Feminine Femininity (6-12) bodychange ifeswap realitychange wish wishstone stone magic Part 1 The warm summer air wrapped around the concrete platform near the bridge, reminding everyone that the peak of hot summer was just around the corner—and finally, the long-awaited, much-desired swimming hour at camp had arrived. Girls in matching blue school swimsuits crowded by the water, exchanging lines about who would jump in first, who would swim the fastest today, and who, as always, would scream from the cold. But all eyes were drawn to the three boldest ones—they had quietly climbed up onto the bridge’s support, sneaking away from the main group of girls by the water. There, a bit to the side, the concrete felt hot from the sun, but they didn’t care. They were drawn to the height, and more than that—the chance to be a little special. At the edge of the platform, lazily dangling one leg, sat Sue—short-haired and cocky, the kind of girl who didn’t know the word "shame." Or at least pretended not to. She smirked slyly and glanced from under her brows at Jenny, the girl with two tight pigtails and a permanent scowl who didn’t seem to enjoy this moment of glory at all. – You better take off the mask, the jump will look cooler without it, – Sue drawled, squinting against the sun and lazily swinging her bare foot above the dark water. Jenny clutched the mask tighter. Her fingers seemed to grip it on their own, like it was the last stronghold of logic and order. Like a shield against the absurdity of it all. Her lower lip quivered slightly. – Are you even serious right now? – she muttered without looking at Sue, then added more quietly, almost in a whisper, staring at the mask in her hands: – …this is all wrong. Mia, the third girl, who had just been sizing up the height, turned around. A wide smile spread across her face, and her eyes gleamed with a spark of excitement. She clearly didn’t understand what Jenny meant—unlike Sue. And Jenny’s seriousness, in such an important moment when everyone was watching them, only fired her up even more. – What’s wrong is not jumping! – Mia shouted, throwing her arms wide open, and suddenly dashed forward, shedding all fear, all doubts, and even... the shadow of the past. – Let’s go! Woo-hoo! – and catching the last gust of wind, she leapt, like a bird that had only been waiting for this very second to spread its wings. Mia flew down with the kind of joy only kids feel when they jump into summer, believing that what’s below isn’t water—but magic. Water splashed up like a fountain, and in that exact moment Jenny clenched the mask tightly in her hands, as if the sound of the splash had sent an electric shock through her. She didn’t look up. Not now. Not at the moment when it felt like the air had shrunk and everything—even her pulse—was holding its breath in anticipation. – Your turn, – Sue said, still lounging lazily, but now watching a bit more closely, smirking. – I’ll go last, you know, show everyone how it’s done. Jenny whipped her head toward the short-haired girl with the obviously boyish features and hissed through narrowed eyes: – Show them how to wear a swimsuit in the girls’ locker room? Sue raised an eyebrow, squinted, and laughed—a short, husky laugh, almost like a guy’s. – I’m a damn pro at this now, – she said, throwing her head back and squinting up at the sun. – Slap it on, pull it up, fix the straps—and boom, you're ready to hit the ring like some badass wrestler. Jenny, despite herself, couldn’t hold back entirely, and her lips twitched for a moment, but she pulled her scowl back into place in less than a second. – You think this is funny, huh? – she took a step closer to Sue, her voice carrying something deeply personal. – You... you could’ve changed later, after... after everyone else was done! After I... already had my suit on, got it? She wasn’t yelling. It wasn’t even an accusation—more like a shaky challenge, mixed with a hurt she couldn’t manage to bury. Jenny looked away again, away from Sue’s smug grin, from that face that hadn’t changed one bit in the week since it all happened. Since the two of them, like a pair of idiots, had wandered off into the woods, forgetting about the time, the camp rules, and even basic common sense. They’d been laughing back then—Steward, as always, took the lead, playing the role of the "explorer." Still with that hopeless boyish enthusiasm, like when they used to climb garages or try crossing the stream on rocks without soaking their sneakers. That’s when they found the stone—damn beautiful, shimmering. Steward picked it up first, holding it in his hand like a crown, just when they both heard that strange voice asking for a wish. And Steward, with all his dumb boyish boldness and laughter, instantly shouted: – I wanna be the manliest guy in the world. So manly no one would ever doubt it. The stone shivered in his palm and lit up, and then... then they both screamed. He—from shock and the strange new sensations all over his body, and she—from terror. Because right before her eyes, Steward’s chest started swelling, his body shrinking, his waist tightening. His shorts began to hang loose on narrow hips. And from under the t-shirt, two round shapes pushed out—just enough for Jenny to catch a glimpse before she turned away and pressed herself against a tree. And now, a week later, they were still in the same camp, but Sue lived here now—a tomboy, from what everyone else believed, who had always been like that. “She just doesn’t wear skirts or grow her hair long.” “Yeah, that’s our Sue, kinda like a dude, but cool.” No one but Jenny knew that Sue had a totally different past, one that no longer existed. And the worst part was, after realizing through several desperate tries that nothing was changing back—Sue had, in a fit of rage, thrown the stone into the river. – And what, exactly, was I supposed to do? – Sue’s voice broke into Jenny’s thoughts. – Change under a blanket or something? Or maybe blindfold myself so I wouldn’t offend Princess Jenny? Her voice was the same—husky, amused—but there was something else in it now, something strange and unwelcome—almost like... hurt. – That’s not what I meant, – Jenny blurted, stepping back slightly, like she’d suddenly realized she’d gotten too close, – There were other girls and... you saw them and... – Jenny trailed off, feeling the heat of shame rising from her neck to her cheeks. – You weren’t supposed to go in there. You... you’re not like us. I mean... you weren’t. – Ahahaha, yeah right, go tell that to my parents—and when you do, explain to them that my dick just didn’t fully grow yet, and these boobs, well... they’re just a temporary tumor, yeah? – Sue nearly shouted it, but then suddenly cut herself off, the laughter stuck in her throat. She looked down sadly at the small bumps under the swimsuit and added more quietly, – Just jump already, everyone’s waiting down there... Part 2 Shouts, laughter, and someone’s loud whistle echoed from the shore, along with splashes below as Mia, the first to jump, swam toward the bank and screamed like a maniac, riling up the others: – Come on, you turtles! Who’s next? The water’s awesome! Both girls looked at her. – We need to find that stone, – said Sue, scratching the back of her head, her eyes still fixed on the surface of the water. – It’s gotta be down there somewhere... – Yeah, yeah. You’re the one who chucked it down there screaming, – Jenny exhaled. – I doubt we’ll ever find it. People are already starting to ask why we keep sneaking off together. Everyone’s been all over that place already. She bit her lip, froze for a second, and then—as if challenging herself—swung her arms and jumped. It was sudden, almost angry, like she’d fired herself into the water. – Holy shit… – she heard the muffled roar of water in her ears, then only noise and cold. She surfaced with a heavy breath, and the first thing she did was look up at the platform. Sue was still sitting there, propping her cheek with her hand. But now her face looked different. She wasn’t smirking—she was looking at Jenny with a strange expression, something a little different than before. – So? What the hell are you sitting there for? – Jenny shouted from below, spitting out water. – Come on, show us how it’s done! Sue didn’t answer right away. She just sat there staring—not down at Jenny, but a little beyond, where the water met the shore and the girls in swimsuits were playing like nothing ever happened. Then she slowly stood up, brushed the dust from her hands, and stepped to the very edge. – Just don’t scream like Mia, – Jenny added half-joking, though her voice carried a tone of challenge. – That wouldn’t be cool. You’re our “wrestler,” right? The badass chick, yeah?! Sue didn’t reply. The wind brushed the edge of her short hair, and for a moment she seemed unsure. Her fingers automatically adjusted her swimsuit strap, and Jenny suddenly noticed how awkwardly she did it. Sue stood at the edge for another second, like she wasn’t about to jump into water, but into a pit—not just of depth, but of everything that had changed. Then she shrugged her shoulder, gave a little snort, and as if on cue—pushed off. It was a perfect dive. Her body stretched like a string, arms forward, knees slightly bent. It looked like she wasn’t falling, but gliding through the air like a hero from some old anime. – Holy crap, look at her! – Mia shouted from the shore, clapping her hands. – Sue, what the hell, you some kinda Olympic goddess?! With a sharp splash, Sue entered the water and surfaced, shaking her short wet hair off her face. Jenny, caught off guard, choked a little on water—she hadn’t expected this. She definitely hadn’t expected to... feel jealous of Sue’s femininity and elegance, which she somehow gained with that body—and which showed even in that jump. Sue swam over slowly, her lips curling into a wicked grin: – So? Did I make a splash girly enough to change in your locker room? – Fine, approved. But only if you keep making entrances like that, Mary Poppins. They both burst out laughing. Meanwhile, the instructor’s voice could already be heard from above: – Girls! Who went up on the bridge without permission again?! – Time to bail! – Sue commanded, diving underwater. – Operation ‘Get the Hell Out’ is a go!