Alex strolled through the cafeteria toward his usual table. None of his guy friends were in this period, so he sat with some girls he liked – Laney, Gretchen and Rose. His tablemates sometimes joked that he was “one of the girls.”
“It’s downtown. Do you think Gretchen will be able to drive?” Laney asked. Gretchen hadn’t arrived yet. She was the only one with a license.
“I don’t know,” Rose answered. “She’ll be here in a minute.”
“Allison wants to go too. I just texted her.”
“Cool.”
“Where are you guys going?” Alex asked.
“There’s a drag brunch at the Bling Café. Wanna go with us?” Laney asked.
“What’s a drag brunch?”
Rose jumped in. “You eat waffles and watch drag queens.”
“I mean, you could go, but you have to wear a dress,” Laney said.
“What?!”
“Just kidding,” Laney giggled. “Unless you wanted to…”
“Ha!” Rose said. “You’d be a cute girl, I bet.”
“He would be! Look at his skin!” Laney laughed again.
Alex felt his face turn a little red as Gretchen plopped down her backpack and sat down.
“So, can you drive tomorrow?” Rose asked.
“Yeah. Who all is going?”
“Well, us three…” Laney started, “and we have to pick up Allison…And Alex might go too. He wants to do drag, but he needs a dress.”
“I didn’t—”
“Really?” Gretchen asked. “We can get ready at my house. My sister has stuff that would fit you, I bet.” Alex was a little taller than his three tablemates.
Alex laughed, a little nervously. Maybe it would be fun. He liked hanging out with them.
Rose looked him up and down from her seat next to him. He was wearing shorts.
“At least shave your legs tonight,” she ordered.

***

Last period. Alex and Laney sat side by side in study hall. The school year was almost over, and the beleaguered teacher had long since given up on silence.
“We were just kidding, you know…but you should come with us!” Laney said. Gretchen was the unofficial leader of the little clique, but Alex knew Laney best. A bubbly brunette, she was always full of enthusiasm.
Alex hesitated. “I was thinking I might do it…”
“REALLY?!” Laney punched him softly on the shoulder. “Oh my God! It would be so much fun! We could do your makeup at Gretchen’s house! Would you really do it?”
He laughed. “You seem pretty excited about it. Nobody we know will be there?”
“Um, it’ll be girls and some gay guys from the city. Not too many straight boys from the ‘burbs!”
“Well, one.”
“M’kay.” Laney looked at him suspiciously.
***
As Alex hopped off the bus, his phone chimed with a text.
Rose: “Laney says you’re in!!! Don’t forget to shave, girl!”
Alex laughed. I guess I’m doing this…
That night he grabbed his can of shaving cream and went to the tub with his razor. Are you supposed to use the same one as your face? he wondered. His parents were downstairs, so he went into their bathroom and looked under the sink and saw a package of his mom’s pink razors. Maybe these are better? He grabbed one and returned to the tub and ran the water.
He slathered on the shaving cream and went to work. He really didn’t have a lot of hair, and it was light. He managed to nick himself a few times, but he hadn’t done too bad a job…
He walked to his room, towel around his waist, and enjoyed the smooth, clean feeling.
Another text, this one from Laney: “Brunch at 11! We’ll pick you up at 8:30 to get ready!!”
Alex felt a rush of excitement when he climbed into bed and smiled as he closed his eyes.
***
The next morning, Alex got up and felt a pleasant anxiety come over him. His mom was already in the kitchen.
“You’re up early!” He usually slept until eleven or so on Saturday.
“Um, I’m going to brunch.”
“Brunch? Really? Who with?”
“The girls I have lunch with.”
“Oh, how interesting. That Laney is cute. Is it a date?”
How can I explain this? he wondered.
“Uh, no, I wouldn’t say that. Kind of a group thing…”
“Well, OK.”
The doorbell rang, and Alex stood up to go to the door, but his mom beat him to it.
Gretchen and Laney were in shorts, T-shirts and sunglasses. Rose had on a tank top and a pleated skirt.
“Hi, girls!” Alex’s mom said and looked them over. “Looks like a pretty casual brunch.”
Rose laughed. “Oh no! We still have to get ready!”
Mom gave them a funny look, and Alex rushed out in his shorts and T-shirt.
“That’s what you’re wearing?”
“Yeah, Mom, it’s laid back. Bye!”
The girls laughed as they led Alex to the car.

***

A few minutes later, they arrived to pick up Allison. Alex had only met her once. She went to the school in the next town over, but she did dance classes with Laney and Rose. She was waiting on the porch when the car pulled up, ready for brunch in a top, skirt and sandals.
“You guys look like you’re going to gym class! Oh, hi, Alex. I didn’t know you were coming.” Allison air-kissed the other girls.
“He’s going to go in drag!” Rose yelled.
“Really? That’s so cool, Alex! Have you dressed up before?”
“Nope, this is a first,” he laughed.
“Oh wow!”
They pulled into Gretchen’s driveway, and Rose pulled a giant tote bag out of the trunk.
“What’s in there?” Alex asked.
“You’ll see, bitch!” Rose barked. The girls called each other that in a joking way sometimes.
“C’mon!” Laney took Alex’s hand and led him into the house.
“Are your parents home?” Alex asked.
“Nope, they went to play tennis,” Gretchen responded. “Just us girls.”
Laney was smiling and excited. “OK, what should we do first?”
“Dress!” shouted Rose.
Allison sat on the couch and turned on the TV. “I just want to see the finished product.”
Gretchen said, “I’m going to get ready. You guys can use Megan’s room.” Gretchen’s sister was away at college.
Rose was already rummaging through Megan’s closet and tossing dresses onto the bed. A little black shift dress, a pink Lilly Pulitzer…but then she pulled out the silver sequin cocktail dress.
“Oh, this is PERFECT for a drag show. Laney, where is my bag?”
“Here it is!” Laney brought the tote in and handed it to Rose, who spilled the contents on the bed.
“I raided the drama club yesterday…and found some other stuff.”
There were two wigs, a bra and breast forms, and a pair of underwear.
“OK, sweetie,” Rose said in a mocking tone. “Put on your lovely undergarments.”
Alex smiled, playing along, and motioned for them to turn around.
“Oh, are we shy?” Rose mocked again, and Laney giggled while they turned.
“Um, OK, I’m decent. Can you hook the bra?”
“Here, let me!” Laney fixed the clasps, and Rose slipped the forms into the cups.
“Very shapely!” Rose observed.
Laney held up the wigs. “Blonde or brunette?”
Rose looked Alex appraisingly. “I think she’s a brunette. But put on the dress first, Alex.”
Here we go! he thought. He slid into the dress and wiggled a little bit as he pulled it down just below his knees.
“I’ll zip you up!” Laney was ever helpful.
“Makeup time! Laney, you’re up!” Rose ordered.
Laney went to work…face, eyes, lips. She spent a long time on the brows.
“I’m sure they are good enough!” Alex said after about ten minutes of fussing.
“No!” Laney said. “They have to be perfect!”
After a few more minutes, she looked him over…
“Pretty good, if I say so myself! Shut your eyes, Alex.” She hit him with a long burst of setting spray.
“Now the wig. Lean your head forward.” She arranged it carefully. “OK, throw it back!”
Laney brushed and fussed and sprayed for a few minutes and clipped on some earrings from Rose’s tote.
Rose handed him a pair of black suede slingbacks. “You should be able to handle these.”
“OK, they’re on. Can I see?” Alex asked.
“No, the girls have to see you first…”
“C’mon out!” Laney said. “Gretchen, Allison, here we come!!”
They stepped back into the living room.
“HOLY SHIT!” Allison exclaimed. “You look amazing!”
Laney curtsied, celebrating her work.
Gretchen, wide-eyed, just said, “Wow!”
Rose, from behind, said, “This is bullshit. His legs are better than mine!”
Alex laughed. “Let me see now!”
Gretchen said, “There’s a big mirror in my room.”
“C’mon!” Laney said again, leading Alex by the hand.
He saw himself in the mirror and laughed in shock. He was unrecognizable to himself. A striking teenaged girl was looking back at him.
“What do you think?” Laney asked.
“I can’t believe it, Laney. I never expected…this!”
“You look great!”
“Thanks. You did it.”
From the other room, Gretchen called. “Let’s go, Laney! Put on your dress!”
Ten minutes later, they were out the door.
They chitchatted all the way downtown, Alex mostly quiet, the girls talking about school and boys. Gretchen parked close to the restaurant, and they piled out of the car and headed down the street, Alex a little awkwardly in the dress and low heels. Laney linked her arm through his as they walked.
The hostess greeted them. “Hello, ladies. You are looking stunning this morning!” Again, Alex felt a little rush of excitement and anxiety as she led them to their table.
They sat for a while drinking coffee. Gretchen tried to order a Bloody Mary, but the waiter looked at her and said, “I don’t think so, dear.”
“It was worth a try!” she laughed.
Then the performance began, the queens telling jokes and singing show tunes while the diners grabbed plates for the buffet. Rose, as she said she would, enjoyed a plate of waffles while a beautiful man in a red sequin dress, even louder than Alex’s, sang “Over the Rainbow.”
Alex surveyed the audience and found he was, well, unremarkable in this venue. There were a few trans women in the crowd, and a few gay couples. No one seemed to take particular notice of him. He started to feel more comfortable while eating his scrambled eggs…in a sequin dress.
One performer caught their eye. Rose gasped, “She’s so beautiful!” as the queen sang, and during a little break the bombshell worked the crowd.
“You mind if I sit with you girls?”
“No, of course not!” Rose made a little room and grabbed a chair from the next table.
“What are you, college girls?”
“High school!” Laney said, and Rose shushed her.
The queen fixed her eyes on Alex.
“Girl, you are one fishy kid. You want to take my job or something?”
Alex laughed. “I can’t sing.”
“It’s a good thing, because you’re gorgeous, baby!”
Alex felt his face flush. He was having fun.
“Alright, you high school divas, I have one more costume change. Get ready for the big finale!”
She sashayed away.
“What the hell does fishy mean?” Alex laughed.
“It means you look good…like a girl,” Rose answered.
And Alex smiled again.
The show ended, and the crowd slowly disappeared. The little clique gathered up and headed back to the car.
Allison hadn’t said much during brunch, but she walked back to the car next to Alex.
“So, did you have fun?” she asked.
“Yeah, I really did. I never thought—”
“That you’d like it?”
“That I’d look so good.”
“You should do it again.”
“Maybe…”

***

Monday at lunch, things were back to normal. The girls quietly teased Alex. They didn’t want to out him. Laney had snapped a few pictures of the brunch on her phone and had created a group chat among the five of them to share them. Alex found himself looking at them over and over again.
They were eating and laughing, and Gretchen was sifting through the pictures. She made a surprised face and showed the phone to Rose.
“You know, I’m just going to say it, Alex. You’re a decent-looking guy, but you were a drop-dead gorgeous girl. I mean, you looked better than all of us, except for Allison!” Rose said it a little too loud.
Laney laughed and said, “Hey!”
“Rose, could you keep it down a little! There are people here!” Alex whispered.
“Oh, sorry, whatever!” Rose gave a dismissive wave and laughed.
Laney said quietly, “You really did look nice!”
“Thanks, Laney,” Alex said, shushing her with his finger.
“But you liked it, didn’t you?” Gretchen asked.
“Yeah, it was fun.”
“So, here’s the thing. There’s a dance at Allison’s school and she wants us to go…Nobody would know you…”
***
They started making plans.
“We can’t just show up at another school!” Laney protested.
“Alex will be my plus-one,” Allison explained. “My little brother and his friends will invite you. They’re juniors. I told them you would dance one slow dance with them—that’s it. They’ll do what I tell them. But they won’t pay for your tickets. We have to buy them. Twenty bucks.”
“I’ll make my boy pay!” Rose insisted. “Tell your brother.”
Laney rolled her eyes. “You’re so cheap!”
“He gets to dance with me!” Rose protested.
Alex listened but didn’t say a word.
Laney said, “So for a dance like this, most of the girls will wear short dresses and sneakers…” She looked at Alex questioningly.
“OK…” Alex answered.
“So, you’re in, right?” Rose asked.
“Yeah, I’m in.” Alex played it cool, but he wanted it very badly.
Laney let out a squeal of joy. “I’m so excited!”
***
The big night came, and they gathered at Gretchen’s once again to get ready. Gretchen’s parents were home this time, but Rose answered the door and whisked Alex up to Megan’s room.
“Who’s there?” they heard Gretchen’s mom call from the kitchen.
“Oh, just our friend!” Gretchen called.
There were dresses on the bed, and Laney was waiting with her makeup kit and brushes.
“Pick a dress,” Rose commanded.
There was a blue one with a little sparkle. Alex said, “I think that one…”
“It’s cute!” Laney said. “Did you bring your sneaks?”
Alex held up a pair of white Converse.
“Those will go nice! And you’ll be able to dance!” Laney said. “Sit!”
Alex sat down, and Laney went to work while Gretchen spread out on the bed, already in her dress. Rose watched the process with a critical eye.
Laney took her time, ordering Alex to look up, close his eyes, open them halfway, and close them again. Finally, she looked him over, told him to look left and then right, and smiled in satisfaction.
“Ta-da!” she said. “I did it a little over the top for the drag show. This is more ‘regular girl’!”
Alex thought, I guess I’m a regular girl.
Then, just like the last time, Laney fixed the wig and clipped on the earrings.
Rose said, “Oh, the drama club is probably going to want their stuff back!”
“Alex needs it!” said Laney.
“You need a girl name,” said Rose.
“Alex can be a girl’s name. Or Alexa!”
“Alexa is a computer voice, Laney,” Rose countered. “And she needs a different persona!”
She? thought Alex. I guess it’s OK. For tonight…
“OK, how about Abby?” Laney asked.
“There are too many Abbys,” said Rose.
Laney tried again. “Audrey?”
“How about Avery?” Alex asked tentatively.
“Oh, look who has an opinion all of a sudden!” said Rose.
“Cute! I like it,” Laney said.
“It’s settled then!” Gretchen ruled.
All the girls finally ready, they headed downstairs.
Gretchen’s mom appeared in the hallway. “You girls look nice. Line up outside so I can take some pictures! Who’s your new friend, Gretch?”
“Oh, this is Avery!”
Avery looked down and smiled and gave a shy “Hello.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you!”
They lined up outside, Laney and Rose on either side of Avery, cheek to cheek to cheek. They all smiled brightly.
“Beautiful!” said Gretchen’s mom.

***

They piled into the car, Gretchen driving, and drove to Allison’s school, one town over. They met up in the parking lot, along with the three designated dates, who all seemed too young for the girls. Rose rolled her eyes and muttered “Whatever.”
Allison reminded the boys, “One slow dance. That’s it!”
“OK, OK!” said her brother, and they all entered the decorated gym together.
They settled in, the girls heading straight to the dance floor, Laney pulling Avery along with them. Avery mimicked the girls’ moves. As a boy, she had felt stiff and self-conscious dancing. Now with the girls, she felt loose and uninhibited.
The group retreated to the sidelines for a slow dance, and Allison’s hand-picked dates had their dance with Laney, Rose and Gretchen, while Allison and Avery watched.
“I’m glad that’s over!” Rose exclaimed as she strode off the floor.
“My guy was kind of sweet,” Laney admitted.
“Mine looks like he’s twelve,” Gretchen laughed as they huddled together.
They all noticed a group of boys looking at them, these unknown new girls.
Allison said, “Hang on. I want to talk to somebody.” She walked over to the boys and stood next to a tall, dark-haired guy.
Avery saw Allison talking in his ear and gesturing toward the group. The boy raised his eyebrows and nodded as the song ended and the DJ called out: “Here comes another slow one for all you lovebirds.”
The tall boy strode toward the group, and as he got closer, it was clear he was headed straight for Avery. In a deep voice, a man’s voice, he said to her, “I’m Liam. Would you like to dance?”
Avery hesitated for a second and could feel her friends looking at her.
“Sure, I’d love to.”
He held out his hand, and Avery took it.
He led her out to the dance floor and put his hand on her waist, and she put hers around his neck. Avery was taller than her friends, but Liam was tall. She felt tiny next to him. They danced gently, cheek to cheek.
Then, as the song continued, she found herself face to face with him. Avery closed her eyes, knowing what was coming. She felt Liam’s lips graze against hers, and then a more forceful kiss.
Oh my!
Alex, well, he had kissed girls, but this! Swaying to the music, arms around his neck, while feeling small and vulnerable…It felt so good.
The song faded out and they drifted slowly away from one another, holding hands until they couldn’t anymore.
Avery rushed back to the waiting girls.
“Oh my God!” Laney exclaimed. “That was like a movie!”
“He’s so hot!” Rose said. “It’s not fair! You get him and I get some skinny little kid?”
“You should give him your number,” Gretchen said.
“He’d find out I’m a boy!” Avery countered.
“Are you, though?” Rose chuckled.
“Oh, he already knows,” Allison said.
“WHAT?” said Avery.
“I told him. He’s bi. I thought he’d like you. He won’t tell anyone.”
Avery looked across the room and saw him staring at her. She tugged the hem of her dress down a little and looked at her friends.
“I can’t keep borrowing stuff,” she said. “Can we go shopping tomorrow?”
And with that, they retreated to the ladies’ room to recap the evening’s highlights.