A Fair Wager free porn video

Fair Wager "Don't laugh too hard, okay Rich? Does this... um... fit your criteria for 'dolled up?'" I was feeling kind of desperate for his attention at that moment, standing at the top of the staircase leading from where my big sis's room door was open. I mean, I was humiliated myself in front of him by wearing her clothes. The least Richie could do was look at me and laugh in my face about it. Gloat over how he won another stupid bet between us. Or tell me to knock it off and we will go back to playing Street Fighter. Instead, the second Richie saw me in this getup from the bottom floor, he clammed up, about turned, and darted straight for the kitchen. Leaving me with nothing but a weak reply of "Need some water!" Was I really that ugly? Not that I should care, of course. 15-year-old band geeks like myself are not known for being stunners, and usually I was no exception. At 5' 7" and a measly 135 lbs., I was another runt in the back of the classroom. I mostly wore boring neutral sweaters and capri shorts. as to not bring much attention to myself in fear on being bullied. My scraggy and uncombed black hair flopped over my eyes to prevent any wayward glances as well. Thusly, I was not a very popular guy. The only friends I had I met in Band, and even then, I hovered just outside their social circles and conversations. All save for Rich. Richard Cartwright saw himself as the next Kenny G of the saxophonist world, and always played his "brass beauty" with showboating bravado and a confident facade during practice, looking to everyone like a superstar. Too bad his musical talent was sub-par at best, and obnoxious almost always. He sat next to me in the wind section, where I was often asked to help him out his finger positions and timing. Somehow, we became close friends despite how different how social lives were. Richie seeking the limelight in every situation, and me choosing to hide in the corner as my best option. We both shared a love for prog-rock and grunge, and had similar tastes in video games, superheroes, comedians, and food, and of course. After school and during our online sessions of Apex, we would chat about whatever girls in our class were the hottest, what it would like to date them, if either of us had any idea on how to approach one of them. Safe to say we were both hopeless in attempts at mingling with the other sex - me being a coward who would stutter when just talking to my lab partner, and Rich coming on too hard and getting a face-full of rejection each time. Which leads us to today. I walked into the kitchen after Rich taking extra time to mind the 3-inch peach colored high heels I had on. On shaky, but still solid enough to strut footing, I approached Rich, wo had his back turned to me and his hand in the sink wasting a gallon of running water trying to wash a single glass. I tapped his shoulder. "Aah!" Rich yelped and quickly twisted his head around to face me, but still avoiding eye contact. "Oh hey... uhm... Benji. Just looking for a clean cup, that's all. What's up?" "You left perfectly good cup on the coffee table, remember? What's up with you? You're acting all jumpy right now." "Jumpy? Me? Nah, just um, itching to get back to the game that's all" Rich nodded over towards the living room where the Character Select menu on Street Fighter 5 had been looping for the past 2 hours. Then he quickly glanced at my lips, which were now covered in cherry red lip gloss I sighed. This was not all the reaction I was expecting form him. I knew I probably looked like an idiot wearing Carla's stuff and was prepared for a heavy ribbing from my pal, not to regarded as such a freak that he could hardly look at me! The hell was his problem, this stupid dare was his idea in the first place! I figured I given him plenty of time to prepare for this disaster. But now here's Rich quivering like a nervous wreck, which weirdly enough I could not relate to. My initial anxiety had washed away. Now I was just confused and annoyed. "Look Rich, obviously you can't stand facing me right now. I get. I must look at a freak drag queen, or something heinous. It was your stupid dare and now it's over. Go sit on the couch and wait for me to get all this gunk off my face and we'll play again. Or better yet just leave and we'll forget this ever happened, okay?!" My voice was raised by the end, and Rich could tell I was upset. Exactly why I was that upset, I wasn't sure. However, Rich then looked me in the eyes for the first time since I stepped down. "Whoa, relax Benji. I don't think you're a freak or whatever. You look fine, great actually..." "Great?" Whoa, that wasn't the reaction I was expecting at all! The butterflies in my tummy starting fluttering back to life as I questioned my friend's choice of words. "Yeah! I mean, you look like a real girl, pretty and stuff. I hardly recognized you when called me to see. Sorry for running off like that, I guess I must have gotten spooked." "Oh... okay... thanks." Wait, why was I thanking him? Since when did I take "pretty" as a compliment? I guess the rollercoaster of emotions I was riding had twisted up my reaction. I'm just happy all my effort dressing up hadn't gone to waste. That must be it. "But what do you mean by spooked? You thought I was someone else?" "At first maybe. Like, maybe you flipped the prank back on me and somehow brought Carla down instead to fool me? But when I heard your voice and realized it was you, I was kinda taken aback." Rich paused for a second to gather his thoughts. "I'm better now though, it's fine. You don't have to change out anything. Unless you wanna... of course.. it's up to you." "Nah, I am fine, and I've already wasted enough time dressing today. Sorry for wait, let's just get back to the game already." "Sure, alright. I'm down for that!" exclaimed Rich, stepping towards the living room. Then, with a small, wary smile, he added "I guess I underestimated how far you'll go for a bet. Up for another? Right, the bet... Always the class clown, Rich played plenty of mostly harmless gags on the kids at school and a few of his teachers, but his charming smile and bright hazel eyes manage disarm most kids' ire towards him, including mine. And thus, as his best friend, I would endure Rich's pranks the most. And whether it getting was my lunch bag swapped with a sack of cottage cheese, or finding my bike wrapped in a litter of party streamers, Rich's jovial attitude and willingness each to help clean up afterward made me appreciate it more as light ribbing between friends. Often, we would make bets and dare each other into silly situations to keep ourselves entertained after a long session of after-school band practice. Which leads us to today, a perfectly clear Saturday after afternoon with just the two of us chilling in my living room playing a few rounds of the recent Street Fighter V update. I had the house to myself since Mom & Dad were taking Carla to tour colleges. Depending on how picky my sis was about her potential new dorm, they may be gone the whole weekend, so they entrusted me with some spare money for groceries if the need arises. Frankly, fridge was overstuffed thanks to my worrywart Father, so I wisely pocket the cash and called Rich over for game time. Inevitably, we begun betting between rounds. For money at first, but then we started upping the stakes with which characters we could play as. I won own where Rich could only play as Ryu or Ken, the most predictable characters, which wasn't too harsh since Rich wasn't the most advanced player anyways. Then he won one and banned from playing any male fighters, which again was fine by me since I had been practicing Chun-Li, Laura, and Karin on my own for a while now. At some point it got zany, I had just won permission to drive Rich's Father's Tacoma which Rich practicing to drive with. Finally, Rich got the bold idea that since I liked playing girl characters so much that I should "dolling myself up as one with my sister's clothes." I called him a pervert, but he didn't lighten up, but instead sweetened the deal by saying he'll pay for the food tonight, my pick. Despite already having enough to cover lunch, my confidence in my skills and hubris after my last win tipped me over the edge and I stuck my hand out to accept his offer. And so, I found myself locked in Carla's bedroom, almost in a fit after pleading with Rich, rushing upstairs, and dreading what was to come next. "Has to be pretty, else it doesn't count!" laughed Rich from downstairs. I ignored his hollering and set myself to settling this dare as soon as possible, and hopefully with my dignity intact. Initially, I planned to just grab a black t-shirt and whatever jeans I could find from her draw and toss them on. And I did just that, not even bothering to take off my socks. But then, when I checked myself in the mirror, all I saw was me. Sure, the jeans were cut a slightly different way to emphasis my calves, and the purple rose embossed on the shirt was gaudy, but honestly it was just me again. That didn't really fit the theme of the bet. I knew Rich was just going to harass me again if I went back down there, and I didn't feel like half-ass another bet in case he skimped out on his promises in return. So, I creeped out in Carla's room and into the bathroom and eyed some of her hair products and a few shaving sticks. I picked up a small pink one and glanced it over, questioning myself far I was willing to go with this. Rationalizing do so would perhaps, freak out Rich and give him pause about suggesting this ever again, I went to the extreme and began shaving off all my body hair in the shower. The plan I was formulating required bare skin to be shown. Even in my previous halfhearted, attempt I hadn't liked how my arm hair spoiled the look. I applied some of Carla's 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner to my hair, since I couldn't remember the last time I'd actively washed it, and I figured my usually unkempt mop wouldn't looked at that convincing on a girl. Once I toweled off and lotion-ed up, I headed back into Carla's room and rooted once more in her wardrobe. I didn't really know how to put together an outfit, but Rich and I had talked enough about what the girls at school wore that I knew what he was into. I found a striped short-sleeve red and cream turtleneck in her bottom drawer, alongside a white skirt that fell below my knee. Scrummaging a bit more, I withdrew a black patent belt, and with a quick test around my waist, figured it was great addition to my outfit. Or disguise rather. Costume? I wasn't quite what to call what I was doing, but that wasn't my most pressing issue at that my moment. Instead, I was contemplating what I was going to wear underneath all that. Up until now I hadn't felt all that squeamish about raiding my sister's room; she done the same to me over the years looking for spare socks or combs. But as I opened the top drawer and gazed at the array of bras, panties, stockings, and other dainty slips, I hesitated to reach my hand in. Surely this was going a bit too far, right? Rich wasn't going to see any of this, and I definitely didn't need to wear such feminine undergarments. But then I noticed the lack of hair on my forearms, smelt the slight waft of strawberries coming from my hair, and realized I had already gone off the deep end. "In for a penny, in for a pound," I said to myself as I quickly snatched a white lace bra and panty set. And then after some reflection, I grabbed a pair of Clara's grey yoga shorts. Inspecting the bra for some dressing tips and finding none, I sighed, unclasp it, and hurriedly struggled to put it on. After an embarrassing minute or two, I finally felt it secure behind me, with the clasps over my shoulders and resting quite comfortably to my surprise. Well obviously there was nothing filling out the front, however the band did fit snuggly to my chest, and my lack of body hair was again noticeably as the feel of delicate lace felt soothing across my now softer skin. Not letting myself linger on that sensation, I grabbed the lace panties and set about addressing the elephant in the room. Well, maybe elephant was a bit of an exaggeration. But still too large for girl a to have seen under her skirt. I donned the panty slowly, its lace causing chills to course across my smooth legs. Tucking my "pigmy elephant" underneath me, the garment slid into place. And as to have anything jostle around, I slipped the yoga shorts on top. I reached back into the drawer to find (what do you know) a "missing" pair of my socks, balled them up, and stuffed them into the empty cavities of the bra, as its loose swinging was starting to bother me. With the frills out of the way, I quickly put on the sweater, skirt, and belt combo. The only issue being that it was kind difficult to slip my head though the neck hole and over my chest, but eventually everything settled into place. I popped in front of the full body mirror to assess the damage. And besides the wound dignity on my face, everything seemed to be in place! Phase 2 my increasingly incredulous plan worked out. Popping back to Carla's vanity, I started on phase 3: make up. Knowing that only Rich would be seeing me, I imagined he would excuse my lack of experience at the trade. But still, my plan was to leave an impression, so well applied make up was entirely necessary to hide my boyish features. I opened my phone's web browser and searched through a plethora of makeup tutorial vids, and finally came across one that looked simple enough for me to pull off, but natural and elegant to be convincing. I didn't want to come across as a drag queen - I didn't have the self-confidence or feisty demeanor for that. Instead, I attempted to match the styles I saw on the girls at school. Following my guide closely, I applied moisturizer, primer, and foundation across my face to brighten my complexion a bit and make my skin look younger. Next, heavy brushes concealer and powder were used to mask the harsher edges of my chin, cheekbones, and under my eyes. My normally messy and unseen eyebrows were brushed into arches, then coat with mascara alongside my eyelashes. Pulling out what seemed liked Carla's most used palette, bronzer, and eye shadow, I dusted some light color on my cheeks. Red and peach, to match the outfit. Lastly, a quick dollop of cherry-red lip gloss to make my whole face pop. I hoped I hadn't overdone it, as trying to redo all of this would take another 30 minutes, and I was too anxious to finish this madness to consider extending it even more. Also, Carla would surely notice if by Monday a huge portion of her makeup kit went missing. Grabbing a brush and large comb, I went to work on my hair, untangling and wrangling it into a more relaxed style. Surprisingly, my black tresses ended up coming to the bottom of my ears when properly washed and straightened. I pulled open the white drawers of the vanity and found a red hair band I'd never seen my sister wore, along with some clip-on earrings. The earrings hurt my lobes a bit, and their added weight was awkward at first, but the star-shaped opals were too stunning to pass up. And for the first time in 5 years, I parted my hairband pushed it back with the hairband. Cherry Red seem to be my color for that afternoon, as I moved forward to polish my finger and toes nails in it. Or course, I doubled-checked to see if there was still enough remover left to clean off the evidence of my misdoings once I was done. I looked over the bottle's label to see a recommends drying-time of 15 minutes, then leaned back in the desk chair and glaze up at the ceiling, to both ponder over whether I'd missing something crucial and how much of an idiot I was for dressing as a chick in the first place. "You didn't fall on asleep on me, didja Benji?" I heard call-out a bored and understandably irritated Rich. "Come on, it's been over an hour already and your pop is all stale now!" I cracked the door open to shout downstairs. "I'll be done soon, just hold up. You asked for this, remember? Just practice your combos some more in the meantime. They need all the help they can get!" While I was roasting him, I spotted some peach toned open-toed raised sandals. Seeing as they were only 3 inches high, I slipped them on, careful as to not smudge off any nail polish. "I've been doing that, man... and hey my combos are just fine, thank you very much!" Rich slumped back at the couch, clearly exasperated. Good, I was worried he would barge in here and see me unfinished for a second there. Thankfully, I was nearly done. All I needed was one final assessment. I spat up off the counter, span around and stood in front of the mirror. And I couldn't see myself. I blinked a bit, then touched the glass panel to double check that the mirror was indeed still there. It was cool to the touch and confirmed that the girl within it mimicking my actions was indeed supposed to be me. And in a few ways, she was. She was the same height as me, although it suited her appearance more so than it did mine. Her shoulders were kinda broad, but the puffy cuffs of the sweater's sleeves helped mitigate it. And she seemed as timid and frighten at what beheld her vision as I must have looked. However, in many ways the boy known as Benjamin Graziano had been erased, and an altogether more entrancing figure had taken his place. My hairless legs looked slim and ladylike coming out of that white skirt, and the tightly clenched belt gave the illusion of womanly curves that shouldn't exist. The top with its modest bustline also gave the impression of a well-endowed young woman ready to hit a night on the town. My painted nails my hands and feet look downright dainty, and the heels I had slipped on weren't helping matters either. Yet the most striking difference was on my face: I could see my eyes! And they were huge, thanks on part to the copious amounts of mascara I had used. I blinked again and noticed how my now glossy and proper hairdo framed my face and highlighted my jewel-adorned ears. My ruby lips quivered as nervous chills raced across by body. I began taking deep breaths to calm down my quickened heart rate. As a boy I had never considered myself "traditionally" attractive. I was the geek that found comfort living in the fringes of everyone's vision. But this new female vision in front of me look like she deserved to shine under the spotlight. Perhaps not supermodel material, but still a girl that could turn a few heads her way walking down a school hallway. A girl I would only dream of getting a chance to talk to. And now, I was her! Was I? Did I want to be her? I couldn't though, I'm supposed to be a guy. This is all a joke, right? Was I overpraising myself, or do I really look like that? I needed a second opinion immediately, just to make sure I wasn't going crazy. Rich would set me straight; he'd tell me whether I was hallucinating or not. "I probably just look like I'm stuck in a lousy Halloween costume to anyone else," I mumbled to myself, unsure if I wanted that statement to be true or false. I inched open Carla's bedroom door, and carefully walked over towards the stairs, grasping that banister as I was still wobbly from the heel and whatever feelings I had tumbling about my pretty head. Steeling myself for Richie's response, I called down for him. "Don't laugh too hard, okay Rich? Does this... um... fit your criteria for 'dolled up?'" "Hello? Benji?" Rich asked with an uneasy tilt to his voice. Despite say he was okay, he was clearly walking on eggshells with his banter, and must have been afraid he'd just crush one when I had zoned out. Snapping back to now, I quickly tried to reassure him. "Sorry, sorry, just thinking back. Um... how about we cool it with the bets today, eh?" I said. "Right, I guess I've already taken it too far today. Guess you'll be getting your first driving lesson in heels today" joked Rich, finding his footing again. I laughed. Right, this was all just for a silly bet. Nothing to get worked up about. I'm still the same Benji I always, just now I could with a slight breeze beneath me. I tried to act as casually as I could as I retook my spot on the couch. "Kay, where we're again? Three out of Five rounds, right? Hope you're prepared?" I joked, mustering up a bit of bravado. However, it was slightly undone as the couch's black pleather lining now made my bare legs break into goosebumps. I repositioned myself by tucking my legs up and underneath me in the seat, inadvertently striking a quite feminine pose. I spied my glossy red fingernail again as I reached for the controller, a bit startled at the sight but trying my best not to let it show on my face. Rich, of course noticed all of this as well. But, to his credit, he pretended not to and resumed our session. Soon we got back into the groove of things, chilling out as buds again. And aside from the brush off my arm against my padded chest, I soon forgot I was wearing anything unusual at all. With the gambling done for the day, we fell back to light retorts and friendly jabs at each other whenever we won or lost. However, despite his claims of practicing during my makeover, Rich seemed off his game, distracted almost. I caught him taking quick glances at me mid-fight, especially when I would shift a leg and the skirt swish a bit from the movement, almost mesmerizing him. Well, what did I expect? I must have made for an odd sight: a teen boy dressing head-to-toe in his sister's church wear looking dainty as all hell. And apparently "pretty" and "great" according to Rich. I silently hoped that whatever he meant by that was as innocuous as it should be As we headed into the final round, I was starting to get annoyed by his wandering eyes. So, I concocted a plan to expose this weakness in Rich's defense. Clearing my throat, I attempted to shift my voice up an octave or two and workshopped a line to tease Rich a bit. I struck whilst he was mid-combo. "Would you be a dear and pass me that pillow, Richie?" I cooed in the most feminine tilt I could, gesturing elegantly towards him in a suggestive manner. Rich yelped and dropped the combo - along with his controller - and did a double take at me, clearly flummoxed by what he just heard. I coy smile came across my face as I added "Care to lend a lady a helping hand?" Rich ducked down to pick up the controller the floor, stammering something underneath his breath. His other hand had amusingly reached out for the pillow, which I didn't really need. I took the opportunity to deliver an underhanded Super move to Rich's dazed fighter, ending the match 3-to-2 with me the victor. "Game set and match! What's the matter, Richie, No crude comebacks? Cat's got your tongue; were you simply bewitch by my charm?" I taunted, crossing my legs as I did so to add to the illusion. Still stunned, Rich turned to me, pillow by his lap, and shouted "What the hell was that Benji!" "Was what?" I teased again. "Your voice, what did you do to your voice!" Dropping the act, I shifted my stance forward into a regular squat and laughed in my normal register "Just getting some payback, Rich. I figured a little acting would be enough to shock you, but I didn't expect I'd work that well!" "Yeah, well, that only because that voice sounded so, um, real, ya know? Like, did you practice it upstairs or have you..." "No," I cut him off right there. "First time trying it, and I'm just a surprised as you at how good that was. Not too hard to keep up either" I said, slowly shifting back into the girl-voice near the end of my sentence to demonstrate. "And just for the record, this is my first time dressing up like this, ever. I'm not a crossdresser or anything, Richie." "Yeah, no, I wasn't thinking that at all, Benji. Just curious that's all." Rich had settled down now and finally noticed the television screen declaring his (admittedly unlawful) defeat. "Ugh," Rich moaned "That's completely unfair bro, I want a rematch!" Rich looks down and sees the pillow I request in his hands and tosses it at me. Giggling, I dodge a bit, yet the fluffy projectile still smacks me square in the chest. No damage done, but it did loosen my stuffed bra a bit. Rich laughs, but then swiftly turns away as I make some adjustments. "Man, you completely distracted the whole game. I would have won even if I didn't dupe you. Now be honest, I saw you looking over at me during the round." Rich squirmed a bit in his seat." "Is this girl outfit really bothering you that much, because I have no problem changing if it does. I promise I'll be faster this time," I said. "Look, I said it was fine alright, they're just clothes." argued Rich. However, he combed his finger though his short blonde curls and truculently added "But this does feel sorta different from just hanging out with the regular 'you'." "What do you mean? Different how?" "Promise not to get too mad at me for this? Umm, how should I say this...?" This was odd indeed. Rich was never on the mince with words. At school, he always seemed like he knew exactly what he wanted to say at any time, even if it wasn't exactly the right thing. The only times Rich's mouth refused to work where he tried to pick up girls.... A disconcerting chill went through my body as I waited for Rich to finish. "Okay, no offense, but I always I thought you were kinda a small guy. Not to say that bad or anything, you just a haven't reached your growth spurt yet. Some chicks dig small guys even!" I nodded, declining to mention I had actually grown 4 inches since junior high. Rich continued. "But that's why I figured the girl's clothes joke would funny or something. Honestly wasn't even expecting you to really do it, and it's get you with another dare, but...," he paused to gather his thoughts. I wondered if should have stuck to Carla's boring shirt and jeans after all. "Your hair, your face, the skirt, your... uh... upper region... it all looks way too real, dude. Like, you look better than any of the cheerleaders this year, and I'm not saying that as a joke." For whatever reason I started blushing, and a real rose color came to my cheeks, overshadowing my makeup. It was a pretty awkward position to be in. A guy saying you look attractive despite as the wrong gender, and that guy being your best friend no less! Unsure as to what I should say, I responded with a small "Thanks." Rich straightened up a bit. "Seriously! I said before, I totally couldn't recognize you when you stepped out, so I got confused. You know what I'm like around girls? All tongue-tied and shit. And that voice trick you're pulling right now takes it to whole 'nother level! I'm all sorts of frazzled right now. So not to sound like a flake, but I not sure if can keep playing as it is." Right now? Shit! I hadn't noticed I was still using the girly-voice so far. That's disconcerting, normally impressions are supposed take effort to keep up, right? Maybe I had career ahead of me as a vocal talent if I can manage to keep my voice straight. I coughed a little to clear and relax my throat and returned my attention back to Richie - I mean Rich. "Yeah, I'm kinda tired of SF today anyways? Wanna switch to something else? I think I have a few more co-op games we haven't tried yet. Or maybe watch some Netflix?" "Better yet," said Rich, "It's about time I honored my side of the bet. Grab your coat and the cash your Mom left, and we'll start your driving lesson." "You're sure? Isn't your dad super paranoid about anyone touching his truck? Especially you, let alone me?" "He's just blowing smoke. I drive it all the time, and he hasn't noticed anything out of place yet. It'll be fine, as long as you don't start doing donuts in the parking lot, that is. Come on," "Trust me, I'm too terrified to even put a car in reverse, let alone stunt in one. Awesome, give me a sec to go change, okay?" I stood and turned towards the stairs. However, Rich suddenly spoke up. "Hang on a minute, by the time you're back into boy-mode, it'll be too dark, and I won't be able to teach you anything. Let's just head out now." "What? Are joking, Rich?" I stopped and span around, wondering what new madness had gotten a hold of him now. Or worse, what hairbrained scheme he was cooking to prank me again today. "I can't go out like this! What if someone sees me?!" I exclaimed. "Relax, Dad installed tinted windows this summer, no one's gonna spot you. And if they somehow did, all they'll see is a young woman behind wheel, probably scared shitless, driving about 5 mph. Believe me." Rich put a hand above his heart, making for the least convincing boy scout ever. However, he did have a point, I didn't really need to leave the car first time, and it should take longer than 30 minutes for a first lesson. Although the idea of anyone else seeing me was sending my heart into palpations. "Okay, but what about my permit? What if a cop stops us over and asks to look at it, expected to see 'F' and finding a 'M'?" I tried desperately to appeal to Rich's reason. But it's seems like his over eager risk- taking streak had won over. "The cops won't bother us if we stay in that abandon plaza near the hockey rink. Out of the way and the perfect place to practice some parallel parking! Time's a wasting, grab a cute coat and that permit and let's fulfil that deal." Rich's hazel eyes gleamed, as if knowing he had won the argument. "Cute? Rich, you're taking this bet way too far, it's seriously messing with you" I said, inadvertently conceding to Rich's dumb plan. I started to head upstairs again, but now with a different goal in mind. "You own me big time for time this, jackass!" Rich was grinning from ear to ear as I climbed up. "Forget I said cute, okay. Oh, and yeah, I'll make it up you to, just you wait!" Ugh, this day was getting weirder and weirder by the minute, I thought to myself as I mused over whether Carla had a matching coat in her wardrobe. A sharp and chilly autumn wind breezed through the seclude parking lot, reverberating off the side of the large Gateway Ice Center and leaving echoes in its wake. The sunset was hidden below the tall pines on the westside of the lot, scattering amber rays light across the cracked asphalt. A few weathered light poles doted the area, with faded out white paint marking out about 50 parking spots or so. Coming off the main freeway, the place was largely quiet, with the only sounds being from the occasional whistling of speeding sedans in the distance. And of course, the sputtering motor of Mr. Cartwright's rust bucket this evening. Rich sat in the passenger seat, trying his best to act calm as took the reign of his father's prized possession. However, it certainly didn't feel like one to me, as I slumped into the stained fabric interior. A worry flashed across my mind of possibly spoiling the peach-colored button coat I was "borrowing," but then I figured that any lingering residue would probably be clinging to Rich's hoodie instead. I scanned over the dingy-looking dashboard and well-worn steering wheel, prepping myself for my first road test. I wasn't sure why Rich's dad seemed so obsessive over this truck; it didn't appear to be well maintained like a well-loved machine might have been. Or the perhaps contrary; maybe he had to keep up constant maintenance just to keep this jalopy running. Either way, I guess he didn't want to entrust his son with it only too often. Rich previously told me about his plans to take dates out in the truck, saying that "women dig a guy with some freedom." Back then I didn't hesitate to shut that notion down, saying that if he ever hoodwinked a girl into it, she'd puke on sight of the floor rugs. But here we were, me standing in the girl in case, and about to be lectured in car handling by a dude who barely started practicing 2 months ago. "Alright, let's get this party started!" exclaimed Rich. I could tell if he was excited about demonstrating his prowess, or nervous about me potentially damaging the truck even further. Likely both. I, on the other hand, was anxious about being outside looking like Penelope Pitstop, despite the clear lack of observers nearby. "Are you sure this is a good idea Richie?" the girly-voice had tumbled out of me naturally, perhaps as a self-defense mechanism to avoid detection. Rich had said anything about it yet, so either hadn't noticed, or didn't see a problem with it. "What if an employee steps out of ice rink and finds us? Isn't this trespassing?" I added. "Dad and I had no issues with it last time. Don't get squeamish on me now, Benji? You asked for this in the bet, remember?" "Yeah, but I didn't ask to do it in high heels! They better not instill in me any bad habits." "Relax, and scoot your set up a bit, you're shorted than I am. Good, right there so you can reach the pedals. Okay, next check uh.. yeah next the mirrors..." Rich and I went over the basics of reversing, parking, shifting gears, and wheel handing for about an hour. Thankfully, I am a quick learner, and the small challenges of remembering to flash my indicator or aligning my tires properly helped clear my head a calm me down. Rich wasn't that bad of an instructor either, although he did take his eyes off the road a few too many times, claiming he was inspecting my technique for errors. I was fine with that honestly. If Rich wanted to ogle a dude in girl's clothing, that was his prerogative. I was just happy that I seemed to be picking it up well. "See, what did tell ya? You're a natural, Benji! A few more runs and you be ready for the highways in no time!" "You think so? I'm still not too sure about which direction I'm turning when reversing, and we've only been going at like 7 MPH here?" "We'll iron out those details later. For now, let's call it a successful day and swap back." I managed to park into one the hundreds of open spots available. We stepped out of the car, and after inspecting how well I'd stayed between the guidelines (Two Thumps Up from Rich!) changed seats. The passenger seat was a firmer perhaps from lack of use, although stained with even more years-old grease. Rich chuckled as a swatted away more dirt. "You were just in that seat an hour ago, relax. I swear you're acting just like my mom." "Knock it off. I just don't want to have to explain why my sister's favorite coat has mustard stains on its rump tomorrow, okay?" "Okay, okay, Princess" That remark incited a glare from me, making Rick shut his trap for once. Soon we were on our way to my place. Except, instead of turning right at the intersection, Rich barreled straight ahead into town. "Umm... Richie, did you miss the turn there? That was Paloma Avenue right there." I turned to face him, noting that even seated he was still a good 3 inches taller than me. "I wanna show you something first, it won't take too long, my parents aren't expecting home until later anyways," said Rich in a low tone. Oh no, more trouble. "In town? Can't it wait until tomorrow, I can't go into town!" My anxiety that had almost nearly drifted away had suddenly spiked again. There was no way to avoid been seen in public. I wasn't particularly religious, but I prayed that whatever dumb idea he had, I could still stay in inside the truck for. Rich keep his eyes on the road, which I figured was more to avoid my piercing gaze than to set a good example. "You said your family might be back tomorrow, so we might not get the chance. The fair's gonna pack up next week." I shrieked, "THE FAIR! No way are you TRYING to kill me! Turn around this INSTANT!" I made a hasty grab for the wheel but Rich swiftly blocked it. Probably for the best, as we had almost swerved into oncoming traffic. "This is why you made that stupid bet isn't it?! To embarrass me in front of the entire city! I hate you!" "Watch it, Benji! That was a close one," gasped Rich. Slowing his pace, he attempted to calm down a bit before giving his explanation. "No, this had nothing to do with the bet, at least at first. I had plans to spring this on you anyways, you've been dying all month to go, but now..." Rich debating whether to say what was on his mind or not. He decided to continue, "But now, I kinda wanna prove something to you..." "Prove what? That you're a terrible friend? That I'm more of a wimp than everyone already thought?" "That you're beautiful!" counted Rich, with a small "Damnit!" muttered under his breath as he realized what he'd just let slip. However, it seemed to have worked, as I quickly left speechless. Beautiful? Me? Rich continued, not taking back his comment. "Look, Benji, all day you've been dragging yourself down and dissing yourself, deciding that you're a fool or something, and that's just not true. You look stunning, and I can tell you put a lot of thought into this for whatever reason. You're proud of yourself on some level, but you're too deep in self- loathing too see it. I've been trying to tell you tell, but you either just shut me down or treat it like a joke." Rich for paused a bit as we came near the fairgrounds. I could see its tall vinyl fence, with a line of eager and restless patrons stretched alongside it. The fair's bright lights and mirthful sounds passed though the fence, and above it I could see the towering crest of the Ferris wheel, gently rocking its passengers to and fro as it spun. I declined to speak as Rich was looking for a parking spot, as his comments were rocking back in forth in my head. And he wasn't done yet. "So, I figured in my word wasn't good enough for you, then how about the world's. Because, for as long as I've known you Benji, and sorry if this sounds rude, but you've been treating yourself like an outcast form society. And that's not health! You need to get out more, get out of that shell and live a little. And this is the perfect opportunity! It's like a disguise, you get to hang out and let loose, and If anyone we recognize ends up seeing us, they won't know it you. Sounds good, right Benji? Benji?" Rich must have been worried that I'd been shutting him out the during his rant. "True, I have been bugging you about the fair. And true, I could get out more, but this is insane Richie. Even if someone won't recognize me, what about you? People will ask questions?" "So what? I'll just tell them I'm with a friend or something? Cousin from out of town." "Cousin from out of town? I see your game, mister. You're trying to pass me off as your girlfriend or something! This is so like you! Mr. Showboat, even at his friend's expense!" "Hey, hey, Hey, this isn't like that! Pinkies crossed! I'm just doing this to help you, man. But... you know... maybe the girlfriend excuse would work too...," said Rich sheepishly, his ulterior motives on full display. "Ugh, you know this is weird as hell, right? Fine, I'll go with you, but only because I'm starving right now and could really go for a corndog. Also, this truck stinks like heck." That wasn't completely true. A part of me was moved by Rich's speech. I was actually kind of interested in seeing how far my disguise could, if I could deceive enough people into thinking I was someone I wasn't. And we still had plenty of hours before bedtime, where I'd have to step out this outfit once and for all. Might make the best of it, even if it could end in total disaster. "Really?! Awesome! Thank you so muck, Benji! You won't regret it, promise!" "And that's another thing," I held up one dazzling red-tipped finger, briefly stunning myself before I remembered and continued. "You can't call me Benji or Ben while we're there, lest someone catches on." "Oh. Alright then, what should I call you instead, dude? Chelsea, Amanda?" "Umm, give me a second. Also, no 'dude', dude." I reached behind me to the back seat, where I had left the small red handbag I'd picked from Carla's room. When I had went the grab my coat, I had noticed that unfortunately the best matching one was lined with fake pockets, leaving me without space for my wallet and permit. The purse was a necessity then, as I opened it up to double check its contents. Carla had left some perfume in it was well, one facet of my disguise that had went neglected. It was something jasmine or rose scented according to the label, so I spritzed it on. In addition, I had tossed in some extra makeup just in case a catastrophe like this would occur. I swung down the truck's passenger mirror and redid some of my messy eyeshadow as Rich stare at me in amazement. "Uh, looks like you came prepared," nervously jested Rich as I applied another coat of lip gloss. "Had to be, somehow I knew I couldn't trust you not to do something like this, especially when you asked about bringing the extra cash Mom left." "Shit, am I really that transparent?" "Yes, and also call me Bella?" "Bella? Why that" "Starts with a "B', so you'll remember it better, Richie." Rich puffed at that, but he also seemed elated that his wild scheme was coming to fruition. "Bella, sure, I can remember that. Pretty name too." "Can it with the compliments, Richie. I know you mean well, but this isn't date, and I'm not a chick." I chided, but a bit a smile formed at the tips of my ruby lips. "Does my face look okay?' "Jeez, first you say no compliments, then you ask me that bomb of a question! Bella, you play fair at all!" "Just a little payback, expect that and more throughout the night. But yeah, I'll take that as a yes. Let's go ruin my life then, shall we?" The fairgrounds were bustling with chaotic energy that evening. At its heart, the annual town fair was held to celebrate a grand harvest season and reward the for their work, as was the tradition for over a century now. But over time, as the town's prosperity and population grew, so did the fair. Pumpkin patches and petting zoos were overshadowed by a dazzling array of carousels, concert halls, food stands, prize booths, stage shows and carnival rides as far as the eye can see. Exuberant displays of colors abound, as countless people of sizes and shape dashed about, trying to get their fill of joy and adrenaline before the night's end. I loved attending the fair as a kid. My parents would say those were some of my happiest moments, whether it dunking for apples to win a teddy bear, stuffing myself full of cotton candy, or almost passing out from riding the scrambler, I was had a smile on my face. Not today though. Instead, my hands were balled up in white-knuckle fear as Rich and I approached the ticket stand. Expected to be ousted as a freak, I keep my eyes to the ground and follow Rich as he guided us though the crowd, whom I was sure their piercing would decree me for a fraud the second I gave them a chance to. Rich must have noticed my reluctance to go forward, but he pressed on anyways. "Two tickets and two ultimate ride passes, please" he said once we made our harrowing way to the front. Unlimited rides? Was Rich expecting this night to last longer than 10 minutes, unlike me how was planning to book it after the first snow cone. The man behind the booth looked to be in his 50s, probably an event runner himself. "Sure, that'll be $50," he said, naming the price off the top of his head. Rich nodded then turned expectantly towards me. I hadn't moved my head up once, so I didn't notice. Wasn't until Rich leaned in that I figured out what the holdup was. "Hand him the cash" whispered Rich hoping it was out of earshot, although the exchange was clearly obvious to the cashier. Shit, that's why Rich sprang for the expensive stuff, he wasn't paying for it! That asshole! Petrified that I'd have to show myself to another human this early, I quickly zipped open my purse, scrounging for the bills I had tossed inside earlier. Finally grasping them, I took a deep breath and held out my pretty little hand to the cashier. "Thank you, sweetheart. Have fun tonight, you two, but not too much fun!" He winked as us, leaving a revolting felling in my gut at the implication. I blushed and answered back quick "Thank you," still thankful my feminine tenor hadn't disappeared in fear. Rich tapped my shoulder and whisked me away to the gate. Grinning as he spoke, Rich said, "See, that wasn't so bad, now was it, Bella? No one's clocked you for anything suspicious yet." "He doesn't count, that old man has probably got cataracts, or he's seen it all before." "That's not very nice, sweetheart" Rich teased. I prodded him in the side for that one, and he yelped a bit, which helped lighten my mood somewhat. "Don't you start too, you numbskull. What was the big deal about get those unlimited passes anyways? I'm only left with $10 now." "Well, it looked like you needed all the fun you can get tonight, considered how gloomy you were in line. Don't worry about cash, from here on out it's on my tab!" "Well okay, but don't expect much tonight. I'm still scared stiff over here." "Live a little will ya, Bella? You love the fair! How about this, you get first choice of which ride we go on, kay?" "Fine, fine. Let's get this over with." and headed off in the fair, with a smile threating to spread across my face. Our first stop was at the haunted house, a well-loved stable of the operated by a local college frat house. Rich is a world-renown scaredy- cat who would leap away from his own shadow if he caught it at an odd angle, which made this attraction the prefect choice. Also, I hoped that the dark mood lighting would make it a harder for passersby to out me. Rich clung to me side the entire time, cowering from strung up papier- m?ch? organs and screaming plastic skeletons. Rich decided to turn it around against me with his choice of the tilt-a-whirl, playing against my weak stomach. Soon we were both giggling like children as our car whipped around and around at high speed. I'd barely had anything in my tummy at the time so luckily, I didn't hurl, but I did feel concerningly queasy and I excused myself to find the restroom. In my rush, I didn't have time fully contemplate the ramifications of entering the girl's restroom. I guess my upset stomach had manage to knock out all the butterflies hovering about in it earlier. All I knew was that I had to keep up appearances, and hope that a stall was empty. Thankfully, there was no line, and as I ran to the nearest stall all I spotted were two girls at the counters washing their hands. Locking the door behind me, I crouched down and prepared to vomit, aiming for the bowl at to soil my clothes. But after 15 seconds or so I felt my urge to purge pass and whispered a silent prayer. However, a new fear nestled with my gut, as I began to take note of my surroundings. I am in the girl's restroom! Sacred ground that no man, save the custodian, dared to enter. And outside the safety of my plastic prism, were two genuine girls who were bound to spot a phony in their midst. I weighed options to distract my panic from overwhelming me. I could bolt it towards the exit, but the social faux pas of not washing my hands would surely get their attention, if not the sprint itself. I could stay in the stall and wait for them to leave, but who know how long that would take. My ears were picking up the two of them starting a conversation, with the faucets not running. Shit! Guess my best bet would be to act normal and pretend not to be a trespasser, although I doubted I could pull it off. But Rich was waiting for me, so I steel up whatever courage I had left and open the stall door. Making my way to the mirror, I avoided looking at the two girls and drawing their attention. I turned on the sink and carefully washed my hands, until - "Frida hold on - Hey, you there? You okay? You sounded a bit shook up in there?" Oh god, they were talking to me! Trying my best not to sound as terrified as I felt to avoid further questioning, I turned my head slightly, faked a smile, and said "Oh no, no, I'm fine for now. Thanks for asking though." The other girl, a brunette by the name of Frida apparently, jumped in to add "Cute outfit by the way, love the belt. Where did you get it?" Huh, a compliment? I wasn't expecting that, nor I did have an answer to her question. I thought back to some of the shops Carla dragged me to during our runs to the mall years ago, before it became uncool to hang out with your little brother in public. "I got it at Forever 21, wasn't too expensive either." Both girls were surprisingly nice to me, so I figured it was best to toss compliment there way myself. "Both of your boots are fantastic by the way; they help flaunt off your legs so well." I hoped that I'd worded it to sound feminine and supportive enough, and not leering like a horndog guy would. "You think? I told you these boots were worth it, Frida! Appreciate it, sis, and take care," said the blond one, who finished packing up her make up in her purse and began walking out with her compatriot. Finally, I was free, unscathed, and alone to my thoughts. I guess my self-inflicted makeover was more impressive than I gave it credit for. Perhaps Rich had a point, maybe I was making too big of a deal of it. If those two fashionistas couldn't tell me for the boy I was, then maybe I wasn't a boy tonight. While I had the time, I studied my reflection in the mirror a bit, then brought out a brush to untangle the whirls in my hair still left over from the ride. Straighten my headband, I nodded at my reflection, at Bella, and head out to find Rich. Turns out he had gone ahead and ordered the corns dog I had request before, along with some sodas and other fair snacks for an impromptu junk food dinner. As we at the concert hall, I told him all about my encounter in the restroom, and how I actually got complimented instead of embarrassed to death. He tossed out a few apologies for choosing the tilt-whirl, but I could tell he was happy everything worked out the way it did, and that I was acclimating better to my situation. We took on the rest of the fair together. Strolling down the lane, listening to the garage bands play, riding fan favorite like the Graviton or the mini coaster - it was a blast! Especially now than I was letting loose of some of my inhibitions. I loved the carnival; I wasn't going to let any dumb bet get in the way of that love any further. I was still playing the role of a girl, but I found myself laughing out loud and making light conservation with others line. I even got hit on by a few college students before Rich intervened and saved me from more awkward pick-up lines. I laughed about it later, but Rich seems a bit more concerned about it than expected. That was the other thing. Normally I had always attended the fair with my family, which was why this year I had been so worried about attending. Carla's college tour had taken priority this year, and the main of the reason why I had declined to join them and stay home was because of the fair. I tried getting Rich to tag along with me, I but had always hesitated about confirming a date. Although he was my best friend in the whole world, that friendship hinged on a strong undercurrent of competition and one-ups-manship, and I was afraid it would ruin the experience if I had to constantly be making bets with him the whole night. However, Rich and I weren't making any bets tonight. In fact, most of the time were cooperative on the fair games, helping each other score big or cheering each other on. In fact, Rich won a prize plush giraffe, and gave it to me! We'd never do that before. There was a weird new atmosphere between us, we both could tell, but I didn't mind it too much. When a cold wind swept through, we hurdled up close to keep warm. We strolled through the agriculture museum together for a reprieve from the town, and just talked. Commenting on the little factoids we read, joking about the giant squash contest that was being held, waxing about and life in general. We even took photos together, stuffed animal in hand, although I made him swear to me that he'd show them to any ever. Perhaps Rich was gun-shy of gambling on anything due to the big bet we made this afternoon that lead to all this, but I had another theory in mind. The way he as treated me, I figured he was testing out some of his tricks to impress a potential girlfriend. Don't get me wrong, Rich never make any attempt on me; he made sure to stay in his lane as a true friend. But I don't know, he just seemed extra chivalrous at the moment. And I didn't mind the extra attention, it was kind of a nice change of pace form the constant ribbing we were known for. And in this light, Rich felt like truly decent guy to have around. You know, not that I was thinking about him like that. Just an observation... The sun had long since set, and the air was getting too frigid for me, so we both planned to make our next ride the last of the evening. The Silver Spoke Ferris Wheel, Cedro County's pride joy, was a statewide icon, often depicted as the "Can't Miss" attraction on all the advertising. My family always made it a point to ride it when we went, so it was fitting that trip on the wheel would the end to a so far fantastic day. However, Rich and I almost turned around once we a saw a signboard out front that read "Couple's Night - Pairings Only." It took the attendee spotting and ushering us to the line for me to realize what my fa?ade must have made Rich and I look like. Guess there are benefits to being a girl after all, I thought to myself as Rich and I entered a blue, silver-trimmed cabin labeled with the number "12" on the door. To keep up appearances, I sat next Rich on the same bench, with my stuffed giraffe Wallace (don't judge) on the other. If Rich was bashful or concerned about our closeness, he didn't show it. Instead he draped his arms over the backrest and let out an exhausted "Fhew!" He tilted his head toward me and spoke in a low tone of voice. "Couple's Hour," he started with a small smile, "Probably means they about to closeup shop for the night, right? We slipped in just in the nick of time then." "Yeah," I nodded "Wouldn't want to miss this! That's like going to Paris without climbing the Eiffel Tower. But still, are you okay with this? That lady at the booth thought we were dating or something. Come to think of it, so did the cashier at the gate earlier... have we been giving off that impression of the whole time?" Rich shrugged, "Nothing we can do about that. Who cares what other people think, as long as we're having fun?" "More importantly," Rich added, leaning in some more "How are you holding up, Bella? It's been a long day; you must be tired as all hell. Yet you seem a lot more... comfortable now?" Rich still stuck to my fake name despite nobody being near enough to eavesdrop on us, but I was so used to it by then that calling me anything else would have thrown me off. To my periphery, I could see that we were about halfway up the wheel now, resting above the wide array of patchwork tents and merry crowds. "Tired? Absolutely! My first and last time in heels. I was expecting to wear them for at most 30 minutes. Not, gosh, 7 hours at this point? Mind if I take them off for a bit?" For a second, Rich seemed unsure, but being the gentleman that he was, he then said, "Sure go ahead, the cool air might help soothe those little piggies." Ignoring the dumb analogy, I carefully unbuckled the pink sandals, letting my toes breath for the first time this evening. Rich spotted my ruby-red nail polish, his eyes going wide before quickly darting back to the skyline. I giggled a little at his uneasiness. Just in case the lengths I had gone for this bet had been unclear to him until point, Rich now knew full well just how far I could push things. Or at least, at far as I'd let him: undergarments were off-limits. "Much better! But to answer your second question, yeah, I am feeling quite comfortable right now. Don't get me wrong, my nerves were shot when we first entered, and 9 out 10 times I would definitely choose to be in shorts that a skirt, but..." I resisted, was this a too personal to reveal right now? Would Rich hang this over my head if I let him know how I felt right now? "But...?" "But...," I decided to place my trust in him again tonight. "After a while, when I noticed no one was pointing at me, or accusing me being a phony, I found myself having a lot of fun tonight, especially with you around, Richie. The makeup, the hair and all, I could just forget that and goof off with my friend" "See, just like I told you! You're a natural! All everyone sees is just a young woman having the time of her life. And about that, this must be the most animated I've ever seen you been, Bella. Those moves out there at the hall! I had no clue you could dance!" "I'd barely call that dancing, more like struggling to stand as legs caved under me!" I giggled. "I have no clue how other girls do it. I just wanted to try, you know, as a once in a lifetime thing." The wind was in effect as cabin soared ever so steady upward. The breeze flitted through Rich's mop of curly golden locks and threatened to mess up my bangs as well. I swept a hand through my hair and pulled it back, brushing against my earrings sparkling in the evening light. At this distance I could see their red glint bounce off Rich's hazel eyes. "Still, I've never seen you so... lively before? Maybe you should consider doing this girl thing more often?" "Not in your lifetime, pal! Have you forgotten? You're the only reason why I'm in this dress in the first place. The second we're back home I'm taking a long, hot bath to try to forget all this." "Hey, all I'm saying was that I was nice to hang out with you tonight. I mean, we hang out all the time, but tonight was different, and you were a little bit different, I guess. Didn't mean to offend you or anything." "None taken. That was forgetting bit was just a joke. If I'm being honest, I don't know if I'll ever be able to forget this night. And that's not a bad thing." "It's not? Then what is it?" "It's hard to explain. You said I was a bit different, and I feel that too. It not just the way my skirt, purse, heels, and voice forced me to adopt some girly mannerisms. It's the fact that every saw me making a fool of myself, and yet no one cared! Like, I didn't have to be myself anymore, I was Bella. But... I'm still 'me,' you know? Sorry if I'm rambling too much." Putting a hand to his chin, Rich said "No, no, I think I get it. It's sort of like when I act in one my stage plays, I get to express some my weirdness without worrying about the consequences." "Yeah, something like that. However, I can't say I'm all that thrilled you still have those photos of me on your phone. If those leak out, I'm having your head, or worse, you'll be in the dress next time." I scolded. Now wouldn't that be a sight, I thought. The mental image of Rich stuffing his wide frame into a ball gown was hilarious. His athletic physique would shred any of Carla's dresses. Unlike mine, I guess, which fit girl-clothes perfectly? That was an unnerving thought. Rich's reaction snapped me back into the conversation. "I got you the first time, miss! No uploading or sharing, I swear! This will be yours and my little secret. Although, the guys in the drama club would be mad jealous if they saw the cutie I was hanging out with tonight." "Shut up!" I chided and tapped him a soft thud on the elbow. We both laughed, then fell into silence as the memories of the night washed over us. Yeah, despite my grievances beforehand, I was glad everything worked as it did. As I thought over what tomorrow would bring and how I was going to wash this outfit before Carla came home, I noticed that we had reached the top of the Ferris wheel. "Hey Richie, look, we can see the whole of downtown from here!" I exclaimed, pointing down below to the parking lot, then across to the rustic buildings and century old towers that that dot the skyline. The fair still shined brilliantly, its multicolored lights illuminating us from below. Rich, instead of turning over to his side, he leaned further in against me to see what I was pointing at. I could feel his study chest on my back, the vibration of his heartbeat mingling with my own. Goosebump shot up across my neck as his hot breath blew against my skin. I could smell faint hints his shampoo wafting from his hair... was that cedar... and mint? I tried not to panic at the all-consuming presence of Rich beside me, hoping he move soon and not notice me freaking out. "Yeah, it's beautiful..." Rich whispered; his voice so close it reverberated down my spine. This was too much, way too much. Guys shouldn't be this close to together! Trying to lighten the mood and get him literally off my back, I turned around to face him again, to talk. Wrong move! Now not only were we way too close, but we were also chest to chest! My sweater and amply padded bra rested on him firmly, and his face was only inches away from mine. Rich looked down at, a questioning look in his eyes whilst my brain desperately raced for a way back to normalcy. I tried to think of a joke. Maybe witty retort off his last comment, like I always did? Just something to shake him off me. Yet I was drawing a blank, frazzled by how strong Rich's arm felt wrapped around me, or rosy his cheeks were, or how adorable his face was when he looked bewildered. Adorable?! I had to think fast. My mind leapt back to the last time Rich was said beautiful, back in the truck. Back when he was convincing me to come along to the fair with him. Back when he was describing me. A fuzzy feeling started buzzing around in my chest, and before I could rethink, I blurted it out. "Beautiful like me?" The question hung there for a second, in fact I almost thought Rich hadn't heard the absolutely vain, insane thing I just said. Before I could retract my statement though, Rich's eyelids closed slightly, his face getting closer. At first though he was getting sleepy, but then the unexpected happed. Rich pulled me in, his lips fell upon mine, and the warmth radiating off them was unimaginable. Rich kissed me. I was paralyzed instantly, not just from the act, but from how I felt: calm, safe, cherished. Confused, shocked, ashamed. However, those sensations only lasted a few seconds, as Rich head suddenly snapped straight back, his face stricken in horror as if he'd just realized what he'd done. He shuffled back to the end of the cabin, the mood swiftly replaced with one of panic and disbelief. Rich was spewing out rapid-fire apologizes, saying how he lost control, been confused all day, didn't mean anything by it, won't make this mistake again, begging to still be friends, etcetera, etcetera. I couldn't make out a word he said. I was numb, completely taken aback, his heat still lingering on my glossed lips. In the middle of his pleads I finally said the one thing that cut him off completely. "I want to go home now." The rest of our time on the Ferris Wheel passed in silence, as did the walk to the car, and the drive home. My home was only 20 minutes away, but those minutes felt stretch into an eternity. Between us there was no eye contact, no touching, and certainly no more words exchanged whole way through. Wallace laid flat on his side in the backseat of the truck, with Rich and I unsure whether of not to dump this souvenir of tonight's indiscretion or not. Richie kept his eyes ever forward, clenching and unclenching his grip on the steering wheel, the anxious tension in his fingers all too apparent. I laid my head against the passenger side window, eyes turned toward the fleeting dark surrounding us, my mind swimming through a mess of emotions. Why did Richie kiss me? Rich wasn't gay or anything, was he? No, he wouldn't be sifting through the school nurse's medical records for girl's phone numbers if he was. We talked girls all the time, and Rich has never once mention find any dude attractive before, least of all me. Until today that is. Damn it all, I knew this dumbass bet was a terrible idea! What did I even prove by wearing a dress, huh? That I was "man- enough" to tackle any stupid gamble headfirst, brain-second? Big whoop! All I've done today was confuse poor Rich. It not his fault he saw me as a chick, from the voices, the feminine walk, the fact the I unironically started calling him Richie all day, I don't blame him. God, even that last line, 'Beautiful as me,' I was practically asking to be we kissed! Why didn't I assert my maleness more, why didn't I put a stop to this sooner before stuff went awry? Because I was afraid or being caught? Or maybe, I liked being a girl for a change? Well, I can't deny that I was have a splendid time up before the Ferris wheel, but was that due to being Bella, or due enjoying the fair in general? Oh God, what a mess! The more I overanalyzed my feelings, the more distressed I felt, and wondered if Rich was feeling the same way right now. No doubt he was just as confused as I was. I took a furtive glance over my shoulder at him, hoping he wouldn't notice. I wasn't ready to confront him about the kiss right then, for whatever reason. Richie was still trying to ignore me, doing his best to focus on keep us safe despite everything. Even inexperienced, he was a pretty good driver. I stared at him some more, at his still nervous hands, his arms, the pensive look on his face, hazel eyes deep in thought, his lips... I sharply swivel my head away in shame. Damn it! Images of the kiss replayed in the mind over and over again. Damn it! Was I attracted to Rich? I couldn't possibly be, right? I'm a normal guy, I never had any feelings for Rich in the 2 years since I've known him, but now... now I was get flustered at the mere sight of him. Stupid, stupid clothes! I would burn them immediately if weren't borrowed. So, is this it? I couldn't let Rich know I how screwed up I was, so should we stop being friends anymore? Rich was a likeable enough guy, he could make friends with anyone he wants, he doesn't need to hang out with a freakazoid like me anymore. Then again, he was MY only friend. Without him, I would back to sulking in the shadows, lurking around unnoticed and unwanted. I thought back to the fair, and how joyful and outgoing I was when I was with Rich, and how Rich practiced with driving me, and kind he was to not laugh in my face was I first stepped down those fateful steps. No, our friendship means the whole world to me, will not let one little slip up get between us. Rich was already beating himself up for it, no need to worry him over losing a friend on top of that. It was just one kiss, wasn't that long. Didn't feeling that bad either, kind of tingly, almost like hot cocoa the in early morning, or... Before I lost myself in more reverie, I felt the truck make a hard right up an incline, and in the beams of the headlights made out the telltale brickwork of my home's driveway. The truck came to a rest, and Rich shifted it into park. Welp, time to get this over with, I thought. I had made up mind, I get tell Rich I had a fun time, and friends, and the kiss wasn't a big deal after all. Just make up with, then get this off make off me. I opened the car door and hopped off, clutching my purse with me. No, not my purse, Clara. None of this girly crap was mine, and I had the reinforce that notion in my head to keep it straight. I grabbed Wallace out of the back as well, figuring that I could at least give it away as a gift if I didn't want to keep it. It would be too rude to toss away Rich's present like that in front of him. His plush softness helped ease the vice of doubt around my heart a little. I hadn't expected to be gone so long, so I hadn't bother to turn the light on in the house. Thankfully as I approached the unwelcoming dark patio outside the front door, our automatic security light flashed on. I burrow though the purse until I found my key and unlocking the door. I turned towards Rich to apologize for the wait. It only was then that I notice I was alone outside my door. Shielding my eyes from the headlights' rays, I saw Rich still lingering in the truck, talking to himself a little. I wasn't sure if he was building up courage to step out and confront the issue between us, or simply planning to gun it and speed away like a mad man. Suddenly worried that this might be the last time I ever saw my friend, I called out to him. "Richie!" Why was I still using the dreaded Bella voice! I covered my hands over my mouth in vain hope of muzzling myself, but it was already too late. At least my cry had its intended effect. The second Rich heard was as if I'd jammed a spur into his back; he shot up the dashed to my doorstep, tongue already racing out what he had been bottling up during the car ride. "I know I've must have said it a thousand times already, Benji, but I'm truly sorry about what happened back there," said Rich, as he stood a good 4 feet away. He seemed wary of approaching me, and his use of the real name didn't go unnoticed. "It was totally uncalled for, and I'm ashamed of myself for breaking your trust. You're my best friend in the wide world, and I still want to be friends with you, so could you be please forgive me, and let's put this mistake behind the both of us." This time I could hear his apology, and it was exactly what I wanted to hear. A clean slate between us, the night entirely forgotten. I should just accept it and move on. And yet, although Rich sounded genuine and sincere enough, there was something off about it. Something his word choice bothered me. Ashamed? Mistake? "Why did you do it?" I asked, my head not yet catching to what I was saying and why. "Come on, do I really have I answer that, I said it was a mistake." "Why did you kiss you me back there, Richie?" I walked up to him, closing the distance between. Now I understood what I was doing. I need to know Rich's intention with that kiss, did he really mean nothing by it. This was suddenly everything to me now. Rich was looking down at me now, my proximity make the height gap all the more noticeable. Worry line creased his face as he struggled to find the right wording. I held on. If our closeness was making him uncomfortable, I welcomed it. I just need to know something. "Because... because... damn it, because it just felt right then, okay! I know you hated it and I never should have push myself in the first place, but don't know! I been feeling mixed about you ever since I saw you, and night on, I thought we connected or something. I shouldn't have assumed anything, and I'm a piece shit for doing so. So there, happy now! I'm sorry for being a dumbass." Rich then splayed his arms wide open as if awaiting heavenly judgement, drained from his answer, and admitting full blame for the crime. Welp there it is, all lain bare. So, he liked me. If only for today, he taught he was into me. I could forgive that. In fact, what I should do right now is rip this rip off this silly headband and shake his hand, mano e mano, a gentleman's arrangement. I should be extending my hand out to do just that, and let bygones be bygones. End the story on a happy, both of us walking away wiser for it. Instead, what I found myself doing reaching up to Rich's neck, balancing on my tippy toes. I closed my eyes as Rich opened his and planted a kiss straight on his lips. I held it there for 5, 10, maybe 15 seconds, no resistance or struggle felt. Then I let go. Rich stood there blinking his eyes, brain valiantly trying to process what going on. That's when I knew. Immediately, I pivoted on the spot and ran back into the house, faster than Rich could keep up with. I bolted though the doorframe, and slammed it shut behind me. The grabbed my keys and locked it, then ran up the stairs. Ignoring the sounds of knocking echoing behind me, I ripped off the shoes as I made my ascent. I tore off the coat, the headband and clip-on. I shimmered my skirt off and threw is aside, landing in a flurry of ruffles. The sweater followed it shortly. Peering through now watery eyes, I pried off the bra and panties as I ran into the bathroom. The shower was on full blast as I doused myself in it's cold embrace. Lathering a coarse sponge, I went to work scrubbing away both the makeup and my running tears. The shower still ran as I curled myself into a ball in the cold acrylic tub, desperate to fend off the emotion I should not have been feeling. Struggling to cope with my shattering identity. Knowing full well that I will never be a normal ever again.