Adam thought he would see her again, but it didn't happen at all. From the start of the first period to the end of the sixth, school became more of a chore to sit through now that the breakup was finalized. Adam hoped that Natasha would understand as soon as he confessed, but all she ever gave him was a frown and a cold shoulder. Now, he knew that she tried to avoid him as much as possible. She even turned the other way around when the two of them spotted each other in one of the halls. She disappeared among the rush of teenagers making their way to their next class. Once school was finally over, Adam gave up. He surrendered to the fact that she lost interest in their relationship.
On his way out of campus, Adam's friends asked him about it. They had seen a few posts on social media regarding the status of Adam's relationship. The eighteen-year-old student just wanted to forget about everything. He just shrugged it off in front of his friends and told them that he wanted to be alone for a little while. They respected his decision and let him walk alone on the sidewalk while they moved on to other things for the rest of the day. Luckily, they didn't seem to know anything about Adam's secret obsession, which provided a welcome relief. He didn't want any of them to know anything about what he would do behind closed doors.
Adam spent the next fifteen minutes walking alone toward his house. The heartbreak that he had to endure remained unbreakable. He had lost his own girlfriend because he told the truth. Now, he wished that he didn't say anything. He wished that he would keep his hobby a secret so that Natasha would stay loyal to him. But then again, he now knew how she had lost the attraction. She would never stay with a young man who liked to dress the same way as her. He regretted losing her, even if he did manage to prevent a suppression of his true feelings at the time. He wondered if every other girl attending the same school would feel the same way about him and his clandestine lifestyle. Now, he doubted if he would every find one that would let him be himself.
A calm and cool afternoon had settled in the suburban city of Cerritos. Late autumn in Southern California provided a refreshing sea breeze that kept temperatures from going over eighty degrees Fahrenheit. This seemed like the perfect time to listen to some classical music. Adam brought out his headphones and plugged it into his smartphone. He started playing Franz Schubert's Ninth Symphony at mid-volume. Timeless music such as this one helped him unwind and forget any troubles that he had to deal with. He let out a deep sigh as both music and nature kept him from experiencing complete mental misery, even if it would only last for several minutes.
He reached his house and turned off his music. He was about to unlock the front door until he spotted something lying on the floor in the corner. It looked like someone had dropped off a present for someone in the household. His parents had already left to spend their three-day vacation in New Zealand, so it could have been for either of them. He picked up the box, which had been made like a Christmas present complete with a red ribbon and gold-colored wrapping paper. A small card had been implanted on the surface. It read that this present was sent by a man named Henry.
Adam instantly knew who it must have been. Henry was the name of Natasha's father. Adam felt certain of it, seeing as how he knew Henry well when he was still with her. The two men got along fine, and it didn't bother Natasha at all. Now, Adam had to wonder if Henry had sent this present before or after Natasha had told him the truth. That is, if she ever told him about it.
Adam wasted no time as he stepped inside the house and brought the present along with him. He went upstairs and set his backpack aside as he sat down at his desk. He opened the present and was almost stunned what he had found. He pulled it right out of the box and raised it up for a closer look.
Henry had just sent him a black dress made specifically for a woman. It had a sleeveless top and a skirt that could have ended at the knees. At this point, Adam would have done nothing but question Henry's motives. But he didn't. Instead, he used the mirror hanging on his closet door and brought the black dress closer to his front. He stood up straight and examined it up close. The dress looked to have been the same size as his entire body.
He didn't waste any time. He took off all of his clothes and put on the dress very carefully. After making certain that it fit, he returned to the mirror. The sight of him wearing something so beautiful made him smile. It was a regular black dress, nothing fancy or exclusive. But it did enough to keep him content with this new discovery. It fit him perfectly. The sleeveless top and the skirt that ended at his knees completed his sudden transformation. It made him feel like a completely different person. He was not the usual Adam. He was a young woman whose indestructible pride spoke volumes.
He let out a long womanly sigh. He loved this new look. But then, his smile disappeared. He started to wonder why someone like Henry would send him something that he knew that he would enjoy wearing. The thought of it almost weak in the knees. Now that Natasha had found out about it, Henry could have had some secret agenda or something of that sort.
Then, the doorbell rang. Adam almost gasped. He had to act fast. He took off the dress and set it on the bed before putting his regular clothes back on. He didn't have time to put on his socks, so he just went downstairs without them. He opened the front door halfway, and held his breath for a moment. He didn't expect to see Natasha's father on the front porch.
At the age of forty-two, Henry was a handsome African-American man. As a single father, he would have had the power to make women swoon and prepare for a marriage waiting to happen. He was built with a tall stature and an overall clean appearance.
He smiled at Adam and, with his mesmerizing baritone voice, asked, "So do you like my present?"
The younger white man almost had trouble speaking for a brief second. "Yes...I really do."
Henry chuckled. "Good. If you don't mind, I'd like to see you in it."
"Really?"
"Oh, yes. I really do."
Adam smiled. "Come on in and I'll show you."
Henry stepped inside. Adam showed him the living room and told him to wait here. He ran up the stairs and returned to his bedroom. He took another look at the black dress before putting it on. He wanted to be absolutely certain that it appeared clean and newly purchased. He took off his own clothes yet again, but he decided not to do it in a hurry. He remained calm as he put on the dress without his underwear. Once more, the feel of such ordinary but beautiful apparel helped reinvigorate his veiled personality.
Before he could even leave the room, he turned around and found Henry standing at the open entryway. The young man gave a little nervous laugh.
Henry eyed him from top to bottom. "Now I know that I prefer to see you this way."
Adam couldn't help but show off his new look. He made sure that Henry saw everything by spinning around 360 degrees like a ballerina on his bare feet. He had no shame in showing his hairless legs, his bright peach skin, and his overall short and slender figure. "Thank you, Henry. I really like what I'm wearing."
Henry's little smile helped ease Adam's suspicions. The older man stepped closer. "It seems that Natasha made the right choice."
"She did?"
"Oh, yeah. She made the right choice in making you single again."
Henry was now just a few inches in front of Adam, who couldn't help but feel vulnerable with such a towering figure.
Henry took a sniff of Adam's short brown hair. "I'm really lucky to have found someone like you."
