Substitute Teacher 2: Showing My Frillies

[Alana]

"From what I heard, that's not something you mind doing all that much."

But he did turn the fan off.

"It's different with you," I said. "You're a man."

"You noticed."

"Of course I noticed."

And thank heaven you haven't noticed that I'm one, too.

He dictated his letters, and the work was able to go a lot faster with me in a longer skirt.

Afterwards, he asked, "Annie, I have a favor to ask of you, and I can't pay you for it this time. Mrs. Jorgensen and I were supposed to host the Spring Formal, but at the last minute she came down with something. Would you host it with me?"

"What exactly would I be doing?"

"Oh, mostly just keeping an eye on the kids and keeping them out of trouble. And standing by my side looking pretty while I make speeches. You'd have to wear a gown. I'm wearing a tux."

"I don't have a gown."

"You don't?"

"I'm a not a real formal gal."

I meant that my wife was not a real formal gal. She had no interest in going anywhere where she had to wear something sparkly.

"Well, I hate to admit this, but---I still have my late wife's clothes. I haven't gotten rid of them, yet."

"You mean to tell me, you're a man who owns dresses?" I smirked.

"Look, it hasn't been easy. I told you, it was very recent."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry."

"So how about when I go home to change into my tux, I bring back one of my wife's gowns and you can change into it here?"

I winced, picturing some puce-colored taffeta monstrosity two sizes too big for me. But I agreed.

I phoned my wife and told her I wouldn't be home for dinner because I was hosting the Spring Formal. Then I went out and got something to eat. I came back just in time to meet him carrying the gown in a garment bag. He looked very nice in his tuxedo.

"You'll need some help zipping this up," he said.

I smirked.

"Thank you, but I've been zipping up dresses longer than you have."

"You haven't been zipping up gowns. Not this gown, any way. My wife always needed help."

"Thank you, but I'll be fine."

I went into the Ladies Room to change. When I unzipped the garment bag, I couldn't believe the gorgeous glamorous golden gown inside. I lusted after that gown.

I pulled my wife's dress off as quick as I could, and stepped into that knockout of a gown. And damn if he wasn't right! I couldn't reach the zipper to save my life!

I struggled and turned and twisted this way and that. Luckily, a woman came into the Ladies Room and zipped it up for me.

"So, you're my replacement?" she said.

"Am I? Are you Mrs. Jorgensen?"

"That's me."

"I'm sorry to hear you're sick."

"Oh, honey, I'm not sick. I'm just not you."

"You mean he---"

"---wanted to see you in a gown, yes. And wanted you to see him in a tux."

"He does look handsome."

"Yes. He does."

Leaving the Ladies Room, she said, "Annie, he's been so lonely and sad and scared for over a year, now. Be good to him. Don't break his heart."

She left.

I wondered what she meant by that?

I left that Ladies Room. Of course, he was waiting for me.

"Wow," he said. "Just---just wow. You look absolutely beautiful."

[Alana]

"More beautiful than your wife?"

I saw the pain evident in his eyes when I said that. I regretted it immediately. I wished I could take the words back.

"I'm sorry---I didn't mean---"

"No," he said. "no, you are not more beautiful than my wife."

He walked away.

The rest of the evening went smoothly. I felt like I was in heaven in that glorious gown. Even boys and girls looking at me and snickering and whispering about "that teacher who lifts her skirt all the time" couldn't dim my happiness. I walked back and forth drinking punch and watching the young kids dance, occasionally casting a guilty glance at the principal. As the evening came to a close my feet started to hurt, and I found a piano bench on which to rest. He approached. I smiled.

[Alana]

"Hello, Jason."

"Hello," he said.

"I think there's room for two here," I said, touching the bench.

[Alana]

He sat down next to me.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I was just fishing for compliments. That was very insensitive of me to say. Sometimes we women forget that men have feelings. Please forgive me."

"I forgive you. It's just very difficult, seeing you in that gown and thinking of my wife, all the times that we shared, the memories I have of her in that gown. I know you'll say it was my idea that you wear it, and it was. But still, it's difficult."

I put my hand on his and said, "She must've been a wonderful woman."

"You would've liked her. I've been thinking, it's absurd that I should be keeping her clothes. Why don't you keep her gown? You look so wonderful in it, I'm sure she'd want you to have it. In fact, why don't you come to my home after the dance and take all of her dresses?"

I must admit, I had a bit of an erection thinking of all those dresses just waiting for me. I had no idea what they were like, but if they were anything as beautiful as the gown I had on, I couldn't wait to wear them.

"OK. If that's what you want. Could I follow you in my car?"

"Of course."

He got up and walked away. He looked back and said, "Annie?"

"Yes?" I asked uncertainly.

[Alana]

"You're not more beautiful than my wife was. But you are AS beautiful."

I know I'm a guy, and I've never been gay or anything, but nevertheless I could just have kissed him at that moment. Maybe I was getting a little carried away.

After the Spring Formal we drove to his house. He opened the door for me and turned on the lights. It was late, and I just wanted to get to his bedroom to look at his wife's dresses.

He turned on the lights in the bedroom, slid the closet door open, and said, "Please take all of them."

So many glamorous, wonderful dresses, I was glad I didn't have to choose.

"You men don't know what it's like to lust after a garment the way we do, do you? Clothes are just warmth to you. Just warmth and nothing else."

I stood in his bedroom carrying an armful of dresses, holding them close to my body, my body in the beautiful golden gown I was still wearing. He stood before, and grasped me by the shoulders.

"Stay," he said.

I backed away from him. This was awkward.

"Look, Jason," I said, "I thought this little thing between us was just a little innocent flirting. I never meant it as anything serious. I'm sorry. I thought you understood that."

He let go of me.

"Oh---right," he said, "right, of course. I didn't mean---that is---I guess I thought---I don't know how I could've thought---"

"I should go. Maybe I should just leave the dresses."

"No, take them. It's silly to keep them. I'm a man. What does a man need with dresses? Take them."

As I headed on out to my car, it seemed to me that I'd been playing with fire and didn't even realize it. But at least things were straightened out between us, now. And I had all of these beautiful dresses to try on!

As soon as I arrived home, my wife said to me, "Where did you get that gown? It's beautiful!"

"Principal Compson gave it to me for the Spring Formal. He's a widower. And look at all these beautiful dresses! They belonged to his late wife, and he gave me all of them!"

She started to look through them.

"Don't worry, I'll let you wear them," I said. "Fair is fair."

"I wouldn't wear them. I don't want anything to do with anything that was obtained by fraud."

"What fraud?"

"What fraud! You are not a woman, try as you might!"

"What has that got to do with anything? You mean to tell me you won't try on this gown?"

"No, I won't."

"I don't believe that for a second."

Much as I hated to take off that gown, I just had to try on some of those dresses, and I didn't have much time before bed. I asked my wife to unzip me.

"No. You wanted to be a woman, you unzip yourself. Be independent."

"How many dresses have I unzipped for you? You haven't gotten out of a dress by yourself since you were single!"

"That's not true."

"OK, fine, that's not true, but if you put it on I bet you can't zip this gown up yourself."

"Yes, I can. Because I'm a woman, unlike you."

"I'll bet you."

"What's the bet?"

"If you can't zip up the gown, you have to tell me that I'm a woman, that I'm pretty, that I have nice legs, and that I have just as much right to wear dresses as you do because I'm just as girly and feminine as you."

"Fine. And if I can zip it up, you call Sapperstein Academy and tell them to get someone else to substitute, and you never wear a dress ever again!"

"Fine."

I wasn't worried. At least I got her to unzip me. She took the gown in the bedroom, and I took all my new dresses into the guest bedroom where I had taken up more or less permanent residence for the duration, and started to try them on.

I loved them all. So tight, so glamorous. I finally settled on a tight silvery black dress to wear to school the next day. It had long sleeves and came with a matching belt.

I could hear my wife grunting and groaning in the next room.

I poked my head into the bedroom and asked, "How are you doing?"

"Fine!" But she hadn't made any more progress than I had when I was putting it on.

"How do you like my new dress? I'm wearing it to school tomorrow."

"Fine! Leave me alone!"

I took off my new dress and everything else, and got ready for bed. Before retiring for the night, I checked in on my wife one last time.

"Give up?"

"Alright, fine, I give up. Zip me up."

"Let's hear it first."

"You freak!"

"Try again."

She sighed.

"You're a woman."

"And?"

"You're pretty. You have nice legs."

"Keep going."

"You have every right to wear dresses. Because you're girly and feminine. As girly and feminine as I am. Is that everything?"

"Yes."

"Adam, you really need help."

"And so do you," I said, zipping up the gown.

"Oh, go soak your nylons!"

"Why did I just know you were going to say that?"

I left her to admire herself.

That night I dreamed about that gown. I dreamed that Mr. Compson and I were alone together in the gymnasium where the dance had been held. We were dancing together, and I was wearing my gown, only it was even more magical than before. It could change color immediately, depending on my mood.

[Alana]

What a wonderful dream.

In the morning I found that my wife had at least been able to unzip the gown by herself, since she wasn't wearing it.

I put on my new silvery black dress and headed off to school. I looked for the principal in the hallway but didn't see him anywhere.

I wanted him to see me in my sexy new dress. The only man in the entire building, and he was nowhere to be found. OK, technically not the only man, but certainly the only man who didn't have to wear pantyhose, high heels and a dress to work every day. Where was he?

Then suddenly I saw him rushing down the hall.

He didn't seem to see me, so I got in his way.

"How do you like me in your wife's dress?" I asked.

[Alana]

"Excuse me," he said, and hurried past.

I guess he was busy. Well, there'd be plenty of time for flirting later on. His secretary still wasn't back yet, so I knew he'd want me that evening.

And I really needed some flirting at that point in my life, after all the negativity from my wife. Hopefully he realized by now that it was just fun. I needed to feel that there was someone who felt I was a worthwhile person. Even if I was wearing a dress. Maybe especially because I was wearing a dress.

I hoped he didn't think it was insensitive, talking about his wife's dress that way. Well, it was his idea. I hoped he didn't think I was going to take all those beautiful dresses home and just admire them from afar.

It had cooled down, and the electric fans weren't going any more, not that it would've mattered in that tight skirt. In class I was very careful, and got through the day without another unfortunate upskirt incident. I had learned my lesson.

At three o'clock I showed up at the principal's office for more secretarial work. He didn't seem happy to see me, in fact he was very cold and businesslike. We got right down to work.

He was playing "I'm not going to look at her legs" again, so I decided to tease him a little. I held out one leg before me and examined it with care.