want to give it a miss? I mean I’m starving, so as long as we eat soon I won’t turn into a raging lump of hungriness.”
Nicole looked pensive then obviously decided it wasn’t worth the risk. “I think I’ll cancel our reservation and maybe order takeout. Chinese okay with you?”
“Sure” I said heading for the shower, “I think an early night eating Chinese and blobbing in front of TV is just what we need.”
CHAPTER 7
The shower was heavenly and I luxuriated in the hot needles of water as they caressed my skin. It gave me time to think as well, about my situation and the predicament I found myself in. Up to this point I’d gone along with the whirlwind of my transformation, the decision to accept it for both altruistic and monetary reasons. The learning about clothes, makeup, hair, jewellery and all the other bits and pieces that made up my life now seemed second nature. But I was ex-military, in fact Special Forces and I had seen stuff neither man or woman should see, maimed bodies from land mines, soldiers missing arms, legs, eyes and so on. My unit had participated in some of the worst action and had committed acts that I was not proud of. We had tortured insurgents and some of my squad had raped women. I hadn’t participated but then again I hadn’t stopped them either. There were nights where I still heard the screams of the men we had tortured to extract information leaving them hollow shells of themselves, justifying it as a means to an end to protect our country. It hadn’t been all one way though and I still remember an extraction mission for two of our squad who’d been captured. When we found them they had been strung out across flat rocks, arms and legs splayed. Holes had been literally drilled into their shoulder and hip joints. The Company doc reckoned it had been down with a cordless drill. Their intestines had been cut out and just left piled on their chests. The doc reckoned it would have taken about three days to die in agony with birds pecking at their eyes, intestines and genitals while all they could do was scream. After that we really didn’t care what we did to the enemy. Anything to get the job done fast and get out of there.
So although being turned into a woman was certainly the freakiest thing to ever happen to me, by no means was it the worst. In fact it almost felt that being smaller, weaker, feminine meant I could also in some way be kinder, more compassionate, friendly and somehow atone for what I’d done. I looked down at my breasts and cupped them in my hands allowing the water to pool up then letting it go splashing down across my belly and legs. My fingers strayed across my nipples and I enjoyed the electricity it produced. I marvelled at what had been done to me, my smaller rib cage, my curved butt and wide hips leading up to such a small waist. I admired my manicured nails and twiddled my red toes up and down just because I could. In so many ways I liked this new me.
I had always been an optimistic person and I felt no need at this point to change my outlook but from Monday Nicole had told me I would be on my own, working in her company laboratory while she disappeared to make her life’s work a reality. It amazed me that one so young could achieve so much but I guess she really was a genius. I needed to make a plan however. I was now female and about to play a role as Nicole Jones bio-chemist. I’d said yes to a date with a cop and there were people out there who wanted to get their hands on the formula Nicole had come up with and it would seem they would stop at nothing to get it, including messing up my pretty little face. I had to pull this off and stay alive and ahead of the game. I felt the familiar surge of adrenalin kick in. My strength would have to come from within now and my mind was my most important weapon. I had a body and face to die for and I knew from my recent experiences that this gave me some influence and power over men. That was something I would exploit ruthlessly. But I also needed to train, to get used to how this new body moved, to get it fit and mobile. I had already found out that I was way more flexible as a woman and I could kick higher. My training meant that I didn’t need brute force to beat someone but I determined I needed to learn how to move better while wearing high heels and a dress so I would also train while wearing them. I would practice Karate katas and learn better those designed for smaller men and women like Enpi and Chinte. I’d give Dr Jones all the time I could to complete her work and I was determined to enjoy this new life for what it was, an intimate look at what it was like to be a member of the fairer sex.
Sunday passed rather slowly, we didn’t do much; I trained up on the roof in my new exercise gear while Nicole packed. We took a short ride to Nicole’s work place and she drew me the layout of her lab. She worked mainly with only two other people, her research assistant Rachael and another geneticist called Harvey who was rather old and a bit senile Nicole thought.
“Rachel’s on to it though” Nicole told me. “She’s also in on our swap and will support you in whatever you need. She’ll answer a lot of questions for you so you don’t get tripped up. She’s an absolute doll so treat her well.”
“Absolutely” I said “It’s nice to know I’m not alone in this.”
“Your boss is a woman called Sarah McLean, she’s a real bitch but the company thinks they are on a winner with my work so she basically leaves me alone. Don’t trust her as far as you can throw her, although,” Nicole commented “you could probably throw her a fair way so look just stay away from her okay!”
“Sure” I smiled “stay away from bitch boss or throw her a long way, maybe off a cliff,” I laughed.
“Yeah that’s the one” said Nicole.
She looked at me, a look of concern but there was also determination in her dark blue eyes. “Look after yourself okay. I want to come back and see you in one piece alright.” She held my face in her hands her lips coming oh so close to mine.
“I have one other thing for you,” as she produced a mobile phone from her handbag. “This is a dedicated phone it can only text or ring one other number, mine. If you need me or need help call this number, even if you can’t speak out loud I’ll know you’re in trouble and I’ll come find you.”
“How will you know how to find me?”
“Well I wasn’t going to tell you but when you were undergoing your transformation I injected a chip into you, it gives off a signal that bounces off any satellite and triangulates your position with mine. I’ll know where you are within about a three metre radius.”
“You injected a chip in me!” I exclaimed, “Where” I said as I patted myself down trying to feel it.
“Deep in the side of your ass on the right side there” said Nicole pointing. “And your welcome it’s the least I could do to keep you safe.”
I touched my ass trying to feel any lump but I couldn’t. Nicole laughed and I smiled “yeah well” I quipped “you better hope my ass doesn’t fall off or something”
We both laughed at that but secretly I was kind of pleased she’d done it. There were no guarantees I wouldn’t be captured.
That evening Nicole left in a rented car, leaving me her little hatchback to get to work and run around in. I had the keys to her apartment and true to her word, one million dollars in my bank account. We embraced warmly, “you know” I said when you get back and I’m, you know a guy again, would you ever consider going out with me?”
“That’s a long way in the future” Nicole said, “let’s just see what happens first, but over these last two months as I’ve grown to know you as Emma and as my twin I can genuinely say I have grown very attached to you and love you as my sister”
“Well okay yeah alright” I said, but deep down I wondered what she actually meant by that.
I waved as she drove off wondering when I’d next see her.
This new adventure was about to begin.
Monday morning dawned clear but bitterly cold, a thick layer of frost hung grimly to the windows of the apartment mixing in with the dirt and grime that was already there.
I rose early and was instantly grateful for the underfloor heating. I sprinted for the bathroom, hoisting my nighty up and squatted to pee, letting out a loud ‘ahhhh’ as the pressure was released. Although I was now used to squatting I was always a little non-plussed at looking down between my legs and not seeing a penis.
I quickly showered and dressed in a dark green dress that came to about mid-thigh. It was made of a thicker, warmer material and matched with a pair of tights and some medium heeled boots I knew I’d be relatively warm, especially with my big winter coat.
I took my time with my make-up, applying a couple of coats of mascara, eyeliner, foundation and blush. A dash of a darker lipstick after I’d eaten breakfast and some lip gloss and I’d be on my way.
Driving out of the underground garage of my apartment building at about 7.30 am I didn’t see the plain white sedan parked about 50 metres up the road its engine idling, puffing white vapour from its exhaust. However every part of me knew I would be followed and I saw them after having driven about five kilometres. I knew that they knew where I was going so I didn’t hurry. They were keeping tabs on me and making sure Dr Nicole Jones was keeping to her routine. I figured one step outside of that routine right now and I would be snatched faster than a bargain at a local department store.
I actually found it much easier to drive the car with heels on and enjoyed the fact it was a stick shift. I concentrated on driving smoothly, neither slow nor particularly fast and made it to the lab in good time rolling up a little before 8.00am.
I jumped out, smoothed down my dress, picked up my handbag and spotted the white sedan on the side of the road with two guys in the front seats. Paunch man was at the wheel and another guy I’d never seen before was beside him. I thought there was no use in being scared so I gave them one of those little girly waves where you just move your fingers back and forth and smiled. Then I turned my hand around and flipped them the bird, my beautifully manicured middle finger telling them what I really thought of them. I knew there was no way they were going to get into this facility so I was safe for the day. They glared at me and roared off while I stood there as demurely as I could, smiling, with my hands now jammed into my coat pockets for warmth.
“Good morning Dr Jones” a very large well-muscled security guard said behind me and I turned. His name tag said ‘Jake’ so I gave him my brightest smile which made him blush and said “Good morning Jake, how are you this bright clear morning?”
“I’m fine ma’am but who were those guys out on the road?”
“Oh just a couple of admirers, Jake, I think they wanted my autograph.”
“Didn’t look like it to me ma’am” he said “if they come back I’m gonna kick their asses all the way across town for you”
I smiled and patted him on his upper arm, rubbing my hand up and down, having to reach up on my tip toes to get to him. He looked so protective and caring of me I was touched. “You are a very good man Jake, thank you” I said.
“Think nothin’ of it Dr Jones, if they come back they gonna wish they had never been born, that’s a fact.” He growled. I believed him, Jake was a very big man and I was really glad he was on my side.
CHAPTER 8
I walked toward the entrance and into my laboratory. The first person I saw was obviously Rachel, she was in her early 20’s I guessed, had dyed black hair that was tied back in a ponytail and glasses. She wore all black clothes with black army type boots and black make up so I guessed by all this she was a Goth or emo or such like. I could never really tell the difference.
“Hi ummm Dr Jones” she said in the most dead pan way possible. I don’t think her face moved much at all. “How was your weekend?” she intoned and I realized that she knew who I was and was simply making conversation for any electronic ears that might be listening.
“Hi Rachel” I said brightly, “great thanks, I met a guy” I said this in a hushed whisper like it should only be heard by her.
“What? Really?” she exclaimed, “did you shag him?” she was dead serious
“No silly, but you never know I might” I laughed, and thought that might just be a possibility with Officer Tom Cook.
The rest of the day dragged by as I pretended to work while Rachel actually did everything. Harvey the old scientist swung by, said maybe five words of hello then went off doing heaven knows what muttering to himself about little white mice and rats. As he left us he let out an involuntary fart which scared the crap out of him and made Rachel both frown and sound off with some particularly bad words about Harvey’s parentage. I just stared in amazement and wondered what the hell I’d gotten myself into.
I left about 4.30pm and drove straight back to my apartment. If my days were going to be like that it would be a very long two years.
As I turned the key into my apartment I heard a text come through on my iPhone. Grabbing my bag I opened it wondering who it was from. I only had three contacts, Nicole, Tom Cook and now Rachel so it had to be one of them.
The text read
Can’t wait till Sat
Wanna hook up tomorrow night
Gemini bar, round the corner from you
8.00pm
Tom
My heart leapt and I instantly sent back a text
Luv 2
Can’t wait
CU there
Nic
About 30 seconds later another text came through all it had on it was a big smiley face and an xxx.
I laughed and skipped down the passage way. The week was looking up.
The next day dragged past in much the same way as the last but I now had something to look forward to. Rachel really was turning out to be a doll and was incredibly helpful. I knew we would become great friends while Harvey continued to mutter and mumble while occasionally passing wind at the most inappropriate times. I couldn’t wait to race home though and get ready to go out. I decided to be really careful however because this was indeed outside of my routine and anybody watching might see it as an opportunity.
I dressed in jeans that hugged my figure but let me move, along with a pair of boots with a block heel. They would be deadly if I connected a kick to someone’s head. I found the prettiest, frilliest panties to wear and a lacy push-up bra that made my boobs look amazing. A little singlet with spaghetti straps over that then a see through white blouse. I picked out my warmest coat as I intended on just walking around the corner. It wasn’t windy out but it was certainly cold.
I did a smoky eye makeup accentuating my eyes as much as possible but just chose a nude lip gloss that wouldn’t make me look really slutty. I was ready early so decided to head out and get to the Gemini bar before Tom so I could watch him come in but also spot any suspicious characters too.
The bar was modern and well laid out, when I walked in I shivered involuntarily as I moved from cold air to warm air. Every guy turned to look at me and I knew exactly what they were thinking, I’d been in their place not that long ago. I picked a table facing the door where I could sit and watch everyone who walked in. A waiter came over and I ordered a glass of white wine. I figured I could sip it and make it last for quite a while without getting affected by the alcohol. The waiter sashayed off and I figured he was probably gay. Not that I cared but I knew my feminine charms probably wouldn’t work on him.
More people wandered in, a few single guys, some couples and one other rather busty woman who looked like she was a stressed out mess. Nobody who set any danger bells ringing which set my mind at ease a little. At about five past eight Officer Tom Cook walked through the door and immediately cast around looking for me. I smiled and waved and I got the biggest grin in return. He came over bent down and kissed my lips, softly and lovingly. I let him and felt my heart racing.
“Great to see you” he said, “Sorry I’m a bit late traffic was terrible.”
“No problem” I said “It’s really nice to see you too.”
“You look amazing Nicole, I’m speechless, you are easily the most beautiful girl here, sheesh you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met.”
I blushed not really knowing what to say, of course no one had ever complimented me in this way before.
“Thank you, you look very handsome too.” He was wearing blue Levi jeans and a nice button down shirt with a Rip Curl t-shirt poking out above it. He had on a pair of brown hiking boots that looked well used and comfortable. He was the epitome of rugged and handsome in that surfie kind of way. His pale eyes shone and I realized I was lost in them, especially when he smiled.
He called the same waiter over who was very attentive and smiley with Tom and I thought yup, gay. He ordered a beer and took a sip when it came.
Tom ignored the waiter however and turned his whole attention to me. Yup I thought, not gay, and I slipped a little closer to him until our shoulders touched and he took my hand holding it on his thigh.
We made small talk for a while about our jobs and lives and I felt more and more relaxed with him. We laughed easily and freely. We would lapse into silence now and then but it was comfortable and I would rest against him as we watched the crowd. He would stroke my thigh absently and I liked this very much and I knew my panties were soaked; I wanted this man so much in the most carnal of ways.
At about 10.30pm he looked at me and sighed. I knew exactly what he was thinking so I pre-empted him and said
“You know my apartments just around the corner and my sister has gone away for a while. It’s just me alone up there at the moment.”
“Really!” Tom said “well that is interesting and well I hope you don’t get too lonely up there, I’d hate that, you being lonely and all.”
He said this with a real twinkle in his eye so I said, “Well if you wanted to you could walk me home, have a look at the apartment, maybe check out my etchings.”
“You’re ‘etchings’”, remarked Tom,”hmmm yes I’d very much like to check out your etchings.”
We both laughed like a couple of teenagers and he stood, helping me into my coat and we walked toward the door. I noticed our waiter looking daggers at me for ‘stealing’ Tom while stressed out mess lady sat at the bar talking quietly on her mobile.
I should have taken closer notice but my hormones were flooding my mind and body and I was lost in Tom’s company.
We exited the door and swung toward my apartment walking hand in hand enjoying the still cold night. The moon was full and the street lights threw out their cold pale light so our darkened reflections looked ghostly in the shop windows as we strolled by. My apartment building was about 100 metres away but I noticed a white sedan sitting on the side of the road facing our way about halfway between us and my apartment door. It was too far away to see if anyone was in the car but I was sure it was the same one that had followed me yesterday. I slowed down and looked behind us; a couple of guys and stressed out mess lady were exiting the bar and began walking slowly behind.
Shit I thought this really looked serious and the last thing I wanted was for Tom to get caught up in the middle of it.
Tom sensed something wrong and turned to me “You alright”
I just tensed and looked behind me again then three rather large men opened their doors and got out of the car. Paunch man was again among them. It rode up on its springs as all that weight exited and I thought “You guys all need to go on diets!”
Tom looked behind us and then at the three men in front of us, “what is this?” he whispered to me.
“Just follow my lead” I whispered back “these guys don’t want you, it’s me they’re after. You don’t need to get involved.”
“Fuck that, they’re going to have to go through me to get to you” he was icy calm which I liked a lot but I also knew he could be collateral damage and I really didn’t like that.
“Let’s just talk to them first shall we, see what they want” I whispered.
I fumbled through my handbag and found the mobile phone Nicole gave me touching the button that would ring her. I couldn’t speak but I knew she would activate the chip in me and we could be found if they got me or God forbid both of us.
Hopefully we would both be alive.
Funnily enough it wasn’t paunch man who spoke first but stressed out mess lady. I turned and faced her taking her in. She was tall, with dishevelled blonde hair cut in a page boy that came down to her shoulders. She looked to be in her early 30’s and right now she didn’t look stressed, right now she looked totally cold and totally in control.
“Please come with us Dr Jones and we won’t harm your friend here” she said. It was said coldly, seriously. All I could think was damn it, I was really hoping to get Tom into bed with me tonight and let him fuck my brains out. Well that probably wasn’t going to happen.
I hated my sense of humour sometimes.
“She’s not going anywhere, especially not with you” said Tom, equally as coolly and equally as seriously. I loved him for that but I had a sinking feeling that this whole situation was going to get out of hand. The adrenalin hit my system with a rush.
Tom then quickly stepped forward and aimed a punch at one guys’ head that connected solidly, knocking him to the ground. The other one stepped forward and swung managing a glancing blow off Tom’s shoulder.
“Fuck” I said as I felt a man’s hand grab my blouse from behind his other arm coming around me to try and hold me around my throat.
I squatted quickly and reached up grabbing his wrist and pulling it close into me on an angle. He grunted in pain then I threw all my weight into it and felt the satisfying snap as the wrist gave way. He fell down screeching in pain clutching at his hand his face white with shock. I spun anti-clockwise and put one man between me and paunch guy. They would have to scramble around each other if they wanted to both get to me. I glanced over at Tom who was in a slugging match but seemed to be holding his own.
I set my stance into Kamai, and cleared my head. It would be better for this new opponent to come to me. Obligingly he lunged forward, unwilling to punch a girl but tried to grab me and put me into a bear hug. I countered with a near perfect yoko-geri side kick that caught him in his throat. This new flexibility was a killer I thought, literally, as he grabbed at his Adams apple trying desperately to breath.
I followed up by kicking him in the nerve bundle on the inside of his knee. It caused instant massive pain and he fell in a mess clutching at himself.
Three down, three to go when I heard stressed out mess lady yell above the noise, “alright fucking just stop.”
I looked over and instantly lowered my arms; Tom was standing there a sheepish look on his face as a 9mm handgun with silencer was held to his head by stressed out mess lady.
“Get on your knees bitch” paunch guy ordered. I did as I was told lacing my fingers behind my head. The next thing I knew everything went black.
CHAPTER 9
When I woke I sensed it was day time. I was in a small room lying naked on a single very uncomfortable bed. There was a bucket in one corner of the room with half a roll of toilet paper beside it. “Nice” I thought.
There was a window high up near the ceiling that had been blacked out with paint but pale light leaked through the odd crack. Bars had been concreted in so escape that way was highly improbable. A blank door was adjacent to the bed. There was no handle or anything on this side. It was large and solid and I knew there was no way I could break through that with my girly body.
I sat up and began a systematic examination of myself. Starting with my toes, feet, and legs and working my way up to my torso and arms.
Nothing was broken and I felt no major pain except for a dull headache where I’d been hit. I checked my right hip there were no incision marks so they hadn’t discovered the chip buried in me. I was still transmitting my location to Dr Jones. At least that was looking up.
I wondered about Tom and hoped he was okay and that they hadn’t hurt him. Just thinking about him made me smile and I felt moistness between my legs. Damn the man made me feel horny even in this predicament.
I walked over to the bucket, squatted down and peed. Wiping myself I was glad that it was neither warm nor cold in the room.
I lay back on the bed and absently let my fingers caress my nipples as my other hand found my clit. Images of Tom fucking me filled my mind as I became caught up in the fantasy and my fingers became more insistent and I felt the heat rising in my belly. I placed another finger in my vagina and began to finger fuck myself while I played with my clit. The stimulation along with the danger I was in combined to give me an explosive and intense orgasm shaking my whole body. I moaned and fell back feeling sweat beading on my brow. I really wished Tom was with me now.
Suddenly the door opened and stressed out mess lady walked in. She held the 9mm but this time without a silencer, they probably didn’t care how much noise they made here I thought. She threw some handcuffs at me and said “Put these on”.
Once I had done what she asked and my hands were securely fastened behind my back she came up to me and slapped me hard across the face. She then grabbed each of my nipples and twisted them cruelly. I winced and tried to pull back biting my lip. There was no way I was going to scream out for this bitch.
“The guy you kicked in the throat” she remarked, “he’s dead, you crushed his wind pipe.”
“Oh, sorry about that, I guess when some brute tries to bear hug me to death I get a little defensive” I said sarcastically.
“Well you’re going to pay for that in a big way” she said and slapped me again hard over the same cheek. I looked at her and said “You know if you do that again I’m going to have to kill you” I was serious and she saw the murder in my eyes.
“Just move” she said and pushed me out the door. I was led down a passageway into another room. This one had a large mirror in it that I assumed was two way and there were people behind it watching.
Paunch guy and some other thug were there along with some machines sitting on a stand with wires hanging from them. I knew what they were; I’d actually used them in my other life as a soldier. A cold chill ran down my spine.
A heap lay in the corner of the room and stirred as I walked in. Tom looked up at me and I gasped. Someone had worked him over badly, one of his eyes was closed up and there was blood running from his mouth and nose. It looked like they had actually broken his nose too.
I ran over to him and dropped down, “I’m so sorry to have got you into this mess” I whispered, and tried to kiss his face.
I was pulled roughly away by one of the men and thrown over the back of a chair. My butt stuck up into the air and I was keenly aware that everyone was getting a good look at my vagina as I stood on tip toes.
Tom was pulled to his feet where he stood unsteadily looking out of his one good eye. His pants and underwear were stripped from him and he stood naked from the waist down his blood stained shirt ripped and tattered. He looked resolute and very angry. Tears fell from my eyes as I watched him stand there.
“Fuck her” he was told
“What” he said, “no I can’t do that”
“Fuck her or Boris over there will do it for you” said the woman pointing at paunch man.
“Why” said Tom “you guys are sick”
“It’s not that Tom” I said, “They want me to be stimulated to the max down there with heaps of blood swelling my vagina. Once you’ve fucked me they plan to attach those wires there from the machine to my vaginal walls and electrocute me. The pain is excruciating from what I’m aware.”
I knew because I had seen it happen.
“Do it please Tom” I said “don’t let me be raped by that animal.” Tears were rolling down my cheeks. I knew they were doing this to hurt Tom as much as me. He would in a small way be responsible for my pain and I knew he would agonise over that.
Slowly he came around behind me and I could see the beginnings of his erection. “You have a mighty fine cock there lover” I said trying to help him with this. He gently grabbed my hips and using his fingers rubbed my pussy to get me wet. “Get on with it” came the woman’s shrill voice and I felt the tip of his cock press against the entrance of my pussy. He trembled then began to push, “it’s okay darling” I said “you can do this.”
He began to move inside me rhythmically in and out and despite my surroundings I couldn’t help moaning as my knees went weak. He held me up as I slumped over the chair with my hands cuffed behind me. He was incredibly gentle but began to go faster as he too was lost in our coupling.
I responded as best I could, considering my position, while Tom just held me as he gently stroked in and out. Finally, mercifully I felt him go rigid and I knew he was going to come. “Cum inside the bitch” said really messed up psychotic woman, I’d renamed her to best describe her personality, and Tom was forced to stay inside me as I felt his cum spurt against my cervix and he shuddered with his orgasm. I didn’t come at all, I just cried, terrified of what was about to happen next. This was not what I had planned for us for when we first made love however I was immensely grateful for his gentleness.
Tom leaned over me and kissed my cheek but was roughly pulled away. As he came out of me, for the first time I experienced that emptiness inside, rather than being filled by my lover. In another circumstance I would have cried tears of joy. Now I felt only terror.
I was forced to sit and had both my legs tied to the legs of the chair. A bar was put between my knees to force my legs apart and the wires with clips were attached to me, two on my labia and another two to the walls of my engorged vagina. The clips dug in and I stifled a whimper. Then two more clips were attached to my nipples. I shuddered both from the pain and the terrible anticipation of what was to come.
Messed up psychotic woman leaned down to my face “you don’t have to go through this you know” she said “just give us the formula and the nanites and we’ll let you live. Tell us where they are and shit we might even let Tom over there live too.” A cruel smile played over her lips.
There was a problem with that I didn’t have a clue where anything was, because I wasn’t really Nicole. She had it all with her and I didn’t know where she was.
‘Fuck you” I spat at her and she took a step back her face now contorted in anger and loathing.
“Have it your way bitch” she said coldly and flipped a switch on the machine. It began to hum and I knew I was going to scream.
“Stop it, don’t do this” begged Tom at her but paunch man Boris smashed him across the face, “shut up fucker” he growled and Tom slumped in agony again.
Psychotic woman turned a dial up on the machine and I felt my head wrenched backwards. I screamed as the surge of electricity shot through me for what felt like forever. Suddenly it stopped, “That was only at a quarter, now tell me what I want to know!” the question was asked calmly, cruelly.
“I, I can’t” I panted, “I won’t” sweat streamed down my face and covered my belly and breasts.
As I spoke I braced myself for more pain and tried to find a place in my mind where I could go to and shut this out.
CHAPTER 10
I didn’t hear the door burst open at that point all I saw was Boris sailing across the room, almost in slow motion smashing through the mirrored wall. A huge shadow fell over me and I looked up. Jake was staring at me and a look of fury overcame him. He stared at psychotic woman and in a movement so fast and savage he simply picked her up and snapped her spine. She was dead before she hit the ground. Somewhere I heard a gun fire and I saw the other guy in the room drop as blood spurted from his chest.
Paunch man Boris came back into the room and raised his own pistol at Jake but he simply enclosed it and Boris’s hand in his own massive one. I saw him raise his other fist back and hit Boris in the head, I was sure he snapped his neck instantly.
I felt warm soft hands on me and the clips being hastily removed. I tried to focus my eyes and saw the most beautiful eyes looking back at me. Nicole knelt beside me a look of concern etching her brow.
I heard the pop, pop, pop of a pistol from my left and saw Rachel standing there legs apart aiming through the shattered mirror. She’s pretty handy with a gun I thought then Jake moved and grabbed someone from within the other room. He simply picked him up by his shirt front and dropped him at Nicole’s feet.
“Please” I begged “take these handcuffs off me”
Rachel hunted round and found the keys, gently she undid the cuffs and then freed my legs and I raced over to Tom cradling his head in my arms.
He looked up and gave me a crooked grin. “Anyone left to arrest?” he croaked
I laughed in absolute relief and buried my head in his neck crying.
“Hey, hey, hey’ he said “I’m okay how are you?”
I looked at him through tear stained eyes. “Could be better I suppose” I smiled “but at least it’s over.”
At least that’s what I thought.
I sat with my back to the wall, Tom’s head in my arms as the drama now unfolded before me.
Nicole looked down at the man at her feet while Rachel held her pistol on him. It was rock steady and her eyes were just saying “go on try something, I dare you”
“Mr Salvatore! What the hell” said Nicole as he sat up, and then stood straightening what looked to be a very expensive shirt. He was a man I judged to be in his mid-fifties; he had gold rings on his fingers and a heavy gold bracelet. He looked good for his age lean and tall but way over the top with all his jewellery. ‘What a sleaze’ I thought.
“You’re behind all this?” she yelled “but you’re the one who bankrolled my disappearance, you wanted to help me, I thought you were on my side.”
“Don’t be stupid you pathetic little girl” he sneered “for someone so smart you sure are dumb”
Jake advanced on him at that point, “you talk nice to Dr Jones” he said menacingly.
“All right, all right” Salvatore muttered looking up at the Behemoth before him.
Tom looked quizzically up at me “Hold on if she’s Dr Jones…”
“Shhh” I whispered, “I promise I’ll explain soon”
Tom looked up at me adoringly and nodded his head. I think he was enjoying resting in the arms of a naked woman.
Salvatore continued on “Do you really think I’d invest millions into you just to give that formula away, to see it wasted on pathetic nobodies when I could make billions from it” he scoffed. “I wanted that formula that you so casually wanted to give away like it was candy. Where do you keep it anyway?”
Nicole just smiled grimly, “somewhere you’d never think of looking” her eyes were like flint.
He looked threatening although he was way outnumbered and had no chance against either Jake or Rachel who still held her gun on him steadily. I felt alarm at that, something wasn’t right.
“We need to get out of here” I said to Nicole. She looked around at me and nodded.
“Take your shirt off” she said to Salvatore.
“What” he looked perplexed.
She slapped him across the face “Take it off!” she yelled
He unbuttoned it pulled it off and held it out to her.
Give it to her she pointed at me. I struggled to my feet helping Tom up too and took the shirt. Buttoning it over my naked form it almost came down to my knees. At least I was decent although my nipples poked through the material, standing to attention in the cool air. I shivered.
Tom wriggled into his jeans and picked up his boots. “Can’t leave them” he said “they’re my favorites.”
At that Rachel cracked the door open and peeked out. “All clear” she called and slipped through, the pistol held in front of her in one hand. She was a pro I thought, amateurs or fake cops on T.V. shows hold guns with two hands. We all followed with Jake pushing Salvatore in front of him.
We hurried along a corridor coming to one of those doors that you have to smash down the bar to open up. Jake did the honors and we stepped out into a parking lot.
A large van sat about five metres away idling and to my surprise Harvey was at the wheel.
“Hurry up” he called and we all ran the short distance to it.
It’s a funny thing about sniper bullets they are usually high calibre but travel at sub-sonic speeds. All you hear is the rushing wind for a split second as it travels before it hits its target. I felt Jake stumble beside me clutching at his chest then fell in slow motion. I looked down but he was already dead, the bullet had gone straight through his heart. He looked up at me with lifeless eyes.
“Fuck” I said and meant it looking around for the sniper. We all crashed into the van except for Salvatore who veered off and ran away.
Rachel screamed “Drive, drive.” and Harvey mashed the accelerator down.
Another bullet crashed through the van, but too high leaving a neat hole in the metal.
Harvey sped off the van slewing from side to side before straightening up, while we crouched on the floor. I had more tears in my eyes as I thought of Jake lying on the ground. I would mourn him later but my heart hurt nonetheless. I looked at Nicole and Rachel they were both crying too. Jake had been a good friend to them.
Where shall I go, where shall I go?” screamed Harvey as we raced along a rural road toward the city.
“Head down to Bailey’s Beach” yelled Tom. “Take the back roads I’ll show you where to go when we get there"
Harvey nodded his understanding and sped up more. We all sat up and I felt Tom’s arm snake around me, holding me close. I snuggled in still trembling from the escape and watching Jake die in front of me.
“They’ll be coming after us won’t they” said Rachel to Nicole. “Yes they will” said Nicole “we’re going to need to split up.”
Tom looked at me
”So what’s your real name then if she’s Nicole?”
“Emma” I said “I’m her twin sister I took her place, tried to keep her safe. Sorry to get you into this mess.” I added as an after-thought.
“What is this all about then, what’s the formula?”
And so I filled him in on the formula what it could do why it was so important and how I had agreed to swap places with Nicole. I left out the bit about my transformation.
He got the significance instantly and gave a low whistle through his swollen lips.
Just then Harvey pulled in to the car park at Bailey’s Beach. We all looked behind us but saw nothing, a feeling of relief was palpable amongst us all.
“Head up on the cliff road” said Tom to Harvey. “See that log cabin up there with the shingle roof. That’s mine take us there.”
Harvey did as he was told and soon we were standing in the living room of a neat as a pin cabin with the most amazing views out across the ocean. The darkened winter sea looked wild as I looked out of the window, the wind whipping the waves into white caps that thrashed and wrestled with each other. Wild dirty foam was being tossed in all different directions around the beach as I looked down.
Suddenly I felt a cold, wet thing nuzzle my hand and I looked down startled. A golden Labrador stood there wagging his tail looking up at me with big brown eyes.
“That’s Charlie” said Tom, “told you he’d like you.”
I bent down and gave him a rub on his head and behind his ears, in return I was rewarded with a big slobbery tongue right up my nose. Everyone laughed and the tension began to melt.
CHAPTER 10
The first order of business was to clean up Tom’s wounds and get me some clothes. I fussed over him with antiseptic and gauze while Nicole and Harvey were dispatched to get clothes from the local shops. I was grateful Nicole offered to go because I’d dread to see what Harvey would pick out for me.
Meanwhile Rachel got a fire going and put together some food for us all from what she found in the kitchen.
Once they got back and I had finished with Tom who looked a bit like a mummy, I was able to get dressed. Nicole had gone to the local surf shop and I was now decked out in a pair of jeans, a surf print woman’s T-shirt and pink zip up hoody along with a basic bra and some panties. Tom lent me some of his thick hiking socks which kept my feet nice and warm and so I almost felt human again.
While we ate in front of a roaring log fire I sat on the floor with Charlie smooching beside me. I wasn’t sure if he liked me or just wanted my food. I decided on both.
“We need to come up with a plan of action” said Nicole as she munched on some French bread with cheese and tomato on it.
“What do you think we should do?” asked Rachel.
“Go straight to the cops and report that maniac” said Tom “who is he anyway?
“He was my mentor and friend up to today” said Nicole. “I thought he had my best interests at heart but obviously all he wanted was the formula and the money he could get from it.” She looked like she was about to cry so I got up and went and put my arm around her.
“You know we could just go public with this whole thing” said Harvey “you know, go to the press with it all, prove what the formula can do and then that prick can’t touch you. You’ve nearly finished it anyway Nicole, the rest of the time you were going to run blind tests and make sure it all worked. You can do that after we go public. It may take a year or so but at least you’ll be safe.”
“That’s a good idea and Tom could have that facility we were kept at raided by a S.W.A.T. team or something. That would frighten that Salvatore guy” I remarked.
Tom just smiled grimly and nodded. I watched as he touched his face and realized he was reliving what they had done to him.
“Okay” Rachel said “Good plan, let’s finish up here and split up. We need to sort stuff out and get this all started.”
We all agreed and as I started to clear up the lunch dishes Tom came over and put his arm around my waist.
“We need to talk some more you know, about what happened in that room, but when you’re ready.” He smiled into my eyes and I could see he was genuinely concerned for me.
Tears filled my own eyes and I cursed all these girly hormones that kept flooding my mind and body.
I reached up and hugged him saying “we’re still on for Saturday aren’t we? We can talk then, take Charlie for that walk.”
He beamed “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do” he said
“It’s a date then” I smiled at him through tear filled eyes and gave him a big squeeze.
After we had cleared up we all piled into Harvey’s van. He would drop Rachel off home then take the rest of us to Nicole’s apartment. Tom needed to pick up his car where he left it when he met me at the Gemini Bar and all I wanted to do was have a long hot shower and sleep. I think Nicole was of the same opinion. We dropped Rachel off, hugging and kissing her. Harvey pulled up outside our apartment block soon after and wearily we climbed from the van. We all gave Harvey a heart-felt thank you. Both Nicole and I hugged Tom then we headed to the apartment building and a well- earned shower.
On the ride up in the elevator I could tell Nicole was pensive, her mind was obviously going over the events of the last couple of days. Although I was physically tired I too felt uptight and wound up, I figured that once we had showered and done what we needed to do to wash the dirt from our bodies it would be time to debrief and wash some of the dirt from our souls.
CHAPTER 11
Each of our rooms had its own separate bathroom and shower so as soon as we got through the door we headed for them. As I stripped off in my room I happened to catch my naked reflection in the mirror. Looking back at me was a long, lean bodied woman with breasts most women would kill for and most men would love to be near. Fanning out from the small waist were full hips that led down to long, trim legs capped off with small ankles and feet. I looked at my arms and there wasn’t an ounce of fat on them, my hands were still neatly manicured although the red nail polish was a little chipped. I’d have to get them re-done I thought.
My face looked tired and drawn though. It was still lovely but there were dark circles under my eyes and what was left of my make-up was smudged. My hair was a tangled mess falling down my back.
I touched myself and especially felt around my groin and vagina hoping there was no lasting damage from what had been done to me. The now familiar spark was still there as I rubbed my clit. A feeling of absolute tiredness but also relief enveloped me. Tears streamed down my face as finally the emotional dam broke.
I stayed in the shower a long time, washing and conditioning my hair, shaving my legs and under-arms and just letting the warm water wash over me. It felt good to be clean and safe.
I jumped out and dressed in my nighty, a baby blue satin chemise, and shrugged on my robe tying the belt around me. As I did so I heard a gentle tapping on my door.
“Come in” I said quietly and Nicole stepped through. She was dressed similarly to me in a robe. I saw that she was wearing a soft pink baby-doll underneath which made her look sexy as hell. We both smiled and she jumped on my bed patting it beside her.
I got on and curled my legs up under me, marvelling at how easy it was to do that. Nicole sat there next to me hugging her knees.
“We need to talk” she said.
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of my breasts as I did and simply said ‘Yes we do. If you’re going to go public with your discovery then there really isn’t a need for me to take your place is there? Is there even a need for me at all?”
“Well, in theory I guess not but I was kind of hoping you might agree to stick around for a while as Emma. I never had a sister and you’re the next best thing and I’ve kind of enjoyed having you round.” She said this with a sincere and sad look in her eyes. She meant what she was saying.
To be truthful throughout all of my time as a woman I had thought long and hard about the transformation and the life I now had. Previously I was a successful but lonely guy, ex-military, in a dangerous job. In this current life I could virtually be anything I wanted. I had friends; I was a good looking 25 year old woman and not forgetting I had a million dollars sitting in a bank account in my new name. Along with my other assets that I could easily liquidate, I figured I was set up for life. The real question was did I want that life as a male or as a female? On one hand being male was easier in many ways, no periods, no childbirth, and I had been respected for being good at my job. As a woman however I knew I had a chance at love with Tom and I actually really liked the lifestyle of a woman. I could be free to express myself in ways I could never even think of as a man. With my clothes, make-up, even emotionally I could be more artistic, more creative. I could be more open about who I was and could even start a new life without my awful past hanging over me. It was an appealing thought.
I sighed and looked at Nicole. “How about we try me sticking around for a while as Emma?” I said “but on two conditions.”
“Anything” she almost yelled “just name it.” A huge smile was on her face and her eyes shone.
“Alright, first you have to take me on holiday once everything has settled down, somewhere warm, by a beach, somewhere with lots of good food and shopping and reading books, just you and me.”
“Absolutely, I know just the place” she gushed, “How would two weeks in Fiji sound?”
“Amazing” I said genuinely excited by the suggestion.
“And the second condition” said Nicole her eyebrows raised and the huge smile still on her face.
“Welllllll, I need someone to teach me how to, you know, be a girl, how to act and think more in a feminine way. You wouldn’t know anyone who’d take the job do you” I said it with a cheeky grin.
All I got in return was a massive hug and we fell back on the bed laughing.
CHAPTER 12
We were both asleep in no time and slept together entwined in each-others’ arms as sisters. The next day would have its own problems but for now we didn’t care.
The next couple of days passed slowly. Nicole had gone back to her lab which left me with little to do. We all felt safer now although I had a feeling Salvatore was merely licking his wounds and regrouping. A good commander knew when to hold back and develop a new strategy. I figured that is what he was doing. Until Nicole went public with the formula we were still in some danger.
I tried my hand at clothes shopping at a local mall, got my nails redone in a beautiful blue colour and got to know the area quite well around our apartment block. We lived in a more exclusive area and there were quite a few high end shops tucked away. I fell in love with one shop staffed by a couple of ladies who sold beautiful clothes especially for women in their twenties. They seemed to like me as soon as I walked in the shop, fussing over me and touching me.
One of the women, Gabrielle, was French and seemed to love dressing me up in the most amazing dresses and I would walk up and down the store like a runway model while she ewwwed and ahhhed over me.
One dress really stood out for me. It was a bright red with a V neckline that dipped between my cleavage. It clung to my body and moved with me as I walked, the skirt only coming down to mid-thigh and hugged my legs. It made me feel sexy and wanton. In a pair of heels as I walked the shop floor doing a twirl at the end I happened to look out the window and a couple of men were just standing there staring, mouths open. When they saw me notice them they hurried on but not before sweeping me with their eyes taking one last look. I swear I saw one of them drooling,
“You will attract many men’s attention wearing that” said Gabrielle in her sexy French accent, “do you have anyone ‘special’ to wear it for?”
I gave her a cheeky grin
“Maybe” I said, hoping that I would be able to wear it somewhere special sometime soon. Needless to say I departed that store minus a few dollars but with a beautiful dress.
On Friday night I decided it was time to really discover more about my new body. I had undergone a hurricane of changes and been involved in so much that I had little time to really discover who I was as a woman. Sure I’d masturbated and discovered the rawness of my emotions but I hadn’t really taken the time to explore fully how my body responded when I took things slowly so that evening I excused myself early saying I’d like a bath and an early night. Giving Nicole a hug I went to my bedroom.
I ran a bath and filled it with a feminine smelling bubble bath. Steam filled the bathroom as I sat on a stool in front of a mirror fully naked. Slowly, gently I looked at my pussy, really looked at it properly for the first time, the labia, vulva, clitoris, the vagina and where my urethra was located. Gently I parted the lips and felt the folds of flesh inside me. I decided it all looked like a flower that could unfold when I was aroused although I felt tight and dry inside right now.
Slowly with as much self-control as I could muster I gently touched my clit rotating it and holding it between my fingers. I immediately noticed my nipples begin to stand erect as they responded to the stimulation. I touched one with my other hand and moaned gently at the erotic feelings.
Stepping into the bath I lay back and relaxed. I noticed my breathing was a little fast and shallow as I became more aroused. I let the tip of my index finger explore my vaginal entrance as my other hand continued to slowly rotate and touch my clit. I was now fully lubricated and found I could easily move my finger deeper inside myself, slowly exploring while all the time I felt the wave of arousal build and build.
I stopped and took a few seconds to slow everything down. I massaged my breasts in the warm, soapy water enjoying the feel of my fingers as they brushed my nipples and rubbed over the sensitive flesh. My whole body felt like it was on fire and despite my desire to get to an orgasm quickly I knew it would be so much better if I continued slowly and let it build, layer upon layer.
I was in heaven as I caressed my vulva and felt my clitoris now hard and standing erect like a tiny penis. I heard myself moaning but it seemed like another person from far away I was so caught up in the feelings surging through me.
I couldn’t help myself now as my fingers moved faster and faster over my clit, my other hand taking my hard nipple and squeezing it. My back arched, my hips lifted and my head went back as the first wave of my orgasm hit me. My vaginal juices were copious, streaming from me and I bit my lip trying not to scream out. My belly undulated and I sucked in my breath as the biggest orgasm I had ever had in my life took me and flung my body around then gradually subsided leaving me completely satiated.
“That was amazing” I whispered to myself, “that felt soooo good.” Being a girl certainly had its up- side and that experience was out of this world! Right at this moment I had no regrets about being turned into a woman and seriously felt that I was swinging way over to the side of wanting to make this permanent.
I continued to luxuriate in the warm bubbly water for another 10 minutes or so then decided to have that early night. I stepped out daintily wrapping myself in a huge towel. As I dried off my body still tingled from the intensity of what I had just experienced.
Tomorrow I would be spending the day with Tom I thought as I blow dried my hair and applied some night cream to my face. Dressing in my nighty I fell into bed and almost immediately fell asleep. Tomorrow was going to be a good day; I could feel it in my bones. I was also determined to explore my body again and again in the morning. I was loving this new me.
I awoke early the next morning. It was Saturday and I decided to just lie in and enjoy indulging my new found sexuality. Were all young women in their mid-twenties this horny I wondered or was it just me?
Around 9.00 am I lazily dropped my feet to the floor. I had developed a set routine of doing some press ups and sit ups each morning and although I couldn’t do nearly as many as when I was a male I was happy with what I did and thought my arms and stomach looked pretty toned.
I dressed in some warmish clothes, tights and jeans plus the new pink hoodie Nicole had bought me and wandered out to the kitchen. Nicole was nowhere to be seen and I guessed she was still in bed. It had been quite a week for sure.
I decided to put something together for both of us then get ready for my date with Tom. I wondered if I should pack my toothbrush. A spare pair of panties for sure though.
Nicole wandered out, yawning and looking bleary eyed. She wore a baby doll, not the pink one from the other day; this one was a pale mauve that made her body look spectacular. She raised her arms and stretched showing off her magnificent breasts. Normally as a man if I had seen this I would have instantly been incredibly aroused. Now I simply looked and wondered if my own boobs looked just as spectacular. I came to the conclusion that mine were perhaps a little smaller but had just the right shape and fullness. I still felt a tinge of jealousy though. Nicole gave me a big, bright smile and picked up her robe from the couch where she had left it the night before and put it on. She thanked me profusely for her breakfast and dug in. I sat next to her and began to chat about what the day might have in store for me. Between mouthfuls we talked and she reminded me that every man usually has only one thing on his mind when he is around women in a social or intimate situation and that I should take precautions, like not getting pregnant.
I giggled and said I would, making a mental note to buy some condoms at the local pharmacy before I met Tom.
“Do you think I should sleep with him?” I asked and got an honest answer back. I realised women were far more honest and sincere with each other than men. If I’d asked the same question as a guy with one of my male friends we would have ended up making jokes and laughing it off without actually coming to a sensible answer.
“Yes and I think you should enjoy it” she said. “You obviously like him and he pretty much adores you.”
I knew she didn’t know about what he had been forced to do to me in that room and how gentle he had been. Although I would be eternally grateful to him I also knew he carried a great deal of guilt over it. In a sense he had been forced to rape me while the rest of those sickos looked on. We both knew it was the best and only realistic option but he still had to live it. I really wanted to make love with him not only because of the attraction but also for the healing it would bring. That wouldn’t stop me being a little wild in bed though.
“Thank you” and I meant it. This girl was really becoming my sister.
At about 11.10 I took off saying see ya to Nicole and telling her not to wait up for me. She gave me a big hug and smiled. “Love you Emma” she said, “have fun”
I wandered out of the door of the apartment block looking around for any suspicious faces. There was nothing but I kept a sharp eye out. I’d been fooled once before.
Fortunately it was all quiet and I walked across to the pharmacy to pick up my supplies. The assistant was very nice even though I was embarrassed asking for condoms. I guessed she had sold thousands of the things.
By 11.25 I was waiting on the street outside my door. About three minutes later Tom arrived driving a beat up old Nissan. The paint was a faded old green and just about every panel looked like it had a dent or two in it. However I had been male once and I gave the car another look. It was lower to the ground and although the wheels looked old they were bigger than normal and the tyres looked like they were brand new. The engine sounded powerful under the faded hood with a steady burble coming from the rather large exhaust. This was no ordinary old Nissan I decided, I had heard of sleepers before, cars made to look old or stock standard but were really vastly powered machines capable of insane speeds and handling.
Tom leaped out and came around the car stopping just in front of me smiling shyly. “Hey gorgeous” he said those blue eyes burning into me turning me to jelly.
I smiled back then just gave him a big hug reaching up to kiss him softly on the lips. “It’s so wonderful to see you” I replied. I noticed Charlie was in the back of the car his tail wagging furiously. He seemed happy to see me. Tom opened the door and I jumped in. Charlie decided to lick the whole side of my face and I laughed giving him a pat. “Hiya fella” I greeted him and he wagged his tail even more.
The interior of the car looked like something from a spaceship. There were dials and gauges everywhere.
“This is a sleeper isn’t it?” I said as Tom settled into his seat. He looked at me a genuinely amazed look on his face. “You know about these things? If you tell me you love baseball and surfing too I’m going to have to ask you to marry me”
My stomach did a flip and I just giggled like a school girl. I barely knew this guy yet we had been through so much together already. I wondered what my answer would be if it became a genuine question.
CHAPTER 13
We roared off toward the coast the acceleration pushing me back into my seat. Charlie had planted himself between us looking out the front window his paws resting on the tunnel that ran down the centre of the car. I hadn’t felt this cared for or wanted in a very long time. It was strange yet comfortable at the same time. I was with friends.
We both chatted about what we had done over the last couple of days and once again we slipped into feeling like we had known each other for years. Tom explained how the police had raided the facility a couple of days previously but had found nothing but an empty building. I figured if Salvatore could just up and leave he must have deep pockets. Tom said that the buildings registered owner was a shell company operating out of the Bahamas. It would take time to track down the real owner so it was a dead end there.
I talked about my shopping trips and probably bored him half to death although his ears pricked up when I described the red dress I’d bought. “I’d love to see you in it” he exclaimed, “I’m going to have to find an excuse to take you out somewhere you can wear it.”
Again I laughed as we pulled into his driveway next to his log cabin overlooking the ocean. We jumped out and Tom ushered me inside. Charlie didn’t wait and rushed through the doorway tripping me up. I fell unsteadily straight into Tom’s arms looking up into his beautiful eyes. He held me like that for a couple of seconds then righted me and helped me stand. I leant against him, not because I was unsteady but simply because I could.
I liked the nearness.
We went in and once again I found myself standing at the living room window looking over the restless sea. It was a view I didn’t think I would ever get used to it was so beautiful. I realised my panties were sopping and I yearned for his body to be next to mine.
“I’ve made a reservation for lunch in about an hour from now down at the local café” said Tom. I know the owner and he’s given us the best seats in the place” he grinned.
“Cool, sounds wonderful” I said.
Tom trotted off then and went into a cupboard taking out a dog’s leash and a ball.
“Gotcha jacket?” he asked “let’s go for that walk”
I snatched my warm jacket off the couch where I’d thrown it and we walked out the door. Tom locked up and whistled to Charlie who had seen his leash and ball and gone insane with anticipation. Tom led us down a path that had been etched into the side of the headland down to the beach. We walked through some scrubby bush which then led down to a grassed off dune then onto the beach. It was a cool overcast winter’s day which turned the sea into a dark blue almost grey color. There was a slight wind that skittered over the face of the water causing it to chop up a little. The sand was a mixture of loose yellow and orange particles so we wandered down to the water’s edge where it was a little harder and easier to walk on. Tom threw the ball and Charlie took off to fetch it like white lightening then sprinted back dropping it at our feet and barking as if to say “well come on humans throw it again, hurry up.”
I picked the ball up noticing Tom looking at my rear end as I did so. “You know it’s a magnificent view when you do that” he grinned as I threw the ball. I punched him in the arm and laughed happily as Charlie bounded away to once again fetch his ball. “You have a good arm for a girl.” commented Tom. I turned and walked backwards looking at him.
“Baseball” I said simply and smiled.
Tom grinned back “Looks like I’m going to have to teach someone how to surf this summer” he was smiling from ear to ear and I fell back in step skipping beside him.
Suddenly he became serious and wondered out loud “The last week has been pretty insane, meeting you outside a shopping mall, the ride home in my car, the Gemini bar and being captured” he tailed off then said “I’m really sorry.”
I knew what he was apologising for and said,”You have nothing to apologise for. If you hadn’t been there I would have been raped by that thug Boris. I’m so grateful for what you did for me Tom it was gentle and kind and in any other circumstance, well I would have welcomed…..” I became flustered and knew I was about to cry. Tom stopped and turned, then gathered me up in his arms.
“It’s over let’s move on” I said looking up into his eyes. It was an important point in our relationship and we both knew it. Forgiveness had been asked for and it had been given. Nothing more needed to be said.
Charlie once again interrupted us and the mood lightened. Tom threw his ball then I felt his large hand slip into mine. We walked that way for a while, hand in hand and I felt at peace, with waves crashing beside me and a mad dog bouncing around us. This was as close to paradise as I’d ever been in my life.
Bailey’s Beach had a small township planted beside it just behind the dunes. Because of its proximity to the city it had a mix of locals who lived there permanently and holiday homes that were predominantly empty at this time of year, their curtained windows staring emptily out to sea. There was a small strip of shops located near the middle of the beach consisting of the surf shop where Nicole and Harvey had bought my clothes, an ATM machine, a takeaway that sold burgers and fries and what looked like a local real estate place with pictures of houses for sale plastered in its window.
Just to the side of these shops but separate from them was the café Tom had mentioned to me. It was called ‘The Flaming Oyster’ and looked ramshackle yet inviting. The outside was made of rough sawn weatherboards and there were a couple of tables and chairs sitting empty outside.
Tom told Charlie to stay and he obediently lay down near the door puffing, a big doggy grin on his face. We walked in and I relished the warmth that hit me. There were a few other people sitting in there enjoying their meals, while music played softly through some speakers attached to the walls. A large ruddy man with dark hair and a huge moustache rushed up to Tom exclaiming in an Italian accent “Tom you are here my friend, great to see you.” Then he noticed me and turned on the most toothy smile I’ve ever seen.
“Mama mia, who is this vision of beauty you have brought into my café” he cried, snatching up my hand and kissing it “Tom said he was bringing a girl, he didn’t say she was the most beautiful girl in the world” he gushed refusing to let my hand go. I giggled and looked at Tom sure my face was as red as a beetroot. “Alberto you always flirt with the girls” said Tom “this is Emma” as we were led to a little table next to the window overlooking the ocean. “Welcome Emma, welcome” said Alberto “whatever you want you can a have here” he said placing menus in front of us wandering off.
Tom was right we had the best table in the place and I would have sat there just for the view.
We ordered our food; Tom had a beer while I had a diet soda. I rested my elbows on the table cupping my face in my hands and stared at Tom my legs crossed beneath me. I felt very girly.
“This is wonderful Tom thanks for bringing me here.” I stared at him smiling.
“You’re welcome, I really hope we can do it again, lots of times.” he added.
“I hope so too”
Our food came, two huge plates of pasta that I knew I’d get about a quarter of the way through. As a woman one of the things I had noticed was how much less food I needed and how much quicker I became full when I ate.
We chewed in silence for a while then I said “I wonder what will happen next with the formula, and Salvatore?”
“What do you mean?” said Tom
“Well he obviously bank rolled Nicole so she could disappear with it and then release it free to the world. He waited until she had nearly completed it then tried to snatch it because he wanted it for himself. The thing is I don’t think he anticipated her twin sister would show up and I really don’t think he factored a cop like you into the whole situation. I reckon he panicked and that’s why he snatched us straight off the street when we left the Gemini bar. He figured if I was Nicole I would give the formula up in the face of torture, which by the way I wouldn’t have although if he’d threatened you.” I trailed off.
“Well we didn’t quite get to that point thankfully” said Tom “although I had decided to kill that bitch if I could, the one who tortured you.”
“Jake did that for us” I said sadly as I remembered a man I hardly knew who gave his life to rescue us. I wondered if he had a family. I decided to ask Nicole when I saw her next.
“The thing is” remarked Tom, “what is his next step? He doesn’t know Nicole plans to go public with the whole thing next week and I’m sure he still wants that formula; it’s worth billions to him. He must have a new strategy by now.”
“But what is it? Nicole is at her company facility all day, guarded by razor wire and men with guns. At night she locks herself away in the apartment. They would have to be stupid to attack her there with the security system it has installed.” I mused
“That leaves you then” said Tom, “if they take you they can use you as leverage. Threaten to hurt you if Nicole doesn’t hand over the formula. If anyone is in danger it’s probably you.”
I went pale as I realized the implications of what Tom had said. I should have thought of it sooner but hadn’t.
“I figure we’re safe here though, they don’t know me except as Tom and they don’t know where I live. If you’re going to be safe anywhere it’s going to be here.”
He was right I hoped and relaxed a little.
“Let’s just enjoy the rest of the day then” I grinned but with a slight knot in my stomach. Salvatore was a man with huge resources, if he wanted to find someone I had a feeling he could.
We finished our meal and paid, I was on the receiving end of more hand kisses and even a hug that mashed my boobs up against Alberto’s chest. I think he enjoyed that the most. We laughed though and he told us to come back anytime in his loud Italian voice.
Charlie greeted us at the door and we wandered off back down the beach toward Tom’s place. The walk was uneventful and Charlie chased his ball while we walked hand in hand again toward home.
Climbing the cliffed headland we walked to the door which Tom unlocked. Charlie went off to drink a gallon of water then came and lay down next to the embers of the fire Tom had obviously started that morning. Tom stoked it back up and we sat next to each other on the couch looking out to sea. I rested my head against his chest with his arm around me and sighed happily.
Slowly Tom reached over and began to stroke my leg, gently but oh so erotically. I responded by looking up at him and smiling, letting him know this was okay.
He grinned then pushed me on to my back on the couch resting on top of me with my legs spread. He kissed me full on the lips then his tongue searching mine while I responded my hands rubbing his back and working their way down to caress his butt. We sat up and he removed my top, jeans and tights leaving them in a pile beside us. I lay there in just my panties and bra looking at him. He stood up and removed his t-shirt showing me his hard abs and smooth muscled chest as he did so. Kicking off his jeans it was obvious he had a raging erection in his boxers. I reached over and pulled them down exposing his rigid cock. Getting on my knees I took him full into my mouth tasting his saltiness for the first time. He moaned as he stood there while I moved back and forth caressing him with my tongue and sucking him.
Slowly I stood up next to him and he reached around unhooking my bra and dropping it to the floor next to our clothes. He hooked his thumbs into the side of my panties sliding them down to my feet while I stepped out of them. Reaching up he held my left breast in his hand and began to suck on my nipple sending waves of pleasure sky rocketing through me. I arched my back and moaned. Lifting me up into his arms he shooed Charlie away and lay me down next to the fire on a rug. I spread my legs inviting him into me looking up into his eyes wanting this more than anything. He held his cock at the entrance of my pussy, using its tip to rub my labia and clit driving me wild with anticipation. I grabbed around him pulling him close and felt for the second time his cock slip into me filling me up completely. This time there was no one watching and my body responded to his matching his thrusts urging him ever deeper into me. The ecstasy built inside me in waves as he continued to move and I marvelled at his endurance. I was close to coming as I felt him go rigid and grunt, squeezing his cock with my vagina as hard as I could, I let go in a huge orgasm as he began to fill me with his seed. We fell together and I reached up kissing him tenderly on his lips. He stayed inside me continuing to fill me until he slowly began to lose his erection. It was the nicest feeling as he both came down from our high.
Rolling he laid beside me as we both looked into the flames of the fire while the sun set outside in a flaming ball of orange, slipping below the horizon as the purple indigo of night began to fall. Darkness came early around here in winter. I lay in his arms completely at peace both of us naked our flesh pressed against each other warmed by the fire.
CHAPTER 15
Then suddenly Charlie began to bark as we heard light footsteps at the back door.
Tom rolled from me quickly and in one fluid movement he pulled on his boxers and jeans then shrugged his T-shirt on.
“Stay here” he whispered and quietly headed for the kitchen and to the back door.
I searched for my clothes hurriedly pulling on my panties and jeans then fiddled with my bra.
“Damn these things.” I thought throwing it to one side and just quickly pulled my t-shirt over my head.
I padded softly in the direction of the kitchen ignoring Tom’s instructions.
Charlie had gone strangely quiet and the back door stood open the cool night air invading the kitchen making me shiver.
The fine hair on my arms stood up and I sensed danger. I was more fearful for Tom though and hoped he was alright.
I saw a movement in the corner of my eye and crouched by the side of the door. The barrel of a pistol came through first. I waited until the whole arm came in then quickly stood and hit the owner in the throat with the inside of my hand. I felt the cartilage collapse and he reached up gasping to breathe. Taking the pistol barrel I twisted it away from me then up and back feeling the satisfying crack as the trigger finger broke. He couldn’t cry out because of his collapsed throat. As he lay on the floor suffocating I kicked him unconscious.
I wasn’t into killing if I could help it so I quickly rummaged through the cutlery drawer and came back with a spoon. Inserting the handle down the thugs throat I popped it all back out. He took a shuddering breath and I figured he’d be sore but he would live.
Picking up the pistol I peered out of the door into the cold night. The moon was out so there was some light but nobody was there. Silently I headed to the corner of the house and quickly looked around it then ducked back.
Nothing there.
I stepped around and to the next corner. This would let me see a view of the front of the house.
As I peeked around I saw the front of Tom’s battered Nissan parked in the driveway. To the side of it however I saw a white van, one of those rentals that you can use to haul furniture or whatever long distances there were no windows in the side, perfect to transport people without being seen.
I was keenly aware now that I had bare feet and it was cold. I felt my nipples standing on end like pencil erasers poking through my t-shirt.
“Should have put my shoes and that bra on” I thought as I looked over Tom’s car trying to see anyone.
All of a sudden two men walked from behind the van, one of them was Salvatore the other a thug I’d never seen before. He was carrying a silenced pistol and they were talking in hushed tones. I couldn’t hear a thing but I assumed the worst, that if they were standing there then Tom had been either captured or worse killed.
The rear of the house was covered in dense bush so I decided to see if I could work my way back there then around without being seen. As quietly as I could I headed into the bush using the silhouette of the house to guide me. It was hard going and I hoped I wasn’t making too much noise. I stepped over tree roots and under branches until I could make out the side of the van. Lying by the rear wheel I could see the outline of a man. I couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not and assumed it was Tom. Tears ran done my face, if they’d hurt him they were going to pay. I heard faint scuffling noises inside the van and hoped that was Charlie and that they hadn’t shot him.
What a nightmare of an evening this had turned into, going from making love with a man I now adored to fighting for my life and trusting that he was still alive.
I made my way to the edge of the bush and was about two metres from Tom. Neither Salvatore nor his thug was anywhere to be seen and I assumed they were now headed into the cabin. They would find the body of the other hired gun pretty quickly, I didn’t have much time. Tom was lying there but stirred as I touched him. The surge of relief was overpowering as I lifted his head. I felt a lump the size of a plum on the back and realised he had been hit, probably with the butt of the pistol. My relief turned to pure cold anger and I wanted them to hurt just as much as they had hurt Tom.
He groaned and reached up toward me, so I grabbed his arm and helped him sit up against the van. He reached up and rubbed the back of his head wincing as he did so.
“Shit that hurts” he murmured.
“Shhhh baby” I warned him, they’re still out there.
“Baby” he smiled, “you called me baby, does this mean we’re going steady?”
“If we get out of this alive I’ll even call you sweet cheeks” I whispered. “How do you feel?”
“Well apart from the fact I’m going to have a massive headache in the morning I think I can function” he said grimly.
“Good, Charlie’s in the back of the van I think, I heard him scratching a little while ago. We need to get him out quickly before they search the cabin and realise I’m not there and find the other thugs body.”
“Body” Tom said quizzically, “you took a guy out?”
“Yeah” I said, holding up the pistol. “Got this too but I didn’t kill him just knocked him out and I think I broke his finger.”
“Fuck remind me not to fight with you” said Tom as he struggled to his feet. “Anyway I prefer loving to fighting” he said with a grin.
“Me too” I said squeezing his hand, “let’s get the hell out of here.
We moved around the van to open the door and let Charlie out. I squeezed against Tom and he instantly noticed I had no bra on. “Damn those are the most beauti…..” I cut him off. “Tom there are guys over there with guns and you want to talk about my boobs?” I queried.
“Well they are” he grinned.
“Shut up and rescue Charlie” I retorted, “Do that and you can play with them later”
“That’s a deal” he said and hurriedly opened the back of the van. He was met with a ball of fur that leaped out at him.
“We need to get out of here” Tom said breathlessly as he tried to control Charlie. “The keys to the Nissan are inside; can you check if they left their keys in the ignition of the van?”
I moved quickly to the front of the van but there were no keys.
“Damn! We’ll have to hide somewhere” I said, “no keys”
“Alright follow me, we’ll head down to the beach then try and make it to the town, someone will have a phone we can call for help” said Tom as we rushed off. The gravel bit into our feet as we danced across the road not really able to see where we were stepping. Charlie knew the way and we fairly flew down the side of the headland following him. Behind us we heard voices calling out and a crash as the front door was smashed open. A bullet slammed into a tree beside me sending wood chips flying and I felt one hit me on my cheek then the warm trickle of blood from the scratch it left.
Fuck that was close as I slipped down the rest of the hill in the darkness, tearing my hands and feet on unseen stones and rocks. This certainly wasn’t the romantic walk we’d had this morning.We reached the bottom and headed for the beach but heard the distant sound of voices as bodies crashed down the hillside after us. Most of what was said sounded a great deal like cursing. I hoped they’d slip over and break their necks.
“If we run along the beach they are going to see us easily and we’ll make a good target” said Tom “How about you head over into the dunes and hide, I’ll take the gun and draw them away from you, maybe I’ll get a lucky shot in and wing one of them.”
“No, Tom if you go into the open its two against one, even if you get one of them the other guy will get you. I have a better idea, it’s risky but it just might work.”
I cut into the dunes then ran back the way we had come but we were in the corridor of a dune and couldn’t be seen.
The moon was still low on the horizon and cast eerie shadows behind us while it made the sea glisten to our right. It was easier to move in the sand without the rocks at our feet and we made good headway. We came to about 30 metres from the tracks exit onto the beach and dropped to the ground. Tom held Charlie, shhhing him as we lay waiting in the dark. We were shadows merged into shadows.
The sound of our hunters came steadily closer and I tensed lying on my belly waiting to move. Tom held his wriggling dog down and I prayed he wouldn’t give us away.
“Stay here” I whispered, “trust me”
Slithering along the sand, the pistol now in my waist-band I made my way toward the exit, the noises getting louder and louder. Once again I merged into the darkness and lay still controlling my breathing, allowing the adrenalin to do its work in my body holding the pistol out aiming for where they would emerge.
Both of them stumbled out onto the top of a dune where the path exited and stood still breathing heavily. They had their backs to me and I decided quickly what I would do. Taking aim I fired off two shots in quick succession. Both men fell to the ground clutching at themselves then began to moan in pain. I got up and walked over to where they lay, Tom ran up behind me and looked down at them while Charlie just bounced around thinking this was a great game, the big goof.
“You shot them in the butt!” exclaimed Tom.
“Yeah” I grinned “I sure hope it hurts”
I leaned down over Salvatore forcing him to look up at me as he writhed in agony in the sand giving him a good look at my nipples as they poked out of the material of my t-shirt.
“I wouldn’t move around too much gentlemen you don’t want to get too much sand in that wound, someone will have to wipe it all out and that’s gonna hurt” I said laughing.
Both stopped instantly and just clutched at themselves.
“Now that we have your complete attention” I said “I’m getting a little tired of all this and quite frankly I really don’t know why I shouldn’t just kill you here and now. However there are a few things you need to know.”
And so I filled them in on what Nicole was going to do with the formula and how Salvatore would never get his hands on it no matter what now. Tom stood there listening as I spoke, holding a pistol on them that he had recovered from the other gunman.
“So you have a choice, you can either leave us alone, we won’t kill you and you can slink off to the sewer you came from or we can shoot you here and let you die.” I said it as coldly and matter of factly as I could. I wanted them convinced we would do it.
Salvatore just nodded his head; I could see he knew he had lost.
“Alright we’ll go just help us to the van” he said.
“No chance” said Tom “but I’ll make it easy for you, I’ll go back up and drive it down to the bottom of the road over there and leave the keys in it for you.” nodding toward the road about 100 metres away. “You’ll have to get yourselves to it and go get medical attention.”
“Good luck driving with a bullet in your ass gentleman” I said and we walked away scrambling up the hill again. True to his word Tom drove the van and parked it on the roadside so Salvatore could disappear after loading the thug I’d taken out into the back of the van.
I drove the old Nissan behind him so he wouldn’t have to walk all the way back up the hill. Both of us had cuts to our feet that made walking difficult.
Once safely inside we locked the doors and Tom stoked up the fire to warm us. We showered together letting the warm water do its magic then I found some antiseptic, cleaned up our cuts and bandaged them.
“You look like the walking wounded” I smiled at Tom
“Yeah I think we both do” he quipped back
We were both exhausted but the events of the past hour had left us wired. Tom grabbed my hand and led me to the bedroom. I was just dressed in my bra and panties. There he swept me up into a giant hug and just held me while he gently rubbed my back and I began to relax in his arms. As I lay there I made some decisions that I knew would affect the rest of my life.
“Tom I need to tell you something” I started “and I need you to let me tell you the whole story before you ask any questions okay?”
“Umm sure” he said
CHAPTER 14
So I told him about my transformation, that I had been a man but that I had been changed into the woman he now held by the formula Nicole had invented. That I was completely a woman right down to my chromosomes and that I could get pregnant. The only thing I left out was my military background. To his credit he didn’t pull away and he didn’t say anything. I explained that my DNA had not yet been sealed so I could be transformed back to being male if I wanted or I could stay the way I was for the rest of my life.
He rolled onto his back looking up at the ceiling but left his arm under my neck as I lay on my side looking at his face and those beautiful pale blue eyes.
“So what do you want to do?” he asked
“Well at first I thought I’d just do my job and transform back but well now I’m not so sure. I like being a woman, the hair, the clothes, the sex. To be honest I feel like the old part of me the male part is a distant memory and then of course………I met you.” I said the last part gently, meaningfully, trailing off.
Tom turned his head to me and took me in looking at me from my toes all the way up to my eyes holding his eyes on mine. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met” he said, “you’re kind but strong, you can be fun or very serious. You make me turn to wobbly custard every time I see you.” He took a deep breath. “If I have a say in this and I’m not sure I do, but if I do then I’d very much like it, no I’d love it, if you would stay the way you are and be MY Emma.” He said this seriously with tears in his eyes and I could feel myself welling up inside too. He gathered me back up in his arms and held me tight as I wept tears of joy.
We buried ourselves under the bed covers like that and fell asleep quickly. I felt truly at peace for the first time in my life, and I had a very important request to make of Dr Nicole Jones the next day.
The next morning we woke as golden shafts of sunlight pierced the window above our heads. I stretched and for a second wondered where I was. Then the night before came flooding back and I turned to see Tom looking at me a look of pure lust on his face.
“You promised if I rescued Charlie I could play with a certain couple of things” he said playfully.
“Well” I laughed “I never renege on a promise.”
We made love together then and it felt like our bodies had been made for each other. He was kind and gentle at first but our lovemaking soon became wild and frenzied as he took me again and again. We became one as I urged him deeper and deeper inside me, plus I learned of the immense pleasure a man can give as Tom played his tongue over my ultra-sensitive clit or my nipples. I responded in kind taking him in my mouth and bringing him to the edge before stopping and teasing him then letting him fuck me as I screamed in ecstasy his cock filling me, taking me places I never thought existed.
Finally we fell back on the bed together completely satisfied, drenched in sweat.
Once again we showered together and danced around as the water stung the nicks and cuts we seemed to have everywhere over our bodies. We laughed as we made breakfast together then sat and watched the heaving ocean through the living room window. Tom made love to me again and I couldn’t get enough of his body or the feeling of having him fill me with his gorgeous cock.
After lunch we jumped in his car and sped toward town. As we passed the place Tom had parked the van we took note that it had disappeared. I took particular pleasure in knowing what pain they must have been in sitting down to drive.
As we pulled up to the apartment block I asked Tom up but he declined saying he had a couple of things he really needed to do. I instantly wondered if something was wrong or if I’d done something then recognised that as a woman’s response. It seemed natural for me to think like this now and I pondered if the female hormones that had been surging through my body for a while were also affecting the way I thought.
Tom however simply took me in his arms and kissed me full on the mouth then said, ”so when can I see you next? I’m on day shift for the rest of this week but how about we go out for dinner then maybe a club or a movie on Friday night.”
I relaxed then and gave him a big hug, “that sounds awesome, I love our dates together.”
He smiled that delicious smile of his and kissed me again, running around the car and jumping in he roared off with a toot of his horn and a wave. I waved back then took a look at myself, I really needed to get some fresh clothes on, brush out my tangled hair and talk to Nicole.
Once in the apartment Nicole took one look at me and instantly asked what happened. I filled her in on all the gory details and she looked aghast then laughed her head off almost rolling on the floor when I told her I’d shot Salvatore in the butt.
In between taking huge laughing breaths she said” I guess we won’t hear much from him again.”
“No” I said” I really hope not, cause next time I’m gonna shoot his nuts off if he ever comes near us again.”
Nicole laughed again and I got kind of serious.
“Umm Nicole, can we talk seriously for a second” I asked.
“Sure, of course what did you want?” she responded
“Well, I just wanted to ask if you would make this ummm you know, this transformation permanent.” I said.
Nicole looked at me with big round eyes then jumped up clapping her hands. “OH Emma that is wonderful, so we can stay as sisters and do girl stuff together, I can push through the paperwork at the company and make your transformation official, get you a new birth certificate and drivers licence showing your new name and gender. Of course your date of birth will have to be changed to be the same as mine. Ohhh this is wonderful Emma and what about Tom where does he fit in?”
I explained to her what I had told him, only leaving out my military background and what his response had been. She pressed me for all the details about our love making and I simply responded by saying our bodies fit together like a hand in a glove. There are some things a girl just shouldn’t tell.
She giggled and gave me a big hug.
“Alright let’s go then” she said. “We need to go over to the lab for this procedure, don’t worry it’s painless and only takes a minute but all the equipment is over there.”
“Great just let me clean up, get changed and do my face and I’ll be right with you.”
“Right you are” she said, “see you in half an hour then.”
I skipped into my bedroom and decided that if today I was to become a woman permanently then I should do it in style. I pulled out my sexiest lacy black panties and a lace push-up bra. Slipping them on I instantly felt better. I pulled out a little black dress that showed off my cleavage and only just came to mid-thigh. I chose a pair of black stilettos that had a five inch heel and set about doing my make-up finishing off with a bright red lipstick. Looking at myself in the mirror I looked ravishing my brushed out hair falling in waves down my back.
Walking out I said
”Right let’s go.”
Nicole looked up and just mouthed “Wow” then rushed over and hugged me, careful not to smudge my make-up of course. She looked incredible too in a little red number with high heels and we both grabbed our bags and took the elevator to the basement and her car.
“How about after this we celebrate, maybe go out somewhere” she said. “I owe you dinner and after that we could go to a show or maybe dancing?”
I was feeling almost majestic and said “Yeah that would be a great way to celebrate.”
We took off in her car and arrived at the lab soon after. Being a Sunday Nicole had to unlock and turn off alarms but we were soon seated in her lab.
She asked me to kick off my shoes and sit with my feet flat on the floor as a beam of light appeared above me.
“Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? “ asked Nicole “Once I’ve given the command to the nanites there is no going back”
“Yes” I said, “I’m totally, completely sure.”
Slowly the beam of light came down toward my head. It pulsed with a bluish kind of tinge then began to slowly play across my body.
“This beam is transmitting the sealing command to the nanites” said Nicole. “Once started the process is almost instantaneous.”
All of a sudden lights and warning sounds started to come from the display that Nicole was looking at.
“What the heck” she exclaimed then looked at the readouts “well I’ll be” she whistled softly.
“What is it” I said alarm rising in me, my stomach doing several flips. “Is something wrong?”
“Well not exactly” she said “it’s just that the transmission signal can’t seal the nanites.”
“Why not has the machine malfunctioned or something” I was panicking now.
“Oh no the machines fine.” said Nicole smirking, “it’s just that, well you know how I said there were three things that could affect your transition back to male?”
“Yeeesssss” I said.
“Well I can’t actually seal your DNA because it already is. It would seem sis that I’m going to become an aunt, you’re pregnant!”
CHAPTER 15
“So I guess Tom’s the father” remarked Nicole, “are you going to tell him?”
“What? Tell him, yeah I guess I have to, he should know.” I said sitting back in my chair still processing the information flooding my mind.
I was going to carry a baby inside me, feel it grow and kick me; I was going to be a mother. Shit breastfeeding I thought, fuck I wonder what that’s like. Would it be a boy or a girl, how the hell was I going to get through this?
Questions just kept coming and Nicole said “are you okay you look a bit pale?”
“Yeah, yeah I’m fine” I said, “so I guess I’m only ‘just’ pregnant then. You can tell this early?”
“Of course, the nanites have sealed your DNA, a woman’s body goes through hormonal changes as soon as she falls pregnant, you’re no different” remarked Nicole. “The mucus layer thickens in your uterus and there is a tiny wee fertilised egg sitting in there. It’s only just attached to the uterus wall. Unless something terrible happens like you miscarry I’m going to be an aunt” she smiled and clapped her hands together. At least one of us was happy about this.
“No different” those words hit me like a ton of bricks. I was no different to any other woman. This was going to be me for the rest of my life.
“I need to tell Tom” I said
“Hold on, hold on” Nicole came over and put her arm around my shoulders. “We need to confirm all this. It’s going to be another couple of weeks before we know everything is normal. I wouldn’t say anything until you know for absolute sure and you’ve missed your period. When is it due?”
“I guess in about a week” I said
“Well lets’ just give it some time but this machine is pretty sensitive and your DNA is definitely sealed soooooo.”
The next week dragged and there was no sign of my period although my breasts became quite tender and I felt tired. I continually had this gnawing in my tummy because I just knew deep inside that I had fallen pregnant and I was both excited and nervous about having to tell Tom. I wondered how he would react.
I met him on our date that Friday but I was probably a little more withdrawn than usual and we ended up going back to his place after our dinner. Our love making was still spectacular and I felt safe in his arms but he knew something was wrong.
“So tell me what’s on your mind, you’re not yourself.” He turned and looked me in the eyes as we lay in bed.
I turned my head away and looked out the bedroom window a far-away look in my eyes. A solitary seagull hung motionless in the air over the beach lit by the town lights. Then it turned and cartwheeled away with a squawk, probably looking for a place to sleep the night as I took a deep breath. I loved this man more than any other human being I had ever known but I needed to be certain that Nicole was right, that I really was going to have his baby.
“It’s nothing, I think I’m just worn out from all that’s happened over the last few weeks” I said quietly “to be honest dinner and sex with you is kind of the perfect Friday night.”
He laughed at that, “Yeah I couldn’t really think of anything better either.”
I curled up next to him in his arms and smelled his musky masculine scent.
“You know Emma I was going to ask you something and well, it kind of seems the perfect time to ask.”
Before I could respond he added “how about you move in, here, with me, we can get you a car so you have your independence, I’m sure you could get a job doing anything you want and well, I’d really like it if you’d consider it I mean you see I think I’ve fallen for you, hard.” He finished off staring at me, this look of adoration and also desperation in his eyes.
Shit I thought; at any other time I’d have leapt at the opportunity but things were a little different now, why now, why ask me now?
“I’d love to” I said slowly “I’ve fallen for you to, in fact I’d love to move in with you, share our lives together here in this beautiful place…”
“But?” he said
“I can’t, not yet anyway, there are some things I need to do, things I need to confirm, parts of my old life to make disappear, but once that’s all sorted and if you still want me then maybe, I guess, in about a month or so then yes. Would that be okay?”
“Of course” he laughed, “I’ll always want you and if you need some time you’ve got it, we can use the time to get you a car, organise a job, get your stuff moved over.” He rambled on but I didn’t hear, I just snuggled up to him and held on to those four words he said
“I’ll always want you…”
I hoped once I broke the news of my pregnancy to him that those words wouldn’t change.
The next day I told Nicole what Tom had asked me when I got home that evening, Tom had to work so I said I’d spend the time with her.
“What? Move in with him, is it that serious you’ve only known him a few weeks, do you think it’s wise?”
“It feels like I’ve known him for years we’ve been through so much together already and I honestly think I love him, plus he’s the father of my baby.” I said touching my belly considering the life growing in there.
“Okay well if your certain it’s just I’d hoped you’d hang around here, I could look after you, I mean this woman thing is all new to you let alone being pregnant. How will you cope all alone out there?”
“Hey I’ve got a brand new sister who I love very much, plus I’ll be with Tom and there’s Rachel and Harvey” I smirked thinking of Harvey farting away in the lab. “I’ll be fine, that is as long as Tom still wants to be with me after he finds out the news.”
“I guess I can’t stand in the way of true love” Nicole laughed “but the instant anything goes wrong or well anything you have to promise to call me I’ll be right there.”
“I promise” I said
“Plus there’s also the matter of a holiday in Fiji” Nicole remarked, “We could do that before you move in just you and me.
“A week on a tropical island before you start to show; bikinis, food, swimming and hot boys” she grinned.
“Ohhhh yes that would be wonderful Nicole, can we do that soon? I’d love to, although bikinis hmmm haven’t done those in public yet”
“Wait till you see guys stare at you with one on” she said, “although most guys are very polite they only look at the bits we have covered.”
We both thought that was hilarious and laughed till tears came to our eyes. The rest of the afternoon we spent on the internet looking at flights and places to stay. We finally ended up booking business class seats and adjacent rooms at the Sheraton Denerau Villas, which looked very decadent and exclusive.
The next day we went out shopping, for bikinis of course.
Nicole was true to her word and on Monday contacted a journalist she knew at one of the local newspapers. On Tuesday it was on the front page of that newspaper and by Wednesday almost every paper in the country was running the story. Finally the Formula went global and Nicole was in demand everywhere to do television interviews. She decided to do only one on a local current events show which was shown ad nauseum around the world... She also decided to give the formula its own name RENH25. The implications for her work sent people wild with anticipation but as she explained to everyone it would be a few years before testing was complete and the formula would be available everywhere. So interest began to wane quickly and her 15 minutes of celebrity faded although she got quite a few marriage proposals from millionaires, Arab Sheiks and the odd politician, all of which she politely declined.
However when the formula was eventually released to the public I figured the furore it would cause would be insane; I didn’t want to be around when that happened.
For my part I was focussed on my pregnancy and I did indeed miss my period. A pregnancy test soon after confirmed the news and I had to tell Tom. This was going to be the difficult part but I hoped for the best and that he would be supportive.
I chose the time carefully. We had just had the most beautiful, delicious sex on a Saturday morning and we were both enjoying the glow that comes from it. I never grew tired of his wonderful love making and he never seemed to grow tired of my body as I responded to him.
As we lay entwined in each other’s arms afterwards I looked up at him.
“Tom I have something to tell you” I said.
“Hmmmm” he responded with this stupid look on his face of pure satisfaction and contentment.
“Well I ummm, well you’re the only man I’ve ever made love to and well” I turned over to look at him and he was looking at me now totally focussed on my face.
“You’re pregnant aren’t you” he said.
I couldn’t think of anything to say other than a small terrified “Yes”
“You’re kidding! Really, We’re going to be a family…………alright!” he just about leapt out of bed then crashed down on me smothering me with hugs and kisses.
“Aw man Emma, that’s the most wonderful news, I wonder if it’s a boy or a girl. I mean I don’t care as long as he, she, whatever, is healthy. This is the best news.”
“So you’re not angry, you still want me around” I responded tearfully a huge wave of relief surging through me.
“Angry, hell no, I’ve always wanted a family and to have one with the most incredible, stunning, amazingly beautiful woman in all the world, well what more can a guy ask for? Want you around? Of course I want you around, all the time I mean don’t you get it, I love you.”
I cried and he gathered me up in his arms hugging me close.
“I love you too” I whispered and he hugged me even tighter if that were possible without squeezing my insides out.
We lay back then and made plans, he would turn one of the rooms in the house into a nursery, we could design it together, and we could go out and get baby stuff, like clothes and a car seat.
“Diapers” he said “we’ll need lots of diapers”
I laughed and laughed as he thought out loud. His excitement was infectious.
After a while we calmed down and he looked seriously into my eyes.
“Right, there are two more things we need to discuss then, firstly when you’re going to move in here with me and secondly” he paused then rushed out to the kitchen and opened the fridge. I heard him muck around for a few seconds then he rushed back in leaping on the bed straddling me.
He held one of the tabs from a can of soda and holding it in front of him he looked down at me while I looked at him, studying every line of his face, his tanned skin, his teeth but especially his eyes, I would never ever get over being lost in his eyes.
“Emma Jones” he intoned and I giggled.
“Yes Tom Cook”
“Will you marry me and do me the honor of being Mrs Emma Cook?”
I gave him a wicked smile then flicked him suddenly onto his back and lay on top of him our faces together looking eye to eye.
“Yes Tom Cook, I will. I want to spend the rest of my life together with you.”
He grabbed my finger and slid the soda can tab over it.
“Ohhh” I said “it’s beautiful”
We both laughed and he said “let’s go out and choose a ring together, one we’ll both love.”
“I can’t wait” I hugged him then fell back onto the bed.
“So when do you want to move in?”
“When I get back from Fiji. Nicole and I fly out on Monday and get back the following Tuesday. I’ll move in that weekend. How does that sound?”
“Perfect” he said, “umm are you sure I can’t come I mean Fiji wow.”
“No silly, this is just for the girls” and I flashed my boobs at him.
We made love again then, wild, uninhibited sex. I was sure people in the township heard my screams.
Epilogue
I lay in bed looking out of the window at the sea as it sparkled in the rays of the rising sun. The snuffles of my baby daughter came through on the monitor next to me as she slept. We had called her Amelia Nicole and of course to both Tom and I, plus her doting aunt of course, she was perfect. Child birth however well that was another story.
I held my hand out of the bed covers and looked at my wedding band and engagement ring sitting there confirming my status as Mrs Emma Cook. Tom and I had been married soon after getting back home and I had worn a simple but beautiful satin dress that now hung in my wardrobe taking pride of place. Naturally Nicole had been my maid of honor and I had asked Rachel to be my other bridesmaid while Tom had asked his brother David, to be his best man. As soon as I was introduced to him I liked him and felt welcomed into the family. We got on famously.
One of the most interesting things that came out of the day happened when all three of us girls were sitting getting our hair and make-up done that morning. Rachel had agreed to wear less dark make-up and looked positively cat walk beautiful. She grumped a bit but when she looked in the mirror I could see she was quite taken with the beautiful woman who looked back.
“You didn’t think you were the first person that Dr Jones experimented on do you?” She asked out of the blue as we sat there.
“Umm you mean to be transformed in the way I have?” I asked.
“Yeah”
“Actually yes I guess I did”
“Nah” she said “that was me. I was the first.”
My eyes grew wide with wonder as she sat there telling me her story, about her mum dying, how her dad had become abusive and how Nicole had offered her a way out. It was a compelling story and one I hope someone would tell one day.
“So you used to be a boy?” I questioned.
“Yup, Dr Jones saw my transformation through when I was young only 16. You should have been there as I was forced to cope in my senior high school years.”
“I’d love to hear it one day.”
“Have me over for dinner one night and I’ll tell it” she said.
I looked at her, “deal” I said and that was it, but I was dying to hear more.
Our wonderful guard Jake was not forgotten either, I found out that he had a family, a wife and two children. It felt good to know that they woke up one day to find a quarter of a million dollars in their bank account.
As for me I decided to start a photography business, with some of the money left over from the contract with Nicole. I specialised in weddings and functions and loved to take landscape photos or portraits of my darling family. In the evenings I would take a self-defence course for some of the local girls and through all this Tom and I made some lovely friends and that meant Amelia had no end of baby sitters when we needed them.
I was brought back to reality as Tom moved behind me rolling over to hug my back. I felt his erection poking into me and smiled. It was easily the best way to wake up I thought. I rolled onto my back and looked at him.
“Hey there gorgeous” he grinned. “Amelia’s still asleep what do you feel like doing?”
I giggled and looked into those eyes.
“Hmmm lets’ see how about we practice making another baby.”
“I love the way you think” he said as I felt his rock hard manhood slip inside me.
This is the life I thought, fuck me it’s amazing.
So Tom did.
This was my own slice of heaven.
Two young girls are caught up in a plan to kidnap the son of a wealthy politician. Can they undo the plot and save the boy, can they even survive? A sequel to “Jade”
Prologue
Madeline Gardner sat on the 10th Street bus heading east across the city. She wasn’t sure why they called it the 10th Street bus because she caught it on 12th Street and it was going to take her clear into town without even passing 10th Street. Maddy didn’t think things through much she preferred to live in the moment or so she liked to tell everyone so the fact that the bus originated on 10th Street completely evaded her. At 28, Maddy was a wife and mother of two little ones Hannah and Sean and they were her world but right now she had other things to think about, important things. She wiped her brow she was sweating even though it was a cool day in Chicago, her hands shook. It was always a cool day in Chicago but then again she came from Southern California and it was always warm there. She couldn’t win. Maddy had relocated to the city with her husband Dean, his new job pulled them there; he did something with computers, wrote programs or something she didn’t really know. Originally he hailed from Australia and she had fallen totally and madly in love the moment she first laid eyes on him. She had only been 22 and away on her first overseas holiday with a college friend. They’d gone to Brisbane in the state of Queensland, hired a car and tripped around seeing the sights. Dean was a surfer back then, his body lean and hard and he was beautiful. He’d been flattered by the attention she gave him and all the flirting. After all who could resist the American college beauty with wild hazel eyes and the crazy personality? They had made love on the beach, he’d taught her to surf and by the end of her stay he’d asked her to marry him, she’d said yes.
He earned oodles of money so she didn’t have to work just look after the kids and be a good housewife. She didn’t mind she could go shopping whenever she liked, pretty much buy what she liked, she had some close friends through her local church and play center. She drank plenty of coffee with them. Dean had a flexible timetable at work so she often saw him throughout the day. He would come home and they would make love while Hannah slept and Sean was at Play Center. She loved the spontaneity and often wore sexy lingerie like a suspender belt and stockings or corset under her dress in anticipation of his possible arrival. The dark side of that was he often worked late into the night sorting things out for computers on the other side of the world. That was when their operators were awake and able to do what Dean told them. Maddy often found herself sleeping alone at night.
Maddy fingered the piece of paper in the open hand bag sitting beside her and looked around the bus. There were probably another 10 people scattered about most sitting by themselves, it was a funny thing the psychology of bus passengers. A couple of young lovebirds sat in the back seat making noises that should really only be heard by themselves and preferably in the privacy of their own room. Maddy was tempted to say something but then again why bother? There was an older man sitting opposite her maybe 70 she guessed, he looked distinguished the rest of the people on the bus seemed normal, everyday going to mundane places doing mundane things. The bus was dirty, filled with the detritus of human beings, a plastic bottle rolled from one side to another that had once held some milk concoction. She shuddered she hated dirt, her home was always kept spotless.
The bus lumbered east along the Lincoln Highway past the Ford Motor Company and Chicago Stamping Plant onwards to the large clover leaf where they would turn left and head toward the city center. She was supposed to do it there in the middle of the city but she didn’t have the heart, she couldn’t bring herself to hurt more innocent people.
Standing up she held the paper from her bag so it could be seen by the little cctv camera that was installed on all Chicago buses now, it’s image would be recorded and analysed later then she yelled out the words they told her to shout before pushing the trigger.
“Allahu Akbar”
The bus disintegrated as the C4 exploded outwards. Maddy had chosen a time when no other cars were around. No one else would be hurt. At first she felt the intense heat and a half second of searing pain then everything went dark. Her last thoughts were for her children.
Brent Douglas and Andy Prentice sat in a computer suite in the FBI building in downtown Chicago studying the image of a piece of paper on the screen. There were numbers and words some easy to decipher others more cryptic. Douglas or ‘Doug’ as he was affectionately known was the senior of the two. He hated the nickname but at 59 and nearing retirement he would shrug and just let it be, it wasn’t worth the effort to get people to call him Brent now. Prentice was younger in his early thirties, hungry, sharp.
The paper read
‘38.3669S 144.2847E
112Dan42014
It’s going to happen
I’m so very sorry’
“So what do you make of it” Douglas queried “the first numbers are obviously co-ordinates but what about the rest?”
Prentice sat at another screen typing the coordinates into Google.
“Well the first part is easy, those coordinates are a place in Australia”
“Where” asked Doug
“A place just west of Melbourne in Victoria, ‘Bells Beach’ some surfing mecca. Did you ever see that movie Point Break? You know the one with Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves. It’s a classic”
“Yeah”
“Bells Beach is in the last scene, you know where Swayze tries to surf that humungous wave”
“Aw yeah right” said Doug nodding his head, he didn’t really have a clue “so what about the rest?”
“Well if we separate it all out the last bit could be a date which would make it April 20 of this year, hey that’s Easter, which just leaves us with 112Dan. That could be an address, maybe 112 Dan Street or Road maybe?”
“Yeah maybe” Doug’s brow was furrowed, deep in thought “who was that lady again the one who did all this shit?”
Andy looked at the file.
“Her name was Madeline Renee Gardiner a housewife and mother, lived here in Chicago”
“What are her family connections?”
Prentice began typing and looking at his screen then whistled softly
“You’re not going to believe this boss, she was married to Dean Gardiner and he is listed top secret but if I just do this” Prentice tapped away again at his keyboard.
“Oh fuck me” Andy’s eyes were wide “he’s the computer programmer who came up with the Daniel project boss”
Doug’s eyes became slits and his lips were pursed.
“Look up the Old Testament, Daniel Chapter 11 and verse 2”
Prentice did some more typing
“Here we go Daniel 11 verse 2”
“Now then I tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.”
“You know what Persia is now don’t you” said Doug “Iran, and you know who the fourth king is don’t you?”
Horrified, Prentice and Douglas looked at each other;
“We need to tell the Director” said Andy
Doug was worried “Damn right” he said. He wondered what the hell Australia had to do with it all and what the hell was going to happen at Easter?
CHAPTER 1
It was March and I sat on our old porch hugging my knees thinking about the events of the last year. I was just wearing a long skirt and hoodie with a pair of tights to keep me warm. So much of my life had changed some for the better some for the worse. I had gone through the most painful transformation ever caused by a disease that was so rare it left even the Doctors puzzled. One that forever changed me from a boy to a girl. I’d had to learn how to live all over again and that was still happening for me but this time as a female. I had a wonderful and supportive family a Mom and two brothers who loved me and who I loved. We had been through a lot together, I had to fight more than I ever thought possible just to stay alive but through it all I had found myself, come to understand who I was and what I believed. I had learned to trust people who were now an intimate part of my life, Jacinta a young woman who had been abducted and forced onto the streets as a prostitute, now my oldest brother Jeff’s girlfriend and dare I say it soul mate. Jasmine my best friend and confidante the most gorgeous and mad girl you could call a friend and still remain sane. She was completely head over heels in love with my other brother Tim and he with her.
Then there was Dave McIntyre who was my boss down at the local surf shop here on Imperial Beach and who had helped me get through so much of what had happened to me. He was a gruff old guy but everyone loved him and just recently had asked my Mom to marry him. I was over the moon at the news, not only was I going to get a new Dad who I loved but I was also going to be a bridesmaid, I couldn’t wait. The wedding was being planned for the end of August this year near the end of summer and I’d decided it was going to be glorious.
I also loved to surf and Dave had trained me for a big competition to be held up North near Los Angeles. I had entered in the open section because I’d wanted to kick another boys butt. His name was Morgan Chapman and he was a bully. My friends and I had dealt with him after he had hurt me but that didn’t diminish my desire to beat him out there on the waves. We had all travelled up in a convoy some of us in Mom’s car some with our friends Pete and Elley in his yellow Kombi. Even my little friend Tyler had persuaded his parents to come and they had driven their big SUV behind Mom. Tyler had insisted I ride with him so I had sat next to his car seat in the back happily chatting away to my six year old hero.
Tim and Jeff had made me cry before the competition. They said it was a labour of love and had presented me with a surfboard to compete on. They’d shaped it themselves and it was one of a kind. They reckoned it was designed especially for me and they had snuck into my bedroom late at night while I was asleep to get my ‘measurements’. That kind of freaked me out but I couldn’t deny how beautiful the board was. It was a ‘thruster’ with three fins and written on the top in metallic green script was simply the word ‘Jade’. Tim had said that all the rest of their boards would have the script ‘Jade Surfboards’ on them but this one was special and only I would ever have one of their boards with just my name on it. I had hugged and squeezed them so tightly they had choked but there was no denying the beaming smiles on their faces.
Then there was Nick Kelly, the boy I had fallen in love with but was also my main competition. While I wanted to beat Morgan badly I knew to win it was Nick I had to beat. Up for grabs was a free trip to Hawaii to compete in the Junior World champs and boy did I want that.
The competition had been fierce I had been in a heat with another girl and two guys. The waves were big and rough that day but I had surfed my heart out and had just beaten one of the guys to get to the quarter finals. Morgan had done the same and we had faced off. Nick had easily made it through to his quarter and was decimating his rivals. I had been incredibly proud of him and loved sitting next to him on the beach leaning my head against his arm when we weren’t competing.
I smashed Morgan! It took everything I had and I was exhausted when we were finished. I gained the highest score I’d ever managed in a competition but my legs were rubber when I walked from the ocean. Dave had massaged them while Mom had fed me an energy drink and some food but I knew that in beating Morgan I had also used up most of my reserves.
I was drawn against Nick for the semis and as I watched him crash into the water for our start his back muscles rippling as he lay on his board and his legs kicking powerfully I doubted myself for the first time. He was one of the most talented young surfers in the world and I was up against him. As much as we cared for each other I knew he would show no mercy. The beach we were competing on had an underground reef which the waves jacked up over. They rumbled over it; tons and tons of water and I was tired. It was no contest and I staggered out of the water afterward and just burst into tears on Mom’s shoulder as she held me. Getting wet as we clung together wasn’t important to her as much as holding and comforting her daughter. I felt a little hand on my leg and had looked down to see Tyler looking up at me with his big eyes.
“Don’t worry Jade” he had said “you can still babysit me we can still have fun together, please don’t cry”
I had laughed through my tears and kissed him on the cheek which he instantly wiped off ‘girl germs’
In the end I was the top female but came fourth overall which was pretty good Dave thought, but it wasn’t first or second. Nick would be going to Hawaii as the victor without me. He had promised to text and call every day. My heart was broken I couldn’t go and broken even further when he had texted me to say he was loving Hawaii and was learning so much there that he wanted to stay on. That was two months ago and Nick’s calls and texts had tailed off to once every couple of days then once a week. Now I heard nothing from him. I was forlorn and lonely and no matter what anybody said or did I couldn’t kick this feeling I’d lost him. It was the saddest and most devastating feeling in the world.
As I sat there staring into space feeling sorry for myself a police car rolled silently to a stop opposite our house. It was one of those black and white Fords with a set of blue and red lights on the roof. The cop who got out was middle aged and had probably seen a few too many donuts in his time. He looked left and right then wandered across the road entering our gate his hand resting on his gun belt.
“Hello Miss is this the Chamberlin place?” he asked of me
“Um yes Officer did you want my Mom?”
“If her name is Michelle Chamberlin then that’s correct I do”
I got up and asked him to follow me in and called for her. I had the distinct feeling he was checking out my rear as he followed me.
“Mom there’s a Police officer here to see you” I called and Mom came bustling out of the laundry wiping her hands a big question mark on her face.
“Yes can I help you?”
“Are you Michelle Chamberlin?” he asked
“That’s correct”
“Can we sit down I have some things to discuss with you”
I was all ears standing there but just then the phone rang and I ran to answer it. ‘Darn’ I thought.
I was on the phone for a good 20 minutes my eyes getting wider and wider. When I had finished the police officer had gone. I sat opposite Mom looking at her in a state of shock. The others Tim, Jaz, Jeff and Jacinta walked in too asking about the cop but just stood still when they saw our faces.
“You first” I said to Mom
“Well” she replied “remember all that money Jacinta had taken that we handed in”
“Yeah” I said
“It turns out that most of it goes to the state as part of their confiscation of criminal goods but because we handed it in and it was never claimed, I mean the criminals are all in jail, 15 per cent of it is ours”
I worked it out in my head and just gawped at Mom. The others did too.
“Mom 15 per cent of 800,000 dollars is 120,000”
“I know” she screamed and leapt up dancing around the table as I squealed in disbelief. It took all of two seconds for the others to get it and we all laughed and hugged together. This was life changing for our family.
After about five minutes we all settled down
“So who was that on the phone?” Mom asked
The others listened.
“That was Chances Surf, they loved my photographs for their catalogue and they were there at the surf comp where I came fourth. They just asked me if I wanted to help represent them at the Rip Curl Pro this Easter?”
The boy’s mouths hit the floor, they got it instantly.
“That’s nice dear but what’s the Rip Curl Pro?” asked Mom
It’s just one of the biggest surf competitions in the world, it’s held in Australia at one of the best ocean surf beaches, over Easter every year and I’m allowed to take one other person for free. We leave on the 14th of April and don’t come back till the 26th” my voice must have gone up two octaves as I danced once more around the room.
“Hmmm” Mom said “you know what we haven’t had a holiday together in ages how about we use some of that money and we all go? What did you say the name of the place was in Australia?”
“It’s called Bell’s Beach Mom” I said
CHAPTER 2
The excitement in the room was palpable but Jacinta’s face fell.
‘Mrs Chamberlin I have no passport and won’t be able to get one so as much as I’d love to go I’m sorry but I must stay here.”
“Sorry Mom if Jacinta doesn’t go then I can’t really plus I’ve got heaps of assignments due at school” Jeff was downcast.
“Yeah I guess I’m the same Mom” Tim said “sorry I’ve got school plus I doubt Jasmine would be able to go and well…….”
Mom nodded her head.
“I understand boys, looks like it’s just me and Jade then and I guess it’s free for us” she smiled although there was a tinge of sadness there.
Although I was sad the boys couldn’t go the excitement of travelling overseas with Mom and being able to attend the Rip Curl with the world’s best was mind blowing. Plus I’d get to see Australia. What wasn’t to like about all that! The next few weeks couldn’t go fast enough.
The next day at school I sat around with the girls and chatted. They were all excited for me and were putting in orders for stuff they wanted me to bring back. Top of the list were some hunky Australian guys. Lauren was sitting beside me her shoulder touching mine. She sensed my sadness and loneliness and although she knew we probably couldn’t be together our friendship meant a lot to both of us. She’d developed a crush on me when I was a boy and it hadn’t abated as a girl.
Just then four girls walked past, they were all a year below us and dressed in short skirts and low tops and I wondered how they got away with it considering Mrs Shirley’s strict standards.
One sneered to her friends “Isn’t that the Chamberlin thing, the one who changed into a girl. What a mutant”
Jasmine bristled and made to stand up but I laid my hand on her arm.
“She can’t talk about you like that” she hissed ready to claw a few eyes out.
Despite feeling that gnawing in the pit of my stomach I didn’t want any trouble with another bunch of girls. I watched as they wandered off to sit with a group of greasy boys not sure who I should be sorrier for, them or me. I had endured a few comments and bullying up to this point, they were slowly fading but it didn’t make it any easier when this kind of thing happened. Sure I had supportive family and friends but I was the one who had to live in this body and deal with the changes the hyperplasia had wrought. Coming to terms with that was going to take more time than I imagined and I wondered what I would have done without that support and love especially from my Mom. Lots of people who had chosen the transition from one gender to the other faced huge barriers. From open disinterest and being seen as an oddity to discrimination and even physical violence; many transgender women had to suffer in silence wondering if they would ever get to belong. I wasn’t surprised to read that some chose to end their lives as they struggled with their identity but it was also nice to hear of others that were supported and cared for, loved for who they were and allowed to simply be the person they were born to be. I wasn’t about to take that for granted and I loved my friends and family with every atom. I wasn’t an aberration I was now Jade, a real girl with real emotions. I suffered pain and heartbreak like anyone else but also joy and happiness that reached all the way down deep into my very soul. The Japanese called it ‘Tamashi’ it meant our soul or spirit and encompassed the idea of compassion and love. It was that part of me that I was determined would not be crushed, that I would shield and nurture. It was that resolve that would define me and who I was, not the hurtful words or actions of a few.
I was enjoying being a girl too in so many ways. I understood now what that meant and how our sex defined us, how being female made me both weaker and yet much stronger. I was one of the lucky ones and I felt a sense of responsibility for others going through that transition. There were many different voices, some harsh some soft. I wanted to be one of the soft ones.
Jasmine’s voice shook me out of my thoughts.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked
“Oh nothing, just how lucky I am to have such good friends like you guys. I wonder where I’d be now without you.”
Jasmine hugged me around the neck
“Don’t be silly we all love you, girls like that” she flicked her head at them pointing her manicured finger “they’re just ignorant.”
‘Yeah ignorance but also that people just chose to cling to what they know. It happened all the time. It took strong women to overcome it’ so I got up and walked over to the girls table and sat down smiling.
“What do you want?” the one called Maree sneered at me
“Um not much just to say hi you know, introduce myself, I’m Jade. I love your hair” I said to Maree. She looked startled not sure of what I meant.
“Look I know what some people are saying about me and you know what it’s all true, I actually have two heads, turn into a werewolf at night and eat little children”
One of the boys snorted at that and the other guys smiled. The girls looked puzzled, confused but I wasn’t going to stop now.
“Yeah it’s tough being me but hey someone’s gotta do it.”
The one called Maree said “Are you on drugs?”
“No well almost but that’s another story. All I really wanted to say was yes I’m different to you in that I contracted this thing called Hyperplasia and it changed my body, I couldn’t help it but I’m also still an ordinary human being just a girl now not a guy. It was really hard to go through and I’m sure some of you know what it’s like to go through hard times and well I need all the friends I can get cause it’s tough enough being me as it is.”
One of the boys reached over and shook my hand.
“I’m Dylan Jade, nice to meet you.”
The rest did the same until only Maree was left. She was having that big internal talk coming to terms with the conflict of wanting to hate me or like me but not sure which way to go. Her friends looked at her expectantly, whichever way she went was the way they would go too. It was the law of the school jungle. I sat quietly for a couple of seconds as she thought. Finally she looked at me.
“Okay yeah sorry, but you know it’s kind of a freaky story what happened to you, I mean is it contagious?”
“Well not as far as I know, it just happened to me”
“Did it hurt” asked Dylan
“Yeah heaps, like someone took out all my bones and smooshed them up them rammed them back in again. Honestly I wanted to die.”
The girl in Maree took over; I was like that wounded little bird that needed taking care of as it flapped around helplessly after falling out of its nest. Not that I was helpless but like all women everywhere she had that empathy thing going on.
She didn’t hug me I mean that would be going a little too far but I could see in her eyes she’d turned a corner.
“Nice to meet you properly” she said
“Me too” I grinned and the others all smiled
Going over to my group Jaz just looked stunned.
“Shit Jade I wanted to kick their little heads in and you go over and make friends”
I shrugged “I love that protective streak in you Jaz, its part of our friendship. I don’t know what I’d do without you” I said the last part melodramatically the back of my hand held to my forehead. We all laughed as the bell went and we got up to go to class. That being human bit was getting a little easier too.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That night Mom and I went over what we needed to do for our trip, clothes, getting me a passport, organising a bit of sight-seeing. We both wanted to do some shopping in Sydney which was the biggest city in Australia and take in a show in Melbourne which was the arty kind of capital of the country.
Chances had booked our airfares, accommodation and transport and as the time was getting closer we were both getting more and more excited. We would fly from Los Angeles direct to Sydney, stay there for two days then on to Melbourne and Bells Beach for the competition. I would model their clothes, do some surfing, hang out with the surf crowd. It was a dream come true.
The day came and we jumped into our taxi for the flight. Lots of hugs and kisses later we were speeding north to San Diego then on to Los Angeles. Sitting back in the taxi I dozed or listened to the driver talking with Mom about politics or the weather or whatever. I wondered what was in store for me and what Australia was like. I’d looked up stuff on the net but it was never the same as being there. All I really knew was that most people lived near the east coast in the major cities like Sydney and Brisbane, the middle of the country was a red desert where temperatures could reach over 120 degrees during the day and negative 25 at night. There were weird animals like kangaroos, wombats and koala bears plus all these things that could kill you and the people had a pretty strange way of talking. Then again so did Americans.
Standing in the arrival lounge at Sydney airport was surreal, it wasn’t as big as Los Angeles but it was big enough. It was a typical airport I guess not that I’d ever seen many and was close to the water. We had flown over the famous harbour bridge and opera house before landing and now we were standing looking around for our ride. The pilot had told us it was a city of over 4 million and was the biggest in Australia. It was warm and I felt at home with the heat. The range and diversity of people around me though was immense. I didn’t realise how many different ethnicities and groups lived here. Five men were standing close to us. They were unshaven with red eyes. All of them looked tired yet still alert looking around them all the time. One had a large scar running down his arm from elbow to wrist while another seemed to limp slightly like he’d hurt his hip. There was nothing else that marked them or made them stand out yet I felt uneasy around them, unsure. I shrugged my shoulders and turned away spotting a woman with a sign that said ‘Chamberlin’
Mom saw it at the same time too and we wandered over to introduce ourselves. Her name was Molly, she was probably about my height with short auburn hair; she led us out to the huge carpark next to the airport building and into a little green hatchback with the ‘Chances’ logo on the side. As we drove out I noticed the same five guys piling into a blue rental van and slowly driving off. I wondered what they were here in Australia for. None of my business I thought.
“So Molly, what’s the itinerary for our visit here?” Mom asked.
“Well we’ve got you booked on to a harbour cruise to see the sights then we’ll take you for a meal plus we want Jade for a photo shoot. Any hassles with that?”
“None whatsoever” I chimed in “where can I go surfing?”
“Jade, be nice” Mom whispered but Molly just laughed.
“How about we head out to Bondi Beach it’s pretty awesome we can surf together”
“Rad”
“What the heck does that mean?”
“Mom it means radical you know cool, bad, fantastic”
“You kids talk in a whole new language these days I can’t keep up”
Molly and I laughed; I figured we’d be good friends.
The day went in a blur the harbour cruise was amazing shooting around in a big jet boat. Mom reckoned it was more like a harbour bullet but I loved it especially since I got to sit next to the driver. He was one of those young guys who was funny and charismatic and probably had all the girls falling in love with him for the hour you knew him then quickly forgotten, me included.
The photo shoot was re-scheduled to be taken at Bondi Beach and after it I got to surf on a borrowed board. Bondi itself was one of those places right next to the beach that in the 60’s and 70’s used to be cool by not trying to be cool; a bit like southern California at the time too I guess. It had been an authentic surfing paradise that quickly found itself and in so doing lost itself. Now it boasted multi-million dollar homes and thousands of people who flocked to the area not to swim but just to be seen. The waves however were spectacular and I loved getting into the water and just surfing. Molly was pretty good and we attracted a fair bit of attention especially from guys. When they heard my accent they all used it as an excuse to ask questions and then ask me out. Disappointingly I had to turn them down but I was constantly amused at their names like Wayno or Bluey which was actually a name for someone with red hair. Go figure.
They loved to show off, diving from their boards or swimming around us. Once again I was the centre of attention and both enjoyed it and was uncomfortable with it. Guys seemed to have only one thing on their mind.
Exiting the waves I meandered up the beach my feet crunching through the golden sand. It was a perfectly still day, warm but not hot. Mom was sitting on her towel reading a book as I dried myself and wrapped a towel around my shoulders. Looking out to sea was east. There was no land until New Zealand from where I stood then the nothingness of the vast Pacific Ocean leading down to the frozen wastes of Antarctica or north to tropical islands. It all seemed backwards to me but I got it. My geo teacher back home Mr Hendricks had done a good job teaching us, he’d be proud.
Our hotel was in the middle of town near a place called Kings Cross. It was nice enough and Molly dropped us off saying she would be back to take us out to dinner about 6.30pm. I was starving and persuaded Mom to go out for a snack and look around. Walking south and yet up a hill a huge Coca Cola sign came into view. To our left we saw a line of shops and to our right a line of restaurants and fast food outlets. Turning right I noticed the diversity of people again. It was 4.00pm and we walked into a shop selling buns and cakes. The owner was an Asian man who smiled and nodded his head as we chose a few snacks to eat. Wandering back to the intersection we nearly got run over forgetting people drove on the left side of the road and not the right. Horns honked and drivers waved as we quickly stepped back on the side walk. Mom looked at me and we laughed as the adrenalin hit.
“Phew that was close” I said
Without knowing it we were walking into one of the most dangerous areas of Sydney. At night this place came alive with people, young drunks and old, young women selling their bodies; older men without teeth holding bags of glue or bottles of wine. There were three things that were sold, sex, drugs and rock and roll. Even now in the mid-afternoon, music poured from a couple of shops the beat pounding our ear drums.
Daylight wasn’t kind to the area however, the shop fronts looked sleazy and stairs leading down into dens of whatever was sold down there, looked worn with red carpet frayed at the edges. The dirt and grime couldn’t be hidden fully even though the city had obviously just upgraded the road and kerbing. Shops unashamedly sold products you’d only see in a bedroom and men stood outside clubs trying to attract people in to look at their girls and buy their alcohol. It all felt strangely familiar as we looked around at it all. There were places like this in San Diego too.
A young girl sat in a doorway leaning against the dirty glass of a door with an old curtain shielding whatever was inside. Her eyes were an amazing blue color and rimmed with heavy makeup. She looked skinny almost to the point of being emaciated her clothes hanging from her; small breasts, long lank brunette hair. She wore a pink singlet over a black bra her short skirt hiked up to the top of her thigh. She peered at us through semi-focussed eyes yet somehow she seemed alert, she knew where she was. I suspected this was an act and I wondered what she was up to. I held my handbag close to me.
“Gotta couple of dollars” she rasped her voice deep and sultry for a girl as she pointed at me. She had long slim fingers; her nails were painted glossy black. The nails were perfect, the polish flawless.
“Umm what for?” I asked
“Hey your American, cool, I’d say from that accent, Southern California” she smiled a crooked smile looking up at us
“Have you been there?”
“Yeah a couple of times, to L.A. and San Diego, cool places”
I instantly liked her then, she was edgy and confident, I wondered how on earth she had found herself in a door way in Kings Cross.
All of a sudden a huge security guard came across the street.
“I’ve told you about hanging around here before” his voice wasn’t sultry but it was sure deep. He looked like he was Polynesian or something. His muscles bulged through his shirt; I only came up to his chest.
“Aw come on Matt you love having me around” the girl said a cheeky grin on her face
“How old are you dear?” Mom asked
“Nineteen”
Mom bent over and helped her up
“Come on lets go I’m hungry I need food”
I looked at the snacks in my hand and frowned then realised what my mother was on about.
“Yeah me too I’m famished” I said “so what’s your name?” hiding the snacks behind my back.
“Katrina but most people call me Kat”
Brilliant name, I’m Jade and that’s my Mom, Michelle”
Kat wandered along beside us like a model strutting the catwalk one foot in front of the other, wiggling her fingers back at the guard as we walked; smoothing out her skirt.
We found a McDonalds and sat down with our order.
My Mom as usual got straight to the point.
“So Kat what the hell are you doing in a place like this?”
“Well umm it’s a long story do you really want to hear it?”
Mom looked at the time on her phone it said 4:30.
“Sure we’ve got a bit of time”
“Well my family disowned me when I was 17 and just about finished high school. You see once upon a time I used to be a boy……”
CHAPTER 3
I looked at Kat surprised but also really curious. She looked like a girl with beautiful cheekbones and fine lips. Her jawline looked feminine yet if you looked really carefully there was a slight hint of boyishness but nothing to rouse any real suspicion. She definitely had a girl’s body; slim shoulders, real breasts albeit small, a belly bar through her navel, long smooth legs leading up to a girls hips and butt.
“How long have you been on hormones?” Mom was asking
“About four years now since I was 15 my family were supportive at first you know how it is my mum thought it would be cute to have another daughter and my dad just thought it was a phase I was going through, that I’d grow out of it.”
“But you didn’t, you needed to identify as a girl because inside that’s who you were” Mom remarked solemnly
Kat looked at her, her head cocked to one side part surprised, part interested at this woman who showed a level of empathy and knowledge she normally didn’t experience.
“Yeah exactly, I wanted to be a girl for as long as I could remember, being in a boy’s body just seemed, well wrong isn’t the word for it” she took a small bite of her burger and chewed thoughtfully.
“It wasn’t just wrong it felt like I was a foreigner in my own body, that at any moment I could just go home to the right body a girls one, I know it sounds weird but I just knew that eventually I would be a girl that it would happen sooner or later. I didn’t behave really effeminate or anything but I suppose my mother suspected for a long time. She wasn’t surprised when I told her. My older sister helped, she was the first one I told she used to let me dress up with her, paint my toenails, stuff like that, but I also played football and did boy stuff too. When I told my parents I wanted to transition, be a girl, live as a girl it was my sister who held my hand, she got me through. Without her I think I might not have got through at all actually. Anyway my mother made an appointment with a doctor and I talked it all over with her and she started me on hormones plus I had to talk to other people, a psychologist and stuff. He explained G.I.D. and told me what to expect as the hormones and anti-androgens started to have an effect on me. That it would be best to come out and start living as a girl, dress as a girl, be a girl as soon as possible. As you can imagine I was terrified yet thrilled. For me it was just natural it was the right thing to do. For most others it was I don’t know what’s the word?” she searched for the right thing to say.
“Like you were a mutant” I said “like you didn’t belong, they didn’t understand”
“Yeah that, I became a bit of an outcast; my friends didn’t understand what was happening. Yet my sister was there all the time and there was this one friend she stood by me, she was really protective, talked to me, helped me constantly. I owe both of them my life really. Eventually it got easier the kids at school got used to seeing me dressed as a girl, I didn’t eat much, that and the hormones gave me this body.” She waved at herself “but my dad he didn’t really get it, to him he’d lost his only son. Now he had two daughters, the natural one and me. We didn’t talk much, he didn’t have much to say. He buried himself in his work, sometimes we didn’t see him for a week, he’d leave early come home late. Mum was super worried she took sides, we fought a lot, eventually I decided to leave it wasn’t worth it. I came to Sydney cause I wanted to go to University, get an education, a good career but it wasn’t cheap and you have to pay the rent somehow.” She trailed off looking around her, where she was, in the middle of Sydney’s sex capital.
“What about your sister, where’s she?” Mom asked I could see she was torn up inside.
She got married, he’s a nice guy, she moved in with him of course, they have a daughter, I guess that makes me an aunt” she smiled brightly at that “she lives in another city, another state, it’s just me now. Anyways thanks for the food and helping with Matt. He’s a big pussycat really; he’s saved me from a few beatings when guys find out I’m not, you know, a real girl. Most like it but some if they’re really drunk they can get a bit abusive, violent sometimes. Matt looks out for me but he’s got a job to do, he moves me on”
Mom looked worried.
“It isn’t really a pleasant life for you is it Kat? When did you last have a proper meal or shower even? I want you to come with us I’ll let you shower in our room and give you some money for food”
I smiled at my Mom with her gruff exterior and heart of gold. I think Kat was just taken aback I doubted many people cared much about her and she had to do pretty much anything to survive.
“So what are you studying to be?” I asked
“A lawyer, I want to represent people like me, make sure they get a fair deal, get looked after”
“Good for you” Mom said “it sounds like you and Jade have much in common. You can talk about it after you’ve freshened up a bit Kat”
She looked at me quizzically then rose to follow Mom while I picked up our trays and dumped the rubbish, hurrying to catch up. As I rushed through the door I ran straight into a man. He was about six foot tall and balding maybe in his late 40’s early 50’s but still in good shape with no belly. I kind of bounced off him and he reached out to grab me before I fell. His reactions were lightning fast but I was off balance and fell straight back into his arms. He smiled and held me up until I could stand properly.
“Umm I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there” I mumbled as he continued smiling at me. He had deep blue eyes recessed into his head with lots of laughter lines. It was a strong but gentle face that had seen lots of sun, his eyes sparkled.
“No worries Miss, she’ll be right” he said in a strange accent, it wasn’t Australian yet he used the colloquialisms.
He was walking with a couple of other guys, one was huge in his early twenties with those shoulders that block out the sun, short blond hair and the same kind blue eyes, the other one was more slight lithe and lean a huge smile on his face as he looked at me he had lighter blue eyes.
“Sheesh dad now you’ve got beautiful girls falling into your arms” he laughed as Mom yelled back at me.
“Sorry I have to go” I smiled shyly taking a step away “thanks for catching me”
“Look after yourself” the man said “no more running into strange men”
If only I knew it was advice I’d need in the near future. Catching up I looked back. The three were wandering on looking at the sights.
“They didn’t talk like Australians” I remarked “yet they spoke the same way”
“Probably Kiwis” said Kat “from New Zealand, there’s lots of them here”
I reached up and felt the smooth greenstone around my neck the necklace of jade that Nick had given me for my birthday, twisted into the infinity sign, it meant life; it seemed like forever ago. That was from New Zealand he’d said and those men were too. I felt a small connection with them; that shared moment with someone where you just click.
We wandered along to our hotel, Kat jumped into my shower, Mom and I had separate rooms; while I switched the TV on and started to get ready for our dinner date with Molly. I stripped off my jeans and blouse and stood in front of the mirror in just my bra and panties brushing my hair. It fell to about the middle of my back and shone as I pulled the brush through it. I looked at my navel and wondered if I should get a belly bar too like Kat. They looked cute but then again were they a bit last century? I was used to looking at myself like this now, I felt comfortable with the reflection staring back at me
“Fuck you’re gorgeous” I heard a voice behind me. Looking around Kat stood there in just a pair of lace panties. Her small breasts poked out from her the nipples perky and standing on end. Her slick wet hair tumbled around her face, her small white teeth and lips grinning at me. I had to admit she was beautiful but so skinny her ribs poked out and I could see her slim shoulders and collar bones.
“I have a bit of a confession to make to you” I said “you should probably know the truth”
“What you’re a serial killer?” Kat giggled
“No I’m kind of like you I was a boy once too”
Kat looked me up and down, at the cleft between my legs with no sign of a penis, my breasts held by the pretty bra I was wearing, the feminine curves.
“Yeah right, not bloody likely, you’re about the girliest girl I’ve ever seen, I’d die to have a figure like that”
“It’s true” so I filled her in on what had happened to me about my own transformation and journey. She stood there silently listening, the whir of the air conditioning complimenting my voice as I talked about the pain and the changes.
Finally as I finished she said “Fuck” and that was it. She walked over softly, slowly and kissed me on the lips then reached around to hug me her slim arms encircling my shoulders and neck.
“Kind of makes us a bit like sisters then doesn’t it”
“I suppose it does”
She let go and turned to get dressed as Mom knocked on the door and entered. She held a white envelope in her hand as she looked at the half naked girl flesh in front of her.
I turned to put on the dress I’d picked out as Mom handed Kat the envelope.
“It’s not much but it should help you for a month or two. Buy some food with it plus there should be some left over for other bits and pieces.”
Kat took it and slipped it into her bag
“Thank you, this is too kind I don’t know what to say I mean I hardly know you”
“No problems….mate” Mom said in a parody of an Australian accent and we all giggled.
“Will we see you again?” I asked
“Dunno Jade, anything’s possible I suppose but I better go. Thanks for the shower.” She walked over and hugged both of us.
Finishing off dressing she smoothed her skirt.
“Maybe you should buy some clothes too” Mom said seriously.
Kat and I laughed at that, we both thought she looked hot.
“You’re getting old Mom” but she just looked at me then back at Kat making her point.
Later that night as we sat in the restaurant I happened to look in my purse. Mom had given me some spending money, about $500.00 but it was gone. My heart fell.
It was late when we got back to our rooms. Although our hotel wasn’t actually in Kings Cross I could see the garish neon lighting of the strip from my window. The large red Coca Cola sign flashed its message and I was determined to get my money back. Changing into a pair of jeans a t-shirt and sneakers I grabbed a light cardigan and quietly left my room careful not to slam the door. I figured Kat would be up there somewhere. My plan was to find Matt the big Polynesian security guard and then just follow him until I spotted her. I hoped it wouldn’t be hard but I didn’t anticipate the mass of people that confronted me as I turned onto the street. The noise was overpowering, cars along the road honked their horns, music blared from every shop door and there were people everywhere. Young girls with short skirts and high heels walked together laughing while young men stood around watching them; leering. There were a few older men, unwashed, teeth missing sitting in groups, leaning against a shop window or against a lamp post drinking cheap wine from brown paper bags.
Lights flashed above doors in their intricate patterns and there was a multi-coloured hue of neon that literally pulsated, instantly giving me a headache. I was inadvertently pushed aside by a group of men who looked me up and down then kept on walking, an old guy grabbed my leg imploring me for a few dollars, I stepped away from him breaking his weak grip. Then I spotted a dark head of hair standing on end, above the crowd, huge shoulders and coffee colored arms. ‘Matt’ I thought. Pushing my way through the crowd I watched him. He was directing people, moving them away from shop doors so other punters could get in and out. Doing his job, wary of everyone, trusting of no one; busy.
I saw him glance down an alleyway shaking his head, standing there huge and imposing watching whatever or whoever was down there. A kind expression was on his face, ‘Kat” I thought he was watching out for her. He walked off a few meters then turned away still close listening.
Crossing the road I snuck a look down the alley, dark shadows mixed with darker shadows. I felt a few spits of rain splash me.
‘Great now I’m going to get wet’ I thought
Sneaking down I heard a man’s groans and stopped as I saw Kat on her knees a man’s cock in her mouth. He was leaning against a wall his head thrown back as she sucked enthusiastically. This was how she paid her University fees.
She spotted me and looked up, stopping her movements, recognition in her eyes.
“Aw fuck baby don’t stop I’m nearly there” the guy said arching his hips feeling for her.
She turned from me carried on until he let out a final groan and shuddered, coming over the ground, Kat refusing to swallow.
He stood there for a few moments then slowly pulled up his Levis doing up his belt. I saw him slip her a 50 dollar note then he saw me.
“Fuck I didn’t know you were there” he looked me up and down, “bloody hell we could have had a threesome, you’re fucking hot”
“Yeah as if that was going to happen” I said looking at him. He shrugged and sauntered off
“You’re loss baby” he called back over his shoulder disappearing into the press of people.
Kat looked at me wiping her mouth her lipstick smeared. I walked over and used my thumb to fix it.
“I want my money back” I said looking into her eyes, I was both serious and sad
“You know those eyes of yours are out of this world” she said changing the subject.
I was about to reply when a shout came down the alleyway, three men stood there looking very menacing.
“Aw shit, them” Kat said “run”
CHAPTER 4
Kat skittered back down the alley while I looked around momentarily stunned by what was happening. She stopped and yelled at me
“Come on!” then hurried back grabbing my hand pulling me along.
Coming to my senses I started running and followed her to a doorway. The three men had begun to push their way down the alley yelling for us to stop, kicking the odd wooden crate out of the way and generally turning the air blue with profanities. Kat turned the door handle and we fell through into a dark stairwell that smelled of dank concrete and led up to a single metal door. We sprinted up the stairs and opened it, loud pulsing music meeting us as we pushed through. A young woman was on a stage half-dressed moving to the beat as men watched her. A few wolf whistled as we hurried past holding hands looking for another way out. The metal door crashed open again and the girl on the stage stopped dancing, staring at the three who had just interrupted her so rudely. I looked back at them as we slid through an old velvet curtain and stumbled once more down some stairs past a man promoting the ‘show’ inside. He yelled at us then recognising Kat he just grimaced and waved us away. She was obviously well known.
We had escaped back onto the main street where hundreds of people thronged and pushed together like a school of fish that moved one way then the next. I hoped we would be lost in the chaos and held Kat’s hand tightly so as not to lose her. She ran down the street maybe 30 metres then stopped, breathing hard, leaning against a shop window of a convenience store. She looked back warily for the men but they were gone like ghosts in the fog of people around us. She breathed a sigh of relief while I stood there catching my breath, hands on hips wondering about this strange, exciting girl who I had just met. She looked across at me then nodded her head to follow her. We moved through the people down the road further and further from my hotel into quieter streets until finally we reached a wooden doorway, old green paint cracked and peeling from it. Producing a key she unlocked and led me through, up a short flight of steps that creaked and groaned their annoyance as we moved up them. Unlocking another door we entered what I assumed was Kat’s apartment. Unlike the dirty exterior it was neat, clean and tidy although very small. A double bed sat on one side of the room neatly made; adorning it a pink cover with satin ribbons. A small kitchen on the other side, a couple of dishes sitting on a bench newly washed. A television and sofa sat in the middle, a single large painting in bright colors, an abstract that lifted the place, making it feel like it was someone’s home not just a place to stay. It sat above the bed, the signature bottom left simply said ‘Kat’. A doorway covered by a pink curtain led to what I assumed was the bathroom.
“I have to pee” I said and moved toward the curtain brushing it aside looking around. It was simple again but clean, the walls wiped, the toilet seat down. Even though she was still a ‘boy’ down there she sat to pee, that intrigued me, I wondered why. Looking at myself in the mirror my face was flushed, my cheeks red, my hair was a mess. Pulling my jeans and panties down I squatted and sighed. Calling from the seat as only women do,
“Who were those guys?”
“What, oh yeah them, pimps, they don’t like me because I refuse to work for them, I’m kind of freelance you know. I keep everything I earn, they don’t like that”
I wiped and pulled my jeans back up as Kat went on
“They want to run me off, control the place themselves but I don’t frighten easily.”
Washing and drying my hands I walked back out. Kat was making a drink pulling milk from a tiny fridge.
“Coffee” she asked but I declined not at this time of night.
She held the cup cradled in her hands and headed for her bed. Sitting sideways her back against the wall, knees bent, she let out a sigh as she took her first sip. Her whole body seemed to sag as she relaxed then she looked at me a slight smile on her face. I stood there then asked the question that had been nagging me all day.
“Why did you change? I mean why did you really choose to live as a girl? You could have just played dress up like most guys then gone back to being a boy a few hours later.”
“Why did you?”
“I didn’t have a choice, you know that” I looked down at myself, at my breasts. My hair fell in front of me and I gently swept it back behind my ear.
“Yeah you did, just because you had a girl’s body doesn’t mean you had to be a girl. I mean what you did just then when you pulled your hair back behind your ear, that’s a girl thing, you did it like every other girl does it. You didn’t think about it did you, you just did it and it was perfectly natural for you.”
I instinctively reached my hand to my hair then stopped. She was right I didn’t think about it anymore but when the changes first happened when I became a girl those actions weren’t natural. Yet now………
I pondered her words. I had chosen a feminine soul, I had wanted the world to not only see me as female on the outside but also to accept me as one on the inside too. I could have hidden away, been a tomboy or even chosen to die but I didn’t, I completely embraced being feminine, had grown to enjoy it, to love it. I thought and acted like a girl now. Everything I was screamed ‘girl’ to anyone who chose to look.
I walked over and sat next to Kat, mirrored her as we sat shoulder to shoulder, knees to chin. She was the first person who truly understood me and the crazy thing was I got her too. I didn’t need her answer anymore I already knew, but I wanted to understand this girl.
“I chose because I wanted it” I began
“Because deep in your soul, that part of you, the part you protect until you give it away to the one you love, the real you she was a girl wasn’t she.”
I felt like crying but I held it back, not because this was hard to hear but because it wasn’t.
I ran my fingers lightly through my hair, tried to get rid of some of the knots, sat quietly, thinking.
Kat reached over balancing her drink in one hand stroking my hair with the other.
“We really are the same aren’t we?” I whispered
“Yeah kind of, but you’re prettier and I’m funnier”
I giggled…….like a girl.
I thought I knew myself, had figured things out, I hadn’t even reached first base yet.
“So about my money?”
“Aw yeah look sorry but a girl’s gotta live” she reached for a purse, pulled a wad of notes out and handed it to me.
I took it stuffing them into my pocket, I hadn’t brought a bag.
“Guess I should go”
“Well you could stick around if you want, maybe talk more or….”
I got what she meant. It was tempting but it was also late. Letting her explore my body would have been amazing but I needed to go.
“You know what at any other time I’d say yes but I really have to go we’re heading to Melbourne in the morning and I’m really tired”
“Melbourne that’s a rad place, I’d love to visit there again, we could have such an adventure.”
I smiled at that, this skinny girl with the pretty face who talked about her University life was willing to throw it in and travel to Melbourne with me for an adventure. I loved her style and grinned at her. Even though she’d stolen my money I liked her, she was funny and sexy and crazy. I had no doubt with her around we would have an adventure to end all adventures. Plus she understood me, knew all of what I’d gone through and I understood her.
“Why not? I’m sure no one would mind and I’d love to have a friend there with me. We leave at 9.00pm from our hotel tomorrow, if you’re there by then well there’s a spare seat.”
“You never know, I might just be there Jade Chamberlin, I might just be there.”
I reached over and kissed her lightly on the lips, then headed for the door.
“Hey” she called
Turning she pulled up her shirt and flashed her boobs at me. I giggled and went through the door. I turned right and headed back towards Kings Cross and my hotel. I thought about Kat. In our lives there are people you meet who are painted in matte, some in satin and some in gloss but every now and then you meet someone who is dipped in iridescent and your life is never the same.
It didn’t take long to reach the throng of people and I pushed my way through twisting and turning around them. An arm suddenly came from nowhere and a hand seized my shoulder holding me tight. I looked around startled, into the beady eyes of some greasy looking guy, chains around his neck and slicked back dark hair.
“You were with her, just now, with that little bitch Kat. I saw you, where is she?”
I was surrounded by two other guys that all looked the same, Greek maybe, or Italian looking.
“I, I don’t know what you mean” I stammered unconvincingly “Who’s Kat?”
“Don’t lie to me girly, bad things happen to liars” he was threatening me, his face close to mine, his breath stunk.
I looked up panic in my eyes and saw another three men standing behind my attackers. One was huge his shoulders blocked out the sun, the other lithe and lean, the third, older strong looking, inexplicitly gentle and yet……
All three had blue eyes that would light up when they smiled but they weren’t smiling now. The older one, the dad spoke first
“Anything wrong miss? These guys annoying you?”
The three turned and the main guy simply said “Fuck off and mind your own business the girls with us?”
“Can’t do that fella, gotta help a lady in distress you know how it is.”
I rushed around the three thugs and stood next to the really big son. He looked huge and my god he was handsome.
He whispered “it’s not me you should be beside its Dad. Watch this”
He just stood back then and I followed him. Standing with his arms folded and mirrored by his brother I watched confused at what was happening. I stood between them dwarfed by their immensity and feeling very, very safe.
The other brother leaned over “it’s not really fair there are only three of them,”
“But aren’t you going to help him? He could get hurt” I queried
“Nah, he’ll be fine but don’t worry if by some chance in a million one of them does get the better of him they’ll have to get through us and well that won’t happen. Just watch”
The three gangster pimps looked really menacing and I felt really small.
The main punk moved first, took a swing and then he was lying on the ground, looking up, blinking and dazed. The other two looked at each other while the boys dad stood there knees bent one arm raised. Slowly he stood straight and turned toward the two left.
“Wanna do this? Next guy goes to hospital, promise”
The two hesitated, torn between loyalty to their boss and self-preservation. They made a choice gathered up their fallen partner and ran off.
The dad turned toward me, everything about him changed in the blink of an eye. He went from fighter to father and smiled.
“How did you do that?”
“Oh well you know, just got lucky I guess”
“Thank you” it’s all I could think to say “you’re like angels you turn up at just the right time”
The huge son smiled and put his arm around my shoulder, hugging me. I didn’t mind it felt more than good, it was special, like family.
“What are you doing up here all alone…….?”
“Jade” I said “my names Jade”
“Jade, wow I love that name” the big son said “my names Dan”
“Hi Dan” I looked up at him
“Yeah I’m Sean” said the other son and that’s my dad “Alan”
“So where do you live Jade?” asked Alan
“Um San Diego, well just south of it”
“Yeah, nah I meant here in Sydney” he smiled while I blushed at my silly mistake
“I’m staying in a hotel just down the street”
“Ah right cool, we’ll walk you there then”
“You don’t have to, I’ll be alright” I protested but they were having none of it. My angels were walking me home whether I liked it or not.
As we left the Cross I was kind of glad, it wasn’t really my kind of place. I was looking forward to getting back to the ocean, to somewhere a little more peaceful. I hugged the three men at my hotel lobby, Dan held me for a second longer than the others. I hoped I’d see him again one day.
The next morning as Mom and I came down in the elevator and walked through the doors I saw her.
Kat sat in a sofa, feet up dozing. She had a bag with her and wore a pair of tight skinny jeans, flat shoes and a singlet top, bright blue with spaghetti straps. She opened her eyes and grinned at me I grinned back then looked at Mom expectantly.
“Can she come?”
“Why not” Mom sighed “you do have a habit of picking up strays don’t you”
“Yeah” I said “they make the best friends”
CHAPTER FIVE
The trip to Melbourne was notable only for the amount of times Kat and I collapsed into fits of giggles and laughter as we chatted and got to know each other. She had a really sharp tongue and wasn’t afraid to give her opinion on just about any subject. Seems she loved dressing up in frilly dresses
and suspender belts and would often be a maid for her clients. I was fascinated and laughed till tears ran down my cheeks, astonished by her tales of sex and kink. This was stuff I’d never heard about before and I was both amazed and dubious about some of the things she told me. I mean I honestly didn’t think a guy’s penis could bend that far or that my vagina (Kat liked to call it a pussy) could really be used to hide stuff in. But then again I supposed it could.
My smile just grew wider and wider as the stories became more exaggerated and wild. I was sure this girl knew how to party. I also knew she would be fiercely loyal to her friends of which I was now one. Our talk was real and visceral and for me it was profound in that I was being taught more about the workings of my body by someone who wasn’t technically a girl than any woman I’d ever met. She knew so much about me as a female; my feelings and emotions.
More and more I wanted to know what it would be like to be intimate with someone. To feel him hold me close, to take me and ultimately penetrate me with his manhood. To feel what it was like to have him held inside me, to be adored by him; fucked by him.
My teenage girl’s brain was in overdrive by Kat’s tales and her wild lack of inhibition. I wanted to love and be loved in return but I also wanted to know what it would be like to abandon myself to the crazy, mad and thrilling ride that was sex.
In Melbourne Mom had decided Kat and I could share a room together. We looked at each other slyly my stomach twisting and turning in anticipation. I hoped that perhaps my fantasies might at least in part come true. That Kat’s stories were in fact real and
I might experience them. Our room was typical of any hotel anywhere in the world, two beds stood one on each side of the room; an innocuous matching cover on each, the walls painted a typical bland creamy color. A little kitchenette with a mini bar (Mom had them take all the little bottles of alcohol out) and a small fridge and microwave. The room smelled of disinfectant mixed with some flowery perfumed spray and I curled my nose up as I entered through the door. Kat laughed, it sounded like a tinkling bell, remarking how cute I looked with my little freckled nose all scrunched up like that. I giggled back, secretly pleased at how she complemented me. Kat made me feel good, she made me laugh and I enjoyed her being around.
In the shower later that evening I soaked under the stinging needles of water, luxuriating in the warmth and way in which it relaxed me. I didn’t even think about it at first but my fingers sought out my thin slit and the tiny nub at the apex of it. I began to rub softly, then more and more passionately as the heat inside me built from a flame to a raging fire, my fingers slipping deeper and deeper inside as I groaned in pleasure, leaning against the wall, barely able to stand. My other hand, slippery from the soap and my passion, gripped one of my large, hard nipples, standing erect and eager. As I slowly began to slump onto the floor I felt with a start, two arms enfold me, holding me up, soft breath on the nape of my neck, a soft voice in my ear whispering gentle nothings that were something to me. Then I felt the hardness press between my legs slipping on my soapy thighs. Breathing heavily I took a small step opening myself to her as she pressed up against me, seeking my pussy. Kat wasn’t huge by any stretch of the imagination but I didn’t mind, this was my first time and I wanted it more than anything. Her fingertips and black nails caressed my nipples and I groaned shivering with anticipation. My pussy was wet, my juices running down the inside of my thigh tickling me. Only an act of God would stop me from this love making and that wasn’t about to happen any time soon.
“Do you want this? Kat asked huskily and I shivered not trusting my voice simply nodding although my mind screamed yes. She was gentle, her firm cock entering from the rear, slowly and tenderly. I could hardly stand as overwhelming feelings burst through me like a kaleidoscope. As she moved inside me ever so slowly at first I came up on my toes, matching her rhythm the walls of my pussy pulsating as she rocked inside me mercilessly. I didn’t want her to stop as she thrust into me harder and harder my whole body responding to her love making; I was lost deep in the union of our bodies. By the end Kat was thrusting so hard I was almost lifted from my feet. I was gripping her cock with my vagina, sopping wet feeling every bump and curve. I was almost crying as the first wave of my first ever full on orgasm crashed into me, my body convulsing, my back arching urging her deeper as her breasts pressed against me. Groaning I felt the first spurt of her cum splash deep inside me the boiling hot liquid causing me to collapse as wave upon wave of pleasure swept over me. Tears raced down my cheeks as I realised the threshold I had just stepped over. I felt no guilt or shame just the desire for more. I knew I had taken the first step on a lifelong journey and it was going to be one of discovery and wild thrills. Kat wasn’t finished with me though and she pushed me down onto my back the hot needles of shower water lacing their way over my super sensitive body. Her tongue sought and found my clit as I spread my legs wide. She lapped at me sucking at her own cum deep inside me as I once again convulsed in absolute mindless pleasure.
“Was that your first time?” Kat asked looking up at me from between my legs.
“Y Y Yes” I stammered back as a thousand thoughts invaded my mind. I wanted more; I wanted this to happen again and again.
Kat simply smiled. “I’ll teach you how to give me a blow job next time. I must say though you have the nicest tightest little pussy. Fuck I want to do you again.”
“I I won’t stop you” I replied meaning it, I’d fallen deeply madly in love with my gorgeous t-girl lover. I wanted her body as badly as she wanted mine.
“I want to dress you up next time” Kat stated candidly, “in a frilly dress, maybe a maids uniform, with an apron and stockings with really high heels. Lots of make up too, bright red lipstick. You can be my doll and I’ll ravish you time and again.”
I stared at her my eyes wide in disbelief, then I smirked, I actually really liked the idea. I’d some-how stepped over some invisible line from girl to woman. I had forgotten that just a little while ago I’d been a boy because all I wanted was sex with this girl, to have her control me and take me to places I’d never been before. My groin still felt like it was on fire and as I felt a tiny drop of Kat’s cum drip from me I looked at her.
“Can you do that to me again please” I begged and she smiled seductively. Her little cock was already standing on end and I felt a shiver run up and down my spine. Pushing me on to the bed I lay on my back as she bent over me looking into my eyes. My legs slid open and I closed my eyes waiting to feel her at the threshold of my pussy. I couldn’t wait and thrust my hips up at her, searching. She sought and held my wrists so I squirmed humping at the air, groaning in anticipation. Kat didn’t disappoint and I felt her slip inside me again all the way in, I felt every millimetre of her gorgeous cock. I felt complete, whole, as I was filled; and she began once again to thrust. This time she was gentle, insistent though and I came almost instantly. My body shuddered and jerked uncontrollably I couldn’t help myself as Kat grinned down at me. The feelings of pleasure burned deep inside me and it didn’t take long before I began to climb the hill toward another orgasm. This one was going to be huge, I felt it in every fibre of my being and briefly somewhere far back in the deep recesses of my mind a single thought came to me.
‘Never go back, this is your life, you’re truly and fully a woman now’
This time I screamed, an animal sound from deep inside me, my body soaked in sweat, my breasts heaving as my lungs sought air. Kat came simultaneously and collapsed on me as again I felt her cum.
Breathing hard she lay on me as the fires slowly began to drift out. We were one now; lovers in every sense of the word bound together body and soul.
“We need to buy you that dress” Kat sighed.
“Anything” I whispered to her caught up in her scent and feel. We lay like that for a long time. She eventually became flaccid and I felt the loss and disappointment every girl feels as her lover slips from her.
Rolling from me she grinned as we looked into each others eyes. I was exhausted from the travel and curled up beside her, wrapped in her arms, protected and loved. We fell soundly asleep like that sharing a single bed. It was the best feeling in the world and I didn’t want it to end but the still, pink morning came all too soon.
“What do ya reckon? Wanna explore Melbourne?” Kat asked over breakfast. We had gone to Mom’s apartment and were sitting, wolfing down cereal and eggs; a view of the city spread out before us. Australia was a weird place I decided, in much the same way as the USA was strange. It was made up of different states just like America which had their own government. I was in a state called Victoria named after Queen Victoria of England. Melbourne was the capital and had nearly four and a half million people in it. Kat reckoned it had heaps to do in and lots of interesting people. She told us that with a wink and we looked at each other giggling. Mom looked at us strangely wondering what we meant maybe; but I think she could see more. Maybe she suspected what Kat and I had been up to and I felt myself blushing just thinking about it.
“I’m not sure I’m up to it but you two can go if you want. We have today and tomorrow here then it’s off to Bell’s Beach” Mom said
Kat’s eyes were bright a massive smile on her face as she anticipated the fun we could have together. I was a bit overwhelmed. A whole day alone with Kat was both immensely attractive and incredibly scary.
A blue rental van pulled into the church car park in the middle of Melbourne. Five men piled out, one had a large scar running down his arm from elbow to wrist while another seemed to limp slightly like he’d hurt his hip. Four of the men looked as if they were from somewhere in the Middle East, the fifth was white and about as tall as he was wide, a huge barrel chest. None of them smiled as they crunched over the gravel to the little office at the entrance. The white guy paid the fee, it was for four days, more than enough time to accomplish their mission, or fail it. A small red light blinked on in the dashboard of the blue van. It hadn’t been there when the men had picked it up, but then again neither had the C4 explosive that now lay neatly packed on the floor. The men wandered off in the direction of the city centre, before turning south toward the famous Flinders Street train station, the yellow stone building that served as the hub of Melbourne’s transport. Climbing aboard a train they were soon speeding out into the western suburbs. It was only 10.30 am.
Kat and I stepped onto the street; it was only a short walk to the city centre past a church car park full of cars. A blue van stood in the middle of them a red light blinking on its dash. I thought it was one of those lights that warned thieves that a car alarm had been activated. It was quickly forgotten in the excitement of spending a day alone with Kat in this huge city. We were both wearing short miniskirts. Mine was a cute lavender colour, Kat’s was denim frayed at the hem. I had a low cut top that showed off my cleavage, my makeup was light although I’d darkened my eyes with mascara and eyeliner. My long blond hair swung down to the middle of my back ending in the V shape so many young girls liked. We both looked hot maybe even on the edge of being slutty. There were butterflies in my stomach as we walked along our hands brushing together now and then. Men noticed us and some stared, other women seemed openly hostile.
“Come on” smiled Kat “this is going to be fun.”