NEWFOUND HAPPINESS - PART 13

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Part 13: A Date?

At Bastian’s old house, the neighbor’s rooster never had the chance to wake him, as he always had to leave home before it could. But now, everything was different, the life of a young lady like Tracy was one of comfort. Except for the first few nights when she couldn’t yet adjust, Tracy always slept soundly. That was essential to maintaining a steady rhythm of life, and on mornings like this Sunday, it was even more so.

Six o’clock in the morning, Tracy was all ready. Her hair had been carefully styled into soft waves. A charming pink bow adorned her head. The lovely white lace dress for strolling, specially chosen by her mother, fit perfectly. And, she blushed, a set of pink lingerie, half cool-spun, half lace embroidered with purple flowers, both cute and alluring, handpicked by herself. Though she knew no one but her would see it, she still wanted to wear something truly special for the occasion.

She turned around, watching her dress flutter and reveal her fair legs. There had been a time when she secretly lamented that her beautiful legs weren’t firm enough, but now she was glad to have them. There was no trace left of those days of heavy labor in rough jeans at the mechanical workshop. Normally at school, she wore black tights as part of her uniform. Black tights truly were one of the most seductive weapons a girl could wield. But today, she chose to go bare-legged. She wanted him to see everything most natural about her.

Tracy looked at herself in the mirror, smiling to herself, heart pounding with excitement. She heard Hallie calling from downstairs, “Tracy, are you ready yet? Tamir’s waiting for you down here.” She answered with a “Yes,” then carefully checked everything one more time. “So from now on, I’m truly a girl,” she told herself, a thrill running through her at the thought of wearing dresses, of beautifying herself, of being a cute girl—something Bastian had never once dared to imagine.

As Tracy stepped down the stairs, she saw Hallie, sexy in a tight black dress that hugged her curves, her hair as always tied up high to reveal the nape of her fair neck, her lips a luscious red thanks to the new luxury lipstick she’d just bought.

“My daughter is so pretty,” she said warmly, placing both hands on Tracy’s shoulders. “Tamir’s going to be head over heels for you. That boy’s lucky. Both our men are lucky.” She winked, wearing a proud smile. “Tonight I’ve got plans with your dad too. Just a little teaser: black lace dress, high heels. I’m going to make him swoon!”

Tracy blushed, her voice small, “Mom! Don’t say that, it’s embarrassing!” But she couldn’t deny that she liked the feeling. She liked being praised by her mother, liked being a girl. She looked at Hallie, recalling the rough, awkward figure Turner once was, and silently admired her transformation, sexy, confident, living fully in her new body. She told herself she had to try her best too.

Hallie winked, “Don’t be shy! You’ll step into the world of women in no time! And from someone who’s gone ahead, I can promise, you’ll be hopelessly in love before you know it.” Tracy didn’t reply, because she was the one who came after, and just a few days ago, she hadn’t even thought she’d want to be a girl. Hallie gave her a gentle push on the back, “Go on, sweetheart! I’ll be home waiting for your dad. No need to come back early, just have fun!”

Stepping into the living room, Tracy saw Tamir leaning against the wall, waiting for her. He was tall, with a mature face. Compared to the memories she held from the past, he had changed quite a bit over the years. But it didn’t matter, whether he was the admired student council president or the reckless boy from six years ago, he was still the one she loved!

Tamir wore a white shirt and slacks, his smile beaming as he saw Tracy. Tracy thought to herself, “So handsome!” If she were still Bastian, she might have felt jealous of this guy. But that didn’t matter anymore, she was Tracy now, and she would make this man hers at all costs. Why should she be jealous of a handsome guy when she believed she could have him all to herself?

Bold as her thoughts were, the moment Tamir said, “You look beautiful,” Tracy blushed at once. Unaware of the storm inside her, Tamir said, “It’s still early, how about we go to that café near school? They have great frappes and really good sandwiches.”

Tracy nodded at once, clutching the strap of her pink handbag, her voice soft, “Yes… that sounds nice. I’ll go wherever you go.” The last part was barely a whisper. She followed Tamir, her white ballet flats gliding gently along the pavement, the breeze brushing against her legs sending a shiver through her, both chilling and delightful. “How lucky I am to be free of those hot, stuffy pants,” she thought, savoring every moment in her delicate white lace dress. How had she ever found dresses inconvenient? Now, she thought they were absolutely wonderful!

The little café was tucked away behind a row of trees. Its space was modest, only about five tables, but the interior was impeccably arranged. Warm yellow lights bathed the wooden tables, and an old bookshelf lent a touch of nostalgia in the midst of the modern city. Tamir, ever the gentleman, pulled out a chair for Tracy, forgetting for a moment that his leg still hurt, causing him to stumble slightly. Tracy caught him just in time. Another brief touch of skin that made two people in love blush with shyness. Through it all, Tamir’s eyes never left her. “You’re just too cute. Even if I said it a thousand times, I’d never get tired of it,” he said teasingly. Tamir wondered if he was being too forward, constantly flirting like this when she hadn’t even agreed to date him yet. But if he didn’t praise her, it felt like such a waste of that radiant beauty.

Tracy lowered her head, cheeks glowing red, her hands clutching the matcha glass tightly. “Th-thank you,” she murmured, heart racing. She wasn’t used to being complimented, but the feeling sent a thrill through her, the feeling of a young girl being admired, being noticed. A memory flickered, Tracy once sat in a café just like this after a shopping trip with her mother. She smiled, sensing the growing harmony within herself. “I like this,” she thought, gently smoothing her dress, cherishing each soft fold. She made a silent promise, one day, she would go shopping with her mother again. The Tracy from before had done it many times, but she, this Tracy, had not.

Tamir had no idea what Tracy was thinking that made her keep smiling to herself, her face flushed so red. That adorable look stirred something in him he couldn’t hold back. He leaned forward, brushing her hand lightly in a tentative gesture before daring to take it fully, his warm hand enveloping her small one. At his touch, Tracy’s hand flinched slightly, a startled reaction, but after that, she made no move to pull away.

They were lost in conversation, Tamir’s laughter blending with Tracy’s clear, melodious voice. He spoke of his love for painting, sparked by “teacher” Tracy, as he kept calling her just to tease her, making her already flushed cheeks turn even redder. She told him that now she was the junior, the one who needed to learn so much from him.

 “Oh no, no, your drawings are much better than mine!” Tamir said, his eyes shining. “I want to see more.” Tracy smiled, her cheeks rosy. “Yes, sure… I’ll bring them next time for you to see.” Tamir rested his chin on his hand, gazing at her with playful curiosity. “Oh? There’s a ‘next time’? So can I take that as your permission to ask you out again?” She lowered her head shyly, didn’t answer, her left hand gripping her right in a flustered gesture. In truth, she was already thinking about that moment, just from hearing him say it. She imagined herself in a new dress, sitting beside Tamir, not across from him like now, painting beautiful pictures together.

After receiving Tracy’s quiet consent, Tamir took her to several other places he thought she’d enjoy, the clear lake in the park, the cinema near the university. It seemed couples often chose horror movies, whether by accident or on purpose. Neither of them was afraid of ghosts, so there were no moments like the girlfriend burying her face in her boyfriend’s chest. But that didn’t matter at all, because for both of them, just having the other nearby already felt more than enough.

After dinner, Tamir walked Tracy home. In front of the gate, he stopped and looked at her under the streetlight. “I had a really good time today,” he said. “This morning, I meant what I said, you know, I wasn’t just teasing. If I asked you out again, would you say yes?” With that, Tamir waited anxiously for her repl, but it seemed Tracy wasn’t planning to give one.

Tracy leaned in, rising on tiptoe as high as she could while pulling Tamir down toward her. She pressed a quick kiss to his lips, then ran straight into her house, leaving Tamir standing there, heart pounding wildly. It took him a few minutes to collect himself and walk away, a quiet smile playing on his lips. Just as people often said, words weren’t always needed; actions were the clearest answer of all.

PART 14 >>