Kenny and Jeff anxiously prepared for the news conference the next day. They had been invited to attend as two of the many victims of the disastrous pharmaceutical trial and were determined to make a big splash. Did they want to dress like a pair of giggling bimbos? No! But the lawyer for the class-action suit, Mr. Burgess, had sworn up and down it was necessary. 
“We want your trial to be the talk of the nation. How do we do that? Well, I’ll tell you. We stand you up there in skimpy outfits and pretty makeup next to posters of what you looked like before the drug and say, ‘This is why we’re suing the pants off Apex Pharmaceuticals. Look what it’s done to these boys. Why, they’ll never be able to live a normal, male life now.’” 
Eventually, Mr. Burgess convinced them that revealing clothes were a vital part of his plan.
Now, in the conference room of the lawyer’s office, Kenny and Jeff were dressed in their new outfits, purchased by Mr. Burgess.
“Do you think our parents are gonna see us on the TV?” asked Kenny. “I’m really nervous.”
“No doubt,” said Jeff. “Not to mention our friends from back in high school, old girlfriends, and God knows who else.”
“Maybe we should have thought twice about this,” Kenny said, voice cracking.
“No way,” said Jeff. “I’m willing to put myself out there for the cause. I mean, I don’t like it, but it’s necessary. Remember, bro, we’re not just representing ourselves. There are dozens of other dudes who took the drug.”
“I guess,” said Kenny, tugging on his skirt.
A knock came at the door. It opened, and Mr. Burgess entered. He was a tall, thin man with a comb-over, dressed in a three-piece suit.
“Good morning, boys. The conference will be starting in a few minutes. We’ve got NBC, CBS, Fox News, CNN... Hell, even TMZ is sending a camera crew. We’re gonna have a packed house in there. The whole world will finally see what Apex did to you.”
“The whole world?” Kenny asked, his throat dry.
“The whole world,” said Mr. Burgess, then he clapped and said, “Okay! Let’s head out. You’ve been practicing walking in those heels, right? I want you to appear as graceful as possible. This is all part of my plan. Don’t worry! I got it all covered.”
Kenny and Jeff walked into the conference room, their heels clacking on the wood floor. The room was filled with TV cameras, journalists, and curious onlookers. They took their seats, and the conference began.
A reporter from the Los Angeles Times asked Mr. Burgess, “You claim your clients, of which these two are only examples, have been feminized beyond recovery. Do you have medical evidence to back up this claim?”
“Absolutely,” said Mr. Burgess. He held up a folder stuffed with papers. “My clients have been examined by several doctors over the last few weeks. It is the conclusion of these medical experts that--and I quote-- ‘These individuals are no longer male in any physical sense. They retain the external appearance of male genitalia, but their reproductive organs have been rendered inoperable, and the rest of their bodies have been functionally altered to be female. They will never be able to function as men again.’”
Kenny looked at Jeff, his eyes wide. “D-Did you know that? That we’ll never be able to go back?”
Jeff shook his head, and Kenny felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.
Mr. Burgess pointed at them. “These two are only the tip of the iceberg. Over a hundred other men received this new drug, and many are even more affected than Kenny and Jeff. Look at them! They look and sound like females, don’t they?”
A murmur went through the room, and everyone leaned forward to stare. Kenny’s ears burned, and his face felt warm. He squeezed his thighs together tightly, his hands clasped in his lap. He felt as if he could feel the eyes of the entire world staring at him; he imagined the pity, confusion, and disgust on their faces. Nausea seized him, and he clenched his teeth tightly to keep from vomiting. 
Mr. Burgess continued. “In fact, my clients’ masculinity has been devastated so thoroughly that they’re willing to pledge in front of this audience to never even attempt to transition back to their male appearance. It would be pointless! They are women now, and they can never go back. Do they like it? Hell, no. But Apex has robbed them of their choice in the matter. Isn’t that right... girls?”
Jeff looked like he might cry. “Y-Yes, sir,” he said.
“And you?” said Burgess, pointing at Kenny.
Kenny looked up at him, his mouth dry, his heart pounding. “I guess, um, I-I’m a girl now,” he said quietly.
“That’s right, sweetie. Apex has robbed you of your right to choose your future,” said Mr. Burgess as he took a legal-sized document from his leather briefcase. Kenny recognized it as the drafted settlement agreement. “And this settlement will give them back part of that choice. We’re asking Apex for three billion dollars to be split evenly among all the victims minus my, um, meager fee. I am confident that Apex will see the wisdom in our offer. We’re asking for far less than any court would award. Now, the details of the settlement...”
As Burgess read from the document, Kenny’s mind was racing. He would have to be a girl for the rest of his life? He’d thought this was all just a pitstop on the way back to normal. But, no. This was... permanent.
Kenny felt Jeff’s hand snake into his. “We’ll be okay,” he whispered.
“I don’t know how.” But he squeezed Jeff’s hand tightly.
As the conference continued, Kenny felt lost and alone. He wanted nothing more than to escape from the glare of the cameras and the probing questions of the reporters. But he couldn’t run away. Not ever. He was stuck in this strange new reality where he was no longer a man but a woman. And he would have to learn to live with that. 
He supposed the money would help. After all, he needed clothes, makeup, that special flowery-smelling shampoo girls liked...