Liam To Lina II, The Summer free porn video

Liam to Lina II, The Summer It was the second last day of school before the summer break. Liam said hello to his sister Emily as he arrived home. Today it was her turn to cook. He knew their mother would not be home for about another hour so he went into his room and closed the door. Just a week before, 15 year old Liam had competed at his school's womanless pageant and finished a very close runner up. Liam and the winner, Kurt, had wowed the crowd and the judges with convincingly feminine presentations. As he had done every day for the past week, Liam privately lifted the prom dress he had worn for the pageant and held it up to his slim build in front of the mirror. The previous two months had secretly brought great joy to him. With Emily coaching him every night on deportment, posture, hair and makeup, all while wearing skirts and heels, he had pretended to be interested only in winning the contest. Actually, he was afraid to let his mother and sister know that he had wanted to embrace femininity for as long as he could remember. The last week he had gone back to his boring sweatpants and tucking his long, full hair under a ball cap. He'd never shown any interest in dressing well because dressing in boy's clothes had no appeal. Liam`s closet had become crowded with dresses and skirts. Although his father had passed away a few years ago, his mother was only too happy to support his contest entry. She welcomed the idea of getting Liam out of the house and involved in another school activity so she bought whatever she and Emily thought would help Liam prepare. On his desk sat the mall gift certificate he had won in the pageant. The organizers no doubt thought that the boys who were finalists would enjoy spending it in the electronic games or computer stores. Liam had not gone to use it yet because he really wanted to spend it in cosmetics. He put on the tiara he had won before making one last twirl holding the dress, then put them away and headed downstairs for dinner. After dinner Scarlett, Liam's mother, asked him for a private conversation. As they settled into either end of the sofa-bed in Scarlett's office/guest bedroom she noted, "You seem to be feeling down this last week, is something bothering you?" "No, just back to the same 'ol' same ol'" replied a slightly defensive Liam. While he enjoyed a close relationship with both his mother and sister he couldn't help being a somewhat defensive teenager, needing to assert some distance from a parent. "I'm wondering if going back to the same old life is getting you down. While you were practicing for the pageant you seemed to come alive. As you spent your evenings at home dressed as a girl and practicing what Emily taught you about behaving girly you were so enthusiastic you seemed positively effervescent. At the pageant you looked absolutely natural, confidently strutting across the stage in heels and handling that long gown like a pro. That night I could see you didn't want the experience to end, that's why I suggested we go out to celebrate after the show. Now, you've gone back to the boring, uninspired casual boy's clothes you wore before and your disposition seems as grey as your sweatpants." Liam sat there a little stunned. He was surprised his mother had so accurately read right through what he thought was an impenetrable facade of emotionlessness. "Liam am I right, putting Lina in the closet is why you're so glum?" Liam thought for a moment and decided there was no reason to not be frank; his mother clearly had a pretty good read on his feelings. "It just felt right. As long as I can remember I wanted to be like Emily, to do the things she could do but I was afraid you and especially Dad would think I had failed as a boy." "Liam, I love you for who you are, not for becoming something anyone expects you to. You're caring, responsible and sensitive to those around you. Your relentless curiosity will serve you well. I know your father felt the same." They both deeply missed Scarlett's late husband, yet had grown even closer now that there were only three left in the family. "So, we've established that you have a feminine side. It's also obvious that you're depressed if you feel you need to hide that part of your personality. Let's talk about how you could let that side out comfortably. You clearly enjoyed preparing for the pageant and participating in it. There won't be another one until next year, is entering it again enough?" Liam considered that. "It means I can't be feminine except at home until next year. Plus, no one has ever entered the school pageant twice. Everyone just teats it like a lark, a one-time thing. People would think I'm weird for doing it again." "OK, I hear that freeing your feminine side once a year would not suffice, I thought not. You're also concerned about possible social pushback from being seen as a boy that likes being girly. There are plenty of people who do not accept that. I remember when we were helping you prepare for the pageant you went out in public a few times dressed as Lina. You looked so natural that Lina was accepted by the public. Would you like to explore being Lina in a safer environment?" Liam replied "I would love to be Lina every day, but what would my friends say?" "When Lina went out prior to the pageant, we made a point of going to the far side of town where you would be very unlikely to meet anyone you knew. I have an idea, would you like to explore what life as Lina would be like?" Liam nodded vigorously. "Then give me a day or two to make some calls. I'm suggesting you spend this entire summer as Lina, but away from here so none of your friends know. If you decide that is what you want then you could announce a transition when you go back to school this fall. If being Lina full time does not make you happy you can go back to being Liam when school starts." "Thanks Mom, you're the best!" Liam hugged Scarlett. He was overwhelmed by relief and gratitude for his mother's understanding and unconditional love. Scarlett gave her younger sister a call. Helen owned a Le Castillo clothing franchise outlet and had lived alone since her divorce. The store had been very handy in helping Liam practice for the pageant. It focused on trendy clothes for teens and young women so most of Lina's practice wardrobe had come from there. "Hi Sis, how's things?" Scarlett took a few minutes to explain that Liam needed an opportunity to explore life as Lina. Since Helen lived on the opposite side of their large city, she asked if Helen would be willing to board him for the summer, and take a role in guiding the emergence of Lina. "Certainly, I'd love to help. Lina will need to have a life outside of the home too. Since Liam is 15, he, or I guess she, is eligible to work in the restaurant industry. I have a friend that owns the Dolce Vita restaurant. He is always struggling to get enough staff over the summer. Perhaps if Lina worked there, getting out and meeting the public would help Liam decide if life as Lina feels right." "That's a great idea Helen, thank you so much! Making a full time commitment to being Lina is just what's needed for Liam to come to terms with where he wants his life to go." Liam was ecstatic about the suggestion of spending the summer as Lina. He admitted he liked the idea of being in a location where no one knew him as it held off the somewhat scary prospect of transitioning with people he knew. When he got home after the last day of school he sat down with his sister Emily. "Mom told me you are going to spend the summer at Aunt Helen's." Liam enthusiastically replied "Isn't it great! I get to be Lina for the whole summer! Aunty said she is even going to help me get a summer job." "Is this what you really want? When I asked you to enter the pageant you initially seemed so reluctant. After we got started you seemed to be more enthusiastic and made a lot of effort to practice your deportment which certainly paid off at the contest. Liam, is it because of me that you want to be someone else?" Emily was worried that by pushing Liam to enter the pageant she had upset the balance in his life. "Emily relax, you did not make me into something I'm not. You helped me to find the person I always wanted to be. Last year I envied the guys who entered the pageant, at least the ones that tried to look good. I so wanted to be one of them, to have the chance to express my femininity. My only reluctance to enter the contest was that I was ashamed of letting you and Mom see how badly I wanted it. Now I get to spend the whole summer living as Lina! Emily, I think I want to be Lina forever." Emily was surprised by that revelation. "Wow, I had no idea you felt that way. So, you're not mad at me for pushing you into something that seems to have taken on a life of its own?" "Emily thank you thank you thank you so much for helping me to find the courage to do this. Lina has existed inside me forever but I kept her buried under a grumpy boy exterior. With your coaching I realised that I could be a natural looking girl. Mom wants me to be sure but I know that after this summer I'll want to make an announcement that Liam is gone and Lina is here to stay. She promised to help me introduce Lina at school and even to make an appointment with a transition doctor if it is still what I want in the fall." "Well, if that's what you want, how can I help?" asked Emily. "Please help me learn what a girl would know by my age. I feel so uncertain about how to do makeup for different occasions, or what gestures or mannerisms are appropriate. In trying to be a typical boy I feel I've missed out on so much that you already know. I so badly want to be Lina but I'm afraid of having people see me as a boy in a dress. I really want people to look at Lina and just see a typical teenage girl." Emily felt her eyes tearing up a little as she responded "I love you Liam. You've always been a sensitive and caring little brother. I guess once I get used to calling you Lina you could be a great little sister!" Liam hugged Emily, "Thanks Emily. You can't imagine how grateful I am for your help in unlocking Lina!" "OK, let's quickly get you changed into Lina then we'll have just enough time to make dinner before Mom gets home." No further prompting was needed. Emily grabbed Liam by the hand and dragged him to her closet. "For a quiet night at home, you need something casual instead of the formal heels and dresses we bought for you to use practicing for the pageant." She flipped through a few hangers and selected a pretty peach colored romper that was off the shoulder and had white dots all over. "Here, go put this on with your white sneakers. Those look totally unisex anyway." "Um, Emily, those sneakers of mine are girl's shoes. Since I inherited Mom's skinny bone structure men's shoes don't fit my super narrow feet. Mom has been helping me find girl's shoes that look unisex for a while now." "Well OK then, that's a one less thing we need to convert to make your wardrobe suitable for Lina. Take this elastic and pull your hair into a high ponytail then come help me with dinner." When Scarlett walked in she was not too surprised to see both kids working on dinner. She said hello to anyone and no one in particular as she walked past to get changed from her office attire into something more comfortable. Emily was stirring something on the stove and Liam was setting the table. Scarlett stopped short when she saw that Liam was wearing a romper and a ponytail. "Oh, hi Lina" she said and continued on to her bedroom. Scarlett had thought of her youngest child as a boy for 15 years. If becoming Lina is what made him happy she would support it but she thought may take a bit of getting used to. Lina looked up, a little surprised, and then beamed at hearing the feminine name from her mother. The next morning Scarlett wore a casual blue summer dress with white stripes, brown flat thong sandals and a woven hat with a wide brim. Lina had spent the last evening with Emily helping to provide a mani-petty that included painting Lina's toenails and fingernails a soft pink. For the day's outing they had planned Emily helped Lina select a simple pink miniskirt, a plain white tee-shirt and had loaned her a pair of flat grey slides and a small black purse with a long shoulder strap. Emily had done Lina's makeup as she had the whole time they practiced for the pageant. "You'll have to learn to do this yourself now." She commented. The cosmetics store in the mall by Auntie's house gives free lessons to their club members. We'll get you signed up today." After a quick breakfast they loaded a large suitcase into the car that contained all of the clothes, shoes and makeup they had bought for Lina while she was practicing for the pageant. The next stop was a mall on the far side of the city. Since all of Lina's shoes had been heels, which she needed to practice walking in for the pageant, they stopped at a shoe store and selected a few pairs of flats and casual low heels. Next they went to a few clothing stores and picked out some casual summer outfits. Finally a trip to a drugstore was made to stock up on feminine scented toiletries and a few hair accessories that would be needed for casual looks. Scarlett asked, "Lina, would you like to get your ears pierced?" "Yes please, and can I get my septum done too?" asked an enthusiastic Lina. Scarlett had anticipated the possibility of more daring piercing requests. As long Lina chose something that could be removed and leave minimal scaring she was OK with it. "OK, note that you will have to leave the first set of studs in place for about six weeks before you can change them. I checked ahead and there is a piercing shop not far from here with a good safety rating and good customer reviews." A beaming Lina walked out of the piercing shop sporting three new piercings. At her mother's insistence, she had selected a very small horseshoe shaped jewelry for the septum piercing. Since she was planning on working over the summer it needed to be something that could be flipped up and hidden in case the employer did not accept piercings. The three ladies piled out of the car in front of Helen's condo. "Well hello, come on in," Helen greeted them. "Lina, look at you, your gorgeous!" She showed Lina the guest bedroom she would be using for the summer. Helen had never had children and since her divorce last year she had buried herself in the work of running the store. She was quite looking forward to having someone to talk to at home with her nephew, or niece as it may be, in the house. As they sat down to dinner Helen noted "I have arranged an interview for Lina tomorrow afternoon with my friend that owns the nearby Dolce Vita restaurant. He has a position for a hostess. It doesn't get the tips that a table server does but the servers all start in another position. If you perform well then you get a chance as a server the next season." Lina was nervous about performing in front of the general public but looked forward to the opportunity to earn some cash of her own. After dinner Lina and Emily were asked to clean up the kitchen while Scarlett and Helen went into another room for a private conversation. "Helen I really appreciate you helping us out this way." "It's no trouble. Lina really does look natural, I have no concern about her fitting in." Scarlett added one caution, "Please be supportive but not too encouraging to Lina. This summer is meant for Liam to explore what life as Lina would be like so he can make a decision before school starts. If Lina is his choice then he will have to come out to everyone he knows. I just don't want him to get hurt by taking that step if later decides to go back being Liam." "I understand. I'll make sure that he gets a chance to explore life as a girl in a safe environment." "Thank you so much," Scarlett said as she hugged her younger sister. The next day Helen took Lina to meet Carl, the owner of Dolce Vita. Helen had coached Lina on how to make a good impression. Lina was wearing the same casual yet trendy outfit she had worn for prom dress shopping; a short rust colored skit, black close fitting knit top, black leather jacket and black ankle boots with a moderately high chunky heel. Carl greeted the teen warmly "Hello Lina, Helen tells me you are looking for your first summer job. Come into my office and tell me about what you have done that required interacting with the public." Helen took a seat in the lounge as Lina went into the interview with Carl. Liam had been heavily involved in the school music program so Lina went on to speak of volunteering to take tickets at school concerts and plays, about performing and even discussed her recent experience as a beauty contestant. She didn't elaborate on the part about it being a womanless beauty contest. Carl liked the enthusiasm Lina conveyed and heard about enough experience with people to be satisfied. "I'll tell you about the work and the dress code. Our hostesses typically work four to six hour shifts. You'll start with a short shift as you job will be to back up the main hostess over the busiest time. You need to greet the guests warmly, make them feel welcome and to help the servers when they need a hand. Typically that means helping to carry out the plates when a table's meals are ready or by bussing an empty table and resetting it for the next round. Of course, the main function of a hostess is to take calls and make reservations and to seat people as they come in. You'll learn how to keep track of when people will likely be done so you know when the next table will be available. It's a lot to handle at a fast pace but if you learn from those who have been here a while you'll pick it up quickly. As for the dress code, waitresses and hostesses wear skirts above the knee, around fingertip length is best. A close fitting top, not too low cut, without a jacket and at least three pieces of jewelry one of which must be a statement piece, it helps provide a conversation starter. Shoes or ankle boots must be clean and scuff free. Heels are to be minimum 1 ?" high but I recommend going for about a 3" heel. What you're wearing now looks great, just without the jacket and I'd add a statement necklace or possibly an oversized watch. Makeup should be slightly bold, attractive yet classy. Think of an 'evening out' look that your mother would approve of. No facial piercings other than the typical ear lobes and no visible tattoos. The dress code is intended to be trendy and attractive to our typical family customers, yet subtle enough to not be off- putting." Lina was a little taken aback by the dress requirements and unsure what to think. She simply said, "OK, um, when can I start?" "Can you start on Monday at 5? That will give you a chance to work a couple of shifts on the slower weeknights before you get to a big rush on the weekend. Be here an hour early on the first day so we can give you a tour." After they left the restaurant, Lina told Helen about the dress code. Helen was unsurprised; she had secretly thought that a restaurant job would be a good introduction to life as a girl precisely because of requirements like that. "You have several pieces that are appropriate, let's stop at my shop and get you a couple more so you have a change. If you'll be working there three or four days a week you should have that many different outfits. Your mom provided a clothing budget since we knew you would need to expand your wardrobe at some point." While they were picking out a few pieces, Lina commented to her aunt, "I thought I would be getting more hours. Carl said I could expect three or four shifts a week of 4 or 6 hours each. I had hoped to save up to buy a car when I turn 16 this winter. A couple of months working only half time won't be enough." "Would you like to work part time at my store too? I have the same issue as Carl, my regular staff is likely to take their vacation time over the summer and I need extra help to fill in. At El Castillo I need people who can dress in the latest fashions and help customers coordinate their outfits. Emily told me it was you who picked out the prom gown you wore for the pageant. Is your color matching skill and knowledge of teen girls fashion up to the task?" Lina thought that under the circumstances she could safely reveal a little secret, "I've been reading teen fashion magazines online for years," she admitted. "Well then, let's have you start stocking shelves and handling the till. Once you learn the layout of the store you can start helping customers. I can provide you with about the same number of hours a week as the restaurant. Oh, and since my business is focused on trendy teen girls, you can let your nose piercing show." "Thanks Aunty, you'll see I'll make you proud." That evening, Lina went to the cosmetics store for a lesson. Tonight's topic was 'the smoky eye'. She walked out feeling great but thinking that this look might be just a bit much for the restaurant. She was a little nervous, being out alone in public. Lina had never been out in public before without the support of a family member. She was concerned that someone might recognize that this was not actually a girl but did not notice any negative reactions. She stopped in an accessories store and spent time looking around. After selecting a couple of large necklaces and a watch with a large face she discovered how hard it can be to find a wallet at the bottom of a purse. On Monday Lina caught the bus for a short ride over to the restaurant. She did not want to take a long walk in heels if she had to work a shift on her feet. She was confident that Carl would approve of her outfit. It started with a close fitting black dress which had a modest neck and long sleeves, the hem ending at mid thigh. Below that she had black tights and her black ankle boots. Lina had measured the chunky heel and they were exactly 3". "Hello Lina, you look good" Carl welcomed her. "Be sure to add more jewelry for next time. The long sleeve dress is OK but sleeveless would be better." Again, Lina was surprised with the frank critique of what she was wearing from her new boss. After a tour of the restaurant, including the kitchen, back storerooms and break room, Lina was introduced to Abby, the main hostess for the evening. Abby was in her second year of college so was a few years older. There were very few customers in the restaurant as it was late afternoon and the dinner rush was an hour away. Abby set about explaining how the tables were numbered, the sections defined and how they tracked when customers arrived. They needed to keep the sections evenly filled so the servers were not overloaded nor lacking for work. They would get upset with the hostesses if they perceived an unequal opportunity for tips. It seemed like a lot to keep track of but Lina paid close attention, wanting to make a good impression with the boss and her new colleagues. Once guests started arriving Lina was kept busy arranging tables for large parties, carrying out meals and at Abby's direction seating parties that came in. She had at first thought that the restaurant looked to be not too big, but after a couple of hours of walking it end to end found that doing so in heels was quite tiring. There were no bussers on staff so Lina cleared all of the tables. Abby explained "Bussers only work weekends; the Hostesses do it all on weeknights." By the third hour, Lina found such pain in the balls of her feet that she was walking slightly ungracefully. She also felt that something was wrong with her right pinky toe but was too busy to stop and take a look. "I thought that Mondays were supposed to be slower" Lina said to Abby. "They are slower but the staff level is cut back so were just as busy," replied Abby. "You look like your limping a little, are those new shoes?" "I've worn them a couple of times before but never when working on my feet for hours," Abby advised, "assuming they're a good fit be sure to add gel cushions. When I started I had blisters for the first few days until I built up calluses on the rub points. Now when I need a new pair of shoes for work I wear them at home for a week to break them in before doing a shift in them." Lina appreciated the tips. At the end of the shift, Lina thanked Abby for the help in learning ropes and caught the bus back to Aunt Helen's. Her cheeks hurt from smiling all night. As she hobbled into the house and pulled off her boots Helen asked, "My goodness what's wrong? You look like you're in pain!" Lina explained that her feet hurt from so much walking in heels. "Be sure to wear a comfortable pair of sneakers to and from work Lina. That will save some wear and tear on your feet as well as helping to keep your shoes clean and scuff free if you only wear them inside. Tomorrow, for your first shift at the clothing store, you can wear trendy flats which will give your feet a day to recover before you're back in heels at the restaurant." "Thanks Aunty," Lina replied. She had not expected a dress code to be so painful. On Tuesday Lina worked a day shift at the clothing store. Aunt Helen helped her choose an outfit consisting of tight fitting blue jeggings, a long loose white shirt with a long burgundy sweater over it. Aunty showed Lina how to tie her hair into a cute bun that would keep it out of her face while working. A new pair of purple sneakers would give her feet a rest to and from work at least. Helen explained, "Sneakers are a little too casual for meeting customers but you can wear those new lace- up gladiator flats in the store." Lina spent the afternoon organizing shelves, restocking clothes left behind in the change room and learning how to ring purchases through the till. Most of the customers were teen girls and Lina was enjoying chatting about clothes with them. Later in the day Lina was picking up dresses from the change room when a girl stepped out and examined the green dress she was trying in the long mirror. "What color shoes would work with this?" she asked. Lina thought the girl was speaking to her; she did not see Helen standing at the end of the row of stalls. "Black or white are a safe choice with almost any color. It's difficult to get an exact match for a color like that. If you want to mix it up the safest option for accessories would be to go with the nearest colors on the color wheel, not green but a complimentary blue or yellow. If you want to be a little more daring you could go with the contrasting color on the opposite side of the wheel, in this case a pale pink would pop out without clashing." Lina showed the customer a pair of pumps they had that were a gorgeous contrast to the medium green of the dress. At home that evening Lina was wearing her comfy sneakers and helping Helen prepare dinner. "Lina you did great today. You had terrific insight into how to accessorize the dress that girl wanted. How did you learn that when all I ever saw you wear was jeans or plain old sweats?" "I like reading fashion magazines and I learned about the color wheel and how to use it in art class. I just never applied it to what I wear because boy clothes are not interesting to me. It was fun today to talk about clothes and help put together outfits." "Well it seems we've unlocked a hidden talent. I'm glad to have you in the store, at least for the summer." That evening, Emily came by and the sisters went out to the coffee shop at the end of the mall. "So, tell me how it's going!" Emily was anxious to hear how her brother was getting along with the 'life as a girl' experiment. "Well, everyone seems to accept me as a girl. I was worried about someone asking what I was, but there have been no negative comments. In fact, there was a man at the restaurant with his family that seemed to almost be coming on to me. As I seated them I smiled and was just being friendly, after all it's my job to make the customers feel welcome. He was very friendly and wanted to chat on and on. I finally had to make an excuse to leave their table and get back to work, there were other people in line at the door." "Well it's great to hear you're being accepted as a girl. Most guys are fine to deal with. Sometimes you meet someone who doesn't read cues and doesn't know when to stop. At work you could usually make an excuse about being needed elsewhere. If the flirtation starts to feel dangerous be sure to call in help from a co-worker." "Thanks Emily. I had a blast shopping for my new clothes. And working at Auntie's clothing store is sort of like that because I can help the customers put together outfits." "Well, that's the fun part of being a girl. What has struck you as different from life as a boy?" Lina pondered this for a moment "it takes a lot longer to get ready to go out." Emily laughed, "that's only partly because it's more work for a girl to get ready. Even as a boy you put in less effort at dressing than most!" "You may be right. I feel great looking like this but I'll need to get used to the extra time it takes." For her next shift at the restaurant, Lina chose a classy outfit she was sure would fit in well. It started with a knee length black dress with see through long sleeves. She chose black pumps and wore her hair down. When Carl, the manager saw her he commented "That dress is too long. Wear something shorter next time or I'll have to send you home to change. You did well with the customers last time, you made them feel welcome." Lina appreciated the comment about her work but was taken aback by the negative reaction to what she thought was a tasteful outfit. Later when the rush was slowing a little she told Abby about what Carl had said. "He wants us to walk a very fine line; we need to be sexy but not sleazy. Your dress looks great but it's just not quite the subtle-hottie look he wants to see." Lina was taken aback. "He wants us to be hotties?" "Of course. This is a family restaurant right? Did you notice that even in the 21st century it's the man that pays the tab most of the time? Carl wants the front line staff here to be attractive to the ones who pull out the wallet. At the same time we can't slip over into sleazy or it could turn off the others in the party. Notice that the busboys are all boys? Also that only a couple of the table severs are guys, and their super handsome. The staff that interacts with the customers has to be good looking and preferably girls. He would have offered you a kitchen job if you weren't pretty." Lina was surprised by a couple of revelations; that the restaurant industry was so focused on looks and that people thought she was pretty. Having lived as girl for only a week she still felt a little like a boy in a costume, hoping no one would see through the disguise. A few weeks later, Scarlett drove across town to meet Helen for dinner at the Dolce Vita restaurant, where Lina was working. Lina was surprised to see them, but seated the pair and quickly went back to work. The ladies chatted for a while, catching up on their busy careers. Both kept a close eye on Lina. Helen commented, "She looks totally natural as a Hostess. She's friendly to the customers, makes them feel welcome. I can see she's paying attention to the job. Carl told me that he's pleased. He'd like to have her back next summer." Scarlett replied, "I'm glad he's doing well. I thought he would have initiative but a parent is always worried. Like any typical teen I have to badger him, I mean her, to clean up her room. It really is hard to get used to using the feminine pronoun for Liam. He's been my son for 15 years and my daughter for a few weeks. I was a little worried he wouldn't put in effort at work but it looks like that might have been just a bad reaction to 'the Mom' giving orders. How is Lina doing at your store?" "She's great there too. I was satisfied that Liam looked good so I had no worries about him being in the store. I assumed that Lina would have no experience with fashion or color and was uncertain about how she would interact with customers. I thought I'd play it safe and had her starting with stocking shelves and cleaning up. She not only did that well but just jumped in whenever a customer needed something. Her fashion sense is great and she is a natural with people there too." As the ladies talked they observed Lina noticing that an order was up. Without prompting Lina grabbed a couple of plates and helped the server deliver them to the table. Helen continued, "You know, I can't help but think that Liam was hiding in a shell. Becoming Lina seems to have opened up an entire side of personality that I had not seen before. Lina looks right. Have you thought about what happens if Liam decides to keep living as Lina?" "Yes, I have thought about that. I could see that enthusiasm bubbling out as he started practicing for the pageant Emily asked him to enter. These last few weeks, as he has lived as Lina full time, I can see that he seems to be very comfortable this way. I'm not going to pressure him one way or the other, the decision must be his. I have done some research and have a plan in case he wants to remain as Lina when school starts. I'm worried about the transition being difficult. If that is what he decides, I'll work with his school Principle and our Doctor to make the transition as smooth as possible." Helen noted, "Liam is lucky to have someone so understanding as a parent. Many trans kids don't have it so lucky." "And thank you so much Helen for helping him this summer. He needs this relatively safe space to explore and come to a decision. I really can't thank you enough." One day when Lina did not have a shift at the store or the restaurant, she put on her rust colored miniskirt with a white tube top and a white pair of chunky heeled sandals. She set out on a trip to the mall. Enjoying the feel of her long hair brushing over her bare shoulders, Lina thought about how natural this felt. She shopped in clothing stores feeling like any teen girl. She had become so comfortable living as Lina that people she met reacted to that confidence and saw only an attractive young lady. Walking purposefully toward a makeup a store carrying a bag with new shoes and her purse slung confidently over the other elbow, Lina was surprised to hear a familiar voice. "Liam, is that you?" Lina stopped short and turned toward the voice. She looked straight into the eyes of Kurt, her friend from high school. Kurt had narrowly beat Lina for the crown at last spring's womanless pageant at their school. With a trembling voice Lina answered, "Hi Kurt, yes it's me." Suddenly her bare shoulders and legs felt very exposed. Afraid of how her friend would react to seeing Liam dressing as a girl in public, Lina looked down at her turquoise toenails poking out from the white shoes and wanted to run away. Now she felt vulnerable wearing those chunky heels and thought she couldn't outrun her grandma in them. "Why are you dressed as a girl?!?" exclaimed Kurt. "Well, I'm spending the summer living as Lina," she explained. "Oh." Kurt paused, letting that revelation sink in. "You look great. If I hadn't seen you dressed as a girl at the womanless pageant I never would have recognized you." The two looked at each other, not sure where to go next. Getting over the initial shock, Kurt became curious. "Hey, I haven?t seen you in over a month and now I see you've made some big changes. Have you got some time? I'd love to grab a latte with you and hear about your summer!" Lina could see that Kurt seemed genuinely interested and his tone was completely non-threatening. That helped her relax a little. She accepted the offer. The two teens settled into a booth in a quiet corner of the coffee shop. Kurt started, "The last time I saw you was at the womanless pageant we entered. I remember you looked great and I was surprised that the judges picked me as the winner." Lina was relaxing a little, "I had a great time that night. You looked fantastic as Katie, compared to most of the contestants who did not take it seriously; you must have put a lot of effort into that persona. What was it that interested you in a project like that?" "Well, you know how much I enjoy the performing arts. I've been acting in every school play since elementary school and I want to make a career as an actor. When I saw the call for entrants in the womanless pageant I thought it would be a great challenge. For the pageant I would play the role of a girl in a pageant but adlibbing the entire role, live on stage. My Mom agreed to be my coach. I hang out at my parent's dance studio all the time anyway, so I used that time to 'train' in my role. To be a great ballroom dancer, my dad always said you have to be great at both parts so I've been practicing the gentleman's and the ladies' roles for years. In preparing for the pageant, I went to the studio three or four times a week dressed as Katie and practiced dancing in heels. You wouldn't believe what a great way that is to improve your balance and leg strength. Mom and Dad are always asking me to fill in as a partner whenever one of their classes has an uneven number of men and women. I just kept doing that as Katie. No one at the studio ever guessed I wasn't a girl. I also searched for regular girl beauty pageants online and rehearsed the answers to questions. I wanted to be able to answer the judges' questions and look like a real pageant contestant. I didn't care if the answers were good answers only that my response looked like what some girl had actually said in a contest." Lina let that sink in for a moment. "Between your treating it as an acting role and the poise you had from dancing must have been why the judges selected you as winner." Kurt replied "I remember you looked completely natural in that prom dress. You must have been practicing a lot too. Why did you enter the contest?" Lina admitted she had practiced every day at home for weeks prior to the pageant. "Emily, my sister, is working towards a career in theatrical makeup. She encouraged me to enter because she wanted the challenge of converting me into a convincing girl." Lina was feeling much more comfortable by now talking to Kurt, who seemed to be completely accepting of the fact that he knew Lina was actually Liam, in a skirt. Nonetheless, she hesitated before adding, "I agreed because I had always wanted to know what it would feel like to be a girl." Kurt replied, "Wow, and you said you're spending the summer living as a girl. You still look terrific. I guess I should call you Lina, if that's OK? With a blush and a slight smile, Lina nodded. Kurt asked "Are you worried about how you'll go back to being Liam when school starts next month?" Lina realised she was going to have to come 'out' to the world, and feeling safe with her friend seemed like a good place to start. "Well, I don't think I want to go back. This feels right to me, being Lina. I think I'm going to stay this way." "Wow, I hadn't thought of that." Kurt took a minute to reflect on this unexpected revelation. He could see that Lina was nervous, worried about his reaction. He also quickly realised that this transition would likely be difficult, not everyone would accept that change. "Lina, you know you've got a friend in me." Lina wiped away a small tear. "Thank you so much Kurt, I was so afraid of being rejected. That's why my Mom arranged for me to spend this summer on this side of town, hoping I would not bump into anyone I knew until I had made a final decision." The two friends finished their drinks and got up to leave. "You know Lina, you always looked much too skinny as a guy, but you look just right as a girl. You really do look good, I never would have guessed if I hadn't known you before. Hey, you should take dance lessons at our studio! I could teach you the basics." "That's a great idea Kurt. I'd love the chance to work on poise and gain more confidence managing heels." Kurt texted the phone number of the studio so Lina could set an appointment and they parted company. Lina had been shaken by the first chance meeting with someone Liam knew. However, Kurt's acceptance of Lina had restored her confidence. She was beaming as she confidently strode out of the mall. With one week left before school started in the fall, Scarlett arranged to meet with Lina at Helen's house while Helen was working. They needed time for a private conversation. "Well Lina, I hear from Helen that you have become a valuable employee at her store and through the grapevine that your work at the restaurant has been good too. How do you feel about your, um, experiment, living the summer as a girl?" Lina was unsure if her mother would be disappointed, but had to be honest. "Mom, this feels right to me. I love living as a girl, and I want to stay as Lina. I admit there were some surprises. I was not prepared for how the girls in some restaurants are objectified. Also, there were times when I felt very vulnerable. I loved the way I looked and appreciated the compliments but a couple of times I felt like it was more of a come-on that I was not ready for. Plus, I was soooo looking forward to living in heels but a six hour shift on heels sucks!" Scarlett laughed, "I hear you. Heels are awesome. I feel feminine and confident when I'm in a great pair of shoes but they do not work well for a lot of standing." After sharing a chuckle, Lina commented "Mom, I really want to stay as Lina but I'm afraid of how the kids at school will react." Scarlett replied, "I suspected as much. I can see that living as Lina brought out an entirely new side of your personality that had been kept under wraps. You're positively beaming where I would have called Liam's demeanor as generally morose. Over this summer, every time I saw you it was clear that this was right for you. I expected you would want to keep living as Lina. I've been doing research on how to manage a transition. The first thing we will do is make an appointment with your school Principle to get his help in drafting a plan for the transition at school. I found out that there is a gender neutral washroom available there; the school has already created a safe space for a situation like yours. I met with Dr. Paula last week and we talked about your situation." "You told our family doctor about me?" exclaimed Lina. "Yes, I wanted to get her input. Whatever you decided, I thought you would likely benefit from some counselling at the very least. She knows a specialist right here in town that works with transgender kids. Now that we know which way you want to go I will make an appointment for you to meet him. You can discuss how you feel, where you want to go, and decide how you want to get there." Lina hugged Scarlett tight. "Thanks Mom. I was afraid you would want me to go back to being Liam." "I want you to be you. If Lina feels right to you then I'm fine with having two daughters. By the way, you might want to call Emily when were done. She knows what we're discussing today and is desperately waiting for the answer. It's your announcement to make so I'll leave it to you. Don't tell her I said so but, she's hoping you will choose Lina. She thinks you'll be more fun as a little sister!" After working one last shift at the clothing store and at the restaurant, Lina packed her bags and thanked her aunt Helen for all she had done to help Lina come out and meet the world. When Scarlett and Emily pulled up it took all three of them to carry Lina's things out to the car; there was a lot more now than when she arrived. After one more hug with Aunt Helen, Lina drove off with Scarlett and Emily and back into her old, yet completely new, life.