Karen walked with a brisk pace. It was perhaps a little more swift than when she was a girl. After all, she was a bit taller, and her hips weren't nearly as wide. Each footfall was straight foreword, straight back, and each step brushed her thigh uncomfortably against it... She growled in frustration, but quickly silenced herself at how deep the sound was. It seemed so foreign in her ears, and so ugly. Jon was kind enough not to say it, but she didn't sound like a girl, and Karen knew it.
The morning was already uncomfortable enough. She woke to a room that was astoundingly much like her old room. Only a few minor difference caught her attention. Sports trophy's were on her wardrobe, and she apparently had developed an attraction for the scene crowd during her transition as her CD player was littered with the self loathing tunes. That was hardly the most uncomfortable part. She woke to a tent. Her sheets stood tall and proud, supported by her new morning surprise. She screamed when she first saw it, and her foreign voice caused her to scream again.
She tore the sheets away and slipped her boxers free, exposing it to the open air, but for the life of her it wouldn't go away. To top it off, her mom barged in with a laundry basket in tow right as she sat there exposed. "M-Mom! GO!" An exasperated sigh left her mothers lips as the woman just held up her hand to block her eyes. "Sorry sweetie." She still didn't leave, and instead dropped the basket and began to lecture Karen.
"You know that won't happen if you take your pills. If you were really serious about this you'd actually pay attention to this. You know how much our insurance went up over this." Karen could only stammer in response. "What? Mom... I just... This isn't right."
"Then show me sweetie... I want to be on your side, but if you don't show me, then your dad's not going to support this anymore. You know he thinks this is just a phase."
Karen began to tear up as the realization of her life slowly dawned on her. Her parents were already pragmatic and skeptical, and apparently that was still the case. "F-fine mom... just... can you leave now?"
The rest of the morning continued about as well. She spent far longer than she needed just trying to figure out the pills, then even longer trying to fit everything neatly into her clothes. She didn't even want to think about hygiene, at least not yet. Her dad wouldn't even meet her eyes at breakfast, and her mom fidgeted nervously as she watched her son, at least in her eyes, dress in ladies clothing. Oddly, the one saving grace seemed to be that she did still have her long blonde hair and breasts. Her botched wish from yesterday brought her a degree of familiarity today. Unfortunately that was small comfort, and it was abundantly apparent as she fitted her bra that her breasts were as plastic as Sarah's personality.
This is hell. Karen concluded as she rushed out the door to meet Jon.
Her thoughts returned to the present as she felt a pang of regret for Jon, even as she felt relief for herself. This wasn't going to be easy, but at least it would be easier. She tugged herself from introspection as she noticed something strange. Sarah, who was a good fifty paces ahead of her seemed quite agitated at something. She spoke over and over again to herself at increasing volume.
"****! D****! Damnit, Denied! You know what? I'm going to ignore this one." Karen could only just overhear Sarah as they walked, but the further they went, the more distressed the cheerleader seemed to become. She put her hands to her ears and growled, then stamped her foot. "You know what!" She finally burst out. "Approved! The longer you're stuck like this the better." Karen had only just caught up to her at this time, as Sarah turned her vindictive blue eyes on the girl.
"You! I don't know what you and your ugly little friend are playing at, but it won't work." With that she stamped off, and quickened her pace, leaving Karen behind trying to piece together what that was all about.
Before long she stood before school, with the inevitable decision before her...
