12-SCHOOLING IN SKIRTS

000

"Nonsense," was her reply. "You look so much prettier now that you've finally started wearing girl's clothes and makeup again." I looked at my older sister. She had a strange expression on her face and she seemed to be ignoring my remarks about Danielle being dead. I looked in the mirror again. My blonde twin sister looked back at me with a dismayed expression on her face. I couldn't bear the thought of walking into the gym that night looking this way, but I also knew Kathy wasn't going to let me change clothes between now and then ... besides, how did girls take off makeup? And how would I get the polish off of my fingernails? Kathy was rambling on about how cute I was, but I was only half-listening, trying to figure a way out of my predicament. How could I have allowed this to happen?

CHAPTER THREE

Walking onto campus, I kept looking down at my hairless, nylon covered legs emerging from my short skirt, and at my feet, looking small and feminine in my sister's pumps. It was all so unreal to me. Normally, I walked these halls as a male, although a largely ignored one. Now, I felt as if I was an entirely different person ... as if I had somehow become a real female, and was going to the dance the same as any other girl! No, I was a boy and was about to have the worse evening of my life. I'm sure I looked like a pansy, a boy in a dress. The guys would tease me and would probably pull up my skirt in fun, finding that I was wearing panties.

None of the guys, even the few people I knew, would want to be around me. I was going to be a leper.

000

I stopped under one of the hallway lights and fumbled in my purse for the mirror that I'd seen Kathy put in there. That pretty blonde girl looked back at me again. Gorgeous complexion, perfectly made up and, I hoped, totally unlike my normal self. I put the mirror back, closed my purse, took a deep breath, and headed for the gym. I realized how girlish a movement I'd just made. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I had NEVER felt this nervous in my entire life.

CONTEMPORARY TV FICTION 13

I almost didn't go in. What would happen once I was noticed? I knew what would happen the minute one guy recognized me. He'd yell, "Hey guys, look at our little fairy here. He has pink polish on his fingers and toes. Let's see if they match his panties..."

000

How could I possibly enter the costume contest dressed this way? I was already the campus oddball now I was wearing a miniskirt, makeup, and high heels ... I was sure to be immediately branded a "sissy", at the very least! Finally, I summoned enough courage to walk up to the door and accept my fate. I was amazed! Neither the girl taking tickets or the one who took my fake fur jacket to hang in the cloakroom recognized me! Was it possible my big sister was right? I walked onto the gym floor, my high heels clicking against the wood floor. As I looked around nervously, I saw that no one gave the slightest hint of recognition. Even my worst detractors appeared unaware of my true identity. My fears were completely erased when our star quarterback (who ELSE would come as Casanova?) came up to me and started hitting on me: "Hi. I haven't seen you before ... didn't they tell you this was a costume party?"

I realized that he didn't recognize his tutor, so I figured that the best way for me to survive the evening was to play along. "No," I said in my sweetest, highest voice. "I thought it was just another dance. I don't go to school at MacArthur."

"Oh, then I guess you go to Kennedy?" "Um... yeah," I said, thinking quickly.

"Well, anyway, too bad we never met sooner. Could I maybe have your phone number? Maybe we could go out sometime?"

I panicked. "Well ..." I stalled. Good god ... now I was in REAL trouble. This was the last person on earth I wanted to have find out what was underneath my leather miniskirt! Although the idea of being cute enough to attract THE jock on campus was rather flattering ...

"Come on, we'll have a good time ..."