Alexa Chapter 2: Let The Games Begin

Jenny came crashing through the door like a locomotive. She had bags hanging off of what seemed like every part of her body. I thought to myself that she had bought way too much for a simple weekend of dressing for an experiment. Before I could express this opinion, Katie asked the same thing. The response from Jen was quite simple, “If we are going to put Alex through this we are going to do this right. I don’t want him looking like some drag queen. I want Alex to look like us.”

When Jenny said that I was trying to figure out who “us” was. Katie dressed pretty simply. Lots of jeans and casual tops. T-shirts and shorts. Typical college girl attire. Jenny on the other hand was constantly dressed to the nines. I don’t know if it was her upbringing with all that money or if she realized that if she dressed well others would treat her differently. Maybe that is why I was so infatuated with Jenny. She always looked perfect. Even when she worked out she looked like she just came from a Nike ad. I rarely saw her wear jeans. Casual for her was leggings and a fashionable top. Don’t misunderstand me about Katie. When she wanted to she could be just as beautifully dressed as Jen, but that wasn’t her style.

Jenny dropped all the bags on the coffee table and walked over to inspect me. Turning to Katie, Jenny complimented her on the prep work. Even noticing the robe and saying that it was a nice touch. It was perfect for the mood she wanted to set for her “rat testing.” This comment sent all of us laughing but internally I am still as nervous as ever. “I am a lab rat” keeps playing over and over in my mind.

I must have had some odd look on my face because Jenny sat down beside me and put an arm around me to try and reassure me that I was not just a lab rat. I was in fact a very special friend who was willing to give up something important, even for a short time, to help out a friend. Jenny said that was an act of an Angel and not a rat. While it comforted me to know I was not just a rat I was still nervous about the end result. And I do not mean how I would look when the girls were completed with my transformation. Ok, maybe I was a little nervous about how I would look but I was really scared that I would not let it go.

Jen gave me one more quick hug before moving to the small love seat across from me. She started to ramble on about her shopping trip to Katie. Katie just sat there with a huge grin on her face. She seemed as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. This was kind of unnerving. Was Alex not good enough for Katie anymore? Was this a plot to try and change me. As much as I wanted to experience what was about to happen I was scared that I would just wind up as a onetime plaything that got tossed aside when the thrill was gone. God am I messed up!

I took a deep breath and interrupted the girls chit-chat and asked Jenny exactly what the plan was. She must have sensed a little apprehension again on my part because she stopped talking and started laying the general plan of attack for this project.

“We have already completed the first two steps of the plan. One was to get you to agree to the change. Two was to shave your body hair. I asked Katie and you to do this because I really want to you to feel the part. The next part will be to dress you in women’s clothes, inside and out including all undergarments and full make up. You will see as we go along that the clothes I would like you to wear will seem a little more girly then some girls wear, especially Katie.”

At that point I watch a throw pillow live up to its name out of the corner of my eye as it sails towards Jenny. She deflects the toss with a giggle as Katie begins to defend her wardrobe choices. “I dress girly when I need to. I just find it more comfortable to dress like this.” as she shows off her black leggings and U of M sweatshirt. Giggling continues between the two as I try to get a word in.

“What do you mean by more “girly” than some girls wear? I’m not going to look like Shirley Temple or something am I?” I ask defensively. The butterflies stating to go into full drive.

“Oh god no Alex,” Jen reassures me. “I would never do that. No I was thinking that for the sake of this research I would have you dress more like me. You know skirts and dresses. No pants. The first part of my assignment would be to see how you act when you are dressed up. There would be no instruction on our part. It would be to see if your behavior changes when you are dressed. I think I have been around you enough to see how you react in certain situations. I want to see if wearing women’s clothes will change that. The biggest thing I want you to do is just act natural. Don’t try and go overboard one way or the other.”

“I can do that easily enough. But why all the bags.” I ask. “If this only for a couple of days, why so much stuff?”

“Simple. Yes, this is only for a few days, but I want to be able to have you dressed appropriately for each test. Plus, there aren’t just clothes in these bags. I bought a few other things that will help us during the project. Plus, I was having so much fun.”

“Like what?” Katie asks. I can see the anticipation in Katie’s eyes as she waits for Jen to begin displaying her purchases. I chuckle at that, but then I look at Jenny. She seems absolutely delighted with everything that is going on. It’s a look I am not completely used to seeing. The sadness I have sensed in the past seems to be slowly disappearing from her eyes. It’s still there I sense but it seems to have taken a back seat to look of happiness.

Jenny gets a slightly evil grin on her face as she responds, “Well after Katie said she thought you would do it, I made a call to a shop I had seen ads for in the Reader. And I placed an order as insurance.”

Katie responded accusingly “You didn’t” and reaches for a non-descript bag amongst the rest of the bags. Katie opens that bag and looks in. A screeching “OH MY GOD!” followed be lots of giggling by the two girls.

As has been the case most of the afternoon I sit there completely dumbfounded. I have no clue what the girls find so damn funny. I watch as Katie reaches into the bag and starts pulling out a box. Katie exclaims “I can’t believe that you bought these.” I look as Katie begins opening the box and reaches in a pulls out a flesh colored mass. It finally hits me. BREASTS. What the hell goes on in Jenny’s head. Katie kind of rolls the fake breast around her hand. Jenny, still giggling reaches into the box and grabs the other ‘breast’ and mimics Katie’s actions. I sit there trying to figure out if I should be embarrassed, nervous or exited. I was going to have my own boobs. This day seems to getting stranger and stranger. And here I thought that the most excitement I might have is ordering a pizza during a break from my PlayStation battles

I reach over and grab the breast from Katie’s hand and place in on the table. I want to get this started. Or is that ‘get it over’ I’m not sure in my own mind. I think Jenny senses this and places her ‘breast’ on the table next to its twin still giggling. Even though I am the “lab rat” I feel I need to get this back to being a school project rather than a day of playing Barbie’s. Jenny apologizes but keeps giggling along with Katie.

Jenny attempts to gain control of herself and begins outlining the plan. “First step is to transform you using make up and this,” reaching into a bag and pulling a brown wig that looked about shoulder length and seemed pretty close to my natural hair color. My heart started racing. But so did the butterflies in my stomach. Jenny continues on “as well as Katie’s two new friends” At that point Katie leans over and playfully caresses one of the fake breasts. Jen giggles at Katie’s action but continues laying out her plan.

“Once we have you made up, we will dress you from head to toe. I will ask that you just hang out with us for the night. We won’t leave the apartment but we will treat you as a girl. We might even have you spend the night just to keep you from going into “boy mode”. Tomorrow we will go over our first round of findings. Does that work for you?”
I look at Jenny as she finishes outlining her plan. I can see a huge smile on her face, but more importantly I notice that the happiness in her eyes has grown more in just the last few minutes. It makes me begin to wonder what her true intentions are. But I can’t escape the look in her eyes. I am mesmerized. I glance over at Katie next to me on the couch. She is smiling and nodding her head enthusiastically. I know what her intentions are. She wants me to be happy. But she also knows I am nervous about all this. I glance back at Jenny. Taking a deep breath, I attempt to say yes but my throat is so dry it comes out like a frog croaking.

Jenny asks, “What?”

I nod my head and try again. “Yes. Let the games begin”

I think the girls actually started cheering.

######
I am led to Jenny’s bedroom and sat on a chair in front of a well lit vanity. Before Jenny & Katie begin my transformation one of them grabs a towel and places it over the vanity’s mirror. Jenny states that they don’t want me to see anything until we are done. The first thing I notice is a small piece of black nylon that is produced by Katie from one the bags. “Here put this on” she commands. Being the smart ass I am, I immediately ask if we were going to rob banks or something. A shot of Katie glaring at me wipes the grin off of my face as she explains that it is a wig cap. I place the cap on my head while Katie makes some adjustments so it fits right. I then earn a somewhat playful slap on the aback of the head from Katie.

“Ouch! What was that for.?”

“For the typical Alex Quinn smart ass answer.” Katie replies with a grin on her face as she begins to playfully wag a finger in my face. “There will be no more of that young lady. You are just supposed to sit there and be quiet.” Mockery by my best friend. At least I know we will all be having a good time at this. Even if it is at my expense. The odd part of the exchange is that I do not bristle at the ‘young lady’ comment. And either do Katie or Jenny. This will be an interesting evening. Am I already transforming in my mind?

Jenny begins the process of the physical change. I can feel a cream being rubbed into my face and am told that this is moisturizer. The only reason I can mention that is because it is the one of the few items I had heard of that was used as other various items are placed on my face. I think heard words like foundation and bronzer. I feel sponges and brushes all over my face. I start to fidget a little and I am told forcefully to sit still. This is one of the oddest feelings ever. I feel like my two best friends are turning my face into some sort of art project.

Katie and Jenny are constantly discussing things all throughout this procedure. Talking about colors like coral and fuchsia. Those are colors? Next thing I see is a tube of Chapstick coming towards my lips. The familiar pressure and taste of good old’ Chapstick is actually something I recognize. Maybe that is it for my lips. Jenny informs me that this is to moisten my lips to allow the lipstick to hold better. Next I hear a debate between the two artists over plucking and shaping. More terms I have no idea of. I then feel something being scraped along my eyebrows and some slight pulling. Then a little more discussion amongst the girls and a little more of the scrapping. Now I am getting nervous. When this is all over I don’t want to look like a freak! I try and start to say something and Katie tells me to be quite and sit still. I think that Katie has just channeled her mother. Next I am told to close my eyes and I feel a brush being stroked across my eyelids and then pressure along the lashes. I then hear Katie ask for some mascara. Another term I knew! Katie tells me to open my eyes wide and she begins to brush the mascara on my lashes. Finally, I feel Katie brushing the outlines of my lips and then pulling out a tube of lipstick and applying it to my lips. When she is finished Jenny joins her standing in front of me and checking me out. I feel like a piece of meat!

As Jenny is standing in front of me, she grabs my ears. When I was a freshman, I thought I would be rebellious and get my ear pierced. I thought it was cool. And it was cool until the first time ‘King’ Dick saw it. All hell broke loose! I think he actually kicked me out of the house on the night before Thanksgiving. Mom talked him down but I did immediately go to my room and took out the “fag thing in my ear” as he referred to it. I still wore it occasionally but realized It looked kind silly. Jen got up and told Katie to get some ice and a potato as she reached around to a box on her vanity. Even though I should have stopped her, I was too nervous or shocked to talk. I saw Jen turn around with a large needle in her hand and prayed that the hole would heel before my next encounter with my father. I can’t believe that I am going to allow this to happen. I try to speak up but can’t seem to get the words out!

After a considerable amount of pain and a little blood I was now the owner of two pierced ears. Katie produces a pair of small hoops and slides them through the existing and new holes in my ears. Jen pulls the wig out and places it on my head and begins to brush it out. Satisfied with how it looks she then tells Katie to reach into the bag and pull out a matching white bra and panty set. Katie hands them to me and I am instructed to put them on. “Can I get a little privacy?” I ask. Jenny giggles and turns around, but Katie stands staring at me with a smile on her face. “No way am I letting you get a look at yourself before we are done” Katie says. I hear more giggling coming from Jenny.

I try to stare down Katie, but she shakes her head, “No way missy. I am going to watch you put these on.” I turn my back to Katie and slip on the panties and bra attempting to maintain some modesty. After adjusting myself in the panties so there are no bulges I turn and face Katie and she announces I am done. Jenny turns around and lets out “Aw, you look so cute!” She then realizes that we had forgotten the breast forms on the coffee table. She instructs Katie to go out and get her two new friends and to grab the bags too.

Katie returns, hands the bags to Jenny and comes right up to me and slips the forms into my new bra. In the course of a little over an hour I have gone from a guy who has occasionally worn women’s underwear to standing in one of my closest friend’s bedroom in matching bra and panties with my own breasts. I start to shake a little as the nervousness starts to come back to the surface. I think Katie senses that and attempts to calm my increasing shakiness. She asks “How you doing?” There was no giggling this time. There was a look of genuine affection. It was “sister” like.

“Nervous and excited” I respond, ‘but if I am really going to dress like this I am glad that you are helping me.”

Katie gives me a hug, being careful not to spoil my makeup. She whispers into my ear” You look great. You will be so surprised when you see.”

Katie joins Jenny going through the bags and discussing the merits of each item. Jenny stands and announces that nothing she bought will work for tonight. Katie tries to offer an opinion but Jenny shoots it down and moves towards her closet.
Katie reaches into a bag and hands me a package of pantyhose. “While Jenny tries to make up her mind, you should put these on. Take your time. This is likely to take a while.” Katie informs me. A sarcastic “Ha-ha” comes from Jenny. Katie giggles and moves to the closet to help her pick something for me.

I take the offered pair of pantyhose from Katie and sit down on the edge of the bed. This is nothing new to me as I properly roll the legs into a small ring and slowly pull the pantyhose up one leg at a time. I stand up and adjust the pantyhose hose so that they are in the perfect position. I stare down at my now smooth, tan legs. Oh my god! This might be one of the greatest feelings I have ever experienced. I had always been too scared to shave my legs, but now. Wow! This is a feeling I can’t believe. I can feel a smile cross my face, all thoughts of shame and nervousness leave me. As I look up my two friends who have helped me reach the state of nirvana have huge grins on their faces. Katie turns to Jenny and says, “I think ‘she’ likes it.” Both girls start giggling again and I join in.

Jenny comes towards me holding the garment she has decided on. She begins speaking ‘Here is yours first lesson. This is a “Shirt dress.” Jenny hands me the dress and I look at it a little closer. It does kind of look like a man’s dress shirt but longer. I notice it has a few bigger buttons from about the waist down. It appears to be open at the top to show a little cleavage. I properly step into it before buttoning it up. As I try and adjust he lower half Jenny steps in front of me and adjust the collar so it forms a deep V that stops right between “my” cleavage (or lack thereof). Looking down it looks so natural on me. It doesn’t look like some guy dressing up, I look like a girl! This is incredible! This is what I have been waiting for my whole life!

Jenny announces that we are not done yet. She reaches into another bag and pulls out a shoe box. Inside is a pair of white sandals with a straps all over the place and a heel that appears to be about an inch or two. Jenny hands them to me and I sit down and place them on my feet.

“Up young lady”, Katie says with a smart alec look on her face. “Stand up so we check and see how you look. So I oblige my two friends and stand up and push the chair to the side. The girls begin to circle me. Each girl reaches out and makes adjustment here and there as they inspect me. I feel even more like a piece of meat as I stand there underneath their probing eyes. I see a huge smile cross Katie’s face as she crosses to my left and I see Jenny out of the corner of my eye with another huge smile. Jenny stops in front of me and leans her head to one side as to look past me to her roommate standing behind me. A huge smile crosses her face and she nods towards Katie.

Jenny straightens her head back to its normal position and Katie comes from behind me and joins Jenny directly in front of me. Both girls have very huge smiles on their faces. To this day I am not sure which one said it but one of them asked me. “Are you ready to see?” The thoughts of embarrassment and fear start running through my head again. Was I really ready for this? I had dreamed about seeing my self dressed as a woman my whole life and to be quite honest, it felt INCREDIBLE! I was in heaven. But did I really want to see some odd version of me painted up like Mimi on the old Drew Carey show?

I take a deep breath and nod. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” The two girls tell me to close my eyes as they slowly lead me to the door of the room. I hear the door close just in front of me as the girls nudge me into place. I stand there for a few seconds and then Jenny tells me to open my eyes. The way she said was the most incredible voice I had ever heard. Very sensual but very sweet. That alone put me over the edge in excitement and started to reduce the fears I had of looking like a clown. I slowly start to open my eyes.

The face I saw in the mirror was that of a very attractive young woman, even with her jaw practically at her chest. I was in shock! There is no way that this is ME! I look the reflection over, turning from side to side. The dress hangs perfectly of my body. Stopping a few inches short of the knees and covering ‘my’ new ample bosom just enough as to tease a little bit. My legs are long, lean and beautiful as they sit atop the beautiful sandals with a two-inch heel that are on my feet. But it was the face that blew me away. I recognized the young woman but then again I didn’t. I was not the clown I feared I was going to be. As a matter of fact, I looked like a normal college coed on her way to the library or class or out for drinks. Shoulder length brown hair brushed just right with a little wave to it and pulled back a little at the top of the head. I begin to reach up to my face with both hands. This earns me a quick slap followed by a giggling Katie saying ‘You can look but you can’t touch.”

“So?’, questions Jenny. “What do you think?

I am still too shocked to say anything. I do little turns so I can check myself out from all angles I even try to get the dress to flow a little bit around my legs. After what seems like an eternity, I finally turn to the girls and exclaim “OH MY GOOD! THIS IS AMAZING! How did you to turn me into this pretty girl?’

Jenny leans forward to give me a hug and whispers into my ear, “We didn’t do anything. We just brought it out of you.” I can feel the tears begin to form in my eyes. Why am I crying? I don’t understand the emotions that are going through me. I feel happy and sad at the same time. I look over at Katie for some help in dealing with this but I can see the tears forming in her eyes as well. We just hug each other. No words are said but I know that she is happy for what is I am experiencing.

Jenny final breaks the moment by admonishing us for starting to cry. “Good thing I used waterproof make up or we would have to start all over.” This causes Katie and I to both laugh and break our grip on each other. “Well Alexandra, are you ready to face the world, or at least the living room?” Jenny asks.

“Sure” I say “but can you do me one more favor? Not that you haven’t done enough already.”

“Anything” Jenny replies.
“Can you call me “Alexa? It sounds so much better.” I say as I stare down towards my feet in even more embarrassment.

Jenny gets a huge smile on her face. “Of course. Alexa it is then. That does sound much better. Let’s go to the living room and have a chat. Katie, go grab a bottle of Chardonnay from the fridge and get three glasses. It’s time we get to know Alexa better.”

Jenny strides right out of the room but Katie and I hang back for a second. We give each other another hug. I whisper a “Thank you” into Katie’s ear. We both exit out the door and head to the living room and kitchen respectively. We hold hands even for the brief steps we have together and I sit down on the couch and look over at Jenny. The smile on her face is breathtaking but that is not what catches my imagination most. It’s her eyes. The sadness I had seen over the last two years is gone. It is replaced by something else completely. It is actually several different things. Elation, happiness for sure but there is something else I can’t pick up on. Is it love? Lust? I try and push the thoughts out of my head as Katie returns.

Glasses are handed to both Jenny and I as Katie holds her glass up and proposes a toast. “Here is to our new friend, and my new ‘sister”, Alexa. May she enjoy happiness no matter what happens after this adventure.” We all agree to that as we hold our glasses up and then all take a sip. Katie plops down on the coach next to me and reaches for my hand. She looks over at me at says. “Could that smile BE any bigger?” I blush at Katie’s comment. Katie then looks over at Jenny and then asks “Ok Doctor Thompson, what’s the plan other than getting our new friend drunk on wine?” Katie and I both giggle but I see Jenny compose herself and look at both of us.

“I was thinking about that as I was sitting here looking at our new best friend Alexa. As much as I want to push forward tonight working on the mannerisms and movement, I think we should stick with the original plan for the night and just hang out. Make some dinner, maybe watch a movie or something. We will work on the other stuff tomorrow. But I need to relax a little. As fun as it was make you over was Alexa, I am mentally drained from it. I always knew ‘birth’ was tiring but Jeez. I’m beat.”

Jenny’s comment makes all three of us laugh, again. We really do seem to be laughing a lot today. I feel like a completely different person as I sit here with my two friends even though in reality it isn’t much different than any other night over the last few years. Before I was the token boy just hanging around but now I am one of the girls! As much as that excites me, I am beginning to feel a little odd. The new found sense of happiness I have discovered has made me completely forget about the nervousness I was going through. I can still feel it in the back of my head. I have to shake this off, or it will overtake my thoughts and I want to enjoy this time, even if it is brief.

The three of us enjoy a couple more glasses of wine and a lot of laughing and talking. Some of it about how I look following the “transformation” and some of it just general talk. Life, entertainment, celebrities. Every time Jenny and Katie begin talking about boys I instantly become quiet. Even though it only happens a few times I withdraw from the conversation. Both of the girls sense this when it happens and try to change the subject. When it does happen a third time however I feel myself a little drawn in to the conversation. I can’t explain why but I feel a need to be part of the group dynamic. I feel myself opening up a little. I am joining in on the conversation. ‘Alex’ was not like that. Unless he had about 6 beers in him, Alex is pretty much a wall flower, the guy who sits in the corner brooding over his lot in life. So far ‘Alexa’ has shown to be much more alive, she wants to be part of the group. It’s crazy. Could “clothes make the man”?

As I am going through these thoughts, Katie announces “I’m starving.” Realizing that is was 6:30 and I hadn’t eaten since about 11:00 I heartily agree with my ‘sister’. The three of us get up and begin to scour the cupboards and refrigerator. Typical of most college students, there isn’t much to get us going. Some rice, Romaine lettuce, a couple tomatoes, a green pepper and of course Raman noodles. Standing there I suddenly remember that I had a couple of chicken breasts in my fridge. I announce this to my friends and head to the door to go to my apartment.

Without even thinking, I cross the hall and enter my apartment making my way to the refrigerator and then it hits me. I just crossed the hall dressed as a woman! And didn’t even think twice about it! I stand there just staring at the outside of the fridge. I can’t believe I just did that. Somewhere deep inside me a voice comes that says “Who cares! Enjoy what life has brought” but then another voice starts screaming at me. “What are you doing! Your wearing pantyhose and a dress! Richard would kick your ass all the way home if he saw you right now.” I shake my head and grab the chicken out of the fridge and head back towards the door. Before I make it there I see my cell phone sitting on the table. I grab it and continue to that small portal to the real world. I look out the peep hole to make sure no one is in the hall. I call Katie. “Katie go open your door for me.” I say quickly and hang up. I watch the door opposite mine and see Katie. Cracking my door open slowly I check to make sure the coast is clear and make a mad dash into the girls’ apartment.

When I was finally back in the girls’ apartment, I break out in a tremendous fit of laughter. Katie looks at me and says ”What were you thinking? You could have been totally busted!”

“I know” I reply. “I did it without even thinking! Could you imagine what the A-hole would have done if he had seen me! “Katie and I hug one another still laughing hard. We let go of each other and I look over at Jenny. She is smiling but has a look on her face like she is thinking about something, oblivious to the laughter coming from Katie and I.
I compose myself and walk to the kitchen with the chicken breasts and start to take command. “I need one of you to begin boiling water and make up a package of the Raman. I need the other one of you to start cutting up the lettuce, pepper and tomatoes. I will cook up this chicken.” The girls give me a mock salute as I a reach for a knife and unwrap the chicken and start slicing it up into thin strips. Katie tells Jenny to start boiling water, saying “that’s about all you can do in a kitchen.” A package of Raman flies across the kitchen and hits a giggling Katie. I ask for some oil and a frying pan and begin to cook up the chicken.

As Katie works away on the salad, I gave instruction to Jenny. “Once the water boils put the noodles in for only about 30 seconds. Just enough to partially cook.” Jenny nods at my commands with a somewhat curious look on her face. I then ask Jenny if they have any vinegar that I could use to make the dressing, shakes her head no but says they do have some Italian dressing. I tell her to give it to me along with some olives I see in fridge. I tell Katie to set the table and I slice up the olives quickly adding them to the salad along with the chicken and noodles. I add a little dressing and begin to toss the salad. I turn and Jenny is still standing there. The curious look has left Jenny’s face and has turned into an almost shocked look. I tell her to sit down as I grab the salad and reach into the fridge for another bottle of wine.

As we sit down, Jenny is still staring at me as I serve the salad to each of the girls. When I sit down, Jenny finally speaks. ‘You know how to cook?” she says with a quizzical expression.

I nod my head yes explaining to her that I used to work as a cook in high school and always enjoyed cooking. Katie chimes in, “This is nothing. Her spaghetti and meatballs are out of this world!” I stare Katie after she refers to me as her. At first I am kind of offended, then I realized that she was just following through on keeping the act up. We all enjoy the light but satisfying dinner and polish off our second bottle of wine.

When we are finished Katie looks directly at me and says “You know Alexa, if you can wash and clean house you could make someone a good wife!” This earns a dish towel thrown at my friend from me and cause general giggling amongst the three of us.

We quickly clear the dishes and put them in the dishwasher for processing and return to the living room for more wine and talk. The next thing we know it is 10:00 PM. Jenny announces that she needs to get to bed as she has an early class. She tells Katie good night, but comes over to me and gives me huge hug. “Thank you for a great night and a wonderful dinner Alexa. You are a doll.” she tells me. After a light kiss on the cheek she moves off towards her room. She stops and turns around. “You should get some sleep too Alexa. You have a big day tomorrow.” Jenny bids us good night again and moves into her room and closes the door leaving Katie and I alone.

Katie and I kind of stare at each other without saying anything, Katie finally breaks the silence. “So how is it going?” she asks.

I ponder her question for a few minutes before coming up with an answer. “I can’t describe it. It is like a whole new world has been opened up to me. I feel so relaxed and comfortable. I mean jeez I ran to my own apartment dressed like this without even thinking. And you know that was the only time all night that I questioned what I was doing.” Katie sits and nods her head as I explain what is going on. She begins to say something but stops. I can tell there is something important on her mind so I urge her to speak.

“Alex, or should I say Alexa, I have known you for a long time but I have never known the person who is sitting here in front of me right now. I shouldn’t say that. I have seen glimpses of this person before but I have never seen it all together as a whole person.” My head kind of drops and Katie can sense that she may have said something wrong. She moves closer to me and gives me a big hug and begins explaining her self. “I love Alex he is a great friend, but I think that Alexa is the sister I have always wanted. I think I figured out over the course of the night that Alexa is the person that was always there for me. Alex on his own was kind of loner. A brooding boy scared of his father and his brothers and allowed that fear to spill over into his everyday life. Alexa is an open, caring person who likes to laugh and is not scarred to take control. I am probably the only person who has seen that side of Alex but I realized tonight that it was Alexa and not Alex all those years"

I listen to Katie’s words and begin to think about them. She is right. Alex was kind of a nobody who hid the shadows but Alexa is out there. Was it the chance to hide behind the dress and make up that allowed that side of my personality to come out? It has to be. As I sit there pondering what was said I realized that through the course of the night, my nervousness never returned. I was enjoying Alexa. She was fun. But as I say this I begin to get sad because I realize that this is just temporary. I decide right there that Alexa is here to stay. At least until the prospect of going out in public comes up tomorrow.

Katie continues to watch me as I think about her words and the thoughts I am having. She stands up says she should get to bed too. While she doesn’t have an early class I know she has class and she has to work tomorrow night. I stand up and give Katie a hug and thank for all she has done tonight and turn and move towards the door. Katie stops me. “Where do you think you are going young lady” she says with a little bit a maternal twinge to her voice.

“Home to bed I guess.” I reply with a little sadness in my voice.

“Just because it is time to go to sleep does not mean that the evening is over. I have to show how to remove that make up plus I think Alexa needs to have her first sleepover!” Katie stands up as she speaks.

A smile comes to my face and I take Katie’s offered hand. I follow her to her room where she plops me down in front of her vanity and hands me what looks like baby wipes. “These are makeup removal wipes. You need to take off all that makeup. Start on your eyes and work your way around tour face. Take off your wig but when you are done put it back on. I will be right back.” Following her instructions, I remove the wig and the make-up. When I feel that I have gotten all the makeup off I put the wig back on and wait for Katie. The wait is not long as she walks back in and hands me something. It is my toothbrush. She was thinking of everything. Katie leads me to the bathroom and has me wash my face and brush my teeth while she does the same. When those tasks are complete she leads back to her room and has me sit at her vanity again. She hands me a jar of moisturizer and instructs me to put it on my face. She then hands me some body lotion and tells me to rub it into my hands and arms.

Now that my maintenance tasks are completed, I turn and face Katie who has somehow gotten her self undressed and is now wearing a tank top and panties. I remove my bra and ‘breast forms as she hands me a night gown. It is a beautiful purple (lilac I am told) night gown that reaches mid-thigh and feels incredible. “I thought you should wear something girly for your first sleepover” she tells me with a giggle. Katie pulls back the covers of her bed and invites me to join her. I get a little nervous as she pats the spot next to her. “Don’t worry ALEXA. I like boys, not girls and tonight you ARE a girl!” I smile and slide next to my oldest friend in the world. “You were amazing tonight. I hope you and enjoyed yourself” Katie says to me.

“I had the best time tonight. Thank you so much for everything. This might have been the best night of my life and I owe all to you” I say as I give Katie a kiss on the cheek and rollover to try and sleep, but I can’t. While I have enjoyed tonight I begin to wonder what tomorrow will bring. Will I still be as giddy about everything that as going on or will I reject everything because I am too scared. I also start thinking of my family, especially my brothers. If they saw me like this, they would kick the living shit out of me. That scares me. Not he physical act but the emotional act. If my family was to reject me I don’t know if I could handle it. As big of jerks as my brothers are I really care what they think of me. As I weigh the two sides of what has happened tonight, whole situation drains me forcing me to drift off.