Calum, meet Cassie:

It was a rainy Saturday afternoon, and Calum was daydreaming on the bus. Gazing absentmindedly out the window at the passing scenery, taking in it all and none of it.

He stirred to life as the bus drove into the outskirts of the town he was vacationing in with his Aunt, Anne 'auntie Anne' and his cousin Sarah. 'My stop soon' he reminded himself, cautious of the stop he was to get off at.

On arrival he alighted from the bus with a bounce, he was looking forward to seeing his Aunt again, and Sarah.

The driver alighted to retrieve the boy's rucksack from the luggage compartment, without a bounce in his step.

"Which is your's, son?"

"Erm... what? It's..." He couldn't see his rucksack anywhere. Startled out of his happy mood, he started to panic. "but it must be there, I left it right... there. It's gone, someone must have taken it?"

"I'm afraid I can't help you son, but I can give you the number of the depot, maybe somebody will return it in"

Calum folded the bus ticket with the number on the back, and slid it into his jeans pocket. Now his absent-mindedness was from struggling to think what to do, rather than pleasantly whiling away time.

He took out his phone and called his Aunt, to let her know he'd arrived, and to pick him up from the stop.

"She'll know what to do" he told himself under his breath.

Fifteen minutes passed and Anne pulled up to the kerb, waving and gesturing him into the car.

She noticed his lack of luggage as he deposited nothing in the rear seat, and himself in the front.

"Where's your things?"

Calum relayed to her what had happened. She tried to re-assure the boy that it'll be ok, but Calum wasn't as upbeat.

"We can call the depot on Monday, not much we can do until then I don't think"

"My damn ipod was in that bag too"

***

They pulled up outside Anne's house. It was a nice house, and Calum had lots of nice memories of holidays and visits there in the past.
As they entered, Anne Said "I'll make us some supper if you..." "Oh dear, I was going to say if you want a bath"

"Hmm" She thought.

"All my clothes were in my rucksack, I only have what I'm standing in" responded Calum, pretty glumly.

"Tell you what dear, after your bath you can find something of Sarah's to wear, she'll be bound to have something to fit, you's two are about the same size"

"How can I?"

"It's only us, and she won't mind. Tell you what I'll go find something and you go run a bath, then we'll have some supper and catch up on things"

"Well I guess, I dunno, I suppose"

As he bathed he noticed the lotions and potions in the bathroom.

"Damn, my good soap too"

Calum sufficed with what was available to bathe with. Distinctly floral scented soap, and scented shampoo.

He dried himself off after a brief soak, and wrapped a fluffy white towel around his middle and went through to 'his' room.

"What the... hmm... I suppose" He looked at the clothes on the bed laid out for him. 'Nothing that bad I guess', he thought. Jeans are jeans, but the butterfly sequins on the pocket? And a fairly shapeless t-shirt, but with a little heart emblem on the chest? Then he noticed the panties.

"Hmm..." At least they were plain white he thought to himself, though the little satin bow on the front didn't help. It did however cause an uneasy and odd feeling in his stomach which he couldn't explain. Uneasy but not disagreeable... odd.

"Oh well"

He got dressed hesitantly, but hesitancy or otherwise there was little choice in the matter. Good thing he and his cousin were similar in size.

He made his way downstairs, and walked awkwardly into the kitchen.

"Oh there you are Calum", "I made us some macaroni and cheese, you like that"

"Yes, thank you"

Nothing was said about the attire.

The two ate, and talked about what each had been up to. That took the boy's mind off the situation almost completely, and they enjoyed each others conversation.

They played scrabble together, no cheating, besides allowing capitals and acronyms, 'it's our own special rules'.

What with the fun of the flow of conversation and then the game, Calum had stopped thinking about what he was wearing, and was perfectly at ease, as if the clothes were his own.

Come 11pm they were both yawning, and it was obviously time for bed.

Anne read the boy's mind. "I'll get you something of Sarah's to wear, she has plenty of PJ sets" "You have to wear something"

While Calum brushed his teeth, his Aunt left a pyjama set on his bed. It was blue with a floral print on the bottoms, and a plain top.

"Blue for the boys" Calum thought to himself sardonically as he put them on.

He slept well that night... after he managed to get to sleep that is, what with thinking about his predicament and his missing things.

***

"Good morning, sleepyhead" Anne said cheerily.

"Morning"

"How did you sleep?, Okay?"

"Yeah"

"Well you can help me make breakfast, I like a cooked breakfast on Sunday mornings."

Breakfast was made. Breakfast was eaten hungrily.

'She's being nice not mentioning I'm wearing freakin' girls clothes' Calum thought to himself. But then that's auntie Anne, she's always nice.

"You're clothes are in the wash, should be done and dried this afternoon"

"Thank you" "What about these?" he gestured to his pyjamas.

"You can wear Sarah's jeans again if you like, and I'll find another shirt"

"Okay, I guess"

"Unless you want to go pick out something yourself?"

"I guess I could see if there is anything..."

Anne went upstairs to Sarah's bedroom with Calum in tow. She directed him to the girl's wardrobe and said "I'm sure you'll find something dear" She did however, give him a fresh pair of plain white panties before she left the room, her own choosing.

"She obviously doesn't want me looking in Sarah's drawers, understandable".

Calum looked at the array of girls clothing confronting him. That odd feeling growing in him again. 'What is that?' he thought to himself.

He already had the jeans of Sarah's, they were okay enough, and the panties.

After a brief look through the girl's t-shirts, he found about the only one that was plain. It was however, in pink. The boy debated with himself, but decided against it. 'Need something blue godammit', but everything else had designs on.

He settled on a blue t-shirt with a flower pattern on the front.

Once dressed and downstairs, his aunt saw him from the kitchen doorway.

"You found something then?"

"Yes"

"There's a dear" "Mind, Sarah's coming home this afternoon, you'll thank her for letting you borrow some of her clothes"

"I will"

Calum was looking forward to seeing his cousin again. They had a great friendship, and she was almost like a sister to him.

"In the meantime dear, you can help me with this cake" "can you get the bag of dried fruit out of the cupboard?"

The morning was spent baking, followed by dishwashing, too much dishwashing, and pleasant conversation.

***

The front door slammed shut, signalling Sarah's arrival home.

"That'll be her back then" Anne said to Calum.

"Love, must you always slam the door?"

"Yes, mom... hey shorty... I mean cus'"

The pair greeted each other with a hug, quickly followed by Sarah stepping back with a "whoa" "Aren't those mine!?" She looked mystified as to why her cousin should be in her clothes.

"Long story, dear" Her mom told her.

The story was shared between them, and Sarah came to understand the gravity of the situation... with a laugh.

"It's not funny" complained Calum in only half-mock offence.

"It's too funny cus, looks like I got myself a new sis!"

"Very funny, not. Look at me laughing, not"

"Are you weari... you're not weari... I'm not having my undies back after, that's for sure"

Calum shrugged, embarrassed.

"But hey, the shirt looks cute on you, sis" She teased him, ruffling his short hair.

"Maybe we can do something with this hair of yours, not too short for a little styling"

"Stop teasing the poor boy, Sarah"

"When we going shopping then, tomorrow?" asked Sarah.

"Yes, though we won't be able to get much, I'm a little short this month, and you've not got much money on you either have you dear?" Anne enquired of Calum.

"No, not really"

"We'll get at least another change of clothes for you dear, and we can work something out"

The two cousins spent the afternoon talking and mucking about, while Anne was visiting a friend across the way.

Sarah talked Calum into letting her 'style' his short hair, he agreed reluctantly to the pressure from his friend.

"Just long enough for a pixie look... I think I can pull it off..." She fussed somewhat with his hair with her tongue out, and he felt her attach a hair clip or three, he was sure.

The teasing was fun, and Calum was happy to play along with her for the fun she was having with him, and he was enjoying the attention somewhat.

That's when Sarah pulled out her iphone "Gotta get me some pics of you, sis! That's for sure!"

She chased Calum around the house, upstairs and downstairs again. That's when, without thinking, the comical chase led the pair straight out the front door, and onto the front lawn...

"Hey there, Sarah. Who's the new face?" It was Melanie, the next door neighbor.

"Oops, err, hi Melanie, how's you?" "Err, this is Cassie, my friend"

"Nice to meet you, Cassie" Melanie smiled at the young boy, who was caught like the proverbial rabbit.

"Err, hi" He said meekly, and waved a shy wave.

The pair watched Melanie disappear into her house, then they both piled into their own.

"Woah, nearly got busted there!" Exclaimed Sarah.

"What the heck? Cassie?"

"I dunno si...err, cus, it just came out" She pulled a puzzled face.

"Well I had to think of something, you know I'm not good at thinking on my feet"... "And, well, take a look at yourself, you look like a girl"

"But..."

"Take a look for yourself" Sarah led him by the shoulders to the mirror in the lobby.

Calum took a gasp as he saw in the mirror what looked like a cute girl, and was shocked.

"This... this is your fault, cus!" He complained to Sarah.

"Hey, I just did your hair, the rest is you", "heck, you look cuter in my clothes than I do, and that's sayin' somethin'"

"Yeah well, not for long... soon be out these stoopid clothes" was a pretty unconvincing reply, as he couldn't hide much the fact he quite liked what he saw in the mirror.

Not much was else was done the rest of the afternoon. Conversations were on 'other' topics, as if to avoid what had happened.

Anne came home, and when she saw the terrible two-some she asked "So what have you two been up too... Calum, what have you done to your hair?"

"It was Sarah's idea"

"You two... I don't know" she made her way through to the kitchen, calling back "Calum, you're clothes will be dry by now, want to go get changed?"

"Erm... but if I change now, what will I do tomorrow?" He shouted back.

She returned to the living room doorway "Good point, you'll need to be in your own clothes to go shopping, are you okay in what you've got for now?"

"I reckon I'll live, if I have to"

Sarah nudged him with a smirk and said quietly to him "You just like being my sis, admit it"

Calum said nothing.

"Go wash your feet, they're dirty from being out" Sarah said in a faux commanding tone

"I guess"

*****

Monday came around.

After another night in the blue floral PJ's, and Calum's pixie hair-do gone, with the aide of a scented shampoo and brush out the night before.

He had to admit, the odd feelings he had had before, he thought to himself were feelings of pleasantness, if not dare say it, excitement at his clothing options. Almost as if he was happy about his otherwise unfortunate predicament. Strange new feelings these were indeed.

"There you are sleepyhead, give sarah a shout to get up too, she's soo lazy" said Anne, as Calum appeared in the kitchen doorway, still in his pyjamas.

"Sarah! Get your backside out of your bed!"

Once breakfast was out of the way, Calum took his washed and dryed 'normal' clothes to his room to get dressed. It felt unusual to be getting back into his boys things, after this short while, as if it were right... but not right, he wasn't sure.

"You ready gang?" Anne asked.

The trio got in the car and Anne drove them to the mall, and parked far away from the entrance 'to get out quicker'. As they walked to the entrance they chattered about things and nothing.

"Got to get jeans or pants, a shirt, socks, and erm, underwear" he said to the other two, confirming his shopping goal.

"Us two will go get a coffee, if you want to go in and get what you need yourself, okay?" asked Anne, pointing to a cafe across the way.

"Okay"

"Got enough money?"

"I think so, yeah"

"See you in a little bit then"

Calum headed into the department store, and looked for the sign for menswear, located it, and headed in that direction. He found himself being distracted however by the womanswear and girlswear departments he had to traverse. "Focus" he said to himself.

The sight of the clothing though, set off that odd feeling in him, and pangs of something. He thought how different his cousin's clothes had felt, though essentially the same, just fabric, right. How odd, but the difference felt quite nice to him.

Menswear. Go in, get what you need, come out, job's a gud un'. That's the plan, and he performed it well, getting what he needed. 'At least I've got another change of clothes, won't have to borrow Sarah's things anymore'. However he felt a little sad as he said that to himself.

He re-joined Anne and Sarah at the cafe.

"Get everything?" Anne asked

"Yeah"

"Are we for the off then?" He enquired.

Sarah chirped up "You probably won't want to cus, but y'know us girls, we want to have a look around the shops ourselves first, hate to drag you along, but..." She had a little twinkle in her eye.

Calum sighed, and hoped it sounded convincing enough.

So, 'poor' Calum was dragged around umpteen shops. Sarah quipped a "that would look cute on a certain someone" at a few things, only to be sternly looked at by her mom in response.

After they returned to the car, Calum put his bags in the trunk, and the trio departed the parking lot.

"What shall we do next?" Asked Anne. "I thought we'd go for a walk by the lake, it's nice out" she said answering her own question by taking the appropriate turn in the car before a firm reply was procured.

The day passed pleasantly, they enjoyed the lakeside, and had a meal at a nearby restaurant. The trio were pleased though to get back home, tired out by the walk.

"I'm soo outta shape" said Anne with a smile

"Me too, my feet" complained Sarah

That evening when it was getting late, bed conversation came up.

"Hmm, are you wanting to borrow something of Sarah's again tonight dear? It's just a pity we couldn't afford to get you nightwear too, times are tough just now"

"I guess so" Calum responded.

"Sarah'll go and give you something to wear"

"Sarah, go take Calum and give him something to sleep in tonight, there's a dear"

The two trotted upstairs, Sarah in the lead.

Once in her bedroom, they sat on her bed and chatted a little.

"So tell me cou... sis, do you mind me calling you 'sis'?" She teased.

"Call me what you like, just call me"

"You can tell me to shut up if you like, but I must say you're different when you're 'Cassie'"

"I am, how?

"I dunno, maybe it's your feminine side?" she smiled

"It's weird, it does feel different... I mean I can't explain it, but I felt different when I was wearing your clothes"

"Oh yeah, tell me you didn't like it" she nudged him "And you must admit you looked damn cute"

"Don't tell anyone, but I think I did quite like it, it was different, kinda nice in a way" Calum was limiting the strength of his feelings for his own protection, and for his own uncertainty.

"You know you can tell me anything right, I wouldn't judge you"

"I know"

"So what are we wearing tonight, what cute little number have we got our eyes on, eh?" She resumed teasing.

"You pick something then, you're the expert"

And so she promptly picked out a pink nightie, and stuck her tongue out at him. "I think this would look adorable on you, don't you think?"

"No comment"

But he took it, and wore it to bed that night. And he slept well.

**********

To be continued...