Mystery Lake

[6] Forgiveness

Not that she wanted to physically or, in fancy words, push anyone about it. She was just curious. Four out of six of them had been touched by the water, one way or another. Maybe becoming a guy might mellow out whatever was up with Alyssa. Joel could only hope. Becoming a girl had done things to her that she was still trying to figure out.

The carefree way Layla just jumped into the water earned Joel's respect. Jess went over to help Barry provide the new man with something more comfortable than that green towel. Barry’s Hawaiian shirt was actually considered, but Layla ultimately went with one of his SpongeBob tees. He wore it much differently than Barry did, with some areas tight and stiff and others quite loose. For pants, he put on a pair of blue flannels that looked like pajamas. The shaded bulge that curved down caught her eye for a moment, but it also made her turn to check on Jess.

All this was so strange for her, considering that when it came to dicks, Joel, as a man, would at most make a joke or simply yawn. Dicks were to be ignored or made fun of. Now, they suddenly felt strange and scintillating. She blamed hormones and whatever weird voodoo this lake was pumping out. She had as many ideas about sitting on manly Jess's lap as she once had about cute glasses girl Jess sitting on his.

Her hand was also slim enough that she was sure she could sneak her fingers under the waistband of his pants and find that warm kielbasa not hiding particularly well underneath. It was fortunate she retained her tan, or else her blush would be as obvious as a splash of red paint on her face. Of course, her twisting mind imagined getting something else on her new face.

On the other side of the campfire, Layla playfully wrapped his strong arms around Barry’s slim waist. Joel figured the poor guy must be melting into a puddle inside from this level of human contact in general, let alone translated through such soft, sensitive, and supple flesh. Submissive and shy meant that old Barry was stuck with his computer and a multitude of idle thoughts. The same now meant she was a tempting target. Joel figured that once she rebuilt her body, she would have to toughen poor Barry up in girlish ways to withstand the horny, manipulative boyish masses and to protect her from her own gullibility.

Alyssa seemed to catch enough of the group's nonverbal flirting with giggles, smiles, and looks to roll her eyes and groan. Layla was the best at ignoring Alyssa's rudimentary commentary and continued to cuddle with Barry as he excitedly suggested, "We should pick new names! Layla is one of the best, cutest, coolest names, but I need something more appropriate, like... Mango. Because there is a man in it. Although there’s also the fruit. That might be confusing. Harlan. I don’t quite like that one either. Oh! I know… Brock! He was the coolest character! And there was a lot of fan stuff that turned him into a girl, so it makes sense, I guess!"

Barry recognized the reference from a video game, or what Joel figured was some kind of video game, and encouraged the newly christened Brock. As for herself, Barry tossed out a few different sci-fi show characters before landing on one named Chiana. She thought about using the more common Chiara before Alyssa snapped and stomped back over to the pier.

Duncan followed after her, but slowly. Meanwhile, Joel and Jess celebrated their new names as Barry seemed to settle on Chiara, but not with absolute certainty. Jess wrestled with a flood of possibilities before deciding that simple “Jake“ would do. Joel teased him, roaming a hand near his waistband without getting too adventurous.

All Joel could think of at that moment for herself was The Police and a certain song. She crooned, “Roxaaannnneee…” and that earned a few chuckles. The new Jake mused and agreed that it was good.

In her mind… Roxanne turned the name around a few times. It could also be turned into Ro, which Barry noted was some Star Trek chick, Roxy, and Anne. That last one felt a little bit too bland for her. But Roxanne made her flesh goose pimple. Whatever the implications of the song, the way it felt in her brain signified all the differences that separated her from Joel.

Of course, all this was pointless screwing around, because, to the rest of the world, they were just four people no one knew who just happened to show up in the company of a guy who was taking a folklore class with a mysterious woman, accompanied by some quiet girl who looked like she wanted to stab someone. The local sheriff was going to scream foul play the moment they tried to walk back into their lives. But that was all for later.

As Roxanne toyed with Jake, an echoing cry rose up from Alyssa at the end of the pier. Her arms cradled her face, and then sank down to pound her legs. Duncan kept his distance but reached out an arm to comfort her. And Roxanne didn’t give a damn.

Actually, that was wrong. Joel didn’t care. She had splashed him out of existence. And whatever ennui or drama was going on, it wasn’t her business what that girl decided to do with her life. Unfortunately, Roxanne felt herself drawn up as she stood and walked cautiously towards the lake. Freaking estrogen.

With folded arms, she faced the two of them. When Alyssa realized she was there, she hissed. “You leave me alone most of all!”

Roxanne held out her arms. “I’m sorry for what I did to Barry; I gotta live with that. And being gross. But you splashed me in the face and made a decision for me that wasn’t yours to make. It turned out okay, but then you also took Jess’s decision away from her. An accident, but it's still on you. The fact she didn’t even blame you for a second just shows what an amazing, beautiful person she is. I want you to apologize to her, please.” Roxanne gestured across the water to Jake, whose eyes were wide and curious, then narrowed with affection as he heard her words.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Alyssa shook her head and clenched her fists. "You...YOU..."

"This is not about me. The person I love deserves a modicum of respect. Please..."

Modicum was not a word that Roxanne expected to emerge from her lips in what she hoped was the correct context. Estrogen juicing up those brain cells hopefully. Alyssa tightened and shook, as if she wanted to hurl the worst invectives (there goes another one) she could think of. But as she stood there, all the tension spilled out of her body. Her pale face almost looked as slack as a mask.

“… I’m sorry… I’m sorry so… sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry…” The first round felt pained before it faded into a pleading whimper. Some of it was muffled, and most of it flopped on the boards like a fish struggling on the shore. Tears reddened and blossomed color across her cheeks.

Hoarsely, she drifted to the words, “I actually had this weird crush on Joel... So confident, so together, so not like me. And then Dunc. Oh my gosh. I’m so messed up. I just… if only I could be like Layla, happy and not caring, like Barry, who believes everything with excitement, or like Jess, who knows what she wants. And smart, motivated Dunc. But I am me, and not a day goes by that I don’t tell myself that it would be better if I stopped existing…” She wheezed the words out like she was a squeeze toy, and that was the last air and sound she could make before she desperately sucked in her breath to try again.

“The color of my outside is also the color of my inside. I’m rotting. And it doesn’t matter. My family forgot me long ago. I made my way here with debt. So much debt. Debts that I solemnly promised to repay, but there’s so much. I’m worth more dead than alive. And it hurts just trying to dig myself back to the surface because everything pushes me down. That’s me. That’s what’s left of me. I’m sorry. That’s it.” Alyssa closed her eyes and lowered her arms as if she expected them to fall off or all the blood to slide out of her.

Swiftly, Roxanne wrapped her up in the biggest, tightest hug she could manage with her insubstantial body. Their breasts mashed together, even though they had less to talk about than any of the others. That felt more disconcerting for Roxanne because she was the one without a bra. Roxanne definitely understood the usefulness of leaning or bent hugs. But that only occurred to her when she was done comforting Alyssa.

Or thought she was done. Because when Roxanne started to release her, Alyssa clutched her arms tightly around her, as if Roxy was a big sister she hadn’t seen in ages. It was hard for her to breathe, but she endured it, stroking Alyssa‘s long, dark hair as she sobbed on her shoulder. She also did her best not to look at Duncan, who stood uncomfortably to the side.

Eventually, Alyssa let go and stood there. Slowly, she began to undo her top and slip out of her pants. Duncan cleared his throat and carefully edged his way to the side of the pier to get out of there, but Alyssa stopped him.

“Maybe… maybe we should do it together…?”

Duncan looked like he was going to overheat and faint. The poor guy. His wild hair appeared muted slightly with several rounds of sweat and moisture from the water. Joel had kept it a secret, but when they met at the beginning of the school year, his first inkling was that Duncan was an androgynous girl with gorgeous but unkempt hair.

His eyebrows were as thin as delicate pencil marks. The shape of his face was modestly boyish, but with a delicate softness that would make him look pretty cute in drag. The guy already had a nose like a girl with a narrow bridge and a delicate curve at the end. His eyes were also alluringly jewel-like, with a hue somewhere between blue and green, like a sea at rest. The skin around his eyes was also slightly creased at the top, making them even prettier.

She had no idea what this freaky lake would do with Duncan. It could understate his look and make him a slight girl on the other side, or it could overcompensate. Assuming Dunc went along with Alyssa‘s plaintive idea.

Alyssa was already down to her underwear, which was a soft, almost playful shade of pink. Duncan drew a nervous breath as he shivered and reached for his pants. His heart had to be surging out of his chest as his tighty whities left little to the imagination as to where his blood flow was going. Roxanne grinned and raised an eyebrow. Bit of a waste.

As poor Duncan fumbled and wobbled to lift up his shirt, Alyssa grabbed his hand and promised to brace him so that he wouldn’t take a tumble before it was time. Pulling down his underwear, his manhood jutted and bounced like a toy. Alyssa casually reached over and gently but firmly took hold of it.

Duncan barely managed to stand as his heart worked overtime to send blood to his face as he burst with a nervous blush, while filling up his lower region and struggling to have enough left over to keep him conscious. He didn’t last long; he covered Alyssa's hands and dribbled over the wood. She cleaned up seductively before whispering, “Could you do the same for me when you see me on the other side?”

That was almost enough to send Duncan into a second round, but he took a long breath and nodded back. “Promise.”

It was honestly like Roxanne wasn’t even there, not that she minded. The others felt like a world away while Jake lingered at the start of the pier, obviously hoping Alyssa wasn't going to hurt his girlfriend.

Naked, with Alyssa‘s clean left hand holding his right, Duncan walked to the edge with her. Alyssa put her back to the water, facing Roxanne and the shore. Duncan followed suit.

They each shared a deep breath as Alyssa said, “Here we go.” And Duncan added, “To the other side…”

Leaning back, they plunged in.