I thought I looked pretty good, for a football player wearing a dress.

Pete's Vagina
89.Return
by Erin Halfelven

The last dress was a simple blue gown that fell to my knees. I wasn’t sure who had picked it. Probably Jordan. But I had approved it—reluctantly, but mostly as an effort to stop someone from picking something worse.

And truth to tell, I thought I looked pretty good, for a football player wearing a dress.

Jordan saw me looking in the mirror and crowed about it. “You like it! I knew you would. That color blue is your favorite.” She bounced on the bed, looking a lot like Molly in her enthusiasm.

“Okay, okay!” I said. “So it’s not terrible.” I took another look.

Joanna laughed like a cartoon. “You may turn into a girly-girl in spite of yourself.”

I snorted.

“You do look good, Pete. Gayle. Pete,” Megan said. “But I know what you’re really thinking.”

“Huh?” I said, turning to see a bit better what I looked like from behind.

“You’re wondering what Travis is going to think.” Megan grinned.

I rolled my eyes, hoping I wasn’t blushing too much.

“It’s so weird you having a boyfriend, Hunter,” said Jordan. Megan, Joanna and I laughed, and Jordan stopped for a moment, confused.

Jordan glanced at Megan, moved her eyebrows, then looked back to me. “If you were going to go for any guy, I think everybody would have thought it would be Jake.” She looked surprised when the rest of us laughed again.

“Jake’s a boy playing games,” said Joanna. “And I oughta know, I’m dating him. Lee’s a man doing a job. Pete deserves a man.”

I stared at her, wondering if that barb had a worm on it.

Jordan hopped off the bed and grabbed my arm. “C’mon, everyone is out front waiting to see you in your party dress.”

I balked. “Party dress?” That did sound a little too girly-girl.

The others moved to shoo me toward the door. I clumped along in front of them, trying not to fall off the 1-1/2” heels I was wearing with this particular dress. The clumping reminded me of something.

“Jordan,” I said. “Scout ahead and make sure no one is going to ambush me with a flash again.” She dashed off, giggling.

Megan linked fingers and tugged me toward the door to the hall. Joanna got behind me and pushed with both hands on my ass. “Showtime!” she said in her head cheerleader voice.

*

Everybody loved the dress. I blushed so much I tripped some kind of internal breaker that made my face hurt. Lee took about fifty photos, some with each of the cameras he’d brought, even half a reel with his little Super-8 home movie camera.

I got to have some punch and some Chinese food, being careful not to drip on the fabric. Mom straightened my shoulder strap twice and ran her fingers through the curls on my neck. Daddy kissed me, and I squealed. Well, I wasn’t expecting it.

Travis nodded solemnly and asked Lee to send him some prints—which Lee agreed to after he checked with me.

“What do you want with them?” I asked.

“The agency might call you,” he suggested. “Local celebrity who looks as good as you, you might get an offer for some modeling.”

I rolled my eyes at him, and he laughed. Then Lee sort of pushed him aside to stand next to me. I put my hands up and rested my forearms against his chest, on either side of the big Hasselblad.

Travis retreated, smiling, Lee showing him no expression at all.

I caught myself giggling. I stood on tiptoe to whisper to him. “It’s crowded in here. You want to come to my room?” I headed that direction, trailing my fingers on his arm.

He caught up with one clumping stride. “Gayle,” he whispered back. “I’ve never been to your room…--”

“It’s okay,” I assured him. “The house is full of people. And Jake has been to my room.”

He shot a glare at where Joanna was feeding Jake noodles with chopsticks. I’d thought that he would.

I stopped another giggle. “Back when we were in fifth grade,” I explained.

He frowned at me, then laughed at us both. “Lead the way, football girl,” he said, catching one of my hands in his.

I towed him down the hall, wondering if I had really thought this all the way through.