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<10/29/2011 - 18:12 | 77 Cloverleaf Trail, Dahlonega, GA, USA>

Before heading back out in my normal clothes, I got a quick text from Zero, telling me to meet Mikaela at the short connected bridge to the other field. Knowing what it was already about, I powered my way back into control, walking carefully to the destination.

Since it wasn't that long ago when by body freaked out over the headache, I was still having just a little trouble controlling my own limbs. They were weak and wobbly, like my arms or legs might suddenly fail or give out at any moment. It felt like I had to purposely send twice the amount of subconscious signals to my body to perform any action like walking or turning. God knows what damage those headaches inflict inside without me knowing.

As I made it to the bridge, connecting the center field to the girl's side of the field, I felt just a little better. Mikaela was waiting for me as instructed. She leaned gently against the inner wood of the structure dead in the center, deterring me from having to physically step foot on the grassy lands of Wahsega where I would not be allowed to. It was as far as any boy would be allowed to travel, and Mikaela knew so.

When we greeted each other, Mikaela promptly pulled out a small bottle of glittering blue gel, allowing me to confirm the purpose of this visit. Mikaela was tasked with the decoration plan to paint my nails with nail polish. If I were to go all the way with the plan, this was one of the small requirements.

I've never had my nails painted before now, but the thought of having them done excited me, bringing me back awake a little faster. I leaned right next to Mikaela so that she could have unlimited access to my short finger nails, preparing the wet brush in hand.

Zero and Mikaela both knew I was having a headache, but they acted as though it didn't matter for the main event. I'm glad they reacted that way, because I didn't want to cancel a single aspect of this dance, nor did I want to worry anybody about my terrible health.

"This is still so weird you know. I can't believe I'm painting a guy's nails."

My nails felt cold to the touch from that gel coming off the brush, but I held in any and all complaints. I wasn't willing to let a single thing bother me anymore. After what I just recovered from, after how much worse it could have been, I was glad to be back in this moment. "Ah, what's the issue? When you get back home from this fieldtrip, you can have this story to tell your friends about."

Mikaela paused her work for a brief moment, studying my serene face with her gleaming hazel eyes. "You look a little different. Oh, you are okay from the headache, right? These fumes are probably bothering you."

The only thing I was sure was different about me now was how calm I was, or rather how calm I was forced to be. After all that forced tightening and tensing that headache put my through, this was like taking some kind of magic muscle relaxer, yet I wasn't too relaxed either. "I'm fine. Don't stop now." The smell of the nail polish wasn't so bad. I don't know if it's normal to like the smell of the substance, but I wanted to turn it into a candle for my personal room, having it surround me in essence, always.

"So I never did get to ask you this..." Mikaela wasn't as quick to speak since much of her was in the zone of applying nail polish perfectly, but I could tell she just wanted to make small talk during her decoration. "Why exactly did you decide to dress up today? Can't be from just a dare."

I wasn't too sure of the answer myself. Even long after the purge, this desire to be totally feminine still lingered on. Was it natural to feel this way? Or, is the effect of having my personally synchronize to Lumina so long ago still keeping alive my desire to act out so girlishly? With the exception of this obvious moment, I don't think I've been feeling the desire as often as I used to, so it's hard to be sure. "I don't know..." Mikaela went silent, almost like she was annoyed at my halfhearted response. "Maybe it's because, everybody else around me finds it too funny. At the risk of sounding weird, I want to make this moment at Wahsega memorable for everybody involved, not just for myself. Even though it might look like people will make fun of me for wearing this, I'm having a lot of fun, dress or no dress. So, anyone can point and laugh all they want; I don't care."

"So then, you're saying you're having fun playing dress up?"

"I don't know. I'd rather show up to the dance with a secret weapon than without. Let's just say, this isn't the only part that's making me enjoy this place so much; it's only a piece of me."

"So it's not for a dare? Interesting."

"Is it interesting?"

Mikaela nodded slightly, showing off her slight smile. "I guess I expected something different, when Zero told me before about this guy-friend she knew that agreed to have all these girly things done to him. I wasn't sure if you were going to be a snowflake or just crazy. But, you're actually more normal than I thought, kind of mature too."

Really? I know plenty of people who would say the opposite. Lumina got onto me yesterday for being the opposite of mature, by her words anyway. Even I know I'm not close to normal. I'm not insane, crazy, or a delicate flower, but I'm certainly not normal. Where is she getting this from? What was she expecting me to be like earlier? "If you say so. I take long walks at night, admiring the stars, falling in love with the cold winter, plus I'm into all kinds of instrumental and classical music. What eight grade students do you know going around doing that?"

"You like to take night walks too? Classical music is awesome! You don't have to put it down like that!"

There it was, my third surprise of the day. I've not known Mikaela for very long, but I wasn't expecting her to be this way, nor anybody for that matter. I didn't know she likes to walk around at night. I do it because I've turned into a night-person, thanks to the attribution of the air getting colder without the sunlight. My association with Lumina and the cold is also similar cause for a nightlife I've been developing, for much of the same purpose. It's allowed me to appreciate the other side of nature, the side that's gentle, the side that's forgiving, the side that's nice and quiet, without other people around to disturb me when I'm home wanting to unwind. "Sure, it's fun. But it's not what everybody else seems to be into."

"So what?" Mikaela's words took my full attention, while she paused in our locked gaze to tell me something I would never forget. "Have you ever considered that it's not you who's strange or weird, but rather everybody else? Nobody has a trademark on what normal really is, and it's not wrong to be a little different sometimes either."

What an amazing revelation! What if I'm not the strange one, but instead, everyone else? No, her words were deeper than that. I don't why, but I know there's a lot more inside the person in front of me. We can't always be ourselves, but I get the feeling that - when Mikaela is going about her business, she does whatever she wants regardless of how it affects the image people see when they see her. I don't know why it sang to me so much, but hearing Mikaela say this lifted all hidden concern and worry I thought I had destroyed long ago. Somehow, I forgot the most important part of being myself. Being normal or fitting in isn't what matters. Doing what makes me happy, no matter the reactions from others, that's what I should value most. Even knowing that now, I can't open my mouth to tell her the truth about Lumina; I'm so scared to try, the thought causes my jaw to shake. It can't be now, but maybe some time later on, I'll find that courage to try again. One day, somebody I want to befriend can hear all I have to say, calmly and openly, if ever I could get out the words properly. Lumina is real, of that I'm certain! How I want to tell somebody so badly!

"There! I'm all done. The rest is up to you." Mikaela let go of my left hand, allowing me to examine her amazing artwork.

There was something quite exciting about having nail polish cover my normal nail stubs. It somehow screamed in all directions that I was choosing to be girly, and proudly too. I let a shameless smile carve itself on my face, congratulating Mikaela for her good work. "It looks amazing! Now, I can have all the fun I need tonight. Thanks Mikaela."

"Yeah, I'm still going to need to get used to that." Mikaela was trying her best not to laugh, but we could see the rippling resistance of her self-control waning. In the end, her resistance failed her, but she only laughed at the situation a little.

I didn't mind, nor would I ever hold it against her. Now that I had one ingredient done, the rest really was up to me. Banarus didn't have time to fix my hair in the commotion earlier today, so she instead let me hold onto her two hairbands, entrusting me to make use of them.

As I started walking back to my cabin, hiding my nails from sight only to save them for the big reveal later, I considered using those hairbands to style some pigtails, while the other three ingredients waited, hidden inside my belongings at the cabin. Others around me were already heading for the dance cathedral, but there was still time before the main event would start.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

I considered myself lucky and happy. With my headache gone and my energy slowly returning in sparks, I knew I would be able to call Lumina back so that she could attend the best part of the party as well. Tonight, nothing will stop me!

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* * *

My transition was as smooth as the hot music and beats stuck in my head. I was practically bobbing my hips left and right as I started applying all the new equipment I needed in order to change my appearance strongly. While I kept cosmetic makeup away from my face still, I did change my hair to give myself girlish pigtails, my excitement building exponentially the closer I got to being done. My eye lashes were naturally long enough not to need mascara, so this was an additional factor I could skip without consequence.

Then came the outfit. At the risk of premature humiliation, I waited until I was the only guy in the cabin, my heart pounding at the thought of some other student or teacher walking in on me changing entirely. The crazy idea only sank in during my actions, as I went far enough to bring a pair of female underwear as well. After I slipped everything off, I started from zero, putting on tight pink panties that fit just well enough not to hurt. My arms were nearly trebling as I glanced down at myself from the neck down, observing myself as I was wearing such risky panties out in the open.

In a new haste, I slipped on Zero's dress before anyone could catch what I was up to. I'd rather others know I was wearing only the dress than for the guys to know what I had on underneath. At the same time, this incredible embarrassment only fueled my excitement further. Getting the dress on wasn't too difficult for me, but getting the zipper in the back to go up took longer than I wanted it to.

Then finally, I added the last finishing touch, the high heels I brought from home. Even though it was my first time in heels, I made many quick assumptions as I tried to slip them on with socks and adjust to a new stance. I was essentially finished changing the entire outfit, but there was immediately the new challenge of being able to stand, let alone walk in these heels. The long stilts on the rear bottom of each shoe was skinny enough to mess up my natural balance and stance, yet my desperation to get it right for the dance was overpowering against all doubt.

I put myself into the trial by fire, trying to walk to the cabin exit, no longer concerned if any student sees me wearing this, as it would now be expected for people to be in their Halloween costumes for the upcoming dance. I tripped over myself twice so quickly, but once I reached the door, a striking revelation hit me regarding the balancing act of high heels.

I get it now! All of the weight distributes forward, so all I have to do is shift my balance closer to my toes and away from my heels. As I tested my own theory, I was thrilled and surprised to find myself tripping and wobbling much less than before. Putting all my body weight on my toes instead of my heels or flats wasn't as comfortable, but I figured it was a necessary sacrifice to put up with the fun I'll get out of it.

Once I was outside, gradually freezing from the chilling cold air hitting my bear arms and lower legs, I still took a few practice steps since the ground would be uneven from the different terrain, but I didn't struggle too hard. At the same time, a small number of the boys walking around got a load of my self-inflicted spectacle, pointing, laughing, and congratulating me for such an amazing effort. Some of them started hooting at me as a joke, as they knew who I was by face even at this distance.

Instead of being too embarrassed, I put into perspective the simulated reactions I considered as soon as I show up in front of the other acquaintances I knew. With that in mind, I slowly started walking towards the building reserved for the dance, spectating for a safe location that would give me some amount of privacy.

With that spot located in seconds, I hid myself behind a tree, planted my feet sturdy in the ground, and closed my eyes in concentration. Enough of my energy had been restored from before to make the effort in contacting Lumina once more. When I did, she and I quickly caught up with what happened after my headache, since she wasn't there for those few hours. Afterwards, I resumed where I was to leave off, by examining myself with my own eyes, which Lumina was also using to see in my world.

"Wow! You actually did it! Oh my god Reed!" Lumina tried not to laugh, but I could hear the giddy excitement in her voice, her reaction making me feel the same and more.

It was a little more nerve-wracking having Lumina check me out up and down this way, especially since my high heels and cute sparkling blue nails were in full view during this moment. I was doing this mostly because it was making everyone around me happy with laughter, but I wasn't sure until now if Lumina would feel the same. Now that she does, I know this is no mistake. "I can't believe how much I look like a girl in all of this." I softly spoke out loud, in disbelief myself. Lumina couldn't see it now since I had no mirror, but I spotted myself in a reflection in the cabin after getting changed. As a guy, I was barely above average looking. But as a feminine doll, I could really pass as a cute girl; that's the crazy aspect to this.

Still stifling her own laughter with strong effort, Lumina was starting to shake a little more. "I never in a million years expected to see my fiancé this way. I had no idea you were a cross-dressing master."

"I wonder how many poses I'll have to strike tonight. You think one hand on my hip is good enough, or should I have brought a purse too?"

Finally, her resistance broke down. Lumina started laughing at me in much the same way the others were earlier, only she was having the most fun in making fun of me. I couldn't believe how hard she was laughing; Lumina was unable to recover for more than several seconds. "I'm so sorry! Seeing you in that is just too much!"

I didn't announce it to her, but I felt so much better now than I did before. I was used to Lumina humiliating me, but seeing her this happy only filled me more with excitement than I ever could have imagined on my own. I knew everyone was laughing at me, but the tradeoff of their brightened moods, especially Lumina's was well worth it. "The dress fits nicely. But I am having difficulty in these heels."

"You'll get used to it. You're a girl now, so you have to master them."

"I can't wait to see their faces, Banarus, Zero, and the others." I wonder if I can fool some of the others into thinking I'm actually a female, for those who don't know my face anyway.

"Tell me something... Does dressing like a girl really make you so happy and excited, or is this all for the fun of the dare?"

I figured Lumina would already know the truth behind this by now, but I refreshed her on the details once more. "I'm really not doing this for the dare. I'm doing it because it's fun. I don't know why, but I feel pretty good when I get those reactions from others."

"What reactions?"

"Did you forget already? You nearly had a laughing fit."

"So then, you like it when we make fun of you?"

"As long as it makes you happy, I guess." What am I saying?

"So you do enjoy when I tease you! I'll have to remember that."

"I don't have to expect some really cruel prank in the next five days, do I?"

"Nah, it's too soon for that; would spoil the moment."

Notice how she didn't say no? "I can't believe I'm going to the dance like this!" I examined myself once more, astonished at what I was putting myself through. I never thought I was brave enough to try anything on this scale, but somehow, here I am, about to show off something no guy would ever dare to in front of hundreds of other students.

"It's not too late to—"

I finally started resuming my strut to the location in the center field, adding some hip-swaying action just for the fun of it. As soon as I started to move, Lumina cut herself off for a brief pause.

"Never mind."

Yeah, now I know what she was about to say. It's useless; nothing can stop me from what I was doing now, and nobody could talk me out of this. "I wonder if trying to look all cute and girly is really this easy."

"Oh, you have no idea yet. If you had to put up with all the same routines girls do, I think you would quit while you were ahead."

I wanted to keep talking to Lumina, back and forth as it made me less nervous, but before I got the chance, one of the guys I didn't know on my side of the field winced in his reaction to seeing me, jaw dropped and all. "What, the, fu—"

"Cross-dresser!" Another heathen nearby shouted and pointed before I knew he was even there.

I was only surrounded by three people at most, in close proximity at least. It was more than close enough to see my face and determine that I wasn't actually a lady, but it was clear already why they were making a fuss. I just kept my gaze forward, walking a little faster while trying to hide my blushing face with silence.

"I think they're starting to notice."

"Gee! You don't say!"

Another boy hooted at me from a distance in front of the small bridge I had to cross, making me feel much more alive and ashamed at the same time. "Yeah! Way to live down a dare!"

"If only they knew you weren't doing this out of a dare..."

"Let's just cross the bridge and get to the dance."

"Hey? Are you even allowed to do this? I worry now that the chaperones might send you back and yell at you or something."

"If they do, then I'm going home. I won't be part of a party if it's going to be that lame. They said we all had to wear appropriate clothing or costumes. I may be in a dress, but I made sure nothing revealing was showing, so they can't cite me with one of their dumb rules." I felt fairly agitated though, as the thought was now on my mind. I still have to get past Ms. Dang and Ms. Quaker guarding the entrance.

As I got much closer, some of Zero's friends ambushed me, recognizing this outfit from a distance. I didn't get the same chance to surprise them like I wanted to, but their combined reactions to seeing me this way were still worth it to me; they were barely holding it in.

"It's so weird to see a guy like this!" Despite all she said earlier, Mikaela made no promises regarding whether or not she'd make fun of me for it.

Ashly was in this small mob cluster too, correcting Mikaela's partial assumption. "He's only half of a guy now." She too was covering her mouth after speaking, eyes wide and shiny with excitement.

Zero didn't even try to hide it, and spoke through her own broken laughter. "Only you would become a girl for the Halloween dance, Reed!"

"Yeah, well, I'm ready to get started." It was all I could think to say. Of all the things to feel embarrassed about, I actually felt so good about this situation. They didn't know it either, but seeing them have this much fun at my expense was making my day.

"You should make sure to talk to everyone first!" Ashly wanted me to rub it in, ensure not one single person misses out on my hilarious spectacle. I wasn't about to challenge her on that idea either, but Banarus inquired about one more detail she wasn't updated on.

"I'm glad, but weren't you afflicted with a headache earlier?"

"It miraculously healed when realizing my ultimate humiliation was more important." The others chuckled in addition to my response, though I wasn't even thinking about the joke I made.

"Well Reed? Ready to get down and boogie?"

"I was born to boogie."