Happenstance - Part One free porn video

Happenstance - Part One By: Light Clark Synopsis: To Reggie Fullerton, nothing was wrong with his life. Sure, he wasn't the most handsome of men, and it wasn't as if his job was going to make him rich, but that didn't mean he felt there was any need for a change. However, one doesn't always need intent for such things, just a little happenstance. Chapter 01 Ert! Ert! Ert! The blare of the alarm clock cut through the morning, ripping me from peaceful slumber and pleasant dreams. Once it had, it tossed me roughly into the real world. There, it dropped me in a tangled mess atop my bed, blankets and limbs going every which way. Only after that could my eyes, bleary from sleep, crack open and a despondent, weary groan slip free of my lips. "Damn it ..." I grumbled, little more than a rattle in the back of my throat. It turned quickly into a cough as something lodged there during sleep demanded to be hacked up wetly. As the next couple of moments passed in wheezing, I rolled onto my side to curl up and silently wish again and again that I could just go back to sleep. The insistent buzz of the alarm kept such thoughts from finding any hold in my head, though. No matter what I wished, today, I had to wake up. Letting out another groan, I finally propped myself up on one hand. The other lashed out to swat the clock on my nightstand, ending its infernal racket. The sudden quiet was nearly enough to send my eyes drifting closed by itself, but a shake of my head cleared that desire away, leaving me finally, truly, awake. "How do people do this every day?" I questioned the clock whose green, digital numbers indicated a time still before eight in the morning. I couldn't remember the last time that I'd woken so early. No, that wasn't true. The horror of that day, two months prior still lingered in my memories. It had been for a performance review. "At least I don't have one of those to deal with," I told myself, trying to find the one bright spot in the miserable morning. It didn't help. Aided or not, time was ticking by, so I had to actually get up. Out of my bed I slid, wincing from a few painful aches. Some stretching helped loosen all of that up, though, allowing me to get up to my feet. Only then did I grab the glasses that rested on my nightstand and settle them onto my nose. Instantly, the world snapped into focus, revealing my room. It wasn't much to look at, cast into darkness even well after sunrise by closed blinds and door. Even with light, it wasn't much, just the few basic necessities, closet, dresser, bed, and most important of all by far, my computer desk. "I'll return soon my sweet," I promised, patting the top of the expensive, and incredibly comfortable chair that sat by the desk. At the day's end, it would greet my bottom with its cushions, supporting me through the night. Truly, it was heaven on earth. Turning away from the computer area lest I be tempted to call in sick, I marched the other way. That brought me past the light switch, which I flipped on and over to the far less important side of my room. There, a closet and dresser waited, holding all of my clothes, such as they were, and that was much. Even pulling out some of the nicer items since I had to go in to work, I still ended up in a cheap t-shirt and jeans. So attired, I spun away, marching off to face the rest of the day. That took me out of my room, followed by a bathbreak, then off the kitchen where, I hoped, there was still some cereal left in the box. If I had to go to work without breakfast ... "Good morning," a voice greeted me as I entered the combination living room/kitchen of my apartment. It was said with that casual ease of a person that had not spent his life at war with the pre-noon hours of the day. No, this was spoken by one of the most obnoxious people in all the land - a morning person. This mockery of all that was good and right was none other than my roommate and best friend, George. He sat on one of the stools next to the kitchen counter, enjoying a bagel and some coffee. Unlike me, he looked ready to greet a bright and productive day, dressed in a crisp suit and tie with styled hair. As professional as the exterior was, it wasn't enough to hide the person underneath, a tall, big-boned, ex- country boy whose imposing stature sat at odds with his bafflingly cherubic face. "I reject your good morning," I spat as I trudged past the man into the kitchen. "There's nothing good about being awake at this dreadful hour." A smirk twisted my roommate's lips as he chuckled. "That's what my mother always used to say whenever she had to stay up past ten PM." "Well, your mother's as assbackwards as you are," I grumbled before tugging open a cabinet to grab the box of cereal waiting within. I knew as soon as I lifted it that it was far too light, but I checked inside all the same, only to find a few scant leftovers that wouldn't even make for half a serving. "Oh God ... not this ..." "There's no need to be so melodramatic," George remarked before gesturing toward the counter near the fridge. "I saw you were out, so I grabbed a box for you when I got my coffee and bagel. It's over there." All it took was a glance to see the bag sitting over where indicated, the cereal box eminently clear through the plastic. Still, I rushed over, practically ripping the object free before holding it up in front of me like some holy relic. "Never in all my life have I been more grateful than I am to you at this moment." "Yeah, yeah ... whatever ..." George muttered dismissively. "It's just a box of cereal. I didn't save your life or anything." "Oh, but you did," I replied, turning to my friend. "Without this box, there would be no way that I could muster the energy to go to work today. That would lead to me getting fired. Then, I would become a shut in that did nothing but play video games until I burned through all my money. After that, I would rely on you to support me until finally, you could take no more of my leeching and you murdered me in my sleep with a hatchet before burying my body out in the woods." "Or ... you could've just gotten something to eat on your way to work," my roommate countered simply. "You know, like any normal person would?" That suggestion had me twisting my face up in disgust as I made a hacking noise with my thought. "Uck! Standing in mile long lines all to get some cold greasy garbage. I could never do it. Not again. Not after ... the McMuffin incident." Exasperation washed over George as I pronounced those dreaded words. "Alright, I'll agree with you if you just promise to not tell the story again." "Of course, I won't tell the story!" I declared grandly before continuing much more quietly, "Something so heinous, so harrowing, so horrific ..." I paused to affect a dramatic shudder. "I never want to so much as think about it again as long as I live, much less tell the tale." My dramatic prose earned me no sympathy, just the sound of a smack as my roommates face planted into his hand. "This is why you bought the cereal," he muttered to himself. "You should've just left it at that, but no, you just had to open your mouth." "Aw, don't beat yourself up," I chided before I walked over to grab some milk from the fridge to go with my cereal. "Not even the most disciplined of men can resist the chance to speak with someone of my great charisma." Such a claim earned a half-stifled snort of a laugh from the other man. "Yes, that must be it." "Good, I'm glad you understand," I replied as I plopped down into the stool next to George, intentionally ignoring the obvious sarcasm. "And now it is time for breakfast!" "You enjoy that," my friend replied, rising even as I sat down. "I have to get to work early today." "Oh? Why's that?" I inquired in the midst of pouring out the proper amounts of milk and cereal. "Because unlike you, my job demands more of me than a trimonthly check in to prove I'm not dead," George answered. "There's a rush on some important documents, so I want to get in early and finish them before the start of business." Looking up from my food, I scrunched my face up at the news. "Again?" "Again," George confirmed simply, although, the words sounded more like a defeated sigh to me. Shaking my head, I turned back to the bowl in front of me, spooning a bite into my mouth before I responded. "Seriously, I don't know why you put up with that place working you like they do. It's supposed to be a forty hour week, not a sixty." "It's more like eighty, and unfortunately, that's what it takes to get ahead," my friend corrected. "Too many lawyers in the world, I guess." "Well, that's certainly true," I joked, smirking over at the other man. "Probably be best to get rid of the whole lot of them." "Think so, huh?" George questioned doubtfully. "Then who would keep this place from being covered in garbage and cook your dinner." "You, still," I answer glibly. "Just with no more lawyerin' allowed, I'd have to hire you on as a maid. I kinda like that idea, actually. Could make you call me master and bow and everything." Rolling his eyes, my friend turned to go. "Not a chance." "How about Goshujin-sama?!" I called after him mockingly. "You always did like those kinda characters! I could even get you a frilly little dress!" George kept going, yanking open the door to step outside. "Goodbye, Reggie!" he yelled back, the words full of exasperation. Right after they were finished, he slammed the door closed, putting a sharp end to the conversation. Chuckling, I turned back to my food. "Well, someone's grouchy." *********************************************** *********************************************** "Look at that!" a familiar male voice called out. "Do my eyes deceive me or is that Reginald Fullerton actually coming into work for once!" Use of my full name prompted a pained wince from me as I looked up at the speaker. True to the sound of the voice, I did recognize the man, though, largely from outside of work. He was a short, stocky fellow with too little concern for his neckbeard by the name of Andy. More frequently, their meetings came around a long table where the other man hid behind a screen while pronouncing the fate of my character. "You know damn well that it's Reggie, not Reginald!" I spat in annoyance as I moved over to my desk. "Sorry, sorry," my coworker apologized, although, there was a distinct lack of sincerity in his voice as he did. "I was just so surprised to see you actually here." "Well, you shouldn't be," I remarked before letting out a sigh. "Damn lawyers are making us all attend that stupid seminar." Andy smirked at my complaint. "Got something against sensitivity?" "When it's shoved down my throat, I do," I replied, voice full of frustration. "Almost makes me want to become some sort of -ist, just to spite 'em. Y'know?" "Down with the Man, and all that? I know how you feel," Andy summarized, nodding along in agreement. "Not enough to go around being a dick to someone for the color of their skin, though." My lips curled into a smirk at that remark. "That's why I said almost." "Almost what?" a new voice, female but still familiar, cut in. "Capable of going a whole session without putting the whole party in danger?" Smirk broadening into a full on grin, I turned toward the new speak. "No, I'm not even almost capable of that." That remark earned me an exasperated look from the newcomer, a woman by the name of Beth. She was a big girl, quite tall, although, far from as towering as George and carrying quite a bit more than a few extra pounds. Her hair was naturally blonde, but the last time I'd seen her, it was green, and this week, it was dyed a bright pink. "Well then, maybe, you should spend some time learning how to handle that instead of bitching about having to come into work once a quarter," the woman chastised as she walked over to her own desk, directly across the aisle from my own. "You see, this is what I'm talking about," I commented in an aside to Andy. "She says something like that, and all I want to do is the dumbest shit I can think of next time we play." "Except there's one difference between that and before," Andy noted. I raised an eyebrow at the claim. "Oh? What's that?" "You're not usually an -ist, but, for you, doing the dumbest shit you can think of when we play is just par for the course," Andy joked, lips twisting into an amused little grin. Far from insulted, I belted out a hearty laugh. "Too true!" "Unfortunately," Beth grumbled from off the side. "Speaking of playing," I segued as my mirth settled down. "When are we getting together again. It's been almost a month." Andy shrugged. "Waiting on Carl. He's still swamped with family stuff." "Damn Carl," I cursed in frustration. "What kind of self-respecting nerd goes and gets married and has kids?" "The kind that isn't destined to a lifetime of virginity, like you," Beth taunted scathingly. Completely unfazed, I just grinned at the insult. "Oh, is that so? Then why did you have a crush on me when we first met, hmm?" "I'm claiming temporary insanity," Beth retorted before shrugging. "Besides, I didn't know just how obnoxious you were back then. All I thought was that you were this cute, little twig of a boy that I could beat into submission." "Ah, so I was cute was I?" I asked, latching on to the only positive thing that the woman had said. As I did, I rubbed my chin, adopting a thoughtful expression. "I suppose I am rather adorable. Like a puppy with a lollipop." "And just as undisciplined and yappy," Beth added glibly. Shrugging off the continued assault on my character, I easily shifted gears. "Anyway, do either of you know where we're supposed to go for this thing?" "They should've given you a time in the email about it," Andy informed me, pointing off to the side of the office. "The biggest space we have is that big meeting room over there, so we all have to rotate through." "Ah," I acknowledged, glancing over that way passed all the desks and the stream of employees coming into work. "Now that you mention it, I seem to remember there being something about me having some stupidly early slot. Otherwise, I would've just come in late." "Which might've had something to do with you getting that slot," the other man pointed out. "That and the boss is still mad at you for that joke you pulled on him when it came time for progress reports," Beth noted. The reminder just got me chuckling without a hint of worry. "Ah, yes, you should've heard him, ranting and raging after that one." "Well, you're paying the price for it now, buddy," Andy told me. "Having to show up bright and early like this has to just be killing you." "Oh, it nearly did," I confirmed as if there had truly be some close call. "But it was still worth it. After all, after that, he's never asked for a single report or presentation from me." "No, he just makes me do them," Beth grouched before letting out a heavy sigh. "Even here at work, I still have to pay for your mistakes." A mischievous grin curled my lips. "That's the key to a life free of concern and regret, always make other people take the shits when you disturb 'em." *********************************************** *********************************************** The clatter of someone coming in the front door only barely registered in my mind through my focus on the game and the noise of its audio. When it did, the only response I gave was a simple hum of, "Mmm, that means dinner soon." After all, the only person it could be was George and I was hungry. As those words left my lips, they took all thought of the new arrival along with them. I just dove right back into the game, staring at the flashing light of my monitor in the otherwise dark and empty room. With a little focus and luck, I would finish up where I currently was just before dinner was ready. A knock on the door provided momentary preamble to George sticking his head into the room. "Hey, how'd work go?" "Fine," I mumbled distractedly, too focused on my current task to bother with my usual jokes. "No new hijinks with your boss or anything?" my roommate checked with concern. "Nope," I chirped, turning to grin up at the man. "But thanks for checking on me like some troublemaking kindergartener, Mom." "Don't you dare try to claim you're that mature," George retorted, playing along. Laughing heartily, I turned right back to the game, never missing a beat in that virtual world. "How was work for you? You're pretty late." "Busy as usual," George replied wearily. "But don't worry, I'll still have dinner ready in just a bit." "Good, because I'm starving," I complained, rubbing a hand on my belly. I regretted the action a moment later when I felt the pudgy little gut that had been accumulating there the last couple of years. I really should do something about that someday. Hard to act the rebellious youth when the bloat made me feel so utterly ... middle-aged. "Well then, I should probably get to it, so I don't have to listen to a bunch of your whining," George commented, turning to go to the kitchen. I was all set to just let my friend get to work when another thought popped into my head. "Oh! Wait!" "What? Got a request? Let me guess, lobster and filet mignon?" George postulated sarcastically. Making sure I was safe in game, I shook my head then spun my chair around. "Going into work had one upside. I ran into Andy. He says we're waiting on Carl for another session. Have you talked to the sadly married sot recently?" "Sot? Carl drinks less than just about all of us," my roommate pointed out. "Even after he married that witch?" I questioned dubiously. "I doubt it." George rolled his eyes at me. "Megan is not a witch." "Isn't she, though?" I insisted, scrunching my face up with doubt. "Whatever ..." George sighed in concession, shaking his head. "Yeah, I talked to him just like last week. He's still busy with the new house. Said he'd have us all over once they were settled in." "Ack ..." I huffed in disgust, little more than a hacking sound from the back of my throat. "I forgot he bought a house. What a nightmare that must be. Just keeping this place clean is such a chore." "And how would you know?!" my friend demanded indignantly. "When was the last time you cleaned up anything around here?" "That time you got drunk then dumped it all over the bathroom," I went to my tried and true answer whenever that question came up. In that moment, George's eyes rolled so hard that they made his whole head move with them. "That again?! That was years ago! I was still in law school, not to mention the fact that it was an entirely different apartment! Unconcerned with such trivialities, I waved hand dismissively. "Whatever ... not like it matters. I can still tell how much work it takes. That's why I was smart enough to room with someone that actually gets up off their butt and helps unlike Megan." "Yeah, the only helpless butt around here is yours," my friend quipped. That insult yanked a hearty laugh out of me. "Haha! Well played!" "It was, wasn't it?" George remarked with a smug little smirk curling up the corner of his lips and a dry chuckle rattling in his throat. The mirth didn't last long, though, before duty stole it away. "Anyway ... I should get that dinner started. Did you need anything else?" Smiling blithely, I shook my head. "Nope. See ya in a little bit." *********************************************** *********************************************** Chapter 02 "Ahh ... " I breathed out a delighted little sigh when the next morning greeted me. As I did, I rolled my head to the side to look at the clock whose numbers showed just a bit before midday. "This is when humans were meant to wake up." Rising, I raised my arms into a long languid stretch, like a cat coming out of a beautifully satisfying nap. My sleep had taken far too much time to be labeled as such, but it still felt like an apt comparison to me. Certainly, it took me several seconds of twisting and moaning before I finally let my hands fall, smacking my lips a little as I looked around the room. Even well into the day, my room was far from bright. Enough light leaked through the blinds, though, to see by. Not that I needed to see. My usual routine was so perfectly ingrained that even if I'd been struck blind by some strange happenstance, I could've performed it perfectly. Up and out of bed, it started. After that, it was off to the computer desk to flip the machine's power. That would make sure it was all booted up and warm by the time I was ready for it. Such a time was still a bit off, though, as I then walked right out of the room. A shower came next. Like the stretch that had started the day, my shower was long and luxurious. I may have skipped it the day before because of the God forsaken hour, but normally, they were a guilty pleasure of mine. I especially liked 'em hot with plenty of time to really soak. If I wasn't thoroughly pruned and followed by a cloud of steam by the time I left the bathroom, it just wasn't enough to satisfy me. It was in just such a manner that I finally left the washroom behind, my hair still wet enough to be dripping. I just swiped a hand back over it to shuck some of the accumulated water as well as serve as my only effort at styling. No sense in wasting any more time on it than that. Daily hygiene out of the way, I found myself a quick change of clothes, slightly rattier versions of the previous day's attire, grabbed my glasses, then plopped right down in front of my computer. That was where the day truly began. I had email to check, then the various site updates that weren't done in the middle of the night, like updates should be. After that, there would be all sorts of little daily activities to handle in various games for both George's accounts and my own. That lasted right up until my stomach decided that it would wait quietly for food no longer. "Time for a little energy boost," I mumbled, shoving myself out of my chair. Moment's later, I was in the kitchen, munching happily on a bowl of cereal. Whether the day was good or bad, there was no more satisfying meal to start it with. Satisfying as the meal was, it was over before too long. Once it was, the day turned into a blur as my job took focus. Computer programming wasn't exactly the kind of work that people thought of as intense, but as with any passion, it could be very consuming. It certainly was to me. Line after line was orchestrated in time to the fevered clack of keys on my keyboard, all piecing together to create some, new, little feature. Tomorrow, I'd likely build out another. Then, a third the day after that, and so on, and so on until it could all be plugged together with the other developers' work into the latest in the seemingly endless stream of projects that my company demanded. At least, I hoped that it was endless, because for all of my complaining the day before, I did love my job and wanted it to continue. While certainly attention-grabbing, the work wasn't so all-consuming as to just pass by without break. There were many of those, in fact, little escapes to reset before tackling more lines. One of the perks of working from home was just how fluid those breaks could be, and how entertaining. Games interwove almost seamlessly with work all the way through the afternoon, until to my surprise, as it often was, I heard the sound of the door heralding George's return once more. Snapping from the focus that had gripped me, I just blinked at my computer screen for a few moments, passing through a daze as my mind shifted gears. Then, I pushed myself back to stand up. A shake of my head fought off a slight dizziness that came with it, before I turned to walk out of my room. Slow as I was to get moving, I pulled open the door to walk out just as George blew by on his way to his room. The man tipped his chin up at me as he passed, mumbling a quick, "Hey." "Hey," I answered right back. "How was work?" "A mess," George huffed before vanishing into his room. That didn't stop him from continuing the conversation by yelling back to me through the doorway. "One of the paralegals lost some critical paperwork, then they dumped having to proof some junior attorney's contract on me, which had to be completely rewritten by the way, so I spent the whole day scrambling to fix all of that mess on top of my usual work." "Sounds hectic," I remarked lightly, smirking at the bustle of the man's day. Even on days I had to go into work, they were never nearly as overwhelmingly tangled and busy as his always seemed to be. Before his next response, my roommate burst back out of his room, bereft of coat, tie, and briefcase. "It was, and how was your day? Another lazy afternoon of peace and quiet with your computer?" "Yep, just the way I like it," I confirmed, sounding just a bit smug about my far less stressful job. "Oh, but I did get a few things done. I got you that new shoulder piece you were farming." A surprised but happy smile filled George's face. "Really? Thanks, man. That little shit just refused to drop it for me." "Well, I must've tricked it, because I got it first try," I told him, trying to flaunt the ease of my success a little. The other man's smile vanished into a weary sigh. "Of course, you did," he muttered before starting off back down the hall with a wag of his finger. "That game hates me I swear." Falling into step behind my friend, I shrugged. "So did the game before that, and the game before that, and the game bef-" "I get it!" George snapped in exasperation as he reached the kitchen. "I know I'm unlucky. You don't have to rub it in. The fact that I got stuck with you as a roommate is already a daily reminder." "Oh, is that how it is?" I questioned, adopting a mischievous grin. "Then, I should just delete that new shoulder piece and move out then? Friendship over?" Turning toward me, the other man tossed me a knowing smirk. "Like you'd be that easy to get rid of. I'd probably need a court order to rip you kicking and screaming out of your dark, little, hidey hole of a room." "Oh definitely," I promised, a hint of facetiousness creeping into my voice. "I'd be worse than a two-year-old whose Momma won't buy him the toy he wants - all screaming and tears as I flail about on the floor." "You'd actually do that, too," George remarked with a chuckle. "That's the scary part." I shrugged nonchalantly. "Gotta fight to keep your friends, G-Man." "Even when they're trying to escape from you, huh?" my roommate asked. "Especially then," I confirmed, affecting a creepily intense gaze. "Friendship is a bond not so easily broken." For a moment, those words just hung between us as if deadly serious. An instant later, George cracked first, chuckling as he shook his head. I, on the other hand, grinned like I had just won some great triumph. "Way you said that, it was like some dark curse had been pronounced upon me," George joked as he turned to pull open the fridge. "Maybe it was," I replied, raising an eyebrow flippantly. "What are we having for dinner anyway?" Back to me, the other man shrugged. "No idea. Anything sound good?" "You know what's really good?" I began leadingly. "If you say cereal, I'm dumping the box out in the trash," George warned. Headed off, I let out a little chuckle. "No, I was thinking pizza. We could order in and watch a movie or something." Sighing, George lifted his wrist to check his watch. "I'm not sure I have time tonight, man. I'm way behind after all the disasters today." "Aw, come on," I encouraged. "You're already saving time on not having to cook. At the very least, we can fire up the ol' console and go a few rounds while we wait." "Alright," my friend conceded, closing the door to the fridge as he turned toward me. "But you know me. I don't get into the ring without some fight money on the line." "Night of dishes per round?" I offered. A wicked grin curled George's lips. "Your on." *********************************************** *********************************************** The clicks and clacks of console controllers mingled with the crashes and thumps of the game audio as the two characters on the TV wailed at each other. It was a real slugfest, trading blow for blow down the line. There was no way to know which way it was going to go. "Hey, you been to the dentist lately?" George asked over the sounds of the game. "Uhm ... no," I answered absently, too focused on playing to really register the words. "Well, you should probably make an appointment," my friend continued nonchalantly, or at least, so it seemed. Right at the end of those words, his character swayed around one of mine's attacks just before lashing out with a powerful right hook. Without enough life to take it, my guy went flying as his wail of defeat echoed out in time to George shouting, "Because I think I just knocked out all your teeth!" Laughing helplessly at the perfectly timed smack talk, I slouched in defeat. "Damn ... two nights of dishes." "Want to make it three?" George asked while all puffed up with victory. "I'm good to go again." "Sure, I'll make it one!" I shot back, emphasizing the altered number as I jammed the rematch button. Unfortunately, that was the moment someone at the door rang. "Ooo, saved by the bell," my roommate taunted as he hopped up to go get the pizza. "Yeah, you were!" I yelled after him as I leaned back on the couch and tossed my controller to the side. As I waited, I thought back on the matches, chuckling at some of the highlights. It wasn't long before George came back with a big, steaming pizza box in hand. Smoothly, he slid it onto the table before leveling a hard look my way. "If you start before I get us plates and so much as a crumb or drop of grease hits the carpet, you're gonna get a lot more than two nights of dishes." "You worry too much," I answered dismissively. "I'll be fine." "Right ... because I just say things like that for no reason. There wasn't a huge red splotch in our old apartment because of you or anything," George muttered, holding his knowing look on me for a moment longer before he turned to walk back to the kitchen. "Want a drink?" "Yeah, soda," I called out while my focus lay on the pizza before me. Leaning forward, I took a long deep breath, enjoying the rich smell of the food. "Mmm ..." As delicious as that scent was, I did wait for George to come back and hand me a plate before I flipped open the box to dig in. While I served myself, the attorney popped open the two cans that he'd brought with him before settling them onto the coasters that waited on the table. He could be such a fussbucket about that sort of thing. "So, you gonna be swamped again at work tomorrow?" I asked after the first bite of fabulous, cheesy goodness was in my mouth. Shrugging, the other man bent forward to scoop up his own slice. "Who knows with that place. Why?" "I was just thinking about going to see a movie," I replied casually. "There's some new stuff out. I figured, you'd take a long lunch and we'd hit a matinee. Get the place all to ourselves while we feast on the most expensive junk food on earth." "Sounds great ..." George replied, but the words hung there like the sentence wasn't quite finished yet. "But ..." I continued for him, leading the way to the real answer. Sighing, my friend shook his. "There's just no way, Reggie. Even if I don't get swamped, which I probably will given the week I've been having, there's no way I can spare the business hours just to go hang out at some movie. Maybe this weekend or in the evening." That made it my turn to sigh as my eyes rolled about in disdain. "Then we'd have to deal with traffic and crowds and obnoxious teenagers flashing their phones all the way through the film. Better to just wait until we can watch it here." "Well, that works too," George replied without showing any real preference. "Otherwise, there's just no way, not for a couple weeks, at least, anyway. Right now's just too important." Frustrated by the refusal, I still nodded in understanding. "Yeah, yeah, I know ... gotta get ahead before you get written off or fired for some new kid." "Exactly," my roommate confirmed. "But hey, bright spot is, in a few years, I'll have some loser like me to do all the shitty tasks, and I'll get to slack off almost as much as you do." Chuckling, I nodded. "Yeah, but then you'll be too busy driving around in your Ferrari with your newly wed, supermodel wife at your side to bother spending any time hanging out with me." "Quite possibly," George admitted with a shrug. "Guess you'll just have to wait until work settles down for a bit." "I guess," I conceded, shaking my head. "Damn shame, though. Carl and his family. You and your career. Hell, Andy and Beth probably have shit, too. Nobody's got time for a little fun anymore." "Yeah ..." my friend mumbled, peering at me thoughtfully. "But unlike Carl, I don't plan to string it along for God knows how long. I'll make time soon. I promise." "Alright," I acknowledged, managing an eager smirk. "I'll remember that." George nodded seriously. "Good, 'cause I don't want you bitching about how you don't have any time when I'm finally free." *********************************************** *********************************************** "So, you'll never guess what happened to me today," George remarked as he leaned back into the corner of the couch after finishing off his last slice of pizza. "Oh?" I replied, raising one intrigued eyebrow. "Did they finally let you in on the truth that there's a secret lawyer cabal that rules the country from behind the scenes?" "Yeah, it's called congress," my friend joked. "But remember, it's a secret, so don't tell anyone about it or they'll kill us both." Laughing lightly, I waved the other man on. "Alright, so what actually happened." "I got asked out," George revealed without further fanfare or tease. This news had my eyes shooting wide as I sat up straight. "Really?!" I blurted before my eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Wait, it was a girl right? Not one of those bear-loving dudes like what happened to you back in college?" "You always bring that up," my roommate sigh. "I think you're jealous that gay guys like me." "Well, yeah," I admitted. "I mean, why don't they ever ask me out? Does my hetero-ness radiate out of me somehow? Am I just not cute enough to bother with? What is it?" "I don't know," the other man said, smirking as he gave a little shrug. "But, no, it was a girl this time. Pretty cute, too." "Ah, so that's why you don't have any time to hang out with me," I deduced with a knowing smirk curling my lips. "You've got a big date coming up." Smiling tightly, George shook his head. "No, I don't actually. She was really more your type, tall and kinda aggressive. I was actually thinking about if I should introduce you to her." "No point," I answered immediately. "If she's asking you out, there's no way she's gonna be into me." "Maybe, plus, she's a normie, and you're about as good with them as you are at breathing underwater," my friend remarked in agreement. I scrunched my face up in disgust. "Uck, normies. Definitely not worth the trouble then. She'd probably drag me to a karaoke bar or a hoedown or something." "A hoedown? Really?" George questioned incredulously. "Yeah, I don't know," I replied, shaking my head as I raised my shoulders in a helpless shrug. "It's not like I have any clue what normies do with their time." That answer pulled a chuckle from my friend. "But still, a hoedown? That's your guess?" "People hoedown!" I exclaimed defensively. "It's a thing!" Laughing all the harder, George nodded in concession. "Right, right, that's why there's a word for it." "Damn right," I huffed, ignoring the mocking mirth radiating from my roommate. Fortunately, the other man's good humor faded quickly, falling into a sigh. "Well, fun as this was, dinner's done, so I should get to work." "Alright, get to it then," I said, shooing him off. "Thanks to your bullying, I have some dishes to do anyway." "Is it really bullying when you're the one that pushed for it?" George questioned pointedly. "You know I'm better at that game." "Not forever," I warned, shaking my fist at the big guy. "One of these days, all that extra practice I'm putting in is gonna pay off and then ... oh then. Let's just say that there'll be a rueing." Rather than be threatened, the other man snorted out a snicker. "A rueing? That's how you phrased it? Not a reckoning?" "Yes, it is!" I doubled-down on my awkward word choice. "You will rue, damn it!" Back to full on laughing, George just nodded as he turned to walk back to his room. "Right, right ... I'll remember to rue it when this fictional day comes." "Good," I shot back as I scooped up the plates from the table. Then, almost like the switch of a light, the good times were over. George vanished into his room, door shut as he slaved away on whatever nonsense his work demanded from him. In the living room, I cleaned up everything from dinner then washed the dishes by hand and set them off to dry. "I guess I should get started on the second half of my day then," I mumbled, once the chore was done. A few moments later, I was plopping down in my computer ready to get back to work. After all, unlike my roommate, I'd only put in half a day so far. While I was quite good at my job, I wasn't twice as good as other people, so I had to finish up the rest. Compared to the afternoon, there were a few oddities about working in the evening. One was that, sometimes, there were activities that filled some of the time. A few times a week, George and I had guild stuff or we were playing around or there'd be a D&D session or whatever else. That made the hours and flow of it far from routine. There were also a lot more people which was sort of a mixed bag. I wasn't much for socializing, but there were things that couldn't be done without others. For all of the little differences, the evening wasn't really any more difficult than the afternoon. It passed in a similar blur of engagement, interrupted only by George going to bed, the official turn of the day, and then finally my own desire for sleep. Crawling under the covers, I drifted off to thoughts about what I should do with the next day. *********************************************** *********************************************** Chapter 03 A heavy sigh slid out of me as I slouched back in my chair. In front of me, the computer screen showed the editor and the lines of code that I had written so far that day. It was all neat and orderly, possessing a sort of elegance that was very satisfying. Unfortunately, the production of the next few pieces had not yet formed in my mind. My focus had slipped, demanding some sort of distraction while I regrouped. That would normally not be much of a problem, except for one little thing. "What to do?" I mumbled, twisting my lips uncertainly as I pondered that question's unusual difficulty. No immediate answer sprang to mind. None of my usual games felt like the right scratch for that moment's itch. I wanted something different, to get up and break the standard routine a little. "If only George had time for that movie," I mused, glancing over to where my phone rested atop my desk. While my best friend, my roommate was not my only friend. I could've tried to call someone else. A lot of the other developers worked from home like I did. One of them might enjoy a little deviation from the typical business day. I'd seen plenty of them just a couple of days ago, though, and I didn't really want the hassle of calling around to try and fish for someone who was free. There was always just the option of calling George regardless of whether or not he had the time to spare. A little badgering could probably get him to cave. It would be a little too selfish, though. "Go by myself?" I asked the air, not all that thrilled with the idea. Seeing a movie alone was probably even more pathetic than eating alone at a restaurant. Then again, it wasn't like I really cared what people thought of me. It might be fun just to see what it would be like. Suddenly intrigued by the idea of defying the norm, I leaned forward again, opening a browser to check movie times. There was a good array of options, but the theater in the mall was the nearest showing. I'd always liked that theater pretty well, plus, it was early enough that I'd be back before George even got home, much less made dinner. With that plan in mind, all there was left to do was waste the half hour or so that I had before I needed to leave for the movie. Trolling about some websites took care of that easily enough. Once that was done, I was up from my seat, down to my car, and off to the theater. In the middle of the afternoon, there was little in the way of traffic. The mall parking lot was mostly empty, too. The combination made for a very easy journey, ending in a stroll through the mall to where the theater waited. Only there did I finally come face to face with another human being. "Can I help you?" the man behind the counter greeted with such extreme apathy in his voice that it made it hard for me to believe that he'd managed the willpower to even speak the words. "Hey, one for the two-fifteen, please," I greeted as I fished out my wallet to pay. Whatever reaction I had been hoping to get when I announced my solitude, the counter worker didn't give it to me. There was just a slight nod to show that he'd heard, followed by an incredibly forced- sounding spiel about their rewards program. Once I refused, he just handed me my ticket, already torn, and sent me off with a vague wave and the words, "On the left." "Thanks," I replied brightly, amused by the way the chipper tone seemed to just crash ineffectually upon the other man like waves against an indomitable cliff. Once I was sure there would be no reaction, I turned to go find the right screen, mumbling, "Guess I'm not the only one that doesn't care." *********************************************** *********************************************** "Definitely should've just waited for George," I chastised myself inside of the empty bathroom as I washed my hands. Just a few minutes before, the movie had ended with a simple realization. While no one had cared that I was at the theater alone, I had ended up doing so. For whatever reason, it just wasn't as enjoyable as it could be. I supposed that it could have been the movie that was at fault, but I didn't think so. It had been entertaining , just ... not as much as it felt like it should've been. "Oh well," I mumbled, offering a shrug to my reflection in the mirror. "At least now I know better. Curiosity sated." Content with that outcome, I quickly dried my hands and left. As I did, my thoughts were already drifting back to my apartment and the work that waited for me there. An idea had come to me during the movie, and I was eager to get back and implement it. By the time I was done with that, George should be back from work, and we could laugh about my ill-advised outing. It was in the midst of formulating that plan that I stepped off the escalator that led down from the theater to the mall proper. Like usual, I turned to the left, intent on nothing but continuing on to the exit. I got only a handful of steps, just enough to get into the causeway that ran along the upper level shops. Then, from behind me I heard the sound of running footsteps. I started to turn, but I barely managed to glance back over my shoulder and realize there was a man coming at me before we collided. Both on the small side for guys, the hurried fellow and I bounced right off each other. The other man dropped right on his ass, but I managed to just stagger a few steps before catching myself. Once I had, I shook my head to clear the daze of the impact from it, and started to look up to check on the other guy. "Master!" I heard a girl's voice gasp, just before she burst into my view to fret over the man that had hit me. While the guy was pretty nondescript, looking much like a younger, leaner, and slightly taller version of myself, the girl was stunning. She had these big, almond eyes full of concern, rich, ink-black hair, and a dusky complexion and features that spoke of some sort of indian or middle eastern descent. Such a pretty face sat at complete odds with her attire, an oversized t-shirt with a videogame design on it, some baggy sweats, and flip flops. "I'm fine!" the man huffed in a manner that sounded rather rude, especially as he shoved the girl's efforts to help away. "Just give me a second to get up!" Obeying immediately, the girl backed away, leaving her ... wait ... had she called him master? Wondering if I hadn't been more rattled than I thought, I raised a hand to rub my head, trying to figure out how I could've misheard that. Nothing really sounded like master. "Whoa!" I yelped as the strange girl suddenly ducked in front of me to peer up into my eyes. Falling back a step, I clutched a hand to my chest and let out a heavy sigh. "Sorry ... I -" "What about him, Master?" the girl asked, glancing back toward the man she was with. "He's dressed like you, so he probably has similar interests. Maybe you could date him?" "Ugh! Give it a rest! We don't have time for that right now!" the man retorted angrily, finally getting back to his feet with a wince. Turning fully to face her 'master', the girl frowned. "Why? Is he not suitable for some reason?" "Argh!" the man growled in frustration. "Yes! He's a guy!" "Well, that's easy to fix, master," the girl replied optimistically just before she raised one hand to snap her fingers. The moment that followed was one of the most disorienting ones of my entire life. It started with a strange rush like I was some kind of cartoon character that had drunk far too much coffee and now had to dash off, leaving only a puff of dust in my wake. I never got the chance to do that as the newfound energy hardly had time to register in my thoughts before a massive wave of vertigo crashed into me. In perfect time, the whole world around me seem to lurch upward several inches. In the wake of that, my balance was completely destroyed, leaving me tipping toward one side. I tried to shift, to move a foot or twist my body, but nope. I was far to dizzy for that. Compensation quickly turned to overcompensation. A moment later, I plopped onto the ground barely catching myself with my hands. "See?!" I heard the girl chirp brightly through my daze. "Although, I suppose she's not exactly beautiful. Should I fix that?" "Yes! I mean no!" the man growled. "Just change her back to a guy!" Something about the words I was hearing triggered a sense of worry in me, but my thoughts just wouldn't focus on it. My brain cells were like fireflies, wobbling about inside my head, randomly blinking on and off without any clear pattern or direction. Slowly, they were starting to settle, but they were a long way from that yet. "But Master-" the girl started to whine. "Oh shit!" the guy exclaimed, cutting off his friend as he grabbed her wrist. "Run!" "But-" the girl tried to argue one last time, but after one awkward step of being dragged, she fell into step with her master as he fled toward the exit. In spite of how frazzled I felt in that moment, my mind managed to latch onto the fact that those two were leaving. Linked to that thought was another, namely, that I shouldn't let them. I wasn't just befuddled or out of sorts. They'd done something to me, I was sure of it. Blinking quickly, I tried to shake my head. The rattling didn't help my brain much, but it did give it something to focus on. On the edge of my vision, I saw something wiggling about with my movements. Another blink and I was focused on it, something brown, fluttery, and very close to my face. "Hair?" I mumbled, addled thoughts finally supplying something useful. In time with that guess, I reached up with a hand to confirm it. Sure enough, it was hair, the same medium brown as my own, in fact. That last little comment in my head proved to be the pebble that starts the avalanche. It clicked into a second thought about how I could feel the shifts and tugs when I toyed with the locks that were far too long to be mine. That bounced into a third about how that wasn't the only odd sensation that I felt. My clothes weren't sitting right. Actually, my body wasn't sitting right. My hips and butt were oddly situated and there was something on my chest and ... "Just change her back to a guy ..." I breathed, hearing a slightly higher voice than I was used to. I didn't have time to care about my speaking, though, as my gaze lurched down. Framed by my apparently now long hair was a body that definitely wasn't the one I was used to seeing. My clothes were bunched or stretched around various parts of my body, making it hard to get a clear view, but there were a few obvious things. One, my shirt had never tented out into twin bumps before, and two, there was definitely a lot more hip than there should've been From hair and head down to chest my hands dove, latching onto the most clear expression of what had happened. Sure enough, the bumps were not just an odd crease in the cloth of my shirt. There was flesh there, the squishy yielding kind that could really only be one thing - breasts. Not wanting to believe, I tried again, darting a hand even lower. It did not provide me with the answer I sought, though. There might have been more width to my hips, but the space between them lacked the presence that I had wanted to find. With that discovery, there was no doubt. I was a girl. There was just no other explanation for the body that I could feel was my own. The only question was how, and no amount of magic befuddlement could stop my mind from providing the only possible answer - the girl and her 'master'. Panic gripped me as all those realizations settled in, driving toward action. Quickly, I scrambled to my feet, fighting against the unfamiliar body that I now possessed. If I didn't, I would likely get very familiar with it, whether I wanted to or not. Urgency and drive were enough to get me up and spun around to face the door. There, a good ways off, I could still see the man and his gender-swapping cohort. That fact alone was an incredible relief, but I did not have time to relish. "Wait!" I cried out as I started after the two, waving my hands frantically. "You didn't change me back!" Neither yelling nor waving proved effective, though. The pair just continued to flee away from me. In fact, they were nearly to the doors that led out of the mall. There was no way of knowing where they'd go after that. I had to catch up. Unfortunately, as I started to move, I was paying too much attention to my quarry and too little to my own feet. I got only a handful of steps, not even up to full speed, before my situation got the better of me. An unfamiliar body and too large shoes combined to turn my effort to run into an ungainly stumble as I lost my balance. Luck may not have shined on me initially, but it did here, sparing me a painful and disastrous face-first collision with the tile floor. The random flailing of my arms for balance happened to catch the railing nearby, giving me something to latch onto to right myself. Even then, though, it took a few seconds to come to a stop, gather myself, and get ready to start again. When I did, I took it a bit more carefully, but that also meant more slowly. A quick jog was the best I could do, and even that was both difficult and very uncomfortable. The latter was made all the worse by one particular aspect of my new anatomy. While they hadn't seemed all that big, that didn't stop my new boobs from bouncing around, forcing me to clamp an arm over them while I ran. It was all just such a mess. Refusing to let such issues best me, I forced myself onward, chasing after the odd couple. I wastoo far behind, though, still several seconds from the doors by the time they slipped through. When that happened, I lost sight of them quickly enough, and the fear that came with that drove me to more reckless speed. However, it just wasn't enough. By the time I burst outside, there was no sign of my quarry. I couldn't even say which way they had gone. Panicked, I cast about, searching for some sign, some glimmer of movement. For a moment, there was nothing, then a shimmer of sunlight as a car moved. I turned toward it, prepared to dash off once more, but I only got a step, before my movement petered back to a stop. The vehicle in question was several rows away as well as several cars down the row. Worse, by the time I saw it, the thing was already pulled out and driving away. There was no way I could run it down, regardless of my gender. I couldn't even read the license plate from where I stood. "No ... wait ..." I mumbled, as if some quiet words could somehow deny reality. They couldn't, though. Nothing I did could. For several seconds, I just stared at the departing vehicle, watching until it finally turned out of sight. Even then, I held for another couple of moments. Throughout all that time, the car did not stop or turn around to drive back into view. It was just gone. It was strange, but moment to moment I went from complete disbelief to being overrun by a dread certainty. It rushed out from my stomach, taking over my whole self. Without even wanting it to do so, my gaze dropped, confirming that I remained just as the peculiar girl had left me, utterly female. *********************************************** *********************************************** "What am I going to do?" I asked myself the same question that I'd been asking myself the entire drive home. Even after all that time, I still didn't have an answer. The only difference was that I had just closed the front door of my apartment behind me. Sighing, I leaned back against the door, letting my head tip forward to look down at myself once more. Of course, that was hardly necessary. I could feel the difference without looking. It was very obvious, especially when I'd gotten in my car and been forced to readjust everything just so that I could drive home. "Should I have even come home?" I asked myself, not having an answer to that question either. Having lost the people that had changed me so, I hadn't been able to think of anything else to do. It was that or just stand there in the middle of the mall parking lot ... as a woman ... looking completely hysterical. What else was there? I had no leads but was trying to track down someone who, as far as I could tell, wielded actual magic. Magic wasn't even supposed to be real, damn it! Utterly bewildered, I shoved myself off the door and started trudging through the apartment. In my room, there was at least a bed that I could lay on. Maybe that would help somehow? Or maybe if I laid down, I would fall asleep, wake up, and realize this was all just some impossible dream? I could only hope ... With such desperate hopes all that I had to cling to, I trudged to my room, through the door, and right to my bed. There, I flopped face first onto the covers, only to hiss out a pain, "Ow," before rolling onto my side while rubbing at my chest. One of the stupid things had gotten pinched under me in what was, apparently, a bad way. "Unbelievable ..." I muttered, even as I rolled further, coming to rest on my back. For some time, I just stared up at the ceiling, that single word echoing in my head. After all, that was what this situation was - unbelievable. Yet there I was stuck within it. Push such pointless bafflement away, I focused on trying to put things into order. The top of that list was figuring out some way to change back. There had to be a way. Even if I couldn't find the girl that had done it, she couldn't be the only person with such power. Right? Rather than be reassuring, that thought made me feel worse. Logically, there had to be others, which made it all the more damning that me and everyone else in the world thought magic wasn't real. They had to be truly exceptional at hiding, and I was far from exceptional at tracking. The chances of me discovering another one were probably the same chances I had of running into the one I'd met that day - once in a lifetime. No, less than that, because most people don't meet them. I'd probably have a better chance of getting struck by lightning multiple times than finding another one of these people. There was a natural conclusion there that I didn't want to think about, so I quickly shook my head before the panic rising within me could take hold. I wasn't stuck like this. I wasn't! There was a solution. There had to be. I just had to think. Calming down, I took a few deep steadying breaths to clear my mind. Once that was done, I would be able to think. I would be able to figure out the answer. Then, everything would be fine. Click! Clack! The sounds of a key in a lock and the rattle of the front door knob. The budding calm that I'd been building within me vanished at that sound. It meant that George was home. "Oh no! What am I going to tell him?! That I fucking bumped into some magic girl at the mall?!" I exclaimed, bolting upright. Obviously, if I tried to tell my friend that, he'd think I was nuts. In fact, he'd probably think I was some lunatic trying to rob us. What was I going to do? What would happen if I got arrested? Could I run away? I'd have to dart past him and just book it. That didn't sound easy. Could I pretend to be someone else? Who? It wasn't like I had a girlfriend, and George knew all my friends. Those desperate plans ate up all of my time as George's footsteps drew ever closer. Running my fingers through my hair, tugging at the strands, I tried to figure out what I was going to do, but when the knock on my door came, I had nothing. The next moment, the door opened, and I stood face to face with my friend. *********************************************** *********************************************** Chapter 04 I couldn't say what reaction I expected from George. Probably, it would've been something absurd, like him screaming, "Burglar!" before trying to tackle me. That wasn't what he did, though. No, at first his eyes just widened slightly in surprise, then his brow furrowed in confusion as he glanced around the room and saw only me. "Uhm ... hey?" my friend began awkwardly, clearly not recognizing me. Why would he? I was a girl for Christ's sake. "H-Hey," I stuttered back, raising a hand slightly for a shy little wave. There was nothing else to be done. I was caught, stuck standing there as a woman with no way to escape from the situation. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met," my roommate apologized, stepping fully into the room to offer his hand to me. "I'm Reggie's roommate, George." At first, I started to reach toward the hand, ready to lie. It was clear that the other man believed I was just some friend of his roommate. I could play into that, make up a name, say that Reggie was out picking something up, and slip away without any trouble. There was a problem with that, though. What did I do once I was out? Never come home again? How would I even live out there like this, no ID, nothing to my name, no way to work. No, I needed help, and lying wasn't going to get me it. Only the truth would. "I promise it's clean, but we don't have to shake hands if you don't want," George joked, probably thinking I was just nervous. "No, uhm ... " I began awkwardly, trying to figure out how to possibly start explaining the situation. "This is going to sound weird, but can you promise to hear me out?" The previously amiable nature of my friend shifted into guarded uncertainty as his hand fell to his side. "Alright. I'm listening." "You see ... that is ... uhm ... well ..." I floundered about before finally just blurting, "I'm Reggie!" Again, I couldn't say what I expected, but George blinking a couple of times then going, "Hmm, same name. That is a little weird," was not it. "No, not that same name. The same person," I corrected, my hands shaking a little as I pointed a hand toward myself. "I'm Reggie Fullerton, your friend and roommate." A scowl creased the other man's face. "Did Reggie put you up to this?" "I am Reggie!" I insisted, voice rising shrilly in my desperation to be believed. The force behind that declaration rocked my roommate back on his heels a bit, but it wasn't enough to get him to believe in the impossible. Instead, he quickly shifted to a slightly amused look. "Oh come on. I know this is-" "No, just listen," I cut in, my words racing out of my mouth with manic speed. "Yesterday, we had pizza for dinner. You told me about how a girl asked you out and then I got stuck doing the dishes because I was down a couple rounds that night." "That-" George started to speak, but he didn't get far. Blabbering right on, I drowned the man out with, "The day before that, I had to go into work, but I would've been out of cereal if you hadn't gone out to buy a box for me that morning. The day before that-" "Enough!" my friend interjected, his mild amusement replaced by annoyance. I jumped slightly at the outburst, falling silent. "You two have clearly spent a lot of time on this, but I don't want to do the same. I have work to do, so if you could just tell me who you really are and where Reggie is that would be great." For a moment, all I could do was stand there as panic gripped my chest like the biting chill of ice. There wasn't even a shred of belief in George's eyes. He was certain it was a prank, because that's was the only thing that made sense. How was I supposed to convince him of nonsense? I don't know what caused it, but my roommate's glare softened after just a couple of seconds, turning to a look of doubt and unease. "Wait ... you're serious, aren't you?" "Y-Yes," I answered, my voice shaky. I even added a few quick nods to show how thoroughly sincere I was. "In college, I brought my girlfriend and one of her friends over once. The four of us got drunk and had fun," George began a story. "What did you tell me when we talked afterwards." "That it was my first time kissing a girl," I answered, remembering the event quite clearly as well as the embarrassing admission that alcohol and gratitude had drawn from me. For the second time that conversation, my friend took a moment to just blink twice. As he did, belief seemed to finally seep into his eyes, eyes that grew considerable wider after each shuttering. "But ... that's just not ..." "I know, but I am," I reiterated, relieved to finally be making some headway. A whole lot of other emotions roiled up at the same time, gushing out into words. "It happened just a little while ago, and it was all a big mess, and I don't want what I'm going to do, or even exactly what happened and-" "Calm down," George instructed, stepping forward to rest his hands on my shoulders. Right next to each other, I was suddenly struck by just how huge the other guy was. Of course, he'd always been a great deal bigger than me, a few inches over half a foot, but that gap had increased by another handful of inches, at least. It made a big difference as I craned my neck to look up at him, putting me into a sort of daze that went a long way to calming me down. Seeing me quiet and more rela