Chapter 12 - Playing with the Girls

Four Weeks Until Prom

It was a quiet Saturday morning for Lance. He wanted to just lounge around waiting for his double date later in the evening. But right now, he had a date with his Game Boy. 

He couldn’t get the thought of last night out of his head. The stories, the unprompted crossdressing, the tucking, and sending the dress picture to Mack. What was he doing? He needed to cleanse his mind of all that and just sit here in his boy clothes - no - his real clothes - and play video games and try to take his mind off of the confusion in his head.

He peered out his window to see his dad planting flowers. He shrugged, laid down in his bed, and started playing games.

“I just need to be Lance for a little bit,” he said to himself.

Simone’s jeans that he had neatly folded and returned to its proper place in the storage bin tempted him. Would Dad notice if he wore girl’s jeans today?

She shook his head and buried those thoughts again.

Meanwhile, Zoey pulled into the driveway, got out of the car, and walked slowly to the front door. “Hi Mr. Biggs,” she said with a bright smile.

“Oh, hi Zoey,” he replied, looking up from his work.

“Whatcha planting?”

“Petunias. My wife loves them. I figured I’d get them into the ground before she moves in.”

“Great idea. Your yard looks amazing!

“Thank you.”

“Is my boyfriend home?”

Lance’s dad smiled from ear to ear. “He was in his room earlier. Go ahead inside. Drinks are in the fridge.”

She saw herself into the house and walked into Lance’s room. 

He was sitting on the bed wearing his boy clothes, playing his Game Boy.

She cleared her throat, but he didn’t acknowledge her standing there. “So,” she proposed, “you wanna go to the beach?”

“No,” Lance responded curtly, not taking his focus away from the Game Boy.

“But everyone will be there.”

“I’m busy.”

“It doesn’t look like it.”

“Zoey, sometimes I just need to take a break from being Simone. This is my morning off. I need time to be Lance. I will be Simone again this evening.”

“Fine.” She stood there for a moment. “I think I’ll help your dad with the garden.”

“What?” he squawked, pausing his game. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Well, I figured if I wasn’t going to go to the beach, I’d spend some quality time with your dad. I think he likes me being your girlfriend.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Why not? You can help too!”

“I can’t garden with my nails like this.”

“Are you afraid of ruining your manicure?”

Lance huffed in embarrassment. “No, but he might see. Plus, you’re going to embarrass me.”

“No, I’m not. I’m sure your dad wants to learn about his son’s girlfriend. I can tell him all about the fun times we had at the mall and the mani-pedi.”

Lance was sitting there with his mouth open wide in disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”

“I brought you a swimsuit.” Zoey smiled. “Come on, you can get changed at my house.”

“What kind of swimsuit?” Lance asked, raising his eyebrow.

* * *

Lance and Zoey walked onto the beach carrying a beach bag and beach chairs. Lance was wearing a two-piece bikini hidden under a T-shirt and women’s boardshorts. As they walked further in the sand, Lance gave up on the cute pink sandals Zoey gave him and decided to go barefoot. The warm sand was pleasant on his toes.

“You realize I can’t go in the water with this wig on,” he reminded her.

“Don’t go in the water then,” Zoey stated matter-of-factly.

“Then why'd we come here?”

“Simone, people come to the beach to do more than just swim.” She stared at him. “You’re from California, I thought you’d love the beach.”

“Simone loves the beach. Lance thinks it’s hot and sandy.”

“Good thing you’re Simone then.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “Sometimes I wonder how you two are even twins.”

As they got closer to the ocean, they spotted Deanna, Peggy, and a few guys from school.

“OK, remember,” Zoey reminded him, “you’re Simone. You love the beach. You’d rather be here than at home playing your Game Boy. You got this.”

It was Lance’s turn to stick his tongue out. He turned to the girls and changed his demeanor to a happy, bubbly one. “Peggy! Deanna! How are you two doing this afternoon?”

Deanna ignored Lance and turned to Zoey. “I was wondering when you were going to show up. I called your house, but your sister said you had already left. I see you brought the project.”

“Shut up Dee,” Peggy scolded, pushing Deanna to the side then looking at Lance with a smile. “Hi, Simone, It’s good to see you here.”

Lance forced another smile despite reeling from Deanna’s putdown.

Zoey set out two beach chairs for her and Lance then walked towards the ocean. “I’m going to take a quick dip.”

Lance didn’t want to give up the comfort of Zoey’s protection, but he wasn't ready to go in the water yet. So, he just stood there with his arms folded under his chest.

“So, Simone,” Deanna remarked after Zoey left, “you’ve been spending quite a bit of time with Zoey.”

“Yeah,” Lance agreed. “She’s been really helpful showing me around.”

“You know she’s not interested in you. You’re just a rebound.” Deanna sneered.

“We’re… um… not dating. We’re just friends.”

“Oh, you could’ve fooled me. Are you two coming to the party tonight?”

“I am. But I have a date for it.”

“Oh, really? If it’s not Zoey, who is it? Is it Tyler?”

“Nope. It’s someone else.”

Deanna gave off an evil smile and walked away towards Zoey in the water.

Lance exhaled. “I hope you get eaten by a shark,” he muttered.

Peggy giggled as she overheard his remark. “Yeah, Sorry about Dee. When her and Zoey get going, watch out. No prisoners.”

“Yeah, I can tell.”

Peggy noticed Lance's hands. “Simone, I love your nails!” she gushed.

“Thank you,” he replied. He felt the urge to return the compliment and looked down at Peggy’s nails. “I love yours too. That’s such a nice shade of lavender.”

“Thank you.” She then removed her cover-up to show off a black bikini top.

Lance couldn’t help not look at Peggy’s buxom breasts in a very skimpy bikini top. In a way he felt kind of jealous he couldn’t look that good in a bikini. He quickly shook that thought out of his head, then felt compelled to take his shirt off as well. He looked around, and saw everyone else except Peggy down by the water. He meekly removed his shirt to show off his own bikini top. Thankfully, the bikini top was large enough to hide the breast forms and provide enough support to make it look like he had real cleavage.

Peggy looked at him. “Damn, girl!”

Lance blushed then sat down on the beach chair. His boobs bounced noticeably from the impact. 

At the water’s edge, Deanna saw Lance and Peggy taking their cover-ups off. “Wow, Zoey,” she remarked, splashing the warm ocean water over her arms and legs. “Color me impressed. He actually looks like a girl from here.”

Zoey gave a nervous nod. She didn’t feel like rubbing it in anymore. Using Lance as a bet was no longer sitting very well with her the more she got to know him.

Eventually, Zoey and Deanna returned. Zoey sat in the chair next to Lance and Deanna laid down on her beach blanket.

“Simone,” Zoey offered, “let me put some sunblock on your back.”

Lance sat with his back to Zoey as she put cold lotion onto his back and started rubbing. It was nice feeling her hands go up around his shoulders. She rubbed lotion under the bikini tie too.

“Can you get me?” she asked when she was done, handing him the tube of lotion.

He squirted lotion on his hand and started rubbing it onto her back just as she had done for him. 

“Don’t forget under the straps,” she advised.

He lifted the straps and rubbed the lotion under them like she had done for him.

“Do you want to do your legs and arms?” Zoey asked.

“Yeah.” Lance agreed, taking the lotion and rubbing it over his skin. Rubbing his smooth legs down with lotion felt amazing. So amazing he had to stop to make sure his tuck didn’t spring free. So far so good.

He sat down in his beach chair, closed his eyes and tried to tame his nerves and let the sun’s warm rays and the sound of waves crashing into the shore calm him. As minutes went by, something suddenly hit his foot. He looked down and saw it was a frisbee.

One of the guys walked up to retrieve it and asked, “Do you ladies wanna play with us?”

“Nah,” Deanna declined. “We don’t play sports.”

“I’ll play!” Peggy exclaimed, getting up. Deanna made a face at her for her insubordination.

Peggy looked down hopefully at Lance. “Simone, you in?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Lance objected. “I’m not really good at sports. I kinda sit around gym class and put in minimal effort.”

“It’ll be fun!” 

Lance shrugged and stood up. Part of the reason he didn’t do much in gym class was because he was afraid of his wig coming off, and he was also afraid of his dick falling out of his panties. But since he safely tucked his junk today, he felt a little bolder. “When in Rome,” he thought. He hoped the medical tape over his tuck held and now hoped his minor boner from earlier had subsided. He then dropped his boardshorts and ran to catch up with Peggy.

Zoey watched him and smiled. She knew Lance had a cute butt, but that bikini she picked out for him really emphasized it.

Deanna watched him run then looked at Zoey with a worried look. “He’s a boy right? I swear I saw a boy on that park bench.”

Zoey giggled, then ran to join the frisbee game.

This left Deanna all alone to sulk. “Where are you going?”

“To play some frisbee.” Zoey said, running to catch up with Lance and Peggy.

As Lance and the girls approached the game, the group of boys were engaged in throwing the frisbee to one another. Each time the recipient tried to make a fancy catch - behind their back, between their legs, or balancing the spinning disc on their finger. The more acrobatic catches were rewarded with cheers, while misses or bobbled catches were met with lighthearted boos.

“I can’t do that,” Lance whispered.

“You don’t have too,” Zoey responded. “They’re showing off for us, not the other way around.”

“Oh.” Lance was getting worried that he was out of his element. Maybe it wasn’t too late to turn around, go home, and resume playing his Game Boy.

Zoey stepped behind Lance, “Let me put your hair up.” She used a hair-tie and gave his wig a ponytail. “This is going to stay, right?”

“I put bobby pins in it before we left,” Lance replied. The bobby pins were in the supplies Mack had given him. He learned that it was a must during gym class and even helped keep the hair out of his face on windy days.

“Look at you. I’m impressed.”

Lance smiled. He was starting to really enjoy these types of compliments.

They boys ogled the newcomers checking them out. Lance felt awkward as he noticed the guy's eyes linger on his bikini top.

Sensing his hesitation, Zoey pulled Lance into the game. 

One boy was spinning a frisbee on his finger. “Let’s go!” he said to the girls. Another boy started music playing on his boombox.

Soon they were the targets of some easier throws - and some intense stares - as they struggled to rein in a few strategically errant tosses. After a few high jumps with the inevitable bouncing landings, Lance and Peggy just let the wild throws sail on by. 

Eventually Deanna walked over and joined in. Lance noticed that whenever Deanna threw the frisbee at him, she threw it as hard as she could. One time she even threw it directly below his waist. Thankfully, Lance was able to block it.

Then the game settled down. It turned out that Lance could actually catch the frisbee. 

Zoey held her own in the game, but she was more interested in watching Lance - partially for her own attraction - but more importantly to protect her girlfr- pet project from being ensnared by one of the hunky beach boys.

Lance chased down an errant frisbee, caught it, and flung it back at a boy.

“Nice,” Zoey complimented Lance, giving him a hi-five. Then she slapped his ass as he turned around. 

A boy flexed his muscles which elicited cat calls from Deanna and Peggy, however, Lance just rolled his eyes.

“Tough crowd,” another boy said, seeing Lance’s disinterest.

“I’ve seen better.” Lance retorted.

“Burn!” Peggy said, laughing.

The game went on for nearly half an hour before the sun and the fun started to wear down Lance and the girls. They finally called it quits and thanked the group for letting them join in.

“Aw, come on ladies, just a little bit more,” one boy called.

“Sorry boys, gotta go.” Zoey waved to them.

They started walking back to their chairs and towels.

“That was so much fun,” Peggy panted, a little winded.

“It was,” Lance agreed. “I never got such a workout from throwing a frisbee before.”

“Ugh,” Deanna complained. “I have sand everywhere now.”

They reached their chairs and Zoey and Deanna started packing up.

Peggy walked up to Lance. “Simone, I heard you’re coming to my party tonight.”

“Wait, that’s your party?” Lance replied.

“Yeah, my parents are away and told me I could have a few friends over. I may have let it slip and word spread around school.”

“Oh, no, I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK. The football team’s bringing the keg, so I don't have to worry about it.”

Lance nodded.

“See you there, girl,” Peggy said, as she and Deanna picked up their things and left.

“See,” Zoey ribbed, nudging Lance. “You had fun.”

“Well, maybe a little,” Lance allowed. “It’s the most physical activity I've had a in a while. I was so afraid of my junk falling out - like in gym class.”

“That’s… too much information,” Zoey laughed. “I should ask how you solved it, but I guess I don't need to know.”

“Mack’s tutorials are working wonders.” Lance smiled.

Zoey looked at Lance, and hesitated before speaking. “Lance,” Zoey whispered, “about tonight...” She grabbed both of his hands. 

“What about it?”

“You don’t have to go with Tyler or Olivia or that other guy,” she pleaded. “We can go together. Ditch them.”

“I dunno, Zoey. I feel an obligation at this point. Plus, I need to fix the Olivia and Tyler thing for you. That way you can win Tyler back.”

Zoey shook her head in frustration. Lance wasn’t picking up any of her signals. “I don't want Tyler back.”

“I get it,” he agreed. “He’s a jerk. But I’m the reason Olivia is going out with him.”

“Fine,” Zoey said as they walked to the car. “Break them up, keep them together - I don’t care. Just be careful.” Over and over in her head all she could think was, “Stupid boy.”

* * *

When they arrived back at Zoey’s house, Lance went into her room to change as she went to find Mack. Mack was hard at work in her room organizing clothing and makeup. “How's it going?” Zoey asked.

“Did you convince him to go to the party with you?” Mack asked.

“No,” Zoey fumed. “He still wants to go with that guy. He thinks he’s saving Olivia from Tyler.”

“I’m sorry, Zo. I know you really wanted to take him to that party.”

Zoey looked at the clothes and accessories on the bed. They were not Mack’s typical style. “What’s all of this?”

“Um… nothing,” Mack said, frantically trying to hide the stuff on her bed.

“A sexy dress? A new wig?” Zoey questioned. “Is this for Lance?”

“Yes,” she confessed. “You asked me to get him a knockout outfit for Simone’s coming out as a potential prom queen. That was supposed to be tonight at Peggy’s party.”

“I know that was supposed to be tonight.”

“Umm, he asked me to make him pretty. He showed me a picture of the real Simone’s prom dress. I think he’s legitimately looking forward to this. Zoey, there’s more going on with him than you realize.”

“I know I know, he’s starting to like it. Well, nothing’s lost yet. Him dating me was never part of the plan anyway. We can still make him prom queen. Whether or not he’s dating Olivia or whatever his name is.”

“Christopher.”

“Right.”

“Just look out for him. We don’t know how anyone is going to react to finding out he’s really a guy. We don’t know how that will affect him if this new world we’ve created for him comes crashing down.”

Zoey nodded. 

“Lance needs a real friend more than he needs a girlfriend.”

“Of course,” Zoey retorted. “I don’t want to date him.”

“No, you want to date- her.”

Zoey looked flustered. “No. No, I don’t.”

Suddenly they heard Lance scream from the other room. “Zoey!”

Both girls ran to Zoey’s room to find Lance standing there topless facing a mirror.

He had a shocked look on his face, but they immediately realized the cause. He stood there with a golden tan around his arms, back and stomach, but in the reflection they could see a pasty white silhouette across his chest where he wore the bikini.

Zoey and Mack gasped upon seeing what the commotion was about. “Lance, I'm so sorry,” Zoey apologized. “That was SPF 30. I thought it would be strong enough.”

“How am I going to hide this?” he cried.

“Well, don’t go topless around your dad,” Zoey reasoned.

“It’s almost summer time!”

“But it’s not summer yet. We have plenty of time to even out your tan.”

Lance put his shirt back on. “Let’s just go. I need to make sure I’m showered and ready for the date”