22 TV FICTION CLASSICS "SANDY THOMAS

Reluctantly, I went to my side of our room and began to undress. Soon I was standing in my socks and uniform pants. I dreaded putting on the blouse, but I did. To make things worse, the blouse buttoned up the back, and I couldn't reach around to do it. So, I walked over to Mike's side of the room. He was in his trousers and girl's shoes already brushing out his hair. I couldn't believe it...Mike was wearing a bra. Probably an A-cup, but still a bra! Worse yet, he looked comfortable in it, totally undaunted.

"Mike,...why are you wearing a bra?"

"It's more comfortable...you see," he smiled with a mischievous gleam in his eyes, "I'm . . .hmmm...well...a little bit 'pudgy' up here. Want to see???"

I nodded. Quickly and adeptly undoing the front hooks, Mike opened his bra to show me what appeared to be a teenage girl's bosom! His aureolas were much larger than mine, about the size of a silver dollar and protruded significantly from his chest. His pink nipples looked like pencil erasers that projected out about 3/8 of an inch.

He continued while proudly displaying these most unmasculine swellings, "Most of the older tresses wear bras, it gets to be a habit. Wait until you see Karen! I mean Kevin . . .a senior, he must be a C-cup!"

"But why?! How come you guys are developing breasts?! I thought this was all just illusion?"

"Ken, relax. It's only your first day here. Let your questions wait, and all the answers will come. Now come over here and let me help you with your blouse."

Mike skillfully rehooked his bra, leaning forward to allow the "pudginess" to fill the small cups, then promptly stepped behind me to button me up. I stood there lost in thought as Mike adjusted my blouse, and tied the kerchief around my neck in a big, loose bow.

"Ok, give me a minute and I'll help you with your hair," he said as he proceeded to quickly and easily put on and button up his own blouse. Before I knew it, he had me sitting in front of his vanity while he brushed out my hair. It felt strange to have this boy, feminine as he seemed now with the blouse on, doing my hair. Working with practised fingers, he worked at the back of my head, but I couldn't tell what he was doing. I could feel my hair start to feel tight at the back of my head.

Finally, Mike snapped a ponytail elastic over what he was working on and before I knew it he picked up a dark colored ribbon that matched the kerchief and tied it on the end of my hair. "Ok, all done. It looks very lovely. It's good that you let it grow. You're gonna have to learn to do my hair too."

ACTING LIKE A GIRL -23

He indicated the three-way mirror for me to look. I walked over and stood in the middle where I could see myself from all sides. There I was, in a frilly girl's blouse, with a big bow tied under my chin and my hair neatly plaited into a thick French braid tied with a ribbon bow. "Mike, I can't go out there dressed like this!"

"Listen, Ken, all the guys in E wing will be dressed exactly like you and I, so don't panic."

I wasn't convinced but resolved to tough it out. I just hoped that I wouldn't die of embarrassment. I watched as Mike made himself even more feminine by brushing out his own longer hair and braiding it like mine. He also replaced the gold loop earrings he had on previously and applied some subtle mascara and lip gloss. As a finishing touch he applied a coat of clear polish to his long nails. Putting on our slim-fitting jackets and adjusting the blouses, we headed out the door to the reception hall. My knees must have been visibly shaking.

On the way, Mike and I ran into quite a few more tresses. I was introduced to all. I was a little relieved to see several other, obviously new and nervous tresses, being escorted by their older roommates.

Some of the senior tresses were unbelievable! Many had braids reaching the middle of their back or further, some wore much more makeup than Mike, or rather Michelle now. Some had more than just a hint of bosom filling their lace bras, in fact many looked just like girls wearing trousers!

We arrived at the reception hall to find it full of students and parents. My eyes nearly dropped out of my head when I saw the girl students. Even in the rather unflattering tunic uniforms, most were knockouts! Back in my old school, maybe one girl in a hundred looked that good. At Rosemount they all looked delicious!

The girls and boys stood lined up in rows on opposite sides of the hall. In the center floor area sat the parents. I noticed one strange group over on the girls' side that I had to ask Mike about. They must have been girls, but they wore trousers, shirts and ties and short hair. "Mike," I whispered so that I wouldn't be heard over the various speeches being made, "who are those guys standing over there?"

"Those are Tors. You know, 'Girl Actor Drama Program' students. They have similar rules to us in a way. You'll meet them pretty soon in drama classes."

This was beginning to sound like a Star Trek episode! Tresses and Tors...I was expecting the Klingons to make an appearance any moment! The opening exercises lasted about an hour. Afterward the boys and girls tried to take the very brief opportunity provided before returning to their part of Rosemount, to renew old acquaintances (or as it appeared, romances?) with the boys. Mike introduced me to several cute girls. I found myself blushing when one of them said I was very 'beautiful'.