donned tight sweater, hose and tight pants for the rehearsal.

"Lisa is going to understudy your parts at first," Nadine told them on the stage. "She will be able to take over from anybody who can't do the job." She look- ed menacingly at Ace who glared right back at her.

By now, the girls were used to the boys taking their parts. With Lisa hovering daintily in the background, they were particu- larly vocal in their advice to the boys on how to project them- selves more femininely. "Come on, David," said Cindy, after her partner had blown a pirouette. "Swing your tail, like I do!"

David glared at her. In the next attempt, he exaggerated his walk and kept his hands and wrists moving daintily — which drew compliments from Nadine and made Cindy flush.

"You didn't have to be so ... so swish!" she snapped at David when they took a break later.

"How'd you want me to be- have?" asked David angrily. "You told me to be more like a girl!"

"Yes," said Cindy, considering "But not too much!"

Rosalie sauntered over to join them. She wore no makeup now, none of the real girls did. She eyed David in his tights and black high heels in his shaped girl's gym costume Nadine insisted they practice in their waspies and falsies "to get used to the special movement of the sex." David flushed and turned away.

"Who's that lovely creature?" asked Rosalie, a chuckle in her voice. She nodded her head towards Lisa who was smiling as Nadine talked to 'her' and Babe Corbin, who watched Na-

dine in fascination, a fixed smile on his madeup face. Babe had a ribbon, too, on his blonde wig.

"David." said Cindy sharply, taking his hand. "Who is she?"

David Rennick was angry and frustrated. He felt silly in the girl's warmup outfit. He looked at all his friends, Marty so clear- ly a woman, standing laughing with Sally, Babe Corbin, his skin so clear and wearing makeup all the time now, beaming at every feminine flattery turned his way. Even Farrell wasn't immune. He was standing with Ace Demanski, trying to show the big fellow how to push out his skirt with his hands to show off his nylons and pretty legs in their 'duet'. Clinton had, as usual, almost faded into the background. In a black costume, between Danielle and Jackie, he wouldn't have been noticed as different from the other two girls.

""

David took his time before turning to Cindy. She had folded her arms and her mouth was a thin line. "Lisa's really a man," he said at last. "But she'll be any- thing you want her to be - male or female. She's ideal for Nadine. If only she could get the rest of us to be like her."

For the first time, David was glad to see the fear in Cindy's eyes. She was looking at him with

genuine apprehension. "Come and show me how to make those divine doe eyes." He had raised his voice a notch or two in pitch.

Rosalie laughed and after a moment Cindy joined in. But she was very quiet throughout the rest of the day, even after the boys were paid, finding their money almost doubled in the packets Nadine passed out.

"It will be much better - and Millie will do it for you." Nadine had laid down the new proposal immediately after Babe had en- tered the room in a tight-fitting skirt and sweater, dark hose and narrow, stiletto-like heels. Even the look that Ace gave him couldn't take away Babe's eu- phoria at having come from his apartment fully dressed in wo- men's clothes. He was positively beaming as he wiggled over to his makeup chair.

"No wig for me tonight," he had sparkled at Millie, his eyes brilliantly blue in contrast to the excess of black eyeliner, eyesha- dow and mascara he had used. "Rene did my hair." He patted the blonde kiss curls on his cheeks and around his forehead. Ace looked away, shivering in the dark blue evening dress he'd just had Farrell lace him into.

"I like this color, don't you? Babe bubbled to the grim-faced Ace, his mouth white like the rest of his face under the pan- cake makeup he'd just applied. Then they all realized that Babe had had his hair dyed platinum- blonde and that he'd actually gone to a woman's hair stylist to have it done.

"It's a very good idea," said Nadine when she came in. “You all have long hair – for men any- way," she added. "It will be much better for you not to have to worry about wigs too much. I'll get Millie to set your hair for you for the first performance."

"You're not touching mine!" Ace had hollered, slashing his mouth with scarlet lipstick.

Nadine had stopped at the door. She turned, a sarcastic smile on her thin lips. "You didn't like the extra money, eh, Ace?" she asked.

- 13.