I took a glance all around the room. Everything looked perfect and at its place. I was at it since morning. ‘It’ being cleaning the house and arranging the guest room. I took a sigh of relief and sat on the couch. I switched on the TV and started surfing the channels.
Since morning, I was at ‘it’ because my friend, Divya, and her sister, Kavya, were coming over. I recently joined my new job in Goa just two months back. As soon as I had received the offer, I had shared the good news with my close friends, including Divya. Of course, it went without saying that my friends can come over any time for the proverbial Goa trip.
Divya took me up on that within two months of my relocating to Goa. The house that I took on the rent was on the first floor of a duplex. The house was in a locality with similar homes with a big garden area. All the houses were a bit apart from each other and not closely nestled. Being a bit away from the main city area allowed us freedom from the city hubbub or the noise from the tourists who would come down to Goa to party. It had a separate stairwell that did not go through the main living areas of the first floor, where my widowed landlady, Poonam Shenoy, lived. She was around fifty years old and was pleasant to me while I moved in. I, by nature, am a bit recluse and initially tended to keep to myself. But Poonam aunty would often invite me for tea and ask how the job was going on. I was deeply moved by her affection and would offer to help her out around the house if she needed it.
As I was surfing the TV, my phone rang. It was Divya. I picked up and asked where she was. I said to ask the cab driver to reach Vincent circle and take the left road for 2 kilometres to reach the place. I had already shared the GPS location, but with Google, it sometimes tended to recommend smaller lanes and not the main roads to reach the house. Hence, I had to share the directions for the easier route with her.
About ten minutes later, my phone again rang. They had reached! I came down and ran up the path leading to the main gate. I opened it and beckoned the driver to get to the main house. Poonam aunty came out hearing the car coming to check who had come. I introduced the sisters to Poonam aunty. They started chit-chatting. I took the luggage bags and started to move them upstairs. After the luggage was taken upstairs, I came down again to fetch them. Poonam aunty said, “Your friends are amazing. You guys should have dinner downstairs with me today. I would also have some company, and at least for the first day, you won’t have to cook either.” We collectively said, “Sounds good, aunty. We will be there.”
When we went upstairs, I showed them to the guest room. I explained how I had set everything for their comfort. I showed them the wardrobe where they could keep their belongings and mentioned that one door was stuck and did not open. But since there were two accessible compartments, the two sisters could keep their clothes and other things separately.
“Kavya, you go freshen up and take a bath while I catch up with Pankaj,” Divya said.
“Sounds good. Don’t have much fun while I am away.” Kavya said jokingly.
As Kavya closed the room door behind her, Divya and I planted our asses on the couch. Divya turned to me and asked, “So, how is everything going on?”
“Everything is fine. You have already met Aunty. She is very nice to me. Very helpful. And the job is also good. Not too much anxiety over there as of now.”
“And how’s your hobby going on?” Divya asked with a devilish grin.
I smiled sheepishly. “That is also going on fine. The place allows lots of free time and privacy. I am getting better at it.”
“Wo to dikh hi raha hai. Haath kaafi smooth hain tere. (Yes, I can see that from your smooth arms!)” Divya said with a wink.
“Oh, you noticed?!”
“Aunty ko bataya? (Did you tell aunty?)”
“Na.”
“Bata dein? (Should we tell her?)” Divya giggled.
“Pagal hai kya? Pata nahi kya sochegi. Plus, itna achchha ghar itne kam rent pe kaha milega. (Have you gone mad? I don’t know what she would think of me. Plus, I don’t want to lose such a nice house at an affordable rent.)”
Divya laughed at my ashen face. “Okay, okay. We won’t tell her.”
“Hey, you haven’t talked about this with Kavya. Have you?”
“No. Do you want me to? I know she would be pretty cool about it. Maybe pretty excited too.”
“Na Na. We will tell her, if we tell her, when the time comes.
You see, Divya and I were talking about my crossdressing. She was one of the few close friends whom I confided in. She was very excited at this revelation.
“Photo bhej. (Send me your pic)” was her first reaction.
When I shared my en femme pics, she was very supportive. She said, “Lag to sahi rahi hai tu. Thoda sa polish karna padega bas (Wow, girl! You look amazing. We just need to do a little bit of polishing.)”
“Thanks.” I was blushing while replying to her.
“Naam waam kuchh hai is sundari ka? (By the way, what’s the name of this beauty queen?)”
“Sundari? LOL. Ye zyada ho gaya. Naam waise Pankhuri hai. (Beauty queen? LOL. That’s too much. I have picked a name Pankhuri – meaning flower petal, for me.)’”
“Nice name. Pankhuri ko phool bana dein? (Nice name. Should we turn this flower petal into a flower?)”
“Pagal hai kya? Kuchh bhi bolti hai. Tera pati marega tujhe. (Have you gone mad? You don’t even think before speaking. What would your husband say to you?)”
Since that day, our friendship has grown stronger. We used to share everything with each other. Issues at home, at the job, with her husband, what drama I was facing at my job, we discussed everything. She would also share some makeup tips at times (which helped me further in my journey). I would also ask her recommendation for any outfit I was thinking of buying. More than friends, I think we became sisters as time grew.
“Kya baat chal rahi hai dono beheno me? (What chitchat is going on between sisters?)”
Divya and I turned to find Kavya at the room door. She had freshened up.
“Behen…? (Sisters … ?)” I stuttered.
“Yeah, itna hans-hans ke khusur-phusur bas behenein hi karti hain. (Yeah, only sisters laugh and chit chat like that!)”
I was relieved that she was just pulling our legs and was unaware of my secret.
I said jokingly, “Teri hi chugli kar rahe the humlog. Kitni shararati ho gayi hai. (We were gossiping about you.)”
Kavya just made a face and said, “Didi, the bathroom is all yours.”
Divya got up and said, “Tumlog baat karo. Main abhi aayi? (You girls continue talking. I will be back in a jiffy.)”
“Let’s go and reheat the food by the time Divya gets ready.” I said to Kavya.
Once Kavya came out, we had food and went to our rooms for an afternoon siesta.
In the evening, the three of us made chai-pakoda and started to chat.
“Yaar, aise maza nahi aa raha hai. Chalo na koi game khelte hain. (Yaar, this is too boring. Why don’t we play some game?)” Kavya suggested.
“What game?” Divya and I looked at each other and then at Kavya quizzically.
“Koi sab hi. Time pass bhi ho jayega aur thodi masti bhi. (Any game is fine as long as we have fun.)”
“Antakshari?”
“Naah, too boring.”
“Dumb charades?”
“Naah, now we know all the movies. It hardly takes 15 seconds to guess.”
“To tu hi bata de kya khelein? (Then why don’t you tell what to play?)”
“Let’s play ‘Two truths and a lie’.”
“Okay.” Divya and I agreed to it.
“But with a twist. Jo pakda jayega use dare karna hoga. (Whoever is caught, they would have to do a dare.)”
“Soch le Kavya. Haar gayi to saare bartan tu hi dhoyegi. (Think again Kavya. If you lose, you will have to clean all the dishes)” I said.
“Tum apna socho. Main to nahi haar rahi aaj. (You worry about yourself. I am not gonna lose tonight.)”
The game was now on.
“Okay, I will go first,” Kavya said. “I have taken alcohol. I have consumed contraband items. I have kissed a girl.”
“Interesting!” Divya exclaimed. “I would say you were lying when you said you have kissed a girl.”
“Okaaaay…and what do you think?” Kavya turned to me. The twinkle in her eyes showed that she knew she was winning.
“I would say the lie is that you have taken alcohol.” I made a calculated guess.
Kavya’s smile vanished in an instant.
“Yes, you are right.”
“Yessss!” Divya and I high fived each other.
“Dare to tumhe milega, lekin pehle batao sab. (oh you will get a dare. But I want to hear all the juicy stories.)” Divya was excited to know the stories.
“Arey, it’s nothing. The boys in my college were smoking a joint one day. I asked them to pass it to me. So, I took a swing of it. That’s it. And about the kiss with a girl…that was a silly dare when we were playing ‘Truth and Dare’ one time. Bas yahi hai kahani. That’s the story.”
“Hmm…as a dare…you have to do 15 pushups,” I said.
“15! Pagal ho kya yaar…main ladka hu kya jo 15 karungi? 2 bhi kar du to enough hai. (15! You guys are mad … I am not a boy who can do 15. I may barely manage 2.”
“Na na na…dare to karna padega. Aur kya ladka-ladki isme? Ye to koi bhi kar sakta hai. Tum kaho to main tumhari help kar dunga ye karne me. (No no .. you have to do it. What’s there to say about boy-girl in this? Anyone can do it. I can help you do it.)”
“Yaar, please, nahi. (Please, no. Give me something else)” She requested again.
“Arey ho jayega. Kar lenge apan. (Oho .. just give it a try.)”
She relented and did 15 pushups. I helped her in completing those.
“Kaisa lag raha hai? (How do you feel now?)”
“Iska badla lungi main. (I will have my revenge.)”
Next was Divya’s turn.
“I have never failed in a school exam. I have skipped classes to watch a movie. And I have slapped a teacher.”
It wasn’t easy. Divya was an exceptional student. We could not imagine her doing any of these. Finally, I said that the third was a lie, and Kavya said the second statement was a lie.
“No…the first statement was a lie.”
We were taken aback.
Actually, she had failed in a paper, but due to grace marks, she was marked pass.
We said that this was a technical lie and could be accepted. But then she could convince anyone of anything. We had to relent, and Divya did not have to perform any dare.
“Okay, my turn.” I said, “I have been arrested by police. I can count the value of Pi up to 100 decimal digits. I have talked with Brad Pitt.”
Divya said that the third was a lie. Kavya was looking at me all the while.
We were like two poker players gauging each other.
She said that the second statement was a lie.
I was stunned. How did she know?
“Lucky guess. Now the dare… You have to wear a saree.”
Pagal ho kya yaar…main ladki hu kya jo saree pehnunga? (What? Do I look like a girl to you? Why would I a boy wear a saree?)”
“Na na na…dare to karna padega. Aur kya ladka-ladki isme? Ye to koi bhi kar sakta hai. Tum kaho to main tumhari help kar dungi ye karne me. (No no .. you have to do it. What’s there to say about boy-girl in this? Anyone can do it. I can help you do it.)” She was using my own words against me.
Divya was looking at all this and was trying to control her laughter.
“Yaar, please, nahi. (Please no!)” I requested again.
“No, dear. Maine bhi kiya than a dare. Tab to mujhe koi discount nahi mila tha. (No dear. I did my dare so you must do yours too.)”
I changed tracks. “Okay…agar main maan bhi lu to saree aayega kaha se. Tum to layi nahi hogi. Aur layi bhi hogi to tumhare blouse vagairah to fit honge nahi mujhe.”
“Baat to bas saree ki kar rahi thi main. But blouse ki baat tumne hi ki hai. Kahi tumhe sach me to pehenne ka mann nahi hai?” Kavya asked.
“Yaar baat to Pankaj sahi keh raha hai. Kaha se aayenge iske size ke kapde? Saree to humne waise bhi pack nahi kiya hai” Divya came to my rescue. She knew that I didn’t want anyone else to know about my crossdressing right now.
“Kyu? Rakhe to hue hain us wardrobe me jo atka pada tha.”
Divya and I looked at each other. The cat was now out of the bag.
“I thought of opening it, so you have some extra space. And when I found what I found, it didn’t take me long enough to understand the entire matter. Don’t behave as if you don’t want to do this dare.” Kavya said now with a wink.
I was scarlet all over from blushing and could not find any answer.
“Now go and get dressed. I will help you if you need my help, as I promised.” Kavya now twisted the dagger.
I looked at Divya in a last cry for help. She just shrugged her shoulders.
“Kar le. Apan teeno hi to hain. Aur haan kuchh help lage to awaaz de dena. Mera makeup ka saman waha dressing table par hi pada hai. Feel free to use it.”
I went into the room and closed the door behind me.
I picked a green saree with a sleeveless blouse. I got the green petticoat. I gathered a nude-colored lingerie set from the lower drawer. I wore the panties first. Divya was right. My hands were indeed smooth. I had been taking care of them since I shifted to Goa. I had shaved and moisturized my hands and legs. They were silky smooth. The soft fabric of the lingerie created some unnecessary trouble down south. I took some time to take control of my breath and emotions. After some time, when the feelings subsided, I tucked my manhood and drew my panties over it, giving it an illusion of a soft mound instead of a tent which was the case a few moments ago.
Next came the bra and the blouse. I wore the blouse and adjusted the straps of the blouse over the bra straps. I hooked the bra straps under the blouse straps to ensure they don’t peek. After I was satisfied with the fitting, I inserted the two B-sized breast forms inside each of the bra cups and adjusted them again.
Then came the petticoat and the saree. It took some time to get the pleats correct, but in the end, I was satisfied. Then I went to the dressing table to apply some kajal and lipstick. The last of the ensemble was my medium length wig. I pulled it over and what I saw in the mirror was a known face. A face I had frequently been meeting for the last two months.
“Divya, zara aa ke ek baar dekh legi kya ki sab theek hai ki nahi.” I called out Divya to get her approval.
She came in, and her expression told that she was impressed.
“Ruk…. thoda sa adjust kar deti hu.”
She fussed over the pleats of my saree. She made some corrections and adjusted the pleats over the blouse to show a bit of my breasts. Then she adjusted the makeup. She applied some foundation and concealer that hid my shadow beard. She brushed over my cheeks to create contour. And then she reapplied the kajal and lipstick.
“Done!”
Her 10-minute magic had transformed me from okay to pretty. I was almost crying, when I remembered it would mess my makeup.
We hugged each other.
“Let’s go, sista!” She said.
When we came out to the living room, Kavya’s jaw dropped to the floor.
“I didn’t expect this…you are gorgeous!”
I made a sideways pose with my hand on my waist and raised my eyebrows, “Wanna kiss a girl again?”
Divya and I giggled at this.
Kavya came towards us and was still completely mesmerized.
“Yes”, she said and planted her lips on mine.
We kissed for a moment, and when we broke the kiss, both of us looked at Divya.
She was bepuzzled at what had just happened. And to tell you the truth, I think Kavya, and I were also having the same reaction.
As we were recovering from the recent happenings, the main door opened.
“Hey, you three…the food is ready. When do you guys want to…”
Poonam aunty had come upstairs. She was looking at us, at me, with her sentence left hanging as she searched for the right words, and maybe the right reaction at what she was seeing in front of her eyes.
