Mom's Unique Punishment, Re-imagined free porn video

Mom's Unique Punishment, Re-imagined Original story and concept by Suejrz, 2005 Fan "remix" by tealights, 2020 Synopsis: When Danny Exner gets caught shoplifting, it's the last straw for his mom, who resorts to a unique punishment to curb his bad behavior. If Danny can't learn to behave, maybe Danielle can... either way, it's going to be a long summer. Author's Note: Suejrz's original MUP series was one of my favorite stories on Fictionmania back when I was in college and I remember looking forward to each new installment. A few years ago I started writing my own version of the story using the original as an outline. While it was just an idle writing exercise at first, I've actually finished the story now and I'm proud of the results and want to share it with the readers at FM. This "re-imagined" version condenses the original summer storyline into a unified short story, streamlining certain elements and changing some of the plot to put my own spin on things. At this point, only certain fragments of dialog and a couple sentences here and there can be traced directly back to the original material but I'd like to think I've retained the overall feel and breezy personality of the original series. If you haven't read the original, I recommend looking it up, it's still impressive how much of Dani's little world Suejrz explores and I learned a lot studying her work. This project took forever to finish, but maybe one day I'll do the rest of the series as well and cover all the fun beach trips, cheerleading, and school dances I left out here... I contacted Suejrz nearly a year ago asking for permission to share this story and never heard back, so I hope she's doing well out there. Sue, if you happen to see this and want it taken down, just say the word. Meanwhile, this story is not intended to be redistributed or sold and I happily relinquish all rights back to Suejrz. - tealights Prologue Danny gets caught shoplifting and faces some unexpected consequences. It was barely a week into summer vacation and my friends and I were already bored out of our minds. Unable to scrounge up enough players for a full game of baseball, we'd resorted to loitering around the mall looking for any sort of entertainment we could find. After a few circuits around the building, we'd found ourselves meandering aimlessly through one of the large department stores at the far end of the mall. We were clowning around trying to spray each other with cologne samples when Robbie noticed the expensive-looking diver's watch being fit with a new band at the jewelry counter across the aisle. "Dude, that is some serious bling," Robbie whispered. "My dad has a watch like that and he won't even let me touch it." "Yeah, I can't believe it's just sitting out in the open like that," Austin remarked. "It'd be so easy to just take it," I said offhandedly. The guys turned and looked at me with interest. I still don't know why I said it. I guess it was the sort of thing you say to try to sound cool. I'd never stolen anything in my life, but it seemed to impress Austin and Robbie. Feeding off their attention, I let my mouth run a bit more. "I'd just walk up, put it in my pocket, and walk out the door like nothing ever happened." I shrugged casually as if it was something I did all the time. "You totally should, dude," Austin grinned devilishly. I blinked. I hadn't expected either of them to call my bluff. "Uh, well, I mean..." I wavered. "Come on Danny, you're not some sort of pussy, are you?" Robbie jeered. I looked around the jewelry counter. The sales clerk had stepped away to help a customer on the opposite end. The watch gleamed brightly under the clean white light of the jeweler's station, unattended. I stifled a yelp as Austin landed a sharp punch to my arm. "Naw, he ain't got the balls." I glared at him. "Fuck you, dude." I turned back to the counter and pulled the brim of my ballcap low over my eyes. It would be easy. The clerk still had her back to us. I wiped the sweat from my palms and reached out my hand without a second thought. The watch slipped noiselessly from its velvet cushion and I clumsily jammed it into my pocket. It was surprisingly heavy and the weight of it bouncing against my thigh made my heart race with anxiety. What had I just done? I made a bee-line toward the exit, my pace quickening as the automatic doors opened in front of me. I was almost home free. Before I could step over the threshold, a hand grabbed me firmly by my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks. I turned to face a security guard looming over me. "Son, I'm going to need you to come with me to the security office." I looked around frantically for Austin and Robbie as the guard led me back through the store, but they were already long gone. ... Mom didn't say a word after picking me up from the security office at the mall, but I could tell she was furious. I stared out the window nervously as we rode home in heavy silence. As soon as we got home, Mom dragged me upstairs to her bedroom and made me wait as she angrily dug through her dresser drawers. My mouth dropped when she turned around holding a pair of pink panties. "W-what the hell, Mom?" I instantly regretted my language. She shot me a look and I shrank back. I'd never seen her so mad. "Listen," she spat. "I didn't approve of you hanging out with those boys from the baseball team, but I trusted you to behave like I'd taught you. Obviously I didn't teach you well enough. Things are going to be different around here from now on - you're going to learn to behave one way or another." She tossed the underwear over to me and crossed her arms. "Now strip. You're going to put these on." "What? Why?!" "Because I said so, Danny. You either accept your punishment as I give it to you, or I'm gonna pull you out of school and see if they can't sort you out at juvenile hall. So make your choice now." I blanched, realizing she was dead serious. I tried to quickly weigh out my options as I stared at the underwear in my hands. It wasn't much of a choice, but I definitely didn't want to spend my high school years locked up in juvie. Defeated, I awkwardly removed my clothes and slipped the panties on. I'd barely had time to register the strange sensation of wearing women's underwear when she pushed one of her old dresses into my hands. "Good. You're going to wear this, too. We'll see if your little hooligan friends still want to hang out when they see your new look." I was on the verge of tears as I stepped into the dress and pulled it on. Mom turned me around roughly and zipped up the back of the dress, then spun me back around to face her, my face burning red. "Well, Danielle... don't you look pretty? From now on, you're going to be treated as a young lady until I see a change in your behavior. I don't want to see you wearing a stitch of your old clothes again until I say you can. You understand me, missy?" I nodded my head, stunned into silence. "Good. Now go to your room. I want you think about what a good little girl you're going to be for me this summer." I spent the rest of the night holed up in my room, picking at the hem of Mom's stupid dress and trying not to think about the girly underwear I was wearing underneath it. She couldn't do this to me -- could she? ... I woke up late the next day, sitting up groggily in my bed. I'd thought I'd heard Mom coming and going in a huff earlier that morning. I rolled out of bed and took a look around. Sure enough, Mom had set out a brand new package of panties and a new dress on a chair my room. In the corner of the room, I was surprised to find shopping bags containing even more clothes, along with a box containing a pair of shiny black Mary Janes. I opened my closet to find all my old clothes were gone. Only a lone clothes hanger remained, swaying gently on the rack. I didn't have to open my dresser drawers to know they were empty now, too. I looked back at the bags of clothes and frowned. How far was Mom going to take this? Chapter 1 Danny, now Danielle, struggles to adjust to her punishment. It had been a little while since the beginning of my punishment and I had gradually begun to fall into my new routine. I'd get up in the morning and find whatever dumb clothes Mom had picked out for me, including the appropriate underwear, shoes, and accessories. After getting dressed, I'd stay in girl's clothes the rest of the day, only changing back into my pajamas when it was time for bed. Other than my new wardrobe, I was free to do as I pleased. I wasn't even grounded, technically; it was my own fear of being seen dressed as "Danielle" that kept me from going out or seeing my friends. But as much as I hated wearing all those stupid clothes, even worse was having to do it while putting up with my stupid brother. Mikey was a year younger than me and a real pain in the butt. I used to pick on him all the time; now he got to make fun of me every damn day. At first, Mikey couldn't believe his big brother was going along with such a humiliating punishment, but Mom focusing all her disciplinary energy on me raised his spot in the family pecking order, so he was more than happy to play along. On top of that, Mom was trying to convince him that I actually wanted to be treated like a girl. She kept saying little things hinting at how much I liked it or how much fun I was having, and somehow it seemed like he was actually starting to believe her. It only added more fuel to the fire and Mikey got that much more of a kick tormenting and teasing his "sister." That morning, I was getting dressed and had just stooped over to fasten the buckles on my Mary Janes when I felt the back of my dress flip up over my butt. I whipped around to see Mikey standing behind me with a shit-eating grin on his face. "Aww, little Danny looks so cute in his pretty little panties, doesn't he? The lacy bits are just darling!" He flipped his wrist, striking a cartoonishly girly pose. That. Was. It. I screamed, jumping on Mikey and wrestling him to the ground. He immediately started shrieking bloody murder. "MOM! MOM! MOM! HELP!" Dammit, I thought. I should have known the little shit was trying to get me in trouble this whole time! Mom was on us in a flash. "DANIELLE EXNER! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOUNG LADY?" I froze at the sound of Mom's voice, and Mike shoved me off of him, laughing like an idiot. "But Mom, he started it --" "I don't want to hear it, Danielle. I want you to listen to me. Mikey, stop teasing your sister and go play outside." "Okay, Mom. Bye, sis." Mike left the room, sticking his tongue out at me on the way out the door. Mom pulled out her phone and quickly thumbed through it before showing me the screen. It was a photo of me, watching TV in a pink dress and white tights - I remembered wearing that outfit only a couple days ago. She swiped the photo away, revealing another. This time it was me in a blue, flower-print dress, doing the dishes with an apron on from earlier in the week. My blood ran cold as she swiped through more photos of me dressed up as "Danielle." "Do you see this? Listen: you'd better behave like a proper young lady if you don't want anyone to see these photos. Good girls listen to their mother and don't fight with their brothers, understand?" "Okay." "That's yes, ma'am. You're going to address me like a proper young lady, too. Now try again... do you understand me?" "...Yes, ma'am," I complied. I felt sick to my stomach imagining Austin and Robbie seeing me like this. Those pictures would ruin of me if they ever got out. I was completely screwed, now, I realized. Mom's punishment was simple, but she had me right where she wanted me -- trapped as her obedient daughter. Chapter 2 Mom takes Danielle back to the mall. "Hey Danielle, isn't your birthday tomorrow?" Mikey asked, putting extra emphasis on my name in that annoying way he liked to do. I looked up from my bowl of cereal and shot him a look. Our mom and dad have been divorced for almost as long as I can remember and lately Dad travels around a lot for work, so we only get to see him for a couple days a year. This year, his visit was going to fall on my birthday and I'd been really excited to see him, but now I'd started to dread it. Mom walked over and gave us our instructions for the day as we finished breakfast. "Mikey, you have an early baseball practice today. Your uniform is clean and hanging in your closet. Danielle, your clothes are laid out for you as usual. You both need to hurry and get dressed - practice starts in an hour and Danielle and I have plans today, too." I wasn't sure what plans she was talking about, but gave a quiet, "Yes, ma'am," and followed Mike up to his room. Mom was painting my room that week, so the two of us were sharing Mikey's, with my bed crammed in across the room from his. It'd only been a few days and already I couldn't wait to have my own space again. Mike was even more insufferable when you couldn't get away from him, and it was making my punishment even more unbearable. He would invariably tease me whenever I had to change in front of him, and I hated him seeing me putting on my stupid girl clothes. I waited for Mike to get dressed and leave before assessing my outfit for the day. Laid out on my bed was a yellow flared skirt and a light three-quarters sleeve top, along with a pair of opaque tan tights, panties, and a matching training bra. Uh oh. Mom hadn't made me wear a bra before. My stomach dropped as I stripped out of my pajamas. I pulled the panties on and gingerly picked up the bra. It was a creamy white with a delicate little blue flower pattern. My underwear today was a matching set, I noted glumly, turning the alien garment around in my hands. It was lightweight and elastic and looked more like the sports bras Mom wore when she went jogging than any of the sexy stuff I'd seen in movies. Was this a training bra? I took a deep breath and slipped it on over my head. My right arm up popped up and smacked me in the face. I must have got the straps tangled, I realized. How did girls put up with this crap? I pulled the thing off and tried again, this time paying careful attention to the criss-crossing straps. I looked in the mirror and adjusted the bra, straightening everything out as best I could. I couldn't believe it - I was wearing a bra. I grimaced at my reflection. It already felt weird having something so constricting around my chest; was I really supposed to wear this all day? I tugged at the band, trying to get comfortable. Maybe if I adjusted the straps... "Hey, dude, have you seen my cleats?" I spun around, crossing my arms around my chest instinctively. Mikey had walked in without me noticing and was doubled over in laughter. "Mikey!" I yelped. "Get out!" I pushed him out of the room and slammed the door. Great, my brother had caught me in my bra and panties. I wanted to die right then and there. I could still hear him laughing through the door as I angrily sat down and rolled my tights up over my legs. Mom called me to her room as I finished getting dressed. "Danielle, come here, sweetie. I'll do your hair and makeup like you wanted." Mikey was still waiting in the hall and smirked as I trudged out the door. I definitely hadn't asked for anything like that. Mom was doing her weird act again, pretending like I really wanted to be a girl. Mom was waiting for me at her vanity, and indicated for me to take a seat in front of the mirror. I begrudgingly sat down on the cushioned stool, blinking at my reflection under the bright lights. Mom combed my hair down into a swoopy, feminine looking style and added a few barrettes to hold it in place. I swallowed nervously as she started applying makeup to my face - just a light dusting of foundation to start, then a dab of sticky pink lip gloss and a few swipes of mascara over my eyelashes. She hadn't made me wear any makeup before now, so I wasn't sure what was going on today. I knew better than to protest, though. "Hey, I don't wanna be late!" Mike had appeared at the door with his baseball glove. He gave a snort when he saw Mom fussing over my face. "Dude, are you seriously wearing makeup?" he cackled. I glared at him but Mom waved him off. "Don't worry, we're just finishing up. Danielle just needs to grab her purse and then we can go." My eyes went wide as Mom draped a small purse over my shoulder. I hadn't realized she'd expected me to go with her to drop off Mike! Oh my god, she wasn't really going to make me go outside, was she? ... A few minutes later, I found myself sitting in the back seat of the car with my new purse in my lap, crouching as far away from the window as I could. I used to always get the front seat, but today Mike just took my place and I was too embarrassed to say anything to him all dressed up. "Mikey, do you like Danielle's outfit?" Mom asked, as she started the car. Mike turned in his seat to give me a once-over, glancing from my little Mary Janes up to the barrettes in my hair. He rolled his eyes at me before smirking and turning back around. "Sure, Mom." "Danielle insisted on wearing makeup if she was going outside. She said all the other girls at school wear it and she wants to be just like them. Isn't that right, sweetie?" "Yes, ma'am," I cringed, knowing she expected me to play along. Mike just laughed. "Well, you look real cute... sis," he said, as condescendingly as possible. God, I was so sick of him calling me that. I almost said something, but caught Mom glaring at me in the rear-view mirror. I shut my mouth and quietly fastened my seat belt. ... Once we reached the ball field, Mike jumped out of the car and waved to me as he yelled, "Bye, Danielle. Don't let any boys smudge your lipstick." I wanted to kill him. Imagine - me, letting a boy kiss me! Mom pretended not to hear his little jab. "Danielle, why don't you get out and sit up front with me," she said, patting the empty passenger seat. Any anger I felt was immediately replaced with anxiety. Did she really want me to get out of the car? If any of Mike's teammates saw me in a skirt and makeup, my life was over. "Uh, no thanks, I'm good back here..." "Now, Danielle." Her tone was much more stern this time. I knew I had no choice. I clumsily unbuckled my seat belt and tentatively gripped the door handle, scanning the parking lot for anyone who might see me. Thankfully, it seemed like the coast was clear. I swung the door open and scrambled out and into the front seat, slamming the doors behind me. "Good girl." Mom gave me a reassuring pat on the leg as I shrank down in the front seat, my heart racing. I did my best to make myself turn invisible as we slowly pulled out of the parking lot and soon we were heading away from the baseball field. I looked out the window as we drove away and quickly realized that Mom was not taking us back home. "Uh, Mom? Where are we going?" "We're going to the mall to get you a nice new dress for your birthday dinner. I want you to try on a few and find one that fits you properly." For a second, I thought my eyes might pop out of my head. I couldn't go to the mall dressed like this -- it was the middle of summer, who knew how many kids from school would be hanging around there! I'd rather die than have anyone I knew find out that I was wearing dresses! And even worse, she wanted me to wear a dress to dinner with Dad? "What? Mom, please, I don't need a new dress for dinner. Can't we just go home?" "Oh honey, let me assure you, you will be wearing a nice new dress on Saturday when we celebrate." "Please, Mom!" I was practically in tears, now. "What if someone sees me like this? I can't go in there!" Mom's tone darkened. "You didn't have any problems going in there and acting like a delinquent, did you? This is the price you pay, sweetie. You couldn't be a good son when you had the chance, so now you're just going to have to get used to acting like my precious little girl. So you're going to behave today, or I'll have you give the boys on the baseball team a fashion show when we go back to pick up your brother. Am I clear?" "Yes, ma'am... I'll behave," I winced. It was clear there was no getting out of this. I slumped in my seat, resigned to my fate. ... I shut my eyes and prayed for the ground to open up and swallow me as I reluctantly climbed out of the car in the mall parking lot. I grabbed Mom's hand on impulse as we walked away from the car. I hadn't held Mom's hand in public since I was a little kid, but now my knuckles were white with terror as I held on to her for dear life. I couldn't believe I was about to walk into the mall wearing a skirt and tights. God, the tights - why was I wearing tights in the middle of summer? The sun beating down on us did little to help the light-headed anxiety I was feeling and I worried briefly that I might pass out right there on the asphalt. The entrance on that side of the mall opened into the food court and as the automatic doors slid open we were instantly hit by a blast of air conditioning and the sound of a hundred people eating and socializing. My pulse quickened as I looked around anxiously. Just as I'd feared, there were kids my age all over the place. I could feel the color draining out of my face as we stepped through the doors. I stayed close to Mom, doing my best to hide behind her as she lead me through the crowd. I half expected everyone in the room to turn and look at me, but as far as I could tell, everyone was just carrying on with their own business. Even so, I was acutely aware of my shoes clacking against the tile floor and my skirt swishing around my legs. The tights were still uncomfortably warm from the walk through the parking lot, but I realized they did serve a purpose. I may have been overheating, but at least no one could see my leg hair, opaque as they were. I felt a flash of gratitude as I realized Mom must have considered that ahead of time. Hopefully anyone who saw me would just assume I was an awkward girl out shopping with her mother... which was sort of true, in a way. ... To my relief, the department store was much less crowded. People were milling about here and there, but most of them seemed focused on their own shopping. As we waded into the clothes racks under a sign marked "Juniors," I tried to get a grip on my anxiety, but my head was still buzzing as I followed Mom around. Mom lead me from rack to rack, loading me up with various dresses in different styles and sizes. She moved deliberately through the different racks, making small "hmm" sounds to herself or idly asking me for my opinion on a particular color or cut. Occasionally, she'd take a dress off the rack, hold it up to my body, then shake her head and put it back. I was in hell, obediently following my mom around the department store carrying a pile of lace and sequins and flower prints while she searched for the perfect dress. I tried to distract myself imagining how Mike's baseball practice was going. After selecting a stack of dresses, Mom informed me it was time to try them on. I could feel the walls closing in on me as she led me into the ladies' dressing room. The room was a small corridor with a few private stalls along each side and a bench at one end. Mom led me into a stall, then sat with our purses on the bench to wait. I slipped out of my skirt and top and paused, taking a moment to look at myself in the mirror, wearing only my tights and girl's underwear. I brushed a stray hair out of my face and frowned, my glossy lips forming more of a pout than I'd intended. I definitely looked more like a "Danielle" than a "Danny" right now. How much further did Mom plan to take this? I sighed deeply and stepped into the first dress, a maroon number with a halter top and flirty A-line skirt. "Come out here and let me see how it looks," Mom called from beyond the door. I swallowed my nerves and stepped out into the fitting room corridor, my shoulders drooping with shame. "Oh, sweetie, don't slouch like that. Roll your shoulders back. Lift your head up and stand up straight like a proper young lady." That was the last thing I wanted to look like. I could feel tears welling in my eyes as I lifted my head. The dress pulled tight across my chest as I corrected my posture. "Good girl. Now let's see you walk and see how it sits on you. Go down to the end of the hall and back for me." I hesitantly made my way toward the end of the fitting room, my stockinged feet slipping against the cold tile floor. I turned around quickly as I reached the entrance and made my way back to the bench where Mom sat, examining my appearance. Somehow I almost felt more exposed alone here in this flashy dress than I had in the food court. I was actually looking forward to getting back into my skirt and top. "Give us a spin, Danielle," Mom smiled sweetly. I sighed and did a halfhearted spin, causing the hem of the dress to swirl gently around my hips. Maroon fabric settled in soft pleats around my legs as I came to a stop. "Lovely! I like this one a lot, don't you? Let's see the blue one next." She shooed me off, back towards the stall. ... Mom had me try on five different dresses in all, each in a few different sizes before narrowing it down to just two dresses, which I had to try on again. In the end, she couldn't make up her mind and bought both - the maroon one I'd tried on first, as well as an embarrassingly flashy black one with with a tulle skirt and sleeveless sequined bodice. With the dresses sorted, Mom decided to use the rest of our time to find some extra clothes for my new wardrobe. We shopped for another hour or so, first stopping by the shoe department to pick out a pair of black booties with a short, clunky heel to go with my new dresses and a pair of strappy sandals for daily wear. Then we browsed the rest of the store, with Mom making me pick out a pair of denim shorts and a few casual tops to help flesh out my wardrobe. Just when I thought the worst was over, Mom led me into the sleepwear section. My embarrassment came back afresh as I followed Mom through the racks of lace and satiny gowns. I'd been sleeping in a t-shirt and basketball shorts my whole life - did girls really wear this stuff? I tried to anticipate my next humiliation as Mom flipped through the different nightgowns. Would it be something with lace? A floor-length night gown? My eyes went wide when she pulled a set of pale yellow cotton babydoll pajamas and matching bloomers out of a clearance rack. I was even worse than I'd feared. I wanted to shrivel up and die as she held them up to me appraisingly. "Your old pajamas are so frumpy, don't you think? I love how cute and retro these are, don't you?" The frilly top was almost wider than it was tall, with puffy cap sleeves, an exaggerated empire waist and a big floppy bow under the bust. It looked like a 1950s nightmare if you asked me, but I held my tongue, nodding weakly. At that point, I would have done anything to get out of there. I tried not to think about what Mikey was gonna say when he saw me get into bed wearing that getup. I felt completely hollowed out as Mom handed me my new nightie to add to the armful of clothes I was carrying. Mercifully, Mom seemed to have finally had enough fun and we left the sleepwear racks and headed for the checkout counter. The sales clerk gave me a curious look as I set my new belongings on the counter and I quickly ducked behind Mom. "Mom, I, uh, gotta go to the bathroom..." I whispered. "Sure thing, honey. Excuse me," Mom asked the clerk, "where's the ladies' room?" I could feel my pulse jumping again as the clerk pointed across the store - it hadn't occurred to me that she'd have me use the women's restroom, but then again, I definitely couldn't go into the men's room dressed like I was, could I? My face was burning as I scampered across the sales floor to the restrooms and passed through the door marked "Ladies." I ducked into a stall and sat down before anyone could see me. As I sat there, looking at my panties and tights bunched around my knees, I tried to take stock of my situation. I was out in public shopping for dresses with my mom and now there I was, using the ladies room for the first time. Meanwhile, my brother was off playing baseball and having fun with all his friends without a care in the world. It just wasn't fair. I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, careful not smudge my mascara. ... When we got back to the car, I slumped into my seat and put my head in my hands. There was no doubt now that Mom intended to keep me dressed like a girl all summer, based on all the stuff she'd just purchased for me. I tried not to concentrate on the fact that I would be definitely be wearing a pretty new dress when we went out for dinner the next evening, but Mom seemed to be reading my mind. "I know you're not excited about celebrating your birthday tomorrow, but we're going to celebrate like we always do, just with a few minor changes. And remember - if you don't want all your little friends to find out about your new style, you're going to be on your best behavior. From now on, I expect you to be Mommy's perfect young lady and Mike's responsible big sister. Do I make myself clear?" "Yes, ma'am," I replied dejectedly. "Good. So play along around Mikey. I want you to set a good example for him. Your father is traveling a long way to see you tomorrow and I won't tolerate any misbehavior from the two of you." Oh god, that was right - I was going to have to see Dad at dinner this weekend. What was he going to think when he saw me all dressed up in my new party dress? My stomach curdled as we left the parking lot. ... Soon we were back at the ball field to pick up Mike. He was already waiting around when we reached the baseball field, and jumped in the car in a flurry of dirt and grass stains. "How was practice, honey?" "Oh man, it was great! I knocked a ball right out of the park today!" he exclaimed, utterly oblivious to me sitting sullenly in the front seat. "That's so exiting! I'm sure your father will love hearing about it tomorrow at dinner. You can tell him all about practice and Danielle can tell him about all the shopping we did today. Danielle, tell Mikey what all you bought, sweetie." Mom gave my thigh a firm squeeze from the driver's seat. "Owww... uh, yes, ma'am." Remembering Mom's warning, I grit my teeth and forced a weak smile. "Well, um, we started out shopping for, uh, dresses..." I spent the rest of the ride home telling my stupid little brother about all the dresses and shoes that we'd bought. Mom prodded me to share every last detail and Mike cracked up every time I mentioned a new article of clothing. I was on the verge of tears by the time we got home. ... After dinner, Mom took me to her room to have me try on the two dresses with my new shoes so she could see how it all looked together. "So, Danielle," she said to me in a voice loud enough for Mike to hear, "are you excited to pick out your outfit for tomorrow night?" She gave me a stern look, prompting me for an answer. "Um, yeah, Mom," I replied hastily, "I'm, uh, super excited for all my new clothes." I didn't think it sounded too convincing, but it seemed to satisfy her. Mom started pulling clothes out of bags and I tried both dresses on again, switching out dresses and tights as she played with my outfit. She made me model every combination for her, strutting back and forth for her as she gave me tips on how to walk in my heels. Eventually, she must have decided I was adequately prepared and set the dresses aside as I put my skirt and top back on. "That's good for now. I think your maroon dress will be best for dinner tomorrow night. The black dress is lovely, but it's a little too formal for your birthday party. You'll have to save it for another occasion. I'll put all this in the the closet for you. Go wash up and change for bed and you can join us downstairs to watch TV." I breathed a sigh of relief and eagerly ran to the bathroom to wash my makeup off. I gave myself a thorough scrub to remove any trace of color and pulled the barrettes out of my hair before heading to the bedroom. To my horror, the yellow babydoll pajamas were already laid out on my bed, waiting for me. I reluctantly changed out of my clothes then slipped the nightie over my head and pulled the tiny matching bloomers over my hips. The hem of the nightie barely covered the bloomers, leaving most of my thighs exposed, and the entire ensemble felt so light and airy it almost felt like I wasn't wearing anything at all. I shuddered at my reflection in the bedroom mirror. I was pretty sure that even normal girls my age weren't wearing things like this. I felt like an overgrown child with this ridiculous thing billowing around me. "Danielle, what's taking so long, dear?" Mom called from the other room. As if she didn't know, I thought. "Coming, Mom." I swallowed my pride and opened the bedroom door. Mike lost his mind when I walked into the den and could barely keep himself composed when Mom made him compliment my new pajamas. "Gee, yeah, Danielle, they're great. You're a real cutie!" He choked out before collapsing in another fit of laughter. I sat uncomfortably through a few minutes of TV before excusing myself to an early bedtime, swishing my way up to the bedroom. I crawled into my bed, exhausted. God, what long day it'd been. And to think, I used to like going to the mall. Chapter 3 Danielle celebrates her birthday with her family. I woke up the next morning smiling. My birthday had finally arrived. I was fifteen! But my excitement quickly dissipated as reality came flooding back. I tried not to think about what was in store for me later that day as I rolled out of bed, my babydoll swirling around my hips as I walked across the room. As usual, Mom had laid out today's outfit. I frowned as I spotted yet another training bra sitting on top of the pile. "Great, I guess I wear bras now," I sighed. It was becoming obvious that Mom was trying to slowly immerse me in more and more femininity as the summer went on. Even with that upsetting development, I was eager to get out of my humiliating pajamas. I dutifully slipped into the bra and changed into my new pair of shorts and a sleeveless lace top, wondering idly if I'd ever wear a regular old T-shirt ever again. The shorts didn't offer a lot of coverage, reaching just above mid-thigh, but I supposed they were still better than a skirt. They were pretty tight, though, and created an unsightly bulge in the front. I considered my options for a moment, then finally just tucked my penis between my thighs to give myself the appearance of a nice smooth crotch. I already felt exposed enough as it was with my legs on display; I didn't need everyone able to see my junk, too. Mom and Mike were already finished eating by the time I sat down for breakfast. Mike was on his way out to catch a pickup game of baseball in the empty lot down the street with some of the neighbor kids. Mom reminded him to be back in time to get ready for dinner. I felt a tinge of jealousy as Mike grabbed his glove and headed out the door. I watched him through the kitchen window as he hopped on his bike. He had just pedaled out of sight when Mom greeted me with a kiss on the top of my head. "Happy birthday, honey! Hurry up and eat, it's time we get started getting you ready for your big night tonight." "Isn't it a little early for that?" I asked nervously. I was hoping for at least a couple hours of relaxation before my humiliating public debut tonight. What did she have in mind that was going to take all day? Mom just smiled. "Now honey, you know it takes us girls a lot longer to get dressed and I know you want to look extra pretty for your birthday." Pretty! I pushed my spoon around in my cornflakes dejectedly. Being pretty was definitely not on my list of birthday wishes. ... I reluctantly finished my cereal and Mom led me into the bathroom. She sat me down on the edge of the tub and handed me a pink disposable razor and a can of ladies' shaving gel with a flowery logo. "I think it's time you started shaving your legs. It's not that hard, but you'll need to shave every couple days to keep your skin nice and smooth." She turned on the water and showed me how to lather and carefully shave the my legs. I didn't have a ton of leg hair, but it still took a while to get it all. As I worked, it occurred to me that boys my age were supposed to learn how to shave from their dad. Instead, here I was having a quintessentially feminine bonding session with my mother! Not that I had any facial hair to speak of, but it still felt unfair. I rinsed the last of the gel from my legs and dried them off with a fluffy towel. Mom handed me a bottle of lotion and instructed me on proper skincare habits. As I worked the lotion into my calves, I was shocked at how soft and smooth my skin felt. I hated to admit it, but it actually felt kind of nice. Next, Mom helped me wash my hair. She bent me over the sink and used a bunch of flowery shampoo on my scalp, then rinsed it out and worked in some fruity-smelling conditioner. I stood patiently as she used a blow dryer and comb to dry my hair. When she was done, my hair was surprisingly shiny and springy. Satisfied that my hair was sufficiently dry, Mom led me into her bedroom. She sat me down at her vanity where she quickly sprayed my hair down with some acrid-smelling product. I looked on nervously as she pulled out her set of hot rollers. Before I could say anything, she rolled a lock of hair tightly around a roller and inserted a large pin to hold it in place. I winced, feeling my scalp tighten. "I wanted to do this early today so the curl has a chance to set. You're going to look so cute when we're done," she beamed. She was genuinely enjoying herself. Soon my head was covered in goofy-looking pink rollers. Mom took out a file and a bottle of light pink nail polish and proceeded to shape and paint my fingernails while the rollers cooled. She made me watch her technique, then had me paint my own toenails. "You know something," she said, admiring my handiwork. "I think pink is your color. We'll do another coat in a few minutes but I'm going to take a shower right now while we wait. Your hair should be dry enough by then to take out your curlers and see how you look." I spent the next thirty minutes holed up in Mikey's room, trying to ignore my shiny, bright colored nails tapping against the pages as I flipped through an old copy of Sports Illustrated. When Mom was out of the shower, she joined me in the bedroom and watched as I applied the second coat of polish to my nails. When I was done, she started removing the curlers from my hair, one at a time as I held my fingers up to dry. I felt so stupid sitting there with my nails all polished and my mom taking curlers out of my hair, surrounded by all of Mikey's macho sports paraphernalia. "Wow. Your hair really holds a curl. You're going to look so pretty after we get it all combed out and styled a bit. I can't wait to see you all dressed and made up today. This is going to be a birthday to remember, sweetie." It sure would. It seemed as if my fifteenth birthday would be the worst one of my life. Until recently it had felt like such a big milestone. I couldn't believe I'd be spending such a big day dressed up like some prissy girl. ... The rest of the day went by quickly. I helped Mom cook a light lunch for ourselves, and after we ate, she sat me down for some makeup lessons. I spent the rest of the afternoon learning the basics of contouring and eyeshadow, and Mom showed me how to curl my eyelashes. Eventually I was able to apply my own tasteful evening look with a subtle smokey eye. Mom assured me I looked very grown up. As dinner neared, Mom and I changed into our outfits for the night. As planned, I was to be wearing my maroon dress with opaque black tights and my new black booties. Mom had just zipped me into my dress when the doorbell rang. "Michael, please get the door," she called. "Tell your father Danielle and I will be right down." She turned to me with a small glass bottle in her hand. "Here, before you go see your father let me spritz you with a little perfume so you smell as cute as you look." I frowned as the floral scented mist wafted over me, but Mom pretended not to notice. "Okay, I think my little girl is all ready for her birthday celebration!" Not in a million years, I thought. "Mom... I really don't want Dad - er, Daddy, to see me like this." Mom had instructed me earlier that proper young ladies called their fathers Daddy. I didn't quite buy it, but what choice did I have? "Oh sweetie, don't worry. The initial shock will all be over in a few minutes and everything will be fine. You just remember everything I've taught you and stay on your best behavior. And honey, don't forget to do a little curtsy for your father." I slipped into my shoes and Mom handed me my purse. I slug the strap over my shoulder and the two of us headed downstairs to join Dad and Mikey. As I turned on the landing I could see Dad standing at the foot of the stairs. I watched him turn around as we descended and a look of surprise crossed his face as he caught sight of me. I gulped but continued down, concentrating on balancing in my shoes. By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, I was so nervous that I could barely talk. I managed to blurt out a few words and break the awkward silence. "Hi... Daddy. Thanks for coming to my birthday." I grabbed the hem of my dress on either side and did an awkward dip. I didn't really know how to curtsy like Mom wanted, but I figured that would be good enough. Dad seemed to be at a loss for words, but he tried to play along as if nothing was wrong. "Well, uh, I wouldn't miss your birthday... Danielle... You know it's important to me. And wow, you, ah, look fantastic." Mikey had to get in on the fun, too. "Yeah, you look really hot, Danielle! Nice legs!" he cackled. I wanted to throttle him, but I knew I'd be the one to get in trouble, so I just glared at him, my fists clenched. "Michael, that will be enough, unless you want to be grounded next week. Be nice to your sister, or else, young man," Mom chided him. Mike mumbled a fake apology and went to put on his shoes. Dad gave me an quick, awkward hug and went to start the car. Despite Dad's best efforts to pretend nothing was out of the ordinary, I could sense his discomfort with seeing his son dressed as a girl. At the car, Mike took my usual position in the front seat again. I quietly slid into the back seat next to Mom. At this point, I didn't care that Mikey was taking over all the privileges I'd enjoyed as the older brother. I just wanted to hide. As we pulled out of the driveway, Mike was enthusiastically talking sports with Dad, but I was too embarrassed to involve myself in their conversation. Mom didn't help matters much, fussing over my appearance and having me reapply my lipstick. Even if I wanted to act less like a girl, she wasn't going to leave me alone long enough to even try. I realized my nightmare of a birthday was only beginning. ... Dinner went by in a blur. Even after my trial by fire at the mall yesterday, I was still terrified of being seen in public. I found myself holding Mom's hand again as Dad held the front door open for us. Inside, the maitre d' led us to our table, then held my chair out and slid it under me as I sat down. I smoothed my dress out beneath my legs, blushing at the extra attention. I looked around anxiously. Something about the restaurant being so small and intimate made me feel even more exposed than I had walking through the food court. The waiter addressed me as a girl the entire time, calling me "young lady" and saying "yes, ma'am," politely as I murmured my order. Mom must have noticed me trembling with anxiety as we waited on our food to arrive and excused us to the bathroom. "Excuse us, boys. Danielle and I have to go powder our noses. We'll be right back." I didn't know what she was talking about, but I stood up, eager for any excuse to get away from the table. She took my arm and led me from the table. In the privacy of the bathroom, Mom took me by the shoulders and reassured me. "Don't worry, honey. You're doing fine. Everyone here can see you're just a normal young lady out for dinner with her family." "I just feel like everyone is staring at me," I pleaded. "I wanna go home!" "Nonsense. If anyone is staring, it's only because of how nice you look tonight." She turned me to face the mirror and I took in our reflection. We looked for all the world like a mother and her pouting teenage daughter. With my elegant makeup and fluffy curls bobbing around my head, I barely recognized myself. "See now? Why would anyone think you're a boy?" Well, it wasn't much of a pep talk, but it did make me feel a little better. I took a deep breath. "Thanks, Mom." "Of course, honey. Now try to relax and enjoy your birthday, okay? Your daddy came all this way just to you see you." She took a second to help me touch up my makeup and then we made our way back to our table. ... The rest of dinner went by smoothly. Mom and Dad made small talk while I picked at my food and nodded along when the conversation turned to me. Mikey busied himself seeing how many breadsticks he could fit in his mouth at the same time. Normally it was the kind of cutting up we'd do together on nights out like this, but the last thing I wanted to do was cause a scene that night. Just when I thought we were ready to leave, all the waiters and waitresses came over to our table with a small birthday cake for me and burst into a loud rendition of "Happy Birthday" for me. I can still hear Mike singing "Happy Birthday, Danielle" at the top of his lungs. I could feel all the eyes in the room on me as I tried my best to turn invisible. I choked down my cake as best I could and we were finally ready to go. As we passed through the lobby, an older couple waiting for a table wished me a happy birthday and told me what a pretty young lady I was. I wanted to pull off my stupid dress right in front of them, but at that point I only had the energy to give a meek, "Thank you," and follow my family out the door. ... Back home, the celebration continued as we gathered in the living room to open my presents. I pulled Mom aside. "Mom, can I change out of my dress now that we're home?" I asked. "Sure, if you want to show Daddy how cute you look in your new nightie," she smiled. I sat down quietly. I definitely didn't want Dad to see me in that, tonight had been embarrassing enough already. There was a stack of nicely wrapped presents waiting on the coffee table. The first box was from Dad. I hoped it was a new baseball glove - I'd told him last year that I'd been wanting one. I peeled away the paper and found... a woman's wristwatch? Mom noticed my confusion and chimed in. "Oh honey, that's the latest style according to all the teen magazines. I told your father how much you'd been wanting a new watch this summer. Put it on so you can see how pretty it looks with your dress." I took the watch out of its case and slipped the delicate band around my wrist. I thought back to the watch at the mall that had gotten me into this mess in the first place and frowned. Mom obviously wasn't going to let me forget. "Oh, that looks so nice, don't you think? Why don't you give your father a kiss to thank him properly?" I got up and awkwardly gave Dad a peck on the cheek, careful not to leave lipstick on his face. "Um, thanks... Daddy." "Of course, uh... sweetie." He looked away uncomfortably. "Why don't you open another one?" The next present was from Mikey. I expected him to give me something really dumb just to annoy me, but to my surprise, it was a fancy eyeshadow palette. "I helped Mikey pick that out, but he paid for it with his own money," Mom piped in again. "Thanks, Mikey. It's great," I blurted out, faking a thin smile before she made me kiss him, too. There were a few other presents, all from Mom, and all clothes. She got me a few skirts and tops, along with some jewelry and another new panty and training bra set. When I opened the box containing the underwear, I yelped and quickly shut the top of the box, my face burning red. "Mom!" Mom gushed, "Aren't those panties just so cute? I couldn't resist getting them for you, honey." It took all my strength not to burst into tears. This was exactly what I didn't want Dad and Mikey to see - me opening a gift of precious pastel panties. "That's everything for now, but I've got a couple more presents for you next week," Mom said. I had no idea what she still had in store, but somehow I knew I wasn't going to like it. ... At least the party was finally over. I was sad to see Dad go, but at the same time I was thankful that I wouldn't have to feel as self-conscious as I did with him around looking at me funny all day. He gave Mike a big squeeze and a playful pat on the head then turned to me stiffly and gave me a quick, awkward hug. "Happy birthday, Danielle." "Thanks, Daddy. It was good seeing you." I wanted to tell him to take me with him, away from Mom and the makeup and the dresses, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. Dad paused, as if he wanted to say something else, too. Whatever it was, he didn't say it. He only nodded at me, as if to acknowledge that things here with Mom were beyond his control now. "Hey, be good, okay? Listen to your mom." "Okay, Daddy." Jeez, saying goodbye to Dad was usually hard enough without this extra awkwardness. "See you around, Gloria. Bye, kids." Dad gave a polite wave to Mom and headed out the door. As his car pulled out of the driveway, I suddenly felt exhausted. I headed upstairs and washed the makeup off my face and brushed my teeth. I changed out of my clothes and into my girly pajamas - at this point, I was too tired to care - and went straight to bed. Chapter 4 Danielle gets a new look. I didn't have to wait too long to find out what my first extra birthday present from Mom was. The next Monday over breakfast, Mom revealed that she had made me an appointment at the local beauty parlor. "We're going to get you a nice mani-pedi for the summer, and then you're getting your hair cut and highlighted. I want you to start taking proper care of that mop top. I don't have the time to put you in rollers every day." "Mom, I don't want any of that - I'll never be able to see my friends again!" Wearing girl's clothes over the summer was one thing, but there was no way I could hide a new hair color from the guys when I got back to school. "Oh honey, I'm sure lots of other boys will be interested in being your friend when they see how pretty you are." "Mom, I don't want a boyfriend! Please don't make me do this," I begged. "I don't want to hear it, young lady. Now go get dressed this instant, your appointment is an hour and I've paid in advance, so we going and that's final. Just wear one of your cute short sets and your sandals so you won't have to take off your socks or anything for your pedicure." "Ergggh... yes, ma'am." I grumbled. I stomped upstairs in protest, trying to act as tough as my little yellow nightie would allow. I knew I didn't have any choice in the matter, but I wanted to let Mom know I wasn't happy about it. My anger dissolved into anxiety as I reached Mike's bedroom - I was going to have to act like a girl around a bunch of strangers again, or they were going to laugh me out of the beauty salon. I looked out the window and frowned as I looked down the street. Mikey had headed out early to see his friends and was probably having the time of his life. Meanwhile, I was busy getting ready for a makeover. What had my life become? Deflated, I reluctantly changed clothes and applied a little makeup before heading back down to get in the car. ... Mom pulled up to the beauty salon and stopped the car near the entrance. "Okay sweetie, remember to be on your best behavior. Ask for Cheryl when you go in." Now I was really frightened. "Wait, you're not coming in with me?" I asked incredulously. "No, I need to finish up your other present at the house. I told them to call me when you're ready to be picked up. They know what you need to have done, so you don't have to worry about a thing. You're going to be so pretty." Oh my god. Not only would I be spending hours in a beauty parlor, my mom wouldn't even be there for support. I'd only been dressing as a girl for a few short weeks and already I was going to be flying solo in public. Stepping out of the car, I realized how the astronauts must have felt getting out of the moon lander. The short walk to the entrance felt like it took an hour. I stopped for a moment with my hand on the door and exhaled deeply before walking in. A bell chimed as the door shut behind me, and the lady at the front desk looked up and gave me a chipper greeting. "Hi! You must be Danielle, right?" "Uh... yes ma'am. My Mom dropped me off," I replied, my voice squeaking. "Oh, good! Cheryl will be with you in just a second." I took a moment to look around the salon as I waited. It was a nice, modern-looking space with big racks of hair products and makeup lining the walls by the register. I peeked around the corner at the salon floor. Thankfully, it seemed that most people had better things to do than get their hair done this early on a Monday. A woman walked by, happily petting her fresh haircut and headed to the counter to the pay. "Hi, Danielle, are you ready?" A friendly looking woman with a stylish, bright purple hairdo was smiling at me. Ready as I'll ever be, I thought to myself. Cheryl introduced herself then led me to the back of the room to the washing station and sat me in a reclining chair attached to a sink. She draped a pink cape over my clothes and hooked it around my neck, then had me lean my head back over the sink. She washed my hair with some nice-smelling shampoo and conditioner, then walked me over to her workstation and sat me down in front of the mirror. I looked miserable sitting there in my pink cape with my hair dripping wet, but Cheryl didn't seem to notice, busing herself pouring a bunch of different creams into a bowl and mixing them into a thick blue paste. She combed the water out of my hair, then expertly began applying the paste, separating my hair into sections with foil and painting the paste on with a brush. As I watched the process in the mirror, I found myself wishing that Mom had just kept me in curlers. I could at least brush my curls out at the end of the day. When all the foils were in place, Cheryl motioned to the front desk. "We'll do your mani-pedi now while your hair sets, so you're not here all day," she joked. Two ladies in white coats came over and got to work on my hands and feet. Soon, my toenails were coated in a dainty shade of pale pink, and my short, bitten fingernails were unrecognizable, my amateurish coat of pink polish replaced with shiny, medium-length acrylic tips. I looked at my hands in disbelief as Cheryl returned to lead me back to the washing station. "French tips are so pretty and grown-up, don't you think?" she asked. "Yeah, they're great," I whimpered. "You're so lucky, my mother would never have let me wear acrylics when I was your age. You're gonna love em - french tips go with everything," she reassured me. Cheryl washed the goo out of my hair then walked me back to her station. My mouth dropped as I caught my reflection in the mirror. Mom had lied - I wasn't just getting highlights, I was completely blonde! "Well, what do you think of the color? Don't you love it?" Cheryl asked eagerly. "I - I mean - it, uh," I could only stutter helplessly. "Speechless, huh?" Cheryl beamed. "Aww, I'm so happy for you! I remember when my mom let me get my hair colored for the first time," she gushed, tossing her purple hair as she reached for a blow-drier. ... I stumbled towards the car in a daze. Cheryl had turned my shaggy, boyish mane into a sleek blunted bob. Even Mom seemed a little surprised at how different I looked. "Oh, my baby looks all grown up! That coloring looks so nice and natural and your nails look fabulous. So, what do you think, Danielle?" "I love it, Mom. Cheryl did a really nice job." I knew better than to say how I really felt about it. I buckled up and sullenly brushed a strand of blond hair out of my face, wincing as I caught sight of my pretty polished fingernails. "I'm very glad to hear that, honey," she said. "I've got one more surprise for you today - I've finished remodeling your room while you were here!" "Really?" I perked up a bit at the thought. I was stuck with this dumb haircut, but at least I could finally get away from Mikey. "That's great, Mom. I can help move all my stuff back in when we get home." "No need. Your old stuff doesn't fit the style of your room anymore, so I got you a whole new set of furniture. You'll see when we get home," she promised. Something about the way she said it made my stomach drop. ... At home, I ran upstairs to my room in a panic. My heart stopped when I opened the door - my worst fears had come true. A canopy bed draped in lace and littered with frilly throw pillows occupied the wall in the middle of the room. On the opposite wall sat a white vanity desk with a mirror. I could see all of my makeup and brushes had been neatly laid out on the desk for me. The walls of the room had been painted a pale lilac and dolls and stuffed animals lined the shelves. There was no sign of my old sports posters or souvenirs - there was hardly any trace of my old room at all. I made my way around the room and opened the closet. Mom had all my dresses, skirts, and tops hung neatly and all my shoes laid out carefully on the floor. My dresser drawers were filled with all the new articles of clothing I'd accumulated in the last few weeks, with drawers dedicated to panties, bras, socks, and tights. My old clothes were nowhere to be found. "How do you like it? Isn't it just lovely?" Mom had made her way up the stairs behind me and was standing in the doorway admiring her work. "Mom, where's all my stuff?" I asked, distressed. "Danielle. This is your stuff now," she said sternly. "You're going to stay totally immersed in your new role until I've decided your punishment has been completely successful. Remember, this is all for your own good. You don't want to end up as some juvenile delinquent, do you?' At this point, I wasn't too sure. Maybe being a juvenile delinquent wouldn't be so bad. It couldn't be any worse than this. "No, Mom - of course I don't want to be a juvenile delinquent," I spat. "But I don't want to end up some sissy, either. I can't believe you're doing this to me. I hate this!" I swung my arms around to indicate my new living quarters, my clothes, my hair. That seemed to set something off in Mom. She stormed over to me, pointing her finger angrily. "You get this straight, young lady - you weren't able to behave yourself as a boy, so now you're going to learn how to behave as a girl. But if you want to see what a sissy looks like, I'll get you some fluffy little petticoats and take you to the park for a tea party so you can show all your friends what a perfect little lady you can be. Is that what you want?" "N-no, ma'am," I replied, petrified. It hadn't occurred to me that Mom might have been going easy on me this whole time. God, I'd be begging her to send me to juvie if she cranked my punishment up to that level. "Good." Mom crossed her arms as she laid down the law. "Now I suggest you drop the silly macho attitude. You can complain and pout all summer and see what that gets you, or you do things the easy way and try to enjoy being a girl. But one way or the other, you're going to be my daughter this summer. Understand?" "Yes, ma'am," I whimpered. "Glad to hear it," Mom huffed. "Now I want you stay in your room until you're ready to show me how much you appreciate all the time and money I spent fixing up your room over the last week. A simple 'thank you' would suffice." With that, Mom left, closing the door behind her. I was sealed into my feminine prison until I was ready to make nice. I sat down quietly at the vanity and stared into the mirror. A pretty blonde girl stared back at me and frowned. Chapter 5 Danielle enrolls in dance class and makes a new friend. The next few days were rough, but I tried as hard as I could to stay on my best behavior and get back on Mom's good side. I didn't even bat an eye when Mikey started calling me "princess" after seeing my new haircut and bedroom. But after my outburst, Mom was more focused than ever on increasing my femininity. She immediately launched a new wave of lessons intended to improve my girlish mannerisms, or what she liked to call my "feminine comportment." She was always correcting me when I did something wrong (which seemed to happen constantly): I didn't smooth my skirt when I sat down. I didn't cross my legs properly. I wasn't walking with enough sway in my hips. I wasn't standing straight. I stomped too loudly on the stairs. I felt more feminine than ever as I tried to keep up with Mom's instructions, but I could tell Mom was starting to get frustrated with my slow progress, but I didn't realize the drastic measures that would result until a few days later. ... I was laying on my bed, absentmindedly thumbing through a copy of Teen Vogue for the third time when Mom entered the room with a smile. "Danielle," she beamed. "I've thought of a solution to help you with your feminine comportment." "What's that, Mom?" I asked warily. "I enrolled you with Miss Taylor at Taylor's School of Ballet. They have a special summer session for beginners that starts tomorrow." "Ballet? What? Mom, no!" "Yes! I told her you were a bit of a tomboy looking become a more graceful young lady. Miss Taylor said you'll be a little older than the other girls, but she assured me you won't feel out of place. You'll be taking a three-hour class three days a week starting tomorrow." "Mom, I - you - I mean..." I stuttered, catching myself before I got myself in trouble for arguing. Ballet? Was she serious? "The summer class starts tomorrow so we have to go out today and get you fitted for some dancewear. Get your shoes on and we'll go." "A fitting? Mom, please don't do this. I can't dance and I don't want any more clothes. I'm trying so hard... I - I'll try harder. Please, Mom, I'll do anything!" I begged. "This isn't a discussion, young lady. I've already paid Miss Taylor for the class so you're going, and that's final. Besides, ballet is wonderful training for poise and grace. After a while, it'll be like second nature to you. Now get your shoes on, we're going." "Yes, ma'am," I said, defeated. I wondered what was worse - Mom's comportment lessons driving me crazy every day, or enrolling in a ballet class with a bunch of girls. Mikey was never gonna let me live this down. ... It was my first trip back to the mall since we'd gone dress shopping for my birthday, and I was sweating bullets as we walked through the building to the dance store. There seemed to be a lot more kids my age loitering at the mall this time around, and though I doubted anyone would recognize me with my new hairdo, I was still on edge. I tried my best to remember Mom's lessons on walking in a ladylike manner as I followed her to the shop. Maybe I could earn enough brownie points to change her mind while we were here. "You know," Mom said as we walked down the hall, "I took ballet when I was a little girl and I loved it. It really helps you to appreciate the beauty of movement. And you're so athletic, I think you're really going take to it quickly. You might even surprise yourself," she winked. I managed a weak smile as we entered the store. Once inside, Mom introduced me to the saleslady as her daughter and informed her that I needed a complete wardrobe for Miss Taylor's class. "Of course," the lady smiled. "We stock all the items for Miss Taylor's school. Let me show you what we have." She led us to a rack of clothes and gave me a quick once-over. "Let's see... you look like a 'medium' to me," she said. "Now, a lot of studios these days let students wear any sort of athletic wear they want, but Miss Taylor is of the old school. You'll need a leotard, tights, and shoes, plus you'll probably want a sweater or a wrap as well." "Should we get more than one leotard? The classes are three times a week, I don't want to have to do laundry every day," Mom asked. "Absolutely. It's a good investment to get a couple leotards as well as some extra pairs of tights. Now, Miss Taylor requires the traditional 'ballet pink' shade." She handed mom two clothes hangers dangling with pale pink leotards, then went to nearby shelf and pulled down three packages of matching pink tights. Next, she led us over to a bench near a wall display of shoes, where she fitted me for a pair of slippers. "You won't need the fancy pointe shoes until you get to the advanced classes, but aren't these slippers pretty?" she asked as she opened a box containing two floppy pink ballet slippers with criss-crossing elastic ribbons. "Gosh, I love them," I said through clenched teeth. Along with the leotards, tights, and slippers, Mom also purchased a pale lilac long-sleeved wrap, a set of leg warmers, and a big pink duffel bag to carry it all in. I couldn't believe I'd be wearing all that stuff very soon. My face was burning with embarrassment as I toted the pink duffel bag out of the mall. ... Mikey was home when we got back. Mom immediately told him the news about my ballet class and insisted that I show him my new purchases. Naturally, he cracked up as I showed him the contents of my dance bag. "I can't believe you're gonna be a ballerina! Are you really gonna wear that stuff? You're such a girly-girl now, Danielle!" he jeered. I wanted to belt him, but he was right. What kind of older brother would ever be caught dead in a girl's ballet class dressed in all pink? "All the students have to wear the same thing." I said unconvincingly. I'd seen plenty of boys' clothes back in the dance shop. Guys got to wear shorts and fitted shirts, and they definitely didn't wear pink. It was obvious I was taking a girl's class. "Maybe next baseball season you can show the team some new moves! You can be the head cheerleader!" Mike was practically rolling on the ground with laughter at this point. "That's enough, Michael. Be nice to your sister or you'll be going with her to dance class before you know it," Mom warned. That got Mikey off my case. I gave him a mocking smirk from behind Mom's back that I realized probably came off as more bratty than insulting. And Mom thought my feminine comportment wasn't improving, I thought, sarcastically. ... I was super nervous the next day as I got dressed for class. Minding my long nails, I rolled the tights up over my legs slowly, surprised by how thick and soft they were compared to the other tights I owned. I stood up and tucked my bulge away between my legs, then stepped into the leotard, pulling it up over my shoulders. It was a weird feeling, being totally encased in soft, stretchy nylon and I took a moment to soak it in before putting on my slippers. The dance shoes weren't like anything I'd worn before. They were light and flexible with separate soles of thin leather beneath my heel and the ball of my foot. I checked out my reflection in the mirror. I looked for all the world like a little ballerina, with my body swathed in delicate shades of pink and my precious haircut completing the look. All I needed was a tutu and a tiara, I thought. Despite being fully clothed, I felt strangely exposed with every curve on my body on display. I reached in my dance bag and grabbed my lilac wrap. Putting it on, I was dismayed to find it was much more sheer than I'd realized, but decided it was better than nothing. I felt stupid walking downstairs feeling like my butt was on display, but Mom assured me it was fine. "You look very cute," she said, kissing me on the forehead. "You're going to have a great time today, sweetie." I sighed resignedly, saying nothing as Mom helped me pack a towel and a water bottle into my bag. Reluctantly, I slung the bag over my shoulder and we climbed into the car. ... I was a nervous wreck by the time we parked next to the sign advertising "Miss Taylor's School of Ballet." Inside the studio was spacious and well-lit, with classical music piping in quietly in the lobby. Beyond the lobby was the dance studio proper, with shiny wood floors and mirrored walls. There were about a dozen other girls lounging around the floor, ranging in age from about ten to thirteen, chatting among themselves while they waited on class to start. They all wore pink outfits identical to mine. A woman wearing her gray-tinged hair in tight bun walked up and introduced herself to Mom. "Hi. I'm Yvette Taylor, you must be Ms. Exner," she said, shaking her hand. "And this must be Danielle," she smiled, turning towards me. I smiled weakly. Mom spoke briefly with Miss Taylor then headed back out to the car, leaving me to my own devices yet again. Miss Taylor took my shoulder and led me over to where the other students were waiting. "Girls," she announced brightly, "this is our newest ballerina, Danielle." I gave a nervous wave, blushing furiously as all the girls turned their attention to me. A few of the girls returned my wave and smiled. "Danielle, you can go join the other girls and get acquainted. Class will start in a few minutes," Miss Taylor instructed. Sensing my discomfort, she continued, "Don't be shy, now. All the girls in your class are just starting out, too. We're all going to have fun today, you'll see." She motioned to one of the older students nearby. "Danielle, this is Judy. Judy, would you introduce Danielle to the other girls for me, please?" And just like that, I was one of the girls. Everyone was very nice as Judy introduced me to the beginners' group. Aside from a couple other girls I was definitely one of the oldest students in the class. One girl asked how old I was and seemed impressed that I was about to start high school. A few complimented my haircut and my new wrap. Class started a few minutes later. We started with a series of stretches, then Miss Taylor introduced us to the five basic positions of ballet. We spent the rest of class at the barre, running through the positions repeatedly to the beat of a metronome. We'd hold each position as she showed us where to place our feet and how to hold our arms and hands. It was a surprisingly tough workout - I wasn't prepared for how physically challenging some of the positions were and I could already tell I was going to be a little sore the next day. Getting each position exactly right took a lot of concentration and the three hours went by quickly. As class wound down, I looked up to see Mom watching from the lobby. Next to her stood Mikey with a big shit-eating grin on his face. My eyes widened. What was he doing here? I could feel my face turning red with embarrassment, but there was nothing I could do except continue my exercises with the other girls. I hated the fact that my brother actually got to see me like this. Soon class wrapped up and we all went to meet our families in the lobby. Miss Taylor followed me over to Mom and Mikey. Miss Taylor put my arm around my shoulder proudly. "Danielle did beautifully today, Ms. Exner. She's picking up the positions very quickly, aren't you, darling?" "Um, I guess so." I responded with an embarrassed look on my face. "She's very graceful for a beginner. I see a lot of potential in her," Miss Taylor said, giving my shoulders a squeeze. "Yes, we're very proud of her. She's always been very athletic," Mom agreed happily. I couldn't believe they had to have that conversation in front of my brother. Mikey gave me a sarcastic smile as the adults gushed about what a good ballerina I was shaping up to be. I crossed my arms and shot him a look, trying my best to look as intimidating as possible in my ballet gear. Miss Taylor had Mom go over some paperwork at the front desk before we could leave, and I went to pack my things back in my bag to get away from Mikey. I looked up to see another family enter the lobby and my blood ran cold. Katie Hynes, a girl from my eighth grade class, had just walked in with her mother. We weren't friends or anything, but I'd spent enough time in class with her last year to recognize her immediately. She must have had a younger sister in my dance class, I realized. I ducked away reflexively, turning my head to hide my face behind my hair before she saw me. Since I was older and taller than almost every other girl in class, I knew I definitely stood out. I was going to have to be super slick if I wanted to get out of here without her seeing me. I waited for Katie to greet her sister and scurried around to the front desk while she was distracted. I had to get out of the studio immediately. "Hey Mom, I'm all packed up, I'll wait for you by the car, okay?" I blurted out. Mom turned around and grabbed my hand before I could go. "One second, Danielle, I'm coming. Bye, Miss Taylor." Miss Taylor waved a friendly goodbye. "Bye, Ms. Exner. We'll see you and Danielle on Wednesday." Oh no. Had Miss Taylor just revealed my secret identity? If Katie had overheard, my whole charade was over. I looked up just in time to see her family reach the front desk. To my horror, Katie was now standing right next to me, looking me right in the face. As we made eye contact, I could see her scanning my face, as if trying to figure out if she knew me from somewhere. Before she could say anything, I tugged on Mom's hand and ran for the door, practically dragging her out of the studio with me. As we pulled out of the parking lot, I looked out the window to see Katie exit the building with her family and look around with a confused look on her face. Mikey teased me the whole way home, but I barely even heard him. He was the least of my problems now. If Katie figured out Danielle the ballerina was really Danny from school, my life was over. ... After dinner, I told Mom I couldn't go back to dance class that Wednesday. "Maybe if I don't go back she'll just forget she ever saw me," I explained. "No way, Danielle," Mom said sternly. "I spent a lot of money on these lessons and you're going to learn ballet even if it kills you. I'm not letting you out of it just because you're afraid of seeing some girl you barely even know." "Mom, I'm not afraid of her, I'm afraid that she'll recognize me!" I pleaded. "Honey, I don't know if you've looked in a mirror recently, but Katie has no reason to think you're Danny Exner if you don't give her one. As far as she knows, maybe you're his sister." It was a small consolation, but she was right. Heck, it'd been over a month since anyone in my own family had called me Danny. ... When Wednesday rolled around, I tried to convince Mom I didn't feel good, but she wouldn't hear it. "Let's go, missy. I want you dressed and ready in 15 minutes or else." As anxious as I was, I knew better than to trifle with "or else," so I crawled out of bed and slipped into my dance uniform and we headed off to Miss Taylor's. Class was the same as before - a round of stretches followed by a couple hours learning and practicing the basic positions. I spent the entire time watching the door out of the corner of my eye, praying that Katie would just stay home that day. As it turned out, Katie and her mom showed up fifteen minutes early. I looked over my shoulder and saw Katie wave to her sister from the lobby as she entered the building. I saw her look in my direction and turned around with a jerk before she could make eye contact. Taking a deep breath, I assumed the next position and tried to concentrate, but with mirrors lining every wall, it was too easy to steal a glance at the lobby. Every time I looked over, I could see Katie staring at me. By the time class ended, I was wracked with anxiety. Katie's sister, Karen, one of the younger girls, ran over to meet her and her mom. Katie asked her something and pointed at me. Before I could turn away, Katie gave me a friendly wave. I waved back weakly, not sure what to do. Before I could come up with an escape plan, Katie was walking over to me. "Hi. I'm Katie, Karen's big sister. You're Danielle, right?" "Y-Yeah... hi," I stammered. "I guess this is your first time taking ballet, huh? Do you like it so far?" "Um, I guess it's all right," I replied nervously. "Actually, it's harder than I thought it'd be." "Tell me about it. I had three years of it and it was super tough," she said, shuddering at the memory. "Hey, are you related to Danny Exner by any chance?" she asked casually. "I heard Miss Taylor say goodbye to your mom the other day. Danny was in my class at school last year and you guys look a lot alike." I froze. How was I going to answer that? I was about to blurt out something stupid when I heard Mom call my name. I looked up to see her walking across the dance floor. "Danielle! Sorry I'm late, honey, traffic was a nightmare today." Katie turned around to greet my mom. "Hi, Mrs. Exner. I'm Katie Hynes, Karen's sister. Aren't you Danny's mom?" "Hi, Katie. Yes, I am," Mom smiled. "I see you've met Danny's twin sister." I stared at Mom incredulously as Katie turned back to me. "Oh wow, that's cool. I didn't know Danny was a twin. Where do you go to school? I know you weren't in Washington Middle School with us." "Uhhh," I blinked. "Oh, Danielle lives with her father," Mom chimed in. "She goes to school in a different state. She's just visiting here for the summer while Danny stays with his dad." Oh my god, Mom was saving my butt! I couldn't believe that corny line she'd come up with at dinner was working, but I'd never been more thankful in my life. "Oh, neat! We'll have to get together sometime. I can show you around and introduce you to some of my friends if you want. Would it be okay if I called you?" Wait, all this because she wanted to be friends with me? Not knowing what else to say, I agreed. "Uh, sure?" I gave her our home phone number and watched as she added it to her phone. "Great! I'll call you tonight, okay?" Katie smiled and bounced back over to her family. I stood there, stunned at the conversation that had just taken place. I couldn't believe that I had talked to someone from school while wearing a pink leotard and tights. This couldn't be happening. Mom gave me a pat on the back. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" ... Katie called later that night, just as she'd promised, and I laid on my bed making small talk for nearly an hour as she asked me about my life. It was hard for me to do, since I had to make up an entire new life that didn't exist. I told her that I lived with Dad in California, I didn't have a boyfriend, I liked dogs, I was thinking of trying out for cheerleading next year. What were girls into? I tried to remember movies and boy bands that I'd read about in the magazines Mom had given me. Even harder, I had to make believe that I didn't know any of her friends or anything about school. Thankfully, Katie seemed to buy my story, and chatted along happily about her life and interests. It was towards the end of the phone call when Katie suggested I come over to her house to hang out the next day. "Gosh, I'd love to," I lied, "but I don't think my mom would let me." "Oh, that's okay. I understand." Katie gave a disappointed sigh. Whew. Dodged a bullet, there, I thought. "Your mom wouldn't let you do what?" Mom asked. I jumped, turning to see Mom had poked her head into my room. She must have overheard me from the hall. Or had she been listening in this whole time? I tried to think fast. "Mom! I, uh... I was just telling Katie that I didn't think you'd want me to go over to her house tomorrow, since I've been, er, grounded all summer," "Nonsense!" Mom smiled. "Katie seems like a very nice girl. Of course you can go visit. I can drop you off in the afternoon on the way to Mikey's baseball practice and pick you up on the way home. Tell her it's no problem." I scrunched up my face and brought the phone back to my ear. "Hey, Katie..." I said, looking over to see Mom watching, expectantly. "My mom, uh, changed her mind. I can probably hang out for a little while tomorrow." "Awesome! I can't wait!" Katie bubbled. She gave me her address and we said our goodbyes. I hung up the phone and slumped over, pressing my face into the mattress. What had I gotten myself into? Chapter 6 Danielle visits Katie's house. To say I was nervous that next day was an understatement. I was really stepping into the unknown that afternoon. Dressing as a girl at home or around strangers was one thing, but trying to pass myself off as a girl to someone who already knew me as Danny was a whole different story. It wasn't like I was an expert at "girl stuff," either - I'd only been wearing dresses for a little over a month, and I'd really only been pretending to be a girl around other people since dance class started at the beginning of the week. I didn't have the first clue how to be a girl. I felt like I'd been pushed into the deep end of the pool without knowing how to swim. I wasn't even sure what I should wear to her house. I fussed over a couple different casual outfits before finally just throwing on my shorts and a light top. I was lacing up my pink sneakers as Mom walked in. "You aren't wearing that to Katie's house, are you?" she asked. "Yeah... I thought I'd just wear something comfortable." I tried to explain my reasoning, but it was obvious she had other ideas. "I think you should wear one of your nice summer dresses. If I were in your shoes, I would want to do anything and everything I could to be as girly as I could be today, don't you think? First impressions are very important," she explained. I considered her suggestion. Maybe she was right - a really feminine dress might help sell the illusion, and I could use all the help I could get right now. I reluctantly agreed and changed into a breezy floral dress and a pair of sandals with a low heel. I nervously double-checked my reflection at my vanity. A quick brush of my hair to straighten my bangs, a little concealer here and there, and a fresh coat of lip gloss would do the trick. "Hurry up, Danielle," Mom called from downstairs, "You can't spend all day preening at the mirror or Katie's going to wonder what happened to you." "I am hurrying!" I yelled back. I made some quick final adjustments and took one last look before heading downstairs. It would have to do. ... Mom waited in the car until Katie opened the door. I swallowed hard as I watched her wave goodbye and drive away. I was on my own. "Danielle! You made it!" Katie clapped her hands together with excitement. "Um, yep." I replied nervously. Already I could tell that this girl was way too outgoing for me to handle. As Katie showed me inside, I noticed with dismay that she was wearing shorts and a casual top. I immediately felt over-dressed. Mom had done it again, I realized. Katie gave me a once-over in return. "I love your outfit," she gushed. "And oh my god, those shoes are so cute! Where did you get them?" With that, we were off and running. After a brief tour of the house, she showed me to her room. As we settled in on a shaggy, multicolored area rug, I took in the decor. Hers gave mine a real run for it's money, I thought, looking around in awe. Stuffed animals and dolls lined every available surface, and posters of horses and boy bands covered the powder pink walls. Katie was quite the chatterbox, but I quickly realized she was genuinely a really pleasant person and very easy to talk to. I even found her room, girly as it as, to be a pleasant change of scenery after being cooped up in my own lilac prison for the last couple weeks. Katie broke out a box of crafting supplies from her closet and showed me how to make friendship bracelets. It was good mindless fun while we chatted about whatever came to mind. Before long, Katie started talking about boys. "So I know you said you don't have a boyfriend," she probed, "but is there anyone you like?" My fingers slipped and I fumbled to pick my bracelet off the floor. "Uh, no, not really," I stammered. "Boys are kinda gross, don't you think?" "I dunno, they can be cute, too, you know. I can't believe you don't have a crush on anybody," she smiled. "You've gotta have a crush on somebody. There's tons of hot guys in California, right?" Oh right, my backstory about California. Why didn't I pick somewhere boring like Idaho or something? "Um, yeah, I mean, down at the beach and stuff." That's where hot guys hung out, right? "Okay, well tell me about all the surfers, then!" Katie egged me on, wide eyed. This girl was a little boy-crazy, I realized. "Oh, you know..." I struggled to recall the photos in the last article I'd read about surfing back when I still had all my sports magazines. "They're all really buff and tan, with long hair. That sorta look." Katie was already eating it up. "Ooh, I love how swimmers look," she grinned. "They're all so slim and toned! And long hair is so cool on guys!" Oh, no. It seemed like I'd struck a nerve there. "Y-yeah. I guess so, if you're into that." "Oh, I see," she said playfully, "you're into really beefy guys, huh?" She gave me a ridiculous wink. It was such an absurd gesture that we both burst into a fit of giggles, scattering craft supplies everywhere. With my awkward moment defused, we talked more generally about music and boys, movies and boys, clothes and boys, dancing and boys, food and boys, travel and boys... It turned out that Katie had never had a serious boyfriend, either, but she had lots of thoughts and opinions on the subject. It was fascinating being on the other side of this sort of conversation and I found myself becoming genuinely curious about what she saw in boys. It was the sort of info that could come in handy when I finally get my life back to normal, I thought. At one point, we got on the subject of kissing - she confessed to me that she had just had her first kiss earlier that summer while on vacation and I found myself strangely drawn into the story. It was something to do with the way she told it, I think; sneaking off on the boardwalk and meeting a boy her age, holding hands as they walked around together that day, then finally stealing a kiss behind a roller-coaster before returning to her parents that evening. It was just so exciting. I'd never cared about this sort of mushy stuff before, but hearing Katie share her experience of a summer crush on a boy she'd never see again had me absolutely enraptured. By the end of the afternoon, I was completely worn out. I was glad when Mom came to pick me up, but at the same time, I realized that I was sad that the visit was over already. Katie and I hugged each other goodbye and I waved to her as I got in the car. Mom was eager to hear all about my afternoon and I showed her the bracelet I'd made and told her all about my visit (skipping over most of the boy talk, of course). "So you had a really good time, huh?" Mom gave me a proud smile. "Yeah," I said, pausing as I realized I really meant it. "Katie's really cool." ... My life fell into a new routine for the next few weeks. It wasn't one that I was totally comfortable with, but it was a routine all the same. One day, while packing up my things after dance class, I reflected on how different this summer had been from every other summer break - in the past, my days were usually filled with baseball or summer camp, not ballet and beauty treatments. In fact, since I didn't have any chance to play ball, I found myself really getting invested in my ballet lessons. Not only did I not want to risk Mom adding any more extracurriculars to my routine, it seemed like that was the only exercise I was getting anymore and I wanted to stay in shape for when I got back to baseball. To my surprise, I was actually getting pretty good at dancing. Miss Taylor noticed my steady improvement and complimented me quite often on my gracefulness and poise. Her encouragement spurred me on to try harder each week, and I often caught myself thinking about ballet even when I wasn't in class. I slipped my wrap on over my leotard then zipped up my duffel bag and slung it over my shoulder before walking across the studio to meet Katie and her sister in the lobby. Their mom was giving me a ride to their house that day. In fact, Katie and I were hanging out together a few times a week now. Usually I just went to her house, but we had gone out shopping with her Mom a couple times, and even convinced our parents to let us go to the movies by ourselves the week before. We had become fast friends, and I always looked forward to hanging out with her, even if I did have to be Danielle the entire time. Chapter 7 Danielle performs for family and friends in Miss Taylor's ballet recital. One day after ballet practice, Miss Taylor gathered the class around and informed us that the summer session of classes would be ending soon. As the other girls reacted to the news with disappointment, it took all of my willpower to suppress a smile. If summer classes were ending soon, then so was summer, and so was my punishment. Soon I'd be back to my normal life as Danny again. My mind raced at the thought. What would I do first - throw out all my dumb dresses? Cut off my stupid hair? "I know, I know," Miss Taylor hushed the chorus of disappointed voices, "I'm sad to see it end, too. But I have exciting news: the end of the season means our summer recital is coming up as well! You'll have the opportunity to get on stage and show everyone in your family how much you've learned this year and what talented dancers you're all becoming. Isn't that wonderful?" she beamed. The other girls seemed to be really excited at the prospect, but I felt a familiar tinge of anxiety curdling in my stomach. Why not, I thought, already resigned to my fate. What would this summer be without one final public humiliation? "We'll begin working on our routine for the recital starting in our next class," Miss Taylor continued, "but I wanted to announce our featured dancer ahead of time. This dancer has shown dedication, determination, and a true passion for dance that sets a strong example for her fellow classmates. Our prima ballerina for our beginner's ballet class is... Miss Danielle Exner!" Wait, what? The class rippled with applause and I smiled weakly, blushing with embarrassment as my classmates offered their congratulations. All the practice I'd done to stay in shape for baseball... Miss Taylor had mistaken it as passion for ballet. I couldn't believe it. I'd brought this on myself. ... For the next week and a half, we practiced our numbers for the recital. There would be a combined routine with all of the dancers from the studio performing together, followed by each class' own separate performance. This year, the beginners class would be doing scenes from Swan Lake; as the featured dancer, I would be playing the part of Odette, a young maiden cursed to transform into a swan. Ironically, one of the other girls would be playing the part of the handsome prince that Odette falls in love with. I was already dreading having to prance around in front of a bunch of strangers, but to make matters worse, Miss Taylor informed us that we'd be performing in full costume, with tutus and feathery tiaras. As Odette, I had the honor of being center stage with the fanciest costume. Mom was driving me home from a costume fitting a few days before the recital when she dropped a bomb on me. "Oh honey, I can't wait to see you on stage in your swan costume," she cooed. "You're going to look adorable, I just know it. Aunt Alice can't wait to see it, either!" "What?" I cried. "Why did you tell Aunt Alice?" My mom's sister Alice lived the next state over with my cousin Jason, who was a few months older than me. We usually only ever saw them for Thanksgiving. "I didn't tell you?" Mom feigned confusion. "Alice and Jason are coming down for a week while Alice attends a conference. I went ahead and invited them to the recital since they'll be in town." "Mom, you can't do that! Jason's gonna think I lost my mind!" "Calm down, it's going to be fine," she warned. "I've already told Alice all about your special punishment, so she knows you're my little girl now. In fact, she's eager to see firsthand how you've spent your summer. Apparently, your cousin has been becoming more and more of a discipline problem himself recently." That didn't make them seeing my recital any less embarrassing. Jason was going to see me prancing around in a tutu and learn that I'd spent the summer as a girl. He already felt entitled to give me a hard time because of our age difference, but he was going to have a field day with this. I wanted to roll up into a ball and die. ... The day of the recital, I was sick with nervousness. Mom practically had to drag me out of the house to take me to dress rehearsal. The recital was being held in the auditorium at the local high school and Mom dropped me off with the other students out front. I felt like I was being led to my own execution as we made our way to the auditorium. Backstage, Miss Taylor must have picked up on my anxiety, because she came over to offer some encouragement while an older girl from one of the advanced classes worked on my makeup. "Danielle, darling, I just want you to know that it's perfectly natural to feel a little stage fright before a performance. Take a deep breath and concentrate on your routine. Once you get on stage, all the nerves will go away, I promise." She gave me reassuring pat on the back before leaving to supervise some other students. I took a deep breath and ran through my solo again in my head and felt a little better. The older girl put a few finishing touches on my makeup then showed me my reflection in her compact mirror. She had done a great job - I barely recognized myself. I was sporting a very dramatic, theatrical look, complete with false eyelashes and smoky, glittery eyeshadow. Wait 'til Jason gets a load of me, I thought glumly. ... We were super busy for the next two hours. First, we did a quick group warm-up with stretches, then Miss Taylor had each class run through any tricky parts of their routines that needed some extra fine-tuning. Finally we did an abridged run through of the entire show in our costumes. I found myself getting caught up in all the excitement and activity and actually forgot about my stage fright for a while. Eventually, it was time for final costume checks before the show and we all gathered backstage for inspection. I could hear the audience filling up the room on the other side of the curtain and tried not to imagine Mikey and Jason sitting in the front row, pointing and laughing. When she was satisfied that everyone's costumes were in order, Miss Taylor got us all together to say a little prayer that we'd all perform well and to remind us to have fun. I was praying that Aunt Alice and Jason had run out of gas on the highway. ... I was ready for the floor to open up and swallow me as we took our positions for the first number and awaited our cue. On the other side of the curtain, the house lights were dimmed and Miss Taylor gave a brief speech welcoming the audience to the show. After some polite applause, our music began and the curtain slowly opened, revealing the entire dance company as we stood onstage, already in position. There was a burst of applause, louder this time, as we leapt into motion. The crowd's feedback was surprisingly exhilarating and my heart was suddenly racing as we danced across the stage. Fortunately, the big group routine was the easiest, and I made my way through it without any errors as. As I danced, I did my best to scan the audience for my family, but I quickly realized the stage lights were too bright to see anyone sitting in the auditorium. It was easy to pretend that no one was out there, and I relaxed a little bit, allowing myself to focus on my movements and hitting my marks. The curtain closed and the other students hustled backstage as Miss Taylor signaled for our class to get set. This was my big number as the featured dancer, with a long solo at the end of the routine. I tried to concentrate on all of my moves, remembering all of my training and practice as we took the stage. The only thing more embarrassing than being onstage dancing would be to mess up while I was doing it, I told myself. The curtains opened again and we started our routine as the Swan Lake theme began to play. I could see flashes of cameras in the audience and I tried to turn my thoughts away from all the fridges and fireplace mantles around town that would soon be decorated with photos featuring me in a tutu, dancing alongside someone else's precious daughter. Finally, the music changed and a spotlight centered on me as I began my solo. The whole thing went by in a blur as I leapt and twirled and stretched to the music. Finally, the music built to a head and I pirouetted prettily before swooning dramatically into the arms of the dancer playing the handsome prince. There was a roar of applause and we held the pose until the lights faded and the curtains closed, then scampered off backstage. The remainder of the recital went off smoothly. My class waited in the wings, watching with hushed excitement as the advanced classes dazzled the audience with elaborate moves and giant leaps across the stage. It occurred to me that maybe I had actually learned to enjoy ballet. Performing on stage had been just as thrilling as any home run I'd ever hit or fly ball I'd caught, and I'd really begun to appreciate all the discipline and athletic ability required to be a good dancer. When this was all over, I might actually even miss it a little... aside from all the frou-frou stuff, of course. As the final curtain closed, we all walked onstage for our curtain call. To my horror, the house lights had already been raised and I could clearly see my family sitting in the center of the audience, just a few rows away. Jason was sitting next to Mikey and the two of them grinned like coyotes as I made eye contact. I averted my gaze and crossed one leg behind the other, my stomach flipping as I dipped deeply into a proper ballet curtsey. ... After the recital, Miss Taylor gathered us all backstage and congratulated us on a flawless performance and directed us to the auditorium foyer, where she had arranged for a little reception. My family was waiting greet me as we entered the foyer. Both Mom and Aunt Alice had bouquets of flowers for me, which was just another source of total embarrassment for me. "You were wonderful, honey. Here's some flowers for my little prima ballerina." Mom handed me the flowers and then gave me a hug and a kiss. "Your mom's right. You did fantastic, Danielle. I can't believe you just started," Aunt Alice said as I begrudgingly accepted my second bouquet. Jason and Mikey were surprisingly quiet. I was still wearing my leotard, tutu, and feathery tiara with a face full of makeup, plus now I was carrying an armful of flowers... they should have been eating me alive. I gave them a suspicious look. "Danielle!" I to see Katie skipping over. She gave me a hug and handed me a small bouquet, laughing as I added them to my collection. I was glad to see her. At least now I'd have someone to talk to. "You were great tonight," she smiled. "Thanks," I grinned stupidly. "Karen did really well, too." "Yeah, Miss Taylor is a really good teacher." "That's for sure. If she can teach me ballet, she can teach anyone," I joked. "Hi, Katie," Mom interjected. "Glad you enjoyed the recital. Your sister looked so pretty up there." She introduced the family. "This is Danielle's Aunt Alice and her cousin, Jason." "Hi. Nice to meet you both," Katie replied politely. I could see Jason overtly checking out Katie as she gave him a friendly wave. Ugh. I didn't appreciate him creeping on my friend like that. I quickly stepped in between them, blocking Jason's face with my mass of flowers. "Hey, Katie, you wanna come get some food with me?" I took her hand and we headed towards the table where they were serving refreshments. As Katie and I stood in line for refreshments, a voice next me spoke up. "Oh hey, you're the swan princess, right?" I turned to see who was talking to me. It was an older boy about a foot taller than me, with shaggy brown hair and wearing a faded denim jacket was standing beside me in line. He gave me a friendly smile. "Uh... yes?" I asked nervously. "You did great out there," he nodded coolly. "My sister's been taking lessons with Miss Taylor for ages, so I've seen a ton of these things. My name's Kyle," he said, offering me his hand. "Oh, thanks," I said, taken aback by how casually he'd made my acquaintance. "I'm, uh, Danielle," I said, giving him a limp handshake. I felt a weird little tingle in my spine as I realized how much bigger his hand was than mine. "So, no offense, but aren't you a little old for the beginners' class?" Kyle asked. "Well, it wasn't really my idea - my mom signed me up," I said defensively. "That's cool. You should tell your mom you deserve to be in one of the advanced classes, though," he assured me. "Do you go to school around here? I don't think I've seen you before." "I, uh, just moved here. I'll be a freshman when school gets back in." "Oh, cool. I'm gonna be a sophomore this year. Hey, maybe I'll see you around sometime." He flashed me another smile and took a sip of his drink. "Yeah, that'd be cool," I blurted out. Wait, what was I saying? I'd gotten so wrapped up in the conversation that I'd just said the first thing that popped into my head. Before I could say anything else, Kyle had already walked off with his food and disappeared into the crowd. Katie turned and gave me a scandalized look as we left the refreshment table. "Oh my god, Dani, that guy was totally flirting with you!" she squealed. "Shut up! No, he wasn't... was he?" I asked, concernedly. "Definitely. He was totally into you! Did he say he was a sophomore? I can't believe you had an older guy hitting on you like that!" I nervously popped a grape into my mouth. That guy had seemed so cool, why had he bothered to flirt with some dumb girl in a swan costume? And why did I feel strangely flattered by the whole thing? Katie and I chatted along happily as we ate our finger foods and drank punch, catching up on the last few days since we'd seen each other. Soon, the reception began to wind down and Mom walked over to tell me it was time to go home. Mike and Jason barely even acknowledged my existence as I strutted past them with Mom. What was going on with those two? Chapter 8 Jason and Aunt Alice come to visit. Back at home, I washed my face and headed to my room. Mom had already laid out a change of clothes for me and I dutifully changed out of my leotard and into the casual summer dress and pink cardigan that she'd picked out. I was happy to get out of the form-fitting ballet costume after wearing it all day, but I really wasn't looking forward to wearing a dress with Jason around. His suspicious silence all night had me worried. Jason and Mikey were playing video games in the living room when I got back downstairs, and the room was shaking with the sound of bullets and explosions. Mom hadn't allowed me to pick up a controller since the start of my punishment, but at least I could watch. I took a spot on the other end of the couch, curling my legs beneath me. "No way. Don't sit next to me, princess," Jason spat. "What? I'm way over here." I shrank in my seat defensively. "I don't care. I don't want to catch whatever queer germs you have." "I don't have germs!" I protested. He turned from the TV to shoot me an intimidating look. "Listen, Daniel, my Mom made us behave for your fruity little dance show, but don't think that means I want you hanging around," he hissed. "Don't you have some dolls you can go play with or something?" Great. There's the Jason I know, I thought angrily. Something about how he'd used my male name added an extra layer of venom to his insult. I could feel tears welling in my eyes. "Aw, is the baby gonna cry?" he mocked. I looked across the room to Mikey, but he was focused intently on the game, probably not even listening. I should have known better than to rely on him for anything, I told myself. "You're a real asshole, Jason!" I wiped my tears on my sleeve and stormed out of the living room, humiliated. Mom caught me before I reached the stairs. "Oh, there you are, Danielle," she called, motioning me toward the kitchen. "Come help your Aunt Alice and me with dinner." She apparently hadn't heard our argument over all the noise, but I didn't want to give Jason the satisfaction of ratting him out. It'd just be more ammunition for him later. I composed myself quickly before she could see and followed her into the kitchen. Dinner was uneventful. Mom and Alice spent most of the time talking about work and catching up on each other's personal lives as we ate. I pushed my food around on the plate for a bit, then excused myself to my room for an early bedtime. I had just changed into my nightie and bloomers when I heard the door creak open. I spun around to catch Mikey and Jason peering through the crack in the door! Mikey turned to Jason. "See. I told you, she sleeps in girl stuff, too. You owe me a dollar." Jason cracked up. "This is worth a lot more than a dollar - this is hysterical!" He pushed the door open and entered my room, looking around at all the decorations. "My cousin is turning into a real girl, huh? You must really like all this stuff." He picked a teddy bear up off a nearby shelf and tossed it to the ground, tauntingly. "No, I hate it!" I hissed, so Mom wouldn't hear. "I hate wearing all this stuff. Mom makes me." I crossed my arms over myself in a vain attempt to cover up. "Ha!" Jason crowed, inching his way over to me. "You know, I saw you and your little girlfriend talking to that jock after the recital tonight. You're a total fruitcake, aren't you, Danny?" "I don't even know what you're talking about!" I argued, backing away. "Oh, I think you do. You've got the hots for a guy, don't you?" Jason kept walking closer until I was cornered between him and the wall. Without thinking, I took a swing at him. Jason dodged it easily and grabbed my arm, wrestling me to the ground. He was a lot stronger than I remembered - all my time spent doing girl stuff must have had more of an effect on me than I'd realized. Within a few seconds, he had me pinned to the floor. My arms were trapped under his legs and I kicked helplessly as he towered over me. "Jason, let me up!" I panted, squirming underneath his weight. He laughed. "It's so cute when little girls get mad and try to act tough, isn't it, Mikey?" Mikey stood behind Jason with a weird look on his face. He said nothing. Jason continued to torment me. "I wonder if that guy you were hitting on knows you aren't a real girl," he leered. A lascivious smile crossed Jason's face. "I wonder if your little titties are even starting to come in yet... why don't we take a look?" He reached menacingly for the hem of my nightie. I shut my eyes in terror, feeling completely violated as Jason pulled my top up to look at my chest. Suddenly, I felt his weight come off of my arms, releasing me. I sat up in time to see Mikey wrestle Jason to the ground and punch him square in the mouth. "Leave my sister alone, asshole!" Mikey fumed. "No one touches her like that! I never shoulda let you talk shit about her all night!" Jason reeled from the punch and lunged up at Mikey with a crazed look in his eye. The two of them struggled on the ground grunting and cursing as I looked on helplessly. "STOP THAT THIS INSTANT!" Mom and Aunt Alice burst into the room and pried Jason and Mikey apart. The two boys glared hatefully at each other from across the room. Jason wiped a red smear across his mouth. Mikey had given him a bloody lip. I inhaled deeply, catching my breath, and wiped my hands across my face. I didn't realize I'd been crying. I straightened my tear-stained nightie out around me and tried to collect myself. Jason had been a jerk all night, but he'd turned into a full-on monster just now. If Mikey hadn't been there... I shuddered and choked back a sob. "I swear Mom, he was trying to touch Danielle!" Mikey was pleading with mom. "Mikey, that's enough. Danielle, is this true? Did Jason put his hands on you?" Feeling my face go red, I looked away and nodded quietly. I could feel the tears coming back. "Jason. Get your things and go wait downstairs." Aunt Alice had ice in her voice. Jason slunk shamefully out of the room, still holding a hand to his busted lip. Aunt Alice watched him leave, then turned to Mom. "Gloria... Danielle... I'm sorry." She frowned solemnly. "I need to have a talk with my son." ... Aunt Alice and Jason had left quickly after that. I watched out the window as Mom walked Aunt Alice to the car. They had a short conversation, then Mom stood in the driveway, watching as they drove away. I went to the bathroom to wash the tears off my face and then climbed into bed, exhausted. There was a quiet knock at the door. Mom poked her head in. "Hey sweetie. How are you feeling?" "I don't know." It was the truth. I was glad Jason was gone, but I still felt sick to my stomach. I felt sad and tired and angry in a way I couldn't put into words. I rolled over as Mom entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "That's okay," Mom reassured me. "You've been through a lot tonight." She paused, searching for what to say. "What happened tonight was not your fault. Jason had no right to put his hands on you like that," she frowned. "That's one part of the female experience I never wanted you to go through. A lot of things have changed for you this summer, but you're still my child." Mom looked me in the eyes and combed my hair back behind my ear. "I love you, Danielle." "I love you, too, Mom." She hugged me tightly. Chapter 9 Summer comes to an end. Danielle has a decision to make. It took a little while for things to get back to normal after Jason and Aunt Alice's visit. Mom had Mikey handle all my chores for the next couple days, giving me ample time to rest and clear my head. To his credit, Mikey had taken on the extra housework without complaint. I tried to thank Mikey for standing up for me, but he had just shrugged it off. I felt so awkward for even saying anything, but that was just how Mikey was. Even when he was being nice, he managed to be annoying. ... There were only two weeks left til the end of summer. Usually I hated when summer ended, but not this year. This whole stupid season had gone on long enough. School was my ticket back to some semblance of a regular life after months of unending humiliation. I was laying on my bed, reading a Seventeen article about a "Ballet- Inspired Prom Workout!" "Are you rocking a short dress to prom this year? Make sure your legs are toned before you show them off at the big dance!" I rolled my eyes and tossed the magazine to the floor. The "workout" was basically just pointing your toes over and over. My legs were already plenty toned if that was the case. I flipped on my back and stared up at the lacy canopy draped overhead. It was weird - with ballet class out for the summer, I'd actually started to miss it. Maybe I could toss on a leo and see if I still remembered my Odette piece, just for fun. I rolled off the bed and did a little pirouette to my dresser. I had just started rooting around in the drawers when the phone rang downstairs. "Danielle, phone!" Mom called. "Coming!" I made my way down the stairs, leotard in hand. "Hey, Mom, have you seen my dance tights?" "They're probably still hanging up in the laundry room." She handed me the phone. "It's Katie," she smiled. "Oh!" I grabbed the receiver. "Katie, hi!" "Hey, Dani! I haven't seen you since the recital last week, are your relatives still staying with you?" "Ah, no... they ended up leaving early," I frowned. "Good!" She laughed. "Your cousin was a real creep." You don't know the half of it, I thought to myself. "Yeah... uh, what have you been up to?" I asked, desperate to change the subject. "Well, I'm calling because my birthday is Friday and I wanted to know if you wanted to come over to my house for my party! A couple other girls from school are gonna be there. We're gonna watch movies and do makeovers and stuff. I already asked your Mom, she said it would be okay. Pleasepleaseplease say you'll come!" She pleaded, comically. Well, I couldn't really say no, could I? Katie and I were so close, I couldn't very well skip her birthday party. "Okay fine," I laughed, "I'll come over." "Awesome! McKenzie, Anna, and Liz all are coming too. Don't forget to bring your pajamas and a sleeping bag. Mom said everyone could sleep over." Hang on a second - it was a sleepover? How was I supposed to pull this off? Hanging out with Katie was one thing, but a pajama party with a bunch of girls was a little more than I was prepared for. Way too much could go wrong there if I had to stay there overnight. Katie gave me the details and hung up to make another call. Mom was waiting nearby when I set the the phone down. "What's the matter, sweetie? You look upset." "Mom, I can't go to Katie's party." "What? Of course you can. It sounds like a very nice time." "Mom! It's a sleepover. You have to help me." "Don't worry. We'll buy a nice present and get you some new pajamas. I wouldn't make you wear the babydoll to Katie's house." "No, Mom, you have to help get me out of this. I can't spend the whole night, they'll figure me out for sure!" "Calm down, Danielle. You'll be fine. You're a lot more convincing as a girl than you think," she said, giving me a reassuring squeeze. "And besides, I remember how much fun sleepovers with my girlfriends were when I was your age..." Mom got a wistful look on her face. "My baby's first sleepover! Oh, I'm so excited for you!" ... With Mom confident that I could survive Katie's sleepover, there wasn't much I could do to convince her otherwise. The day before the party, Mom insisted drove us to the mall to find a birthday present for Katie. It was kind of funny, walking around the mall again. The last couple times I'd been here I'd thought I was going to die of embarrassment, but at this point, walking around in public didn't bother me at all. My dress, my makeup, my feminine hairdo - it was all practically second nature to me now. I'd been on stage in a tutu; walking around the mall in a dress was nothing. Mom and I browsed a couple of the department stores to see if we could find something nice for Katie. We considered some clothes and jewelry, but nothing really felt right. Finally I convinced Mom to go to the record store across the mall, where I picked out a CD by her favorite boy band along with a matching poster. With Katie's present squared away, Mom focused the rest of the shopping trip on me. We'd already spent a decent amount of time shopping for Katie, but there was no way I was going to be caught dead wearing my babydoll nightie to Katie's sleepover. This time around, Mom mercifully bypassed the frumpy nightgowns and took me to the actual sleepwear department and let me browse around. There were pajama sets, long shirts, nighties, even footie pajamas. To my surprise, I actually found a lot of the options to be pretty cute. It ended up being a tougher choice than I'd anticipated, but I finally settled on a short-sleeved silk pajama set in a pastel green, with matching pants and a little white rabbit embroidered on the shirt pocket. As Mom paid for my new PJs, it occurred to me that I was actually feeling pretty excited for the sleepover again. ... When we got home, Mom helped me wrap Katie's gifts and loaned me a duffel bag to carry my stuff. Mikey, nosy as ever, looked on from the doorway as I packed for the sleepover. "Jeez, Danielle, if I had to pack all that stuff for one night, I'd just stay home." "Yeah, well, being a girl takes a lot of maintenance sometimes, okay?" I was too preoccupied to let his little jab bother me. Along with my clothes, pajamas, makeup kit, hairbrush, toothbrush, and slippers, I still had to figure out how to get my hairdryer to fit in the bag. Maybe Katie would just let me borrow hers. Wait, was I even planning on taking a shower there? I shook my head and tossed the hairdryer aside. I looked up to see Mikey still standing in the door. "Uh, you need something, Mikey?" Mikey gave me a startled look and furrowed his brow. "No - I, uh, well, I wanted to say I'm sorry for not standing up for you in front of Jason sooner. I was just, I dunno - you being a girl has been weird for me too, you know? And I always thought Jason was this cool guy, but now - the stuff he was saying, and when he put his hands on you..." He sniffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve. Was Mikey... crying? "Uh, anyway, look, if you wanna be my sister, that's fine by me, okay?" "Aw, Mikey..." I stood up and gave him a hug. ... By midnight, the sleepover was in full swing. Mom had dropped me off that afternoon and Katie greeted me at the door with a hug. The rest of the girls arrived in quick succession and soon the living room was filled with the sounds of girlish laughter and chatter. Katie, thoughtful as always, made sure to introduce me to each girl as they arrived since I didn't know anyone. Everyone was super friendly and whatever nervousness I had dissolved away quickly as I settled into the party. There didn't seem to be a strict itinerary and we had hung out in the living room talking and listening to music while Katie's parents got dinner ready. After hot dogs and hamburgers, we sang Happy Birthday while Katie blew out the candles on her cake, then we'd gathered around to watch Katie open her presents. Eventually Katie's parents turned in for the night and we huddled in the living room to watch a movie. Katie's little sister fell asleep early, but after the movie the rest of us had moved to Katie's room and stayed up gossiping. I'd ducked into the bathroom to change into my new pajamas and froze as I re-entered Katie's room. Everyone was staring at me with a weird, expectant look on their faces. Oh god, I thought. This is it, isn't it? They know. "So Danielle..." McKenzie broke the silence. "Tell us about Kyle!" "No, listen, I - wait, what? Kyle? From the refreshment line at the recital?" "Sorry Dani," said Katie, "I was telling McKenzie how you're a dancer and sorta brought up that hot guy who chatted you up after the recital..." She gave me a cheeky faux-apologetic look and a big wink. A wave of relief washed over me as my heart rate fell to a normal tempo. "Um, no, that was nothing! He was just some guy -" But I could feel my face going red as I recalled our interaction in the line for refreshments. I'd almost forgotten about it after everything else that had happened that night. It was a short conversation but still, it had left me kinda breathless. Something about the way he'd smiled at me, the way he held himself... "Oooh she's blushing!" Anna teased, snapping me out of it. "It really wasn't anything though, I swear! He said 'see you around,' that was it!" I pleaded. "Oh my god, you should have seen the way he was looking at her, though! Ugh!" Katie clasped her hands to her chest and swooned dramatically onto her bed. With that, the room collapsed into giggles and conversation moved to other boys the girls had their eyes on, mercifully taking the spotlight off of me. My thoughts returned to Kyle - what if he had been hitting on me? ... Later that night Katie and I snuck away to the kitchen to get some ice cream. Katie spoke up quietly as we entered the kitchen. "So I guess we'll be freshmen soon... it almost doesn't seem real, does it?" "Oh, wow, right - school starts next month." It suddenly struck me that I'd be giving all this up soon. Obviously I'd never be invited to a girl's sleepover again once I went back to being Danny, but it was more than that. Katie and Danielle shared secrets, had private jokes, they talked about boys and fashion and stupid TV shows and corny pop music and I wasn't into any of that stuff. I mean, as Danielle, I was, but - ugh, it was all so frustrating. I'd have to throw our entire friendship away if I wanted to start over with her as Danny at school next year. "Dani, I haven't told the other girls yet, so swear you won't tell anyone this, okay?" Katie whispered. "Sure, of course," I nodded. "I'm not going to Jefferson High in the fall... Mom enrolled me at Mount Saint Mary's. It's a private school across town." "Wait, what?" I couldn't believe it. We wouldn't be going to school together at all? She frowned. "Yeah, Mom says they have a really good college prep course track or something, I dunno... I wanted to tell you cause I'm worried we won't get to see each other any more! You have to promise you'll stay in touch, okay?" She looked up at me and I could see tears in her eyes. Katie's lip was trembling. I could feel tears forming in my own eyes and I screwed up my face, trying to fight them off. "Oh my god, Katie... of course, I'll call you every day. I promise!" The tears were flowing now. We shared a deep hug and laughed at ourselves as we wiped our eyes. "Okay, okay, enough of that." Katie laughed quietly. "I know that ice cream is around here somewhere..." ... Mom picked me up from Katie's the next day but instead of going home, she drove us into town. "I thought it'd be nice if we got a little lunch together, just us girls," she offered. "There's something I've been meaning to talk with you about." "Um, okay," I brushed my hair behind my ear nervously. What could she want to talk about? It'd been a while since Mom had ramped up my punishment, but I thought I'd been doing really well recently. Had I slipped up somehow? I was too scared to ask. I recognized the restaurant as we pulled into the parking lot - it was the same one we'd gone to for my birthday back at the beginning of summer. Inside, it turned out the place had a much more casual atmosphere at lunch, though the maitre d' still made a production of sliding the chair under me as I sat down. Mom finally spoke up after we'd placed our orders. "Danielle, I just wanted to say how proud I am of you. Your behavior and attitude have improved in every way I could have possibly hoped." She smiled. "Your punishment is officially over." I sat back in my chair, stunned. It was over? I'd waited for this so long it almost didn't seem real. "But to be honest, it's been over for a while now," Mom continued. "This was all intended to be a punishment for you, but recently I've watched you make new friends, learn new skills, and really grow into your role as a young lady. Watching you onstage as prima ballerina, seeing how you interact with Katie and the other girls... I've never seen you so happy. You have friends now that really care about you." Where was she going with this? "Happy"? I thought back to the dance recital - I'd been terrified up there. I was a nervous wreck. But I guess if I thought about it... I'd also been excited. Proud, even. I'd put so much work into that performance. My turn onstage as Odette was more rewarding than any home run I'd ever hit. All that practice and rehearsal paying off, being the center of attention and feeling so beautiful and graceful... I'd loved it. Wow. I guess with everything Mikey and Jason had done that night, I hadn't really had the opportunity to think about it like that before... I loved being a ballerina. But Katie... Katie was just a friend. Sure, we spent a lot of time together and she was nicer than Austin and Robbie ever were, and she was smart and funny and I always looked forward to seeing her and her going to a different school broke my heart and... Oh my god. Katie was my best friend. And all the girls in dance class... I'd never been that close with anyone in school, or even anyone on the baseball team. Austin and Robbie were the only people I ever hung out with before, and they treated me like garbage. I thought back to the sleepover and how close I felt to all my friends... I was going to have to throw all that away. Looking back, had Mom's punishment been all that bad? Sure, I had freaked out a couple times, but I mean, if I'd learned anything, girls clothes were just... clothes. When Mikey wasn't making fun of me or Mom wasn't dragging me out in public against my will, I even kind of liked dressing up. I guess being humiliated over and over had been the real punishment, because now here I was, sitting around in public dressing and acting like a girl, and it was... well, it felt pretty normal. Good, even. I must have looked completely lost as I came to these realizations all at once, because Mom reached out and put her hand on mine reassuringly. "What I'm trying to say is... I never thought putting you in dresses would lead to this, but... Danny... I think you owe it to yourself to give life as Danielle an honest shot." I could feel my mouth opening and closing but no words would come out. "Not as a punishment, but as... an experiment. I think you might really surprise yourself if you were allowed to try life as a girl on your own terms." Mom smiled and wiped a tear from her eye. She reached into her purse and slid a glossy piece of paper across the table. I picked it up and turned it over in my hands. It was a brochure for Mount Saint Mary's Academy for Girls. She was really serious. "I picked up some paperwork for enrollment at Mount Saint Mary's. It's an all-girls private school where you could give it a try and hardly anyone would already know you as Danny. If you're interested, we can take a look at the forms together, maybe take a tour of the school. But it's totally up to you. You don't have to make a decision right now but--" "I'll do it." I gasped, pressing a hand over my mouth, eyes wide. The words had just popped out. What was going on with me? Mom had given me every opportunity to say no. After all I'd been through this summer. Everything I'd endured... I spent the whole break fantasizing about returning to my old life. Now Mom had given me an opportunity to keep living as a girl and I'd jumped at it. It made no sense, but deep down, I had to admit... something about it just felt right. Mom's punishment was over, but I was going to keep being Danielle, at least for a little while longer. THE END