Changing Of The Guard - Part 4 free porn video

Changing of the Guard Part 4 Time for reflection is always good. I've always believed that it's a good idea to take some time every week and take a look back to see what has happened in my life, usually an admittedly boring exercise. So that's how I found myself staring in the mirror at the girl (mostly) I had become and looking back over the last few days, wondering just what the heck happened. To say that it has been strange would be an understatement. I went right passed strange and moved on to Bizarreville. I mean, how else do you describe things when your life takes a sharp left hand turn? A week ago, I was a normal guy doing normal guy stuff. Yeah, I was bit of an outcast and had no friends, but I was used to that. Then my family moves to a new place in a new state. No big deal I thought, I could use a change in scenery. Well, I got that and a whole lot more. There must have been some sort of cosmic conspiracy involved with my rather rapid change in gender. How else could I explain all my clothes being given away or burned to a crisp while I got stuck, literally, with breasts? Oh boy, life is such a treat. Why weren't my parents surprised to come home and find me looking like a girl? Because I had done it before, of course. I didn't remember that. Due some previous bad experiences, I had those memories blocked. Those memories are back and I finally have figured myself out some. There was a little help from my girlfriend Becca, too. I'm still trying to get my head around not only being a girl, but a lesbian as well. Hey, I did say it was strange, didn't I? Now I'm a reasonably happy girl with a few friends, a new job that I like, a new car (thanks Mom and Dad!), and plenty to do. To be totally honest, I was afraid to leave the house. I figured one of two things would happen. The first, being that the past few days were merely a dream, and I would wake up to find I was still at my old home, and had to get ready to face the day as an outcast. The second option was that the insanity of the last week wasn't over. I was afraid I would be married, pregnant, or both by the end of the month. Don't laugh. After everything that has happened so far, I wasn't ruling anything out. Knowing that I had a date with a boy didn't help matters much, either. "Jules, will you stop staring at yourself and finish getting ready. You're going to be late," Mom yelled up at me. "I'll be down in a minute," I called back. Running late was beginning to be a habit for me. Fortunately, being a girl solved my recent clothing problem. I had a ton of stuff that my sister had left that I could use. All I had to do was dig through it all and find something that I liked. That would have been easier if I hadn't made such a mess while I was packing it up. I really did have the full intention of packing everything up neatly, but the longer I was in her room the more upset I got at her leaving like she did. About half way through, I started stuffing things in boxes not caring if it was breakable or not. I wanted to be finished with it and out of there. Sue me, I'm allowed to flip out occasionally. At least I didn't purposely break anything. That porcelain ballerina jumped off her desk, I swear it did. It was suicide I tell ya. All she could do was stand around all day and pose. That's enough to drive anyone mad, just look at all the supermodels of the world. If she'd only told me she was upset, I could have called the porcelain ballerina suicide hotline and she'd still be with us. Sorry, wild tangent there. A quick sort helped to get things into something resembling order. Basically, I got things into two piles, tops and bottoms. I was tempted to go with a long brown suede skirt and lightweight cream sweater, but I didn't have any shoes that would work with it. My feet are definitely too big for Brandy's shoes. A shoe shopping trip was definitely needed. Instead, I settled on a similar look as the day before. My jeans were a shade lighter and my shirt was navy with a metallic silver star in the center. Again, my shoes were bugging me. They just weren't quite what I wanted, but I didn't have a choice. Dressing like a girl is certainly more complicated than a guy. For Julian, jeans, a t-shirt, and hiking boots would pretty much cover anything short of formal. Julia, however, does love having more options. I just need more shoes to match everything. Sheesh, I'm such a girl. You know that feeling you get when you think you look pretty good but you're missing one little thing that would make it perfect? I had that feeling. I tried telling myself that it was just my shoes, but I wasn't listening. What? Haven't you ever ignored yourself? I tried not to think about it as I gathered up my books, homework, and other stuff, then headed downstairs. Apparently, my mind was too focused on what I was missing and not focused enough on where I was stepping. Our old house had nineteen steps from top to bottom. I had run up and down those nineteen steps my whole life. My body went on autopilot whenever I got to them. I didn't even have to think when I climbed them. The new house has an even twenty steps. I know that. I counted them the first day we looked at it. The problem was that my autopilot hadn't figured that out yet. I hit step nineteen and was expecting to be on flat solid ground. What I got on my next step was six inches of air. Do I really have to tell you what happened next? OK, loss of balance, flailing arms, and losing the fight with gravity pretty much covers it. What? You want the gory details? Fine, but it really wasn't that bad. There were no broken bones (I think), no massive bleeding, and nothing else that would require an ambulance ride. I did manage to bang my cheek on the floor pretty hard and cause enough noise to bring my mother running. "Jules!" she exclaimed, seeing me sitting on the floor with my stuff all over the place. "Ow," I said rubbing my cheek, "I just know that's gonna leave a mark." "Are you all right? What happened?" "I'm OK. Did you know this house has twenty steps?" "What does that... oh, one more step than you were expecting," Mom replied, realizing what I was saying, "anything broken?" "I hit my cheek on the floor when I fell, but nothing that requires medical personnel." She leaned down to take a look at me, "Looks like you're gonna have a nice bruise, Kiddo. I can already see it starting." "Oh great, just what I needed," I said silently praying that my Karma debt was getting close to being paid. I didn't know if I'd survive much more if it wasn't. "Don't worry. We can fix that," Mom said helping me gather my stuff. After we wrangled all my books, papers, and bag, mom led me to her room and had me sit at her vanity. I knew exactly what she had in mind. "OK, Kiddo, let's see what we can do about that bruise." "I'm all yours, but would you mind showing how to do more?" my mouth said. Ack, it's done it again! Will someone please tell me why it has a mind of its own? Honestly, I was thinking that this time. I just wasn't going to ask. After sizing me up for a minute, she asked, "are you sure you want to?" It was my turn to think, "yes, I bet this will sound weird, but I really liked the way I looked when Tess did it for me. It was still me, just a little better. I'd love to know how to do it for myself. You don't have to decide now. We really don't have the time, but maybe this weekend?" "How about right now?" "But I have school." "I think we can bend the rules a little. I am your mother after all," Mom smiled. "You're the best mom ever," I gave her my cheesiest line and a big hug. Only a fool would pass up that opportunity. Momma only raised one fool and that's my sister. "Shall we get started, then?" "Lead the way, Sensei." Mom got started by trying to find something that would match my skin tone. She tried three different shades and still didn't find what she wanted. "It looks like you and Brandy got your father's skin color. None of my foundation will match," Mom frowned. "Is matching that important?" I asked. "I'm afraid so. You can use stuff that doesn't match, but it won't look very good. I'm betting that you'll probably be the same as Brandy. I'll pick up some of the stuff she used to use and we'll try this again later. Sorry, but it looks like you get to go to school with that bruise anyway." "Oh joy, I bet Bec will just love that. Hey, wait, I think I saw Brandy's make up bag in one of her boxes." "Well, what are you standing here for? Time's a wastin'." I went back upstairs, carefully counting twenty, and started looking through the boxes again. I knew I remembered seeing that makeup bag in there somewhere, exactly where was the issue. It was finally located in the third box I tried. Why isn't it ever in the first place you look? I spotted Brandy's jewelry box underneath it and realized what had been bugging me. I had no jewelry. No rings, bracelets, or necklaces. Not a single one. My sports watch wasn't exactly feminine either. "Well, egggssselllent," I said out loud. In no time at all, I found myself looking through everything and doing plenty of oohing and ahhing. It was surprising at how much beautiful stuff Brandy had left behind. I realized that the most of it didn't fit the whole Goth thing, but only a fool would have left it. That turned out to be a good thing for me. It would have taken me a good deal of time and money to get a similar collection together. All I had to do was choose what I wanted. It took a bit of deliberating, but I finally narrowed it down to a couple silver and gold rings, a silver and blue stone bracelet (I'm pretty sure they aren't real sapphires), and a white gold necklace with a real sapphire pendant. I would have added a pair of matching earrings but my ears weren't pierced. That was another thing that I was going to have to remedy. "Jules, what's taking so long up here? Did you get lost?" Mom asked walking in. When she saw me she got a very strange look on her face. It freaked me out a little, "Mom, are you OK?" "Yes, dear. You just look so much like your sister. Is that her sapphire pendant?" "You don't mind do you?" I asked realizing that I may have crossed a line raiding her jewelry. "You know, if she was still here and you were going through it without her permission, I would be upset. But, since she left this all behind, she obviously doesn't want it. It would be a shame for it to collect dust. Besides, it looks good on you. You do need some earrings though." "I was just thinking about that. I'll just add it to my ever-growing list of stuff I need to get. I have no idea when I'm going to have time to go shopping, though." "Care to spend the day hanging out with your mom?" "You're giving me the day off to go shopping?" I asked skeptically. "We both have some shopping to do and it's been a long time since I've been able to spend some time with my daughter. I can't think of a better way to do either." "Sounds like a plan to me, but doesn't this go against you and dad's 'do not influence either way' policy?" "That's a valid point. Answer me this. Since you put on that dress, have you wanted to act like a boy again?" I may have said this before but it's really creepy the way my parents can read their kid's mind. I hadn't thought about it until she mentioned it, but I haven't once wanted to return to boy mode. Yes, I did return to it the next day, but I didn't want to. I felt weird and misplaced the whole time. It's like deep down inside I knew I was a girl even though my conscious mind didn't. Mom knew, though. I'm starting to wonder if maybe they're not aliens or something. I don't remember seeing any pods or spacecraft when we moved. "You know how disturbing that is?" I asked. "What's disturbing?" Mom replied. "That you know what I'm thinking before I do." That got me a smile and laugh, "don't worry, you'll do it to your kids one day." 'Ack! She said kids. Now I just know I'm gonna end up pregnant before the week's up. Will I make a good mother? A wife? Whoa, whoa. Hold it there, Julia. Reality check, please. First of all, I can't get pregnant so why am I worrying. Wait, I can't get pregnant! I'll never be a mom!' I thought. "Julia? Julia, are you still with me?" Mom asked looking a bit concerned. "I...uhh...umm..." "Honey, complete sentences please." "I'll never be a mom," I said sadly. "Why couldn't you be?" "Umm...Mom, I think you're having a harder time with this gender thing than I am. I'm not really a girl, remember?" "I know you weren't born that way but not all women can have their own children. That doesn't make you any less of a woman." "I...you...you're right. Why am I freaking out about this? I'm only sixteen for crying out loud. I don't have to worry about kids and a family of my own yet. Talk about jumping the gun." "Maybe a little. Are you sure you want to go out today. You seem a little edgy." "Yes, I'm OK. I don't know where that came from," I admitted. "Don't ask me. I missed that one. Let's see if we can take care of that bruise now shall we?" We returned to her vanity with Brandy's makeup bag. Mom was right about Brandy and I being the same skin tone. The foundation she had was a perfect match. I think mom had as much fun showing me how to use everything as I had learning how to use it. I got the concept down pretty easily but I'll need a lot of practice before I'm comfortable doing it myself. Call me crazy, but I get very nervous putting a sharpened pencil that close to my eyeball. I did manage to get the line sort of straight the first time. I was left to practice while mom took a shower and got ready for our trip. I didn't do too much. My cheek was pretty sore and no matter what I was trying to, I did keep bumping it. I carefully finished up what I was doing and decided to text message Bec. I didn't want her to worry about me not being at school. I sent "Not coming 2 school 2day." Bec replied, "Y not? U OK?" "Fell dwn steps but OK. Mom & I go shop" "w/o me?:-( " "U n school." "I L break out" "Bad Becca. Cut class bad" "U do n it." "Mom says so" "U miss kiss then." ":-( :-( :-( :-( We go l8r?" "Promise?" "Promise." Ahh, the complete destruction of the English language. Isn't technology grand? I used to wonder why you had text messaging on phones. Now I know. While I couldn't call Bec in the middle of class, a text is nearly silent and easy to sneak in. I was a little bummed about missing her kiss, though. I really wanted to take my car since I'd only taken it for a short drive the night before, but mom overruled me. She said my Beetle was too small. This is where I started to get worried. I remembered unloading her cruiser and, like I said, you can fit a lot of stuff in one of those. The prospect of that much running around was a little bit scary. "Oh, don't worry. It won't be that bad," Mom reassured. "You're freaking me out with the whole mind reading thing," I joked. "I know. It is fun, though." "There's an evil streak buried in you somewhere." "Funny, your father says that, too," she grinned. I settled into the passenger seat expecting to head towards the local mall but mom started out in the opposite direction. I wondered where she was going and if I should say something. The results of me opening my mouth the last few days convinced me to just keep quiet and go along with the ride. Who's going to question their mother when shopping is involved anyway? For once, my decision-making abilities didn't turn out to be complete failures. Mom pulled up to a small storefront nestled between a coffeehouse and bookstore near the old town center. You've all seen those types of areas. The ones that used to be the center of everything back in the age of dinosaurs. Ok, maybe not dinosaurs but well before our time. The modern influence of being within walking distance of two major universities mixed surprisingly well with the turn of the century styling. That unlikely combination gave the area a warm and inviting feel with just enough mystery mixed in to make it feel as if you might find something magical. Nope, no boring mall crawl for me. Thank goodness for small miracles. This gave me some idea of how my sister managed to stay ahead of the fashion curve. "I'm gonna grab some coffee. Feel like trying something new?" Mom asked. "Eww, coffee. Dad has me try some every few months. He keeps saying that one day my tastes will mature enough and I'll like coffee." "To be perfectly honest, your dad's coffee isn't the greatest. He likes it way too strong and not nearly sweet enough. Have you ever tried some the way I like it?" "No, I figured it all sort of tasted the same." "You need to try a French vanilla cappuccino. I have feeling you'll like it." "OK, but mind grabbing me an OJ just in case?" "Deal, why don't you take a look in the bookstore and meet me at one of the outside tables in five minutes?" At that point I decided that mentioning the mind reading bit was pointless, "outside tables in ten minutes, Gotcha," I answered knowing full well that I wouldn't be able to get out of a bookstore in five minutes. Ten minutes was asking a lot as well, but I thought I could manage as long as nothing caught my attention. "Ok, ten minutes." I love the big chain bookstores. They are neat, organized, well lit, and have just about anything you could ask for. They are usually my first stop when I'm looking for something new. If you want something that isn't crisp and new, you're out of luck. That's where the old used bookstores come in. You can't beat them for the true bookstore atmosphere or for finding hidden gems. Books are usually crammed into every available space, which makes organization difficult. That forces you to actually look through the place and it's that searching that reveals some of the best stuff. I once found a beautifully leather bound edition of Romeo and Juliet. The whole cover was worn leather and it gave the book an ancient feel. I could just imagine an English lord or maiden carrying it around with them. It wasn't that old of course, but it had the most character of any book I've ever owned. I was hoping for a similar experience as I walked inside. The atmosphere was right. There were books crammed into every nook and cranny. I just didn't have enough time to dig in and find anything special. I barely made it through the first section before my ten minutes was up. Drat. Reluctantly pulling myself away from my quest, I returned to the coffee shop. Mom hadn't made it out yet, so I got to choose our table. With the morning being a little chilly, I picked the only one that was getting some sun. In the middle of scanning the area looking for any photo opportunities, a shadow loomed over me. "I was beginning to think you got lost," I said expecting to see mom but saw a huge muscle bound guy looking down at me. "Oh, you're not who I was expecting." "I wasn't expecting to see an angel sitting here this morning, either," the bodybuilder replied. Uh oh, a pick up line from a really big guy. What the heck should I do? "Look, I appreciate the kind words but I have two words for you: jail bait. I'm only sixteen." "Damn, you're only sixteen? I was guessing eighteen at least. Sorry to have bothered you," he said and beat a hasty retreat. That was a very interesting experience. One little sentence delivered with a smile sends a guy three times my size running. That never happened when I was trying to be a guy. I was always the one running. It amazes me the power women have over the opposite sex sometimes. "Nicely handled, Jules," Mom commented setting our drinks down. "Thanks, that was just too weird, though," I replied. "You better get used to it. It's one of the disadvantages of being a girl. Unless you have a boyfriend or husband standing next to you, you're a target." "Oh boy, would a shirt that said lesbian in big bold letters work?" "Not for all of them, I'm afraid." "Well, I guess being a girl can't all be fun and games." "It's not that bad. You just have to be prepared for it. Ready to try some cappuccino?" I tried it and it wasn't nearly as bad as the stuff dad usually tries to give me. I don't think it'll replace my Dr Pepper, but I definitely won't mind a cup now and then. I had a nice time sipping my coffee and talking to mom. She wasn't too happy when I snapped a few pictures of her. I know she doesn't like getting her picture taken, but the morning light was bouncing off the shops window producing a gorgeous soft light that the pros would kill to find. She had closed her eyes and turned her face to feel the warmth of the sun. Perfect lighting, her beautiful blonde hair, porcelain skin, and a candid natural pose is not an opportunity I'm gonna let slip away. I got that shot before she realized what was going on and, by pure luck, managed to catch her just as she opened her eyes. I really hoped that they turned out as well as I think they did. They looked good on my camera's display but I wouldn't really know until I got it home and looked at it full-size. "All right, Missy. I was going to take it easy on you today, but since you've gone and taken my picture you must be punished," Mom grinned at me. "If these turn out as well as I hope, it'll be worth it," I smiled back. "All right, let's get moving then. We'll start from the inside out. Bras and panties first then we'll move on to everything else." "I don't care where we start, but I've got to get some decent shoes. These old boots just aren't going to cut it, anymore." Mom gave me another of those funny looks, "you're such a girl, it's scary." We finished our coffees then cleaned up our mess. I started getting nervous as mom led us into our first store. It wasn't nervous in a scared way. It was more like anticipation. I guess I realized that I was going shopping as a girl for all the stuff a normal girl would need. I tried fighting back the smile that had crept across my face but couldn't. I'm not telling you about this first stop. It's a little creepy for you to want to know about what I wear under my clothes, anyway. The main reason is because it was a bit embarrassing wandering through the lingerie section with my mother. I think she was deliberately trying to rattle me. Why else would she find the skimpiest wisp of fabric she could and ask if my dad would like to see her in it? Ack, like I wanted that vision in my head. I know my parents do that sort of stuff. I just don't want to know the details. It is way too easy to lose track of time while you're trying stuff on. Before I had a chance to breathe, an hour had passed and I had four bags worth of stuff to carry. Undergarments? Check and then some. I didn't think that I'd ever use everything that we bought, but mom insisted that I be ready for anything. Who am I to argue? Rather than try to carry our bags the rest of the day, we headed for the car to drop everything off. On the way out of the lingerie section, I grabbed a bit of lacy nothing and asked mom if she thought Becca would like me in it. The look of sheer terror on her face was priceless and I could kick myself for not having the camera ready. "Now we're even," I said trying very hard not to bust out laughing. I failed. "I am in for so much trouble with you, aren't I?" she asked then joined me in my laughing fit. We gradually regained control of ourselves and dropped the bags off in the car. Our next stop was a nearby jewelry store. There's nothing too exciting to report about that. A few seconds of pain and I was the proud owner of my first pair of diamond earrings. Yes, I was still grinning like an idiot when we made it to the shoe store. Mom and I both agreed that I really didn't need much in the way of clothes since I had all of Brandy's stuff. It would be up to me to finance any future purchases. Shoes were exempt from that decision. I know I went a little crazy while in the store. I must have tried on one of every style they had for me. No boot, sandal, flat, heel, or tennis shoe was safe. I must have run the poor salesman ragged. To his credit, he kept up with me the entire time. I think he made out ok for all the effort. He wound up getting commission on more than a dozen sales. Mom left him a ten-dollar tip as well and apologized for my enthusiasm. It was lunchtime by the time we got out of the store. "You little flirt," Mom stated, "are you sure you don't like men?" "What? Me? Flirt? What are you talking about? I'm not into men either," I defended myself. "Are you trying to tell me that you didn't realize you were flirting with the sales guy?" "I was not!" "Oh boy, you were and you did it surprisingly well. I'm sure he would have asked you out if I wouldn't have been there." "I was flirting with him?" I asked wondering what it was that I had done. "Yes, all those little comments and when you fell on him trying on those heels." "I was just being nice and give me a break about the heels. I fell because I haven't figured out how to defy gravity yet." Mom gave me her deep penetrating look again, "Ok, I believe you. You have to be more careful about how and what you say to men. You could get away with being nice and sweet to girls as a guy. Men react differently to that sort of thing." "I have a lot to learn don't I?" "You'll figure it out. Just be more careful until you do. Feel like having lunch yet?" "I'm starving. I haven't had anything to eat all day." "Soup and salad?" "Sounds good to me." The first thing I did when we got to the car was kick off my old shoes and replace them with something a little less Croc Hunter. I decided on a dark brown ankle boot with a wide two-inch heel and round toe. I didn't think a pointed toe would work very well with a basic t. If I had a white blouse and fitted jacket, I would have definitely gone with the pointed toe. Mom laughed at me and shook her head, "you really are jumping into the girl thing with both feet aren't you?" "I guess I am throwing myself at this pretty hard. I feel like I've been wandering across a desert for a long time and just found a beautiful oasis complete with waterfall. That's a cheesy analogy, but it's the best I can do," I returned. "I wouldn't worry too much. I've only seen you this excited about something twice before and those turned out to be very good things for you. I doubt that this will be any different." "I've been this excited before?" "Yes, Silly. The first time was when you got your first computer and the next you discovered photography." "Oh, I guess I do go a little overboard with those, don't I?" "Just a little, but it's a good kind of overboard. I don't think I'll ever have to worry about you overdosing on pictures." "Not likely," I replied as we pulled into get our lunch. Mom went with tortilla soup and a trip to the salad bar while I decided on a really big baked potato with a little cheese and light ranch dressing and salad bar trip. Neither of us said too much for the first few minutes. We were both too busy stuffing our faces. That was the first time since we left the house that we hadn't been talking. The silence was strange. It had been a long time since mom and I had such a good time. She must have felt the same way since she stopped eating and just watched me. I don't know how long she had been doing it. I just got that being watched feeling and looked up to see her with this happy little smile. "You're making me nervous. Staring at me like that," I commented. "Sorry, Kiddo. Just couldn't help myself. I hope you're enjoying this as much as I am," she replied. "I am. I promise. You think dad'll get upset when he finds out what we've been up to today?" "Why don't you ask him yourself? Good afternoon, Connor," Mom smiled. I turned around to see dad standing behind me, "ack, you're starting to make sneaking up on me a habit." "Just remember that when you're doing something you aren't supposed to. You look great sweetheart and you as well, Hon," Dad complimented. "Me? Do something wrong? Perish the thought." "I know, but I'm required to say things like that. It's in my dad contract. You two having a good time?" "Yes, we are. It's nice spending time with a happy smiling child again. We are going to have to keep an eye on her, though. She's a serious flirt," Mom answered. "MOM!" Dad responded with a raised eyebrow, "I thought you weren't into boys, Julia." Ah, will someone just shoot me? I think the Karma collector has changed tactics and is now trying to get me to think I like boys. Well, I don't, so quit that already. "I'm not. I swear," I replied a bit flustered by the constant questioning of my sexuality. Mom gave me her, "I wouldn't be too sure of that," look and dad shrugged his shoulders. No daughter stands a chance against both parents. They feed off of each other and cover up the others weaknesses. I needed reinforcements. I checked my watch (gotta remember to get a new one of those) and was happy to see Bec would still be at lunch. I smiled and flipped my phone open. "What are you doing," Mom asked in mock horror. "Calling for reinforcements," I grinned back. "No, Connor, stop her. We have the advantage now. We can't lose it." Dad made a very weak attempt at snagging the phone, but I dodged him easily. Bec picked up on the second ring. "Afternoon, Gorgeous. I was beginning to think you forgot about me," she answered. "Gorgeous? I thought that was you. Sorry I'm late. I was just fighting off both my parents. They're double-teaming me," I stated. "The fiends! What's the dilemma?" "They don't seem to believe that I like girls anymore." "Well, I could come to wherever you are and we could make out in front of them," Bec offered. "Tempting, very tempting, but I don't want to get you in trouble for skipping class." "You're no fun," she grumped. "I know but somebody has to keep you in line." "Do you really think you can do that?" Bec asked mischievously. "No, but it sounded good at the time." "True. Hey, may I talk to your mom and dad?" "Umm... sure, I guess," I answered then tried to get my parent's attention. They had started their own conversation when I started talking to Bec and were pretty much ignoring me. I swear they act like teenagers when they get together. I like that they still seem to truly enjoy each other's company, but it can be a little embarrassing watching them. I managed to wrestle Dad's attention away from mom for a few seconds and handed him the phone. It never occurred to me that I was nuts for letting my lesbian girlfriend talk to my father. I just sat there as he listened to her. "It's nice to talk to you as well, Becca. Jules has said a lot of good things about you," No idea what Bec said next, but Dad laughed, "OK, but you better be good to her and I'll make sure she treats you the same." More of whatever from Bec. "Sure, she's sitting right here," Dad replied then handed the phone to mom. "So?" I asked. "So what?" Dad replied playing dumb. "What did she want to talk to you about?" "Oh, that. She was just introducing herself." "Then what was the 'be good to her' comment about?" I asked impatiently. "That's between her and me, Sweetheart," Dad answered clearly enjoying tormenting me. I knew I wasn't going to get any more out of him at the moment, so I turned my attention back to mom. Bec was planning something and I wanted to be ready for whatever it was. She was supposed to be my backup, not schmoozing the parentals. "Yes, we should absolutely get to know each other better. If you are as important to Julia as she says you are, I expect we'll be seeing a lot of you," Mom stated. I was getting annoyed only hearing half the conversation. "Yes, I know, but until recently, she hasn't had much practice being sociable. Despite her fathers and my best efforts, she never really made friends at her old school." Ugh, that is just so unfair! They're sharing information. Parents and significant others aren't supposed to do that. Apparently I had been a total evil bitch in my past life and had collected a mountain-sized stack of bad Karma. "Yeah, I know she's a flirt. You should see the way she's throwing herself at the guys," Mom commented. "MOM!" I all but shouted and grabbed for my phone. She was laughing so hard that her eyes were watering, "oh relax, she hung up a few minutes ago. I couldn't resist the opportunity to harass you." "Humpf, some sweet loving mother you are." I grumped. I wasn't really that upset at mom. It's better that she doesn't know that I thought it was a great prank. I'm a bit bummed that I didn't think of it first. That's twice the she's gotten me today. "You girls mind if I hang out with you the rest of the afternoon?" Dad asked changing the subject. "Really?" I asked. "Absolutely, we don't get a chance like this often and I don't want to waste it. Besides, I need to keep an eye on my credit card." "A-HA! That's the real reason," Mom teased. "And a darn good one, too," Dad smiled. Yeah, I did say they were like teenagers didn't I. We probably looked like complete loons to anyone watching. That's the embarrassing part of having goofy parents like mine. I wouldn't trade them for the world, though. Mom and Dad resumed their previous conversation and I tried my best to try and ignore them. There's only so much sappy sweet a kid can take. To take my mind off of them, I tried to get myself organized and figure out what I still needed. My shopping day had been fruitful and I was able to cross a few things of my list of things to get. Let's see: bras and panties, shoes and socks, and get my ears pierced could be marked off. That left me with needing a new watch, fresh makeup, towels, and stuff for my room. Time was starting to become an issue. I still had a lot to do before guard rehearsal. That promised to be interesting since Tess was supposed to try and teach me how to dance. She had no idea what she was getting into when she volunteered for that project. Saying I have two left feet would be an understatement. If you haven't noticed, I tend to fall down a lot even when I'm just walking. With a time limit hanging over me, I had to break my parents up so we could try and get everything finished. We had a quick discussion on how best to spend the next few hours. Dad said it would be a good idea to try and do a one stop shop and get everything at one place. Mr. Practicality strikes again. Mom said that Wally World was as good a place as any for what we needed. She didn't get any arguments from Dad and I. We shortly found ourselves wandering through the glorified general store. Mom and I stopped in the cosmetics department to get my own makeup. We had no idea how old Brandy's stuff was and Mom didn't want to take any chances. Dad excused himself to go check out the electronics department. The area was full of women picking up any of the thousands of items that were offered. I felt a little like the sheep that walks into the lion's den. I just knew that they would be able to spot me as a boy in drag. They would sure notice I was a little too tall or I didn't walk right. Maybe my shoulders were a touch too wide and my hips a bit too narrow. Hundreds of little incongruities fluttered through my mind and I braced myself for impact. Mom tried asking me questions, but I was only half listening. My eyes were darting around looking for any sign that there'd be trouble. No one seemed to notice me. I didn't get as much as a second look from anyone. A minute passed by and no alarms were sounded. Two minutes passed with nothing. The tension in my neck and shoulders gradually started to relax as I realized that everyone merely saw me as the girl I wanted to be. The breath I had been subconsciously hold escaped. Mom turned and looked at me. "Julie, you OK, Hon?" "Yeah, I am now," I replied thinking that I had just passed some kind of test, "what's with Julie?" "Just trying something. Julia sounds a bit formal and Jules doesn't seem to fit anymore." "I don't know if I like it. It sounds weird." "Me either, Kiddo. Why don't we try it out for a day and see if it sticks. If not, we'll stay with Jules or try something with Alexis." "Fair enough. Hey, is my name still officially Julia Alexis or did you guys changed it back?" "You know, I think it may still be Julia. Your Dad and I planned on changing it back but I don't remember if we ever did." "Interesting. If you didn't, do I have a birth certificate that says I'm Julia?" I asked. "You should have one floating around somewhere. Why the sudden interest?" "I was just thinking that if I'm going to be a girl all the time now, I'll need everything to reflect that. That includes stuff like my driver's license. I'll need to get a new one anyway so having something that says my name is Julia Alexis would be very helpful." "I see where you're going. We'll take a look for it when we get home. Shall we go drag your father away from the HDTVs?" "We probably should. Drool and electronics don't mix well." Mom got a kick out of that comment and we laughed all the way back to electronics. Dad wasn't drooling over a new HDTV but he was darn close. We couldn't help but giggle a little more over that. He looked up at us and grinned like a cat that just ate the canary. "What are you up to, Connor?" Mom asked him. "Nothing, Dear. Just browsing. You two get everything you needed?" he asked quickly changing the subject. "We were about to head over and get some towels and linens." "Why don't you two head on over there? I have one more thing I'd like to check out, then I'll meet you over there." "OK, but don't take long. You're the one who wanted to spend the day shopping with us." "Mom, can I take a look at radios first? Mine was in one of my boxes," I asked. "OK, Kiddo, but bring your father with you when you come. I'm going to get a head start," she answered and headed off. "So which one did you get?" I asked Dad. "Which what?" he replied playing dumb. "Which TV did you get?" "I didn't get a TV." A salesman walked up to him and handed him something, "just sign here, Mr. McCloud, and we'll be all finished. Your new TV should be delivered by noon tomorrow." "No TV, huh?" I asked. "How did you know?" Dad asked. "You're a terrible liar, Dad. Your whole body posture was saying that you were up to something." "You're as bad as your mother. You think she'll be mad at me?" "If she was mad, you would have known by now. I think she knows you deserve to get something for yourself. You've worked hard to make sure we had what we needed and now that effort is paying off. You may want to talk to her first next time, though. You don't want her to feel like you are sneaking something behind her back." "When did you get to be so smart?" "My dad taught me a few things," I replied, "Now, I need a new radio and I was thinking something expensive." "Don't push your luck. I just bought you a car remember?" "Oh yeah, how about an iPod then?" "I'll think about it," Dad smiled. "Let's go, your mom's waiting for us." I hate that line. Now I don't know if he's just screwing with my head or he actually wants to think about it. That means I'll have to wait for him to make a decision. Parents can be so mean sometimes. Mom and I spent the better part of the next hour picking out towels and stuff for my bathroom. It was hard coming up with something that I liked due to the fact that I didn't know what I liked. The things I used to favor, as Julian, weren't all that attractive to me. I couldn't get into gray and tan. I wanted a little more color. I eventually settled on deep purple for my towels and reluctantly accepted neutral tan for things like rugs. There was a lot of looking for things for my room but I wasn't finding much that I really liked. There was plenty of frilly girls' stuff but that isn't really me. Don't get me wrong. I love flowers, lace, and pink. I just think that flowers look best growing in the sun, lace is perfect for wedding dresses and lingerie, and pink should be taken in small doses. In the end, we decided to skip the room stuff until I had a little time to get to know me better. My time and enthusiasm for shopping had run out. By the time we pulled into the driveway, I was more than ready to be home and get my stuff sorted and put away. Having everything strewn about and messy was bugging the crap out of me and sorting through boxes to find something to wear was getting very old. I prefer to keep things relatively neat, simple, and organized. My first order of business was to get all the new articles of clothing and towels washed. A couple empty boxes served as a trashcan and laundry basket as I opened packages, pulled off stickers and removed tags. The amount of stuff that had to be removed was surprising. When I finished, there was as much packaging as anything else. To avoid any mistakes, I took a big black marker and clearly wrote 'Laundry' on the laundry box and 'Trash' on the other. I even double- checked to make sure I had it right. No sense in tempting the Karma Gods. That reminded me that the dryer was broken, so my clothes would have to wait to be washed. I was a little disappointed in that, but I had enough to make it through a few days without it. Sorting through Brandy's old stuff didn't take as long as I expected. There was even this great black dress that I had to try on. It felt so good next to my skin that I left it on while I worked. I had everything separated and was finding places for it all when the evil side of by brain decided to kick in. I started questioning my sanity for doing what I was doing. Did I really expect to change genders that quick and easy? Was I even giving myself a choice? I was filled with more self-doubt in those few seconds than I have ever been before in my life. I stopped and looked at the dress I was wearing then sat on my bed trying to force myself to focus and think about what I really wanted. The vision of the dress hung in my mind and I could hear me arguing with myself. "Boys look silly in dresses," one side yelled. "But it fits me so well," the other returned. "Looks silly." "Fits great." "Looks silly." "Fits great" I had almost driven myself mad when I looked up and saw a girl sitting on a bed on the verge of tears. It took me a second to figure out that I was looking into my mirror and the girl was me. "Fits great," I smiled. All the doubt and fear I had drained out of me. I knew I was a girl. Maybe I wasn't born that way but I still am. "You've got about half an hour, Jules," Dad said, "You OK and you're, uh, not planning on wearing that tonight, are you?" "Yes, I'm fine. Just had a moment when I thought I was nuts for thinking I was a girl. I'm over it now and no, I'm not wearing this tonight. I just wanted to see how it fit." "Sweetheart, if you ever have any doubt what you are, just look at that pile of shoes. There's no way a guy would ever buy that many at one time," Dad grinned. "Hey, so I got a little carried away. I do need them." "I know, dear. I know. Better get moving." Dad was right. I needed to get moving. It only took a few more minutes to get the last few dresses hung up and my shoes put away. I peeled the dress off and slipped into a pair of light purple cotton workout pants with a white stripe on the sides and white fitted tank. A new pair of white and purple crosstrainers took the place of my boots then I headed to the bathroom to wash my face. Wearing makeup while you're working out and getting hot and sweaty didn't seem like a very good idea to me. That may not have been the best idea, though. Without thinking about it, I splashed water on my face and hit my very bruised cheek. Ouch, that'll get your attention. Without any makeup to hide it, I looked like I had gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson and lost. It was still very sore from my fall and I had to be very careful not to push on it too hard as I finished up. I hoped I wouldn't have too many problems with it during rehearsal. It was time for me to go, so I grabbed the zippered pullover that matched my pants, a small towel, and bottle of water on my way out of the house. For the first time in a week, I wasn't in a rush. Driving to school took me about half as long as it did for me to walk and I arrived with plenty of time to spare. I was expecting to be the first one in the gym, but Tess had beaten me and was getting things set up. I should have known she'd be there. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle," I said as I walked in. She looked around with a puzzled look on her face then smiled when she realized it was just me, "hi Jules. You speak French now? Oh wow, that's gotta hurt." "I can speak very very little and yes, it hurts." "You going to be OK to practice?" "As long as I don't touch it, I should be fine." "Shall we get started then?" "I'm ready if you are. Where is everyone else?" "They'll be here shortly. It usually takes them a few minutes to get changed and all that. I'd say we have about fifteen minutes before they start trickling in." "Better that they not see me dance yet. I don't want to discourage them with how bad I am," I commented. "You can't be that bad." "Bet me." Tess spent the next half hour trying to whip me into some semblance of a dancer. She started me with the very basics and tried working up from there. I could manage the individual steps OK, but I couldn't keep them straight when we tried to put them together. I was good for about ten to twenty counts then I'd fall apart. I only got worse when everyone started to arrive. The more eyes that were on me the more nervous I got. "I tried to warn you that I was terrible," I told Tess after I screwed up for the nine thousandth time. "Relax, you aren't that bad. You're not that good either. You picked the steps up pretty well. It will just take practice to string everything together," she replied. "Do we have a hundred years until the first competition?" "No, so you better get your butt in gear," she grinned. Everyone had arrived, warmed up, and was ready to start. They then ran through the first sequence without me as I watched and tried to figure out what I was supposed to do. Seeing it in one continuous piece along with the music helped some. I wasn't nearly ready when Tess pushed me into my spot and started us over. I thought the other girls were going to kill me by the time we were finished. I messed up more times than I think I can count and pretty much wasted the entire session. I'm sure they were as tired of hearing Tess say, "back to one and start over," as I was. That was usually followed by her correcting another thing I had done wrong. Even though I did make it through the whole first sequence the last few times we ran through it, I felt completely useless. "Not too bad, Jules," Tess said to me after she turned everyone loose. "Yeah right, I'm hopeless," I grumped. "You did fine. Don't worry so much." "Everyone else makes it look so easy and graceful. I feel like the proverbial hippo on roller skates." "You're being way too hard on yourself. Trust me, none of us were graceful the first day either. Give yourself a little time before you start beating yourself up." I had turned around to pick up my stuff and didn't notice that Tess started spinning a rifle. When I turned back to face her, my cheek tried to take up the same space as the rifle did. I noticed it at the last second and tried to pull away, but I didn't quite make it. WHACK. Pain, tears, more pain, and more tears. A few minutes later, I found myself sitting on the floor holding an ice pack on my face and trying to figure out how evil I had to be to rack up this much bad karma.