Liam was not surprised to find that the video of his ballet performance quickly went viral on all his old schoolâs social media. For almost a year he had avoided them finding out about his mortifying predicament. âI canât go back to school thereâ, he insisted. âOh itâll blow over in a few weeksâ, his mother tried to assure him unconvincingly. âWell, months maybe.â But she and Liam were only too well aware that everything posted on the internet was there forever and boys would never let him forget something like that.
âSurely I can go to a private boysâ school with all the money Iâve earned between the modelling and pageant prize money?â Liam was determined some good should come from his annus horribilus. His mother looked sheepish. âIâm afraid Iâve lost all your earnings through gambling. Thatâs why I needed you to do the pageants but Iâve lost all that now too. Iâm sorry but at least you have your scholarship.â
So Liam stood in front of Principal Skinner as she inspected his uniform. He shifted uneasily in his four-inch heels, feeling like a tightly wrapped present in all the shaping garments. But the corset with underwired bra and padded hips and bottom appeared to be doing the job of giving him a teenage girlish shape.
âVery nicely turned outâ, she told his mother. âTurn around.â Liam tottered around in his heels. âKeep those seams straightâ, she ordered. âYes Principal.â She lifted the hem of his gymslip. âVery good, I see you have followed the rule â the gymslip comes just one inch below the stocking tops to ensure our girls maintain an upright stance at all times. Walk along.â
Liam tottered across the room as smoothly as he could in the heels. He could feel his stockings and suspenders shifting with every step and was convinced his stockings were slipping down in danger of being seen beneath his short gymslip.
When he turned to come back his pleated skirt twirled up a little. âOopsâ, his mother reacted, expecting an admonishment from the Principal. âThatâs alright, a little glimpse is good â we have to keep the boys interested, donât we?â, she smirked. Liam cringed and tried to hold the hem of his pleated gymslip down as he walked back. âStop that! Arms out!â the Principal ordered so he let go and tried to walk as steadily as possible. He supposed it had helped that his mother made him wear the high heels all weekend to get used to them.
One consolation was that the ringlets had to go and his hair was now bunched in two pony tails under his straw boater. âI see you have applied for the science subjects. These are increasingly popular among girls now.â Liam had been somewhat relieved to see that the otherwise traditional girlsâ school had these subjects which were his favourites.
âUnfortunately, your acceptance of the scholarship came late in the day and all those classes are full. I have assigned you the subjects that have places available: domestic science â thatâs sewing, cooking, dress making etc â secretarial skills and deportment.â Liam cringed.
âSo report to room A4 for your first double sewing periodâ Principal Skinner ordered. âYes Principal.â He gave one final pleading look over his shoulder as he reached for the door knob but his mother was smiling, noticing how his stocking tops peeked as he leaned forward just a little to turn the door knob.
As he scampered down the long corridor, seemingly taking ages in the high heels, he tried not to think too much about the next five years in his gymslip, corset, stockings and suspenders.
Just as he was getting used to his new school a new torment revealed itself â the school prom. The girlsâ school partnered with Lord Kingsleyâs School for Boys when organising proms. Of course his mother insisted he had to go and bought a coc-ktail dress for him.
At the dance the girls lined up on one side of the hall, giggling at the line of boys opposite. Liam cringed, seeing the leering looks from the boys. He tried to push down the short petticoats under his dress. He wished that his underwired bra didnât present his new boobs so nicely. He couldnât stop flickering his unfamiliar false eyelashes. His lips stung and felt swollen since his mother applied his scarlet lipstick.
When the first dance was called, the boys rushed across the room to claim a partner. The girls were under strict instruction from Principal Skinner not to refuse a boy at least one dance. Liam tried to avoid the boys by scampering along behind the line of girls but his five-inch heels meant he couldnât get away entirely and soon his hand was grabbed by a boy who tugged him out onto the dancefloor.
He felt so exposed with just a flimsy pair of lace-trimmed panties under his short flared dress and he could feel the air circulating on the bare skin above his stockings. With his hands firmly held in waltz hold there was nothing he could do to stop his dress swirling out as the boy led him in a lively dance.
He was so relieved when the music stopped but again the five-inch heels prevented him from scampering off the dancefloor quickly enough to avoid another suitor and he was quickly hauled back to the centre for the next dance. He proved to be a popular dance partner all night.
Liamâs mother was surprised when he asked if he could meet his new school friends on a Saturday at the local mall. He had heretofore tried his best to stay indoors as much as possible since dressed like a girl. But it seemed like the isolation was getting to him.
She was further surprised that he wanted to wear a dress with all his shaping undergarments, full make-up, painted nails and stockings and high heels. âAll the other girls will be dressed up like thisâ, he insisted as he clutched his matching purse. He noticed his mother smirk. He realised he had just said âother girlsâ.
THE END