Not that she was going to push anyone about it. She was just curious. Four out of six of them had been touched by the water, one way or another. Perhaps becoming a guy might mellow out whatever was up with Alyssa. Joel could only hope. Becoming a girl had done things to her which she was still figuring out.
The carefree way Fiona just casually leapt into the water earned Joel’s respect. Jess went over to help Barry fit the new man with something comfortable than that green towel. Barry’s Hawaiian shirt was actually considered but Fiona ultimately went with one of the SpongeBob tees. He wore it way differently than Barry did, with of plenty areas taut and rigid. For pants, he managed to get on a blue, flannel pair. The shaded protrusion arching downwards caught her eye for a moment but also made her turn to check on Jess.
This was weird for her considering, when it came to dicks, the most Joel would do as a man was make a quip or simply yawn. Dicks were to be ignored or joked over. Now, they suddenly felt strange and scintillating. She blamed hormones and whatever weird voodoo this lake pumped out. She had as many ideas about sitting in manly Jess’s lap as she had once about cute glasses girl Jess sitting in his.
Her hand was also slim enough that she was sure she could sneak her fingers under the waistband of his pants and find that warm kielbasa hiding underneath. It was fortunate she retained her tan or else her blush would be as obvious as splashing red paint on her face. Of course, her twisting mind imagined getting something else on her new face.
On the other end of the campfire, Fiona playfully wrapped his strong arms around Barry’s slim waist. Joel figured the poor guy had to be melting inside into a puddle from this level of human contact, let alone translated into such soft, sensitive, and supple flesh. Submissive and shy meant old Barry was stuck with his computer and a multitude of idle thoughts. The same now meant she was definitely an alluring target. Joel figured once she built back her body then she was going to have to toughen up poor Barry in girlish ways to be assertive against the horny masses.
Alyssa seemed to catch enough of the nonverbal flirting in the group with titters, smiles, and glances to roll her eyes and groan. Fiona ignored it the best and kept snuggling Barry as he proposed excitedly, “We should pick new names! Fiona is one of the best cutest coolest names but I need something more appropriate like… mango. Because it has a man in it. Although there’s also the fruit. That might be confusing. Harlan. I don’t quite like that one either though. Oh! I know what… Brock! He was the coolest character! And there were plenty of fan things that turned him into girls so it makes sense, I guess!”
Barry recognized the reference from a video game or what Joel gathered was some sort of video game and encouraged the newly christened Brock. For herself, Barry tossed out a few different sci-fi show characters before landing on some character named Chiana. She thought about using the more common Chiara before Alyssa snapped and stomped back over to the jetty.
Duncan followed after her but slowly. Meanwhile, Joel and Jess celebrated the new names as Barry seemed to settle on Chiara but not with absolute certainty. Jess tussled with a flood of possibilities before deciding that simple “Jake“ would be enough. Joel teased him and roamed a hand near his waistband without getting too adventurous.
All Joel could think of at that moment for herself was The Police and a certain song. She crooned, “Roxaaannnneee…” and that earned chuckles. The new Jake mused and then agreed that it was good.
In her head… Roxanne turned over the name a few times. It could also be turned into Ro, which Barry noted was some Star Trek chick, and Anne. Which felt a little bit too bland for her. But Roxanne made her flesh goose pimple. No matter the implications of the song, the way it felt in her brain signified all the differences that separated her from Joel.
Of course, all this was pointless screwing around because to the rest of the world they were just four people no one knew, who randomly showed up in the company of a guy who took a folklore class with a mysterious woman, joined by some quiet girl who looked like she wanted to stab someone. The local sheriff was going to scream foul play the moment they tried to walk back into their lives. But all that was for later.
As Roxanne toyed with Jake, a echoing cry rose up from Alyssa at the end of the jetty. Her arms cradled her face and then sunk down to pound her legs. Duncan kept a certain distance but reached an arm out as though wanting to comfort her. And Roxanne didn’t give a flying crap.
Actually, that was wrong. Joel didn’t care. She had splashed him out of existence. And whatever ennui or drama was going on, it wasn’t her business what that girl decided to do with her life. Unfortunately, Roxanne felt herself drawn up as she stood and carefully walked towards the lake.
With folded arms, she faced the two of them. When Alyssa noticed she was there, she gave a hiss. “You leave me alone most of all!”
Roxanne held her arms out. “I’m sorry for what I did to Barry, I gotta live with that. And being gross. But you splashed me in the face and made a decision for me that wasn’t yours to make. It turned out okay, but then you also took Jess’s decision away from her. The fact she didn’t even blame you for a second just goes to show what an amazing, beautiful person she is. I want you to apologize to her, please.” Roxanne gestured across the water to Jake, whose eyes were wide and curious, then narrowed with affection at hearing her words.
Alyssa shook her head and clenched her fists. “You…YOU…”
“It’s not about me. The person I love deserves a modicum of respect. Please…”
Modicum was not a word that Roxanne expected to emerge from her lips in what she hoped was the correct context. Estrogen juicing up those brain cells hopefully. Alyssa tightened and shook, as though she wanted to hurl the worst invectives she could think of. But all the tension relaxed from her body as she stood there. Her pale face almost felt as slack as a mask.
“… I’m sorry… I’m sorry so… sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry…” The first round felt pained before it dissolved into a pleading whimper. Some of it muffled and most of it flopped on the boards like a fish struggling on the shore. Tears reddened and bloomed color across her cheeks.
Hoarsely, she drifted to the words, “I actually had this weird crush on Joel… So confident, so together, so not like me. And then Dunc. Oh my gosh. I’m so messed up. I just… if only I could be like Fiona and happy and not care or like Barry who believes everything with excitement or like Jess who knows what she wants. And smart, motivated Dunc. But I’m me and not a day goes by that I don’t genuinely tell myself it would be better if I stopped existing…” she wheezed out the words as though she were a squeeze toy and that was the last air and sound she could make before desperately drawing back her breath to try again.
“The color of my outside is also the color of my inside. I’m rotting. And it doesn’t matter. My family forgot about me ages ago. I made my way here with debt. So much debt. Debt that I solemnly promised I would repay, but there’s so much. I’m worth more dead than alive. And it hurts just trying to dig myself back to the surface, as everything pushes me down. That’s me. That’s what’s left for me. I’m sorry. That’s it.” Alyssa shut her eyes and dipped her arms, as though expecting them to fall off or all the blood to slide out of her.
Swiftly, Roxanne wrapped her up in the biggest, tightest hug she could manage with her insubstantial body. Their breasts mashed together, even though they had less to talk about than any of the others. That felt more disconcerting for Roxanne, because she was the one without a bra. Roxanne definitely understood the utility of leaning or bent hugs. But that only entered her mind as she finished comforting Alyssa.
Or thought she finished. Because as Roxanne started to release her, Alyssa clutched her arms tightly around her, as if she were a big sister she hadn’t seen in ages. It was difficult for Roxanne to breathe, but she bore it, stroking Alyssa‘s long, dark, curly hair as she sobbed on her shoulder. She also did her best not to look at Duncan, who stood off to the side uncomfortably.
Eventually, Alyssa let go and stood there. Slowly, she started to undo her top and slipped out of her pants. Duncan cleared his throat and carefully edged his way to the side of the jetty to get out of there but Alyssa stopped him.
“Maybe… Maybe we should do it together…?”
Duncan looked like he was going to overheat and pass out. The poor guy. His wild hair appeared muted slightly with several rounds of sweat and moisture from the water. Joel had kept it a secret since they met that when they ran into each other at the beginning of the year, his first inkling was that Duncan was an androgynous girl with gorgeous but unkempt hair.
His eyebrows were so thin, like delicate pencil marks. The shape of his face was modestly boyish but with a delicate softness that would make him look pretty cute in drag. The guy already had a nose like a girl with a slim stretch and a delicate upturn at the end. His eyes were also alluringly gemlike with a shade somewhere between blue and green like a sea at rest. The skin around his eyes also creased slightly at the top to make them even prettier.
She had no idea what this freaky lake would do with Duncan. It could understate his look and make him a slight girl on the other side or overcompensate. Assuming Dunc went along with Alyssa‘s plaintive idea.
Alyssa was already down to her underwear, which was a soft, almost playful color of pink. Duncan drew a nervous breath, as he trembled and reached for his pants. His heart had to be surging out of his chest as his tighty whities left almost nothing to the imagination about where his blood flow was heading. Roxanne smirked and raised an eyebrow. Bit of a waste.
As poor Duncan fumbled and wobbled to lift up his shirt, Alyssa grabbed his hand and promised to brace him so that he wouldn’t take a tumble ahead of time. Pulling his underwear down, his dick jutted and bounced like a toy. Casually, Alyssa reached over and took hold of its length.
Duncan barely managed to stand as his heart worked overtime to send blood to his face as he burst with a nervous blush, while filling up his crotch, and struggling to have enough leftover to keep him from conscious. He didn’t last long before covering Alyssa‘s hands and dribbling over the wood. She cleaned up her fingers seductively before whispering, “Could you do the same for me, when you see me on the other side?”
That was nearly enough to send Duncan into a second round, but he took a long breath and nodded back. “Promise.”
It was honestly like Roxanne wasn’t even there, not that she minded. The others felt like a world away while Jake lingered at the front of the jetty, obviously hurrying over to make sure that Alyssa didn’t hurt her.
Naked, with Alyssa‘s clean left hand holding his right hand, Duncan went with her to the edge. Alyssa put her back to the water, facing Roxanne and the shore. Duncan followed suit.
They each shared a deep breath as Alyssa said, “Here we go.” And Duncan added, “To the other side…”
Leaning back, they both plunged in.