Cheaters' Stone: Double Or Nothing (Patreon)

"Well, I'm here," Jay Heckmer said as he arrived at his cousin's house.
He was spending some time at his cousins in an effort to get away from
his hectic job.  Jay wasn't married and he thought it was nice to just
get away and spend time with family.  Jay was a man in his late thirties
about five foot ten and 170 pounds.  He had short brown hair that was
slightly receding as is the case with many men his age.  Jay considered
himself OK looking but he was being a bit hard on himself not that it
mattered.  He had never gotten married. And didn't plan on it.  Marriage
just wasn't for him.  He was a confirmed bachelor as they were called.
He had several girlfriends throughout his life, but nothing very serious
by his own design.  He would cut his vacation short to take out his
latest girlfriend this Friday night.

Jay had decided to spend the time with his cousin, Marcia Lyles.  Marcia
was the daughter of his mother's sister.  She was a pretty woman about
two or three years younger than Jay.  Marcia had blonde shoulder-length
hair with much darker roots that were parted in the middle.  She was five
foot five a height that she thought was adequate enough to not need heels
on a daily basis.  She was a hard-working person who has had jobs since
she was in her early teens but still kept time for her family.  She had
been married to Jimmy for eighteen years and they had three children.

Their oldest was a sixteen-year-old boy named Dylan.  Dylan was a thin
boy who has about his father's height of five foot eight.  He had dark
brown straight hair, it was probably the original color of his mother's
if she would let her roots grow out.  Dylan was a nice enough boy, Jay
thought, but he could get moody.  At the times when Jay offered to help
the boy with his school work, the boy would say he already knew it all
and refuse to 'study' with Jay.  But eventually, the boy would calm down
and once working he would stay on track until they were done.  Jay was
impressed that distractions like phone calls and texts didn't sidetrack
the boy once studying had finally started.

Marcia also had two girls, Julienne and Sofia.  Julienne was a vivacious
eleven year old and Sofia was a cute four year old.  Julienne had brown
hair like the rest of the family.  It wasn't as dark as Dylan's but it
was also much longer, extending to but not touching her shoulders.  Sofia
was the only one in the family whose brown hair was curly.

Jay who was now a computer programmer had spend several years teaching
high school.  Marcia had asked him to help Dylan with a state exam he was
taking the next day.  Jay was happy to help his cousins out especially
since they were being so nice to let him stay the entire week.  But when
Jay got there, Dylan insisted that he already knew all the stuff.

"Look, I am here.  Let me help you," Jay implored.

"I don't need your help.  I don't need anyone's help I know it all."

Jay had downloaded an old exam from the State's website.  His plan was to
have Dylan to do the test and then go over it with him.  But Dylan wasn't
having it.  After some intense discussion (shouting) Dylan left the room.

It was about two thirty and Jimmy who was home with a bad cold went to
pick up Julienne from school.  Jay went along since forcing Dylan to work
wasn't going to happen.

"So, why aren't you at work?" Jay asked.

"I have had this cough for weeks now.  I just couldn't breath.  I went to
the doctor instead today."

"If you're sick, don't get me sick."

"It's not catching."

"How do you know?"

"The doctor said so."

"How did you get it?"

"I got it from Julienne a few weeks go."

"I thought you said it isn't catching."

"It isn't."

Jimmy pulled into the school grounds and the two waited for Julienne to
get out.  It didn't take too long.  Julienne got into the back seat.  At
the high school, the students only came in for midterms, but for the
elementary school where Julienne was in the fifth grade it was a regular
day.

"How was your day?" Jimmy asked.

"It was OK, I guess."

Jay and Jimmy returned to their discussion of Jimmy's cold and that Jay
didn't want to get it.  While they were discussing it, Julienne told
them, "I don't know if Mommy told you, but Mommy's doctor said she has
something that makes her repeat herself."

"Repeat herself?" inquired Jay.

"Yeah she keeps telling me the same thing over and over."

"Oh she does?"

"Yeah."  Jay didn't know what Julienne had heard at Marcia's doctor's
office, but Jay knew that Mom's telling their kids over and over to do
something wasn't any disease.  It was a fact.  Jay knew this and he
didn't have any kids.  Jay liked kids, that was why he had become a
teacher a while back.  But he didn't want to be a parent.  The best thing
about kids he thought was that they went home.

When they returned to Marcia's house about a half an hour later, Dylan
had been working on the test.  But once he saw them, he quit almost
immediately.  "I know this stuff already."  But when Jay checked the test
(it was multiple choice at least the first part) he saw that half the
questions were wrong.  Jay knew he needed his help.  But getting Dylan to
do the test and then work on it afterwards wasn't going to work.  Jay
decided to go over an old test that Dylan had worked on.  They went over
each problem.  Jay discovered that even though several of the answers
were right, Dylan couldn't explain why.  This took about another half an
hour, before the boy became frustrated again.

In the meantime, Jay had told Marcia that he wanted wings for dinner and
Marcia was going to Buffalo Wild Wings to get them.  Dylan hearing this
went into Marcia's car.  He wanted to go, but this wasn't acceptable
since he had studying to do.

"Look, let's not get into a shouting match with Dylan," Jay said.  "Let's
take my car and deal with him when we get back."

Jay led Marcia to his car and they both got in.  Dylan was sitting in
Marcia's car when the two left.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with that boy," Marcia told Jay.

"I don't know either, last time, he said he had a headache and couldn't
study.  The test is tomorrow and he won't do it today either.  He does
know something.  He'll never get a hundred, but if he puts in a little
time, he can pass."

"I've told him a thousand times."

"Julienne said you saw a doctor and that you repeat yourself a lot."

"She said that?"

"Yes."

"I don't know what she is talking about.  I have to repeat myself with
her.  She doesn't do what I say.  At night it's tough to get her to bed
and in the morning she is never ready for school.  Dylan may have his
problems but he is always ready to go to school in the morning.  I have
to tell her to get dressed, brush her hair, brush her teeth.  I tell her
over and over."

"I don't know what to tell you.  I don't have kids.  I like kids, but
actually, I'm glad I'm not a parent."

"She doesn't understand.  If she did what I told her the first time I
wouldn't have to repeat myself."

The conversation continue about her kids, family, work and many other
topics until they returned home.  By that time, Dylan had returned to his
test.  He hadn't done many problems, maybe about twenty but a few he had
totally skipped and some others he had narrowed the choices, but hadn't
arrived at only one answer.

After the wings, Jay got down to studying with Dylan.  Dylan wanted to
buy some sneakers and Marcia had promised him.  But not until after they
had finished studying.  The place was open until nine so as long as they
finished at eight she could drive him.  In the two and a half or three
hours in between, Jay helped Dylan.  They looked at the test together.
Dylan would work on the problem and Jay would guide him to the correct
choice and give explanations as necessary.  With Jay by his side the time
actually flew by.

Marcia was satisfied with Dylan and took him to get the sneakers he
wanted.  But before leaving, she suggested that Julienne and Jay play the
board game "Clue."  Jay liked to play board games with his younger
relatives.  There was a small strategy to 'Clue' that Julienne didn't
pick up.  Jay knew that if he really tried he could always win the game.
But he didn't play that hard to win although he wasn't a push over.
Choices could be eliminated even when it wasn't your turn.  Julienne was
eleven she didn't know how to reason what another player was told.  Maybe
when she got older she could, but not yet.

Julienne, Jay, and Jimmy all played.  Four year old Sofia sat on Jimmy's
lap and help Jimmy's cards and thought she was playing, but really
wasn't.  Julienne won the game, Colonel Mustard did it in the Billiard
Room with the wrench.

"Wow, you are really getting good at this," Jay enthused.

"Yes, I have been playing with my babysitter."

"You think you can win again?"

"Yes, I can."

"Then let's bet."

"Bet what?"

"Well if I win, then you have to stop complaining to your mom when it's
bed time.  You have to do everything you need to do to go to sleep.  Then
get in your bed and be asleep at bed time.  And in the morning, you have
to get ready to go to school without being told."

"OK, what do I get if I win?"

"Anything you want."

"OK, then if I win, then it's your bedtime instead of mine and all the
rest.  What happens if Daddy wins?"

"I guess then the bet is off.  But if I beat you, then your must go to
bed on-time like your mom wants you to."

"And if I win, then you have the early bedtime."

"Right."

Jimmy wasn't paying attention.  He was mostly entertaining Sofia.

"It's a bet," Jay agreed.  He wasn't going to lose.  Besides a bet like
that didn't count for him, he was an adult.

"OK, wait right here."  Julienne then ran to get something.

"What is that?"

"It's a Cheater's Stone.  It makes sure you can't cheat."

"How does it do that?"

"Well both you and I hold it together.  Like this...."  Jay and Julienne
held the stone in between both their hands.  "OK, now with the other hand
you lock pinkies like a 'Pinkie Swear.'"  The two did as she said.  "Then
you both say, 'I BET!'"  Which they both did.

"OK, that did it.  Once you use the stone once, the stone will keep track
of all your bets.  You don't have to do all this again."

"Good, that was quite an ordeal."

"The stone makes sure you have to follow through on all your bets."  No
one knew how Julienne got the stone nor that the stone was magical enough
to make sure that all bets had to be paid no matter how ridiculous they
may have been.  The stone would make it possible.

The game started and then just by luck, which could happen in 'Clue'
Julienne guessed right.  There was nothing that Jay could do, it was just
a shot in the dark, "Miss Scarlet did it in the Kitchen with the knife."

"I win, I win!!!" she shouted joyously.

"Hey, no fair."

"I don't care, I won."

"I want a rematch."

"Double or nothing?"

"OK. It's a bet."

The next game started, and it didn't go as fast as the first, Jay was sure
who did it and with what but hadn't decided upon the room.  Before the
game was over, Marcia had returned home with Dylan.  The bet had
influenced her (and everyone else) without them knowing it ever took
place.

"OK, Jay your bedtime is soon, you have to get ready."

"But."

"No buts.  You know what to do.  Do it now."  Jay did know what to do.
Julienne's entire bedtime ritual he now knew.  He wanted to resist, but
he had to leave the game.  Jay couldn't help himself.  The Cheater's
Stone forced him to follow Julienne's routine to the letter.

He went up to Julienne's room and took out her nightgown and a pair of
panties.  He didn't want to, but he couldn't help himself.  He didn't
know how he could fit into either of them.  Then he went into the
bathroom and took off his clothes.  He put his used clothing in the
hamper.  Then turned on the shower and stepped in.  He washed and
conditioned his hair and washed it all over his body.  Then he left the
shower and dried himself off.  He wrapped the semi-wet towel around his
chest, like Julienne was supposed to do, and then brushed his hair.
Sitting upon the toilet with the cover down, he did fifty strokes on both
sides of his head as if he had long hair.  It didn't matter that his hair
was short. He then stood up and pulled on his panties.  It was very
tight.  There was barely enough stretch to get them up his legs, but
somehow it made it there.  His penis was trapped close to his body by the
panties.  It was almost painful.  The nightgown was easier.  Nightgowns
are made to hang loosely on those who wear them.  This nightgown was
tighter than it was supposed to be, especially across his chest but he
could get it on.

Once he was done, he headed towards Julienne's bed.  He couldn't help
himself.  He found a glass of water waiting for him on her nightstand.
He dutifully drank it.  Marcia came to tuck him in.  Then she gave him,
Julienne stuffed rabbit, and he put it under his arm.  Finally, she picked
out a bedtime story and started to read to him.  Before it was done, Jay
had fallen asleep.

While Jay was getting ready for bed, Jimmy was putting Sofia to bed too.
Afterwards, Julienne said, "Let's finish the game."

"It's done now."

"It's almost over.  It's not fair that Uncle Jay had to go to bed.  You
take over for him until we finish," Julienne told her mom.  The game was
continued and since Marcia had to start from scratch and Jimmy wasn't
paying attention, Julienne won.  Now she had the 'Double or Nothing'.
She would decide what she won later.  She stayed up as late as she wanted
just like Uncle Jay (well technically he was her cousin, but she called
him Uncle Jay) would have.

When she was tired, she went to bed but found that Uncle Jay's clothing
wouldn't fit her.  With her winning bet she said, "I want our clothes to
fit."  All of the clothes in the suitcase and everything else resized
for her thin body.  The same happened to the clothes that Jay was
wearing, the panties stretched to a size that would accommodate him along
with the nightgown and everything else in Julienne's closets and drawers.
In the morning, Marcia woke up Jay.  "Wake up, it's time to get ready for
the day."

Jay was compelled to follow Julienne's morning ritual just as she would.
But when Jay woke up, he found that he had his typical morning wood.
This would have been painful for him if he was wearing the several sizes
too small panties he had gone to bed in, but now that his clothing had
adjusted, his member actually felt quite good under the smooth material
of Julienne's panties.  But he didn't worry about that now.  He was much
more concerned to find himself still in Julienne's bed.  He didn't notice
that the nightgown he was wearing had grown either.

He was torn between staying in bed and hoping this nightmare would end
and leaving it to get everything back to normal.  He really didn't have
any choice in the matter.  Once Marcia told him to get up, he had to do
it.  He got out of bed, he was still hugging Julienne's favorite stuffed
animal (rabbit).  He left the bed and went to Julienne's drawers.  He
didn't want to, he just did it sort of on autopilot.  Inside her drawers
he found a new pair of panties in a soft blue color and some matching
socks.  Then he looked into a lower drawer for a nice t-shirt.  The t-
shirt was just like any other t-shirt.  It was a gray t-shirt with capped
neon green sleeves that said "Winning Streak on Fleek".  He didn't know
what that meant, but it wasn't too girlie so he selected it.  Finally he
went to his closet to pick out a pair of jeans.  It didn't surprise him
that all the clothes fit him.  Even Julienne's sneakers (Sketchers girl's
sneakers in purple and black with laces) fit.  Once he had finished
selecting his clothes he took off his nightgown and panties.  The panties
went into the hamper and the nightgown he knew instinctively had to be
returned to it's hanger in the closet.

He was now naked and started to dress.  Marcia still wearing her nightie,
went into the room without knocking as she had thousands of times before
and saw what Jay had selected.

"Aren't you going to wear a bra?"

"I don't need one," Jay explained.

"No one needs a training bra.  But we all wear them so we can get used to
them when we do need a real bra."  What Marcia said made perfect sense if
in fact it was an eleven year old girl who was getting dressed, but Jay
was neither of those things.  Wearing a bra was just one more step in
what Julienne did to get ready in the morning and so Jay had to do it
too.  Julienne had said similar things to her Mom that Jay had said and
they had gotten into a similar argument.  But Jay was compelled to not
only do Julienne's morning (and bedtime) ritual, but to do it without
arguing with Julienne's mother.  Jay returned to the underwear drawer to
find a bra.  The bra was lightly padded without any real cups and like
the rest of Julienne's clothing fit Jay perfectly.

Jay got dressed, fixed his hair, brushed his teeth, put away his used
clothes, put away his toys and made his bed just as Julienne was expected
to do and then came down to breakfast.

Julienne was waiting for him.  She was wearing Jay's clothes although
they were in a size that fit her perfectly.  Jay assumed she was wearing
his briefs too, just as he was wearing her panties, but he couldn't be a
hundred percent sure one way or the other.

Julienne and the rest of her family were also sitting around the table
waiting for Marcia to fix breakfast.  On the table were empty bowls that
would soon contain the sugary cereal which Jay was expected to eat.
Everyone saw Jay dressed in Julienne's clothing and didn't say a word.
It all seemed quite normal to them although Julienne usually arrived at
the table a little later than the rest.  Dylan might have had his
problems, but he was never late for school and never had to be reminded
what to do to get ready.

A few moments later, Jimmy came down to breakfast.  He was dressed in his
work clothes.  He was the supervisor of the superintendents of several
high schools.  He couldn't wear just the usual maintenance man uniform,
he had to look the part.  He came down wearing a black tea-length formal
dress.  It was a one shoulder dress which had a satin bodice and a tulle
skirt.  The belt which accentuated the natural waist was made of stretch
satin.  It had a low back.  Jimmy preferred low back or open back dresses
since he thought they emphasized his best feature, his slightly hairy
back.  He didn't like wearing the hose or the heels he had to wear but
dressing properly was part of the job.

"You look good," Jay told him.

"Thank you, I have to dress up for my job.  I wish I could go back to the
jumpsuits I used to wear when I just started out.  But when you make it
to the top you have to look good."

"Well you certainly do."

"If you think I look good now, you should see me when I'm doing a gig.
You should see us perform."  Jimmy and two of his friends were in a "The
Supremes" cover band.  Jimmy didn't play Diana Ross in the band.

"I know, I should," Jay agreed.  He had never seen Jimmy perform.  Not
when he was in a Beatles cover band or when that changed (due to the
Cheater's Stone a while back) to The Supremes.

"But my singing is nothing.  If you want to hear some great singing, you
should come down and hear Dylan.  He is the lead soprano in the choir.
He is also taking ballet lessons too.  Maybe he'll be a professional
ballerina or singer in a few years.  He is quite talented."

"Dad," Dylan whined while Jimmy was describing his son's talents.

"It's true son.  I have great faith in you.  You can make it, if you can
just focus."

"Julienne," Jay told her confidentially, "we have to fix this."

"Fix what?" Julienne said with mock sincerity.

"You know what.  This..the way I am dressed and all the rest."

"Well it was a bet.  The only way to change it is to bet again double or
nothing."

"We don't have time for a game.  You have to get to school soon."  Jay
had to follow all the bedtimes and morning stuff, but the bet didn't say
anything about going to school."

"I have an idea.  Let's bet on whoever can finish their cereal the
fastest."

This seemed like a good bet to Jay.  He was an adult with a bigger mouth,
he would force himself to win then this would all be over.  "OK, it's a
bet.  Double or nothing."

"OK, let me see, if you win.  Then it is all back to the way it was.  But
if I win, then you have to go to school for me."

"Go to school?  You mean drive you to school?"

"No!  Go to school like I would have to and sit in class."

"I can't do that.  I'm not a kid."  (He didn't want to say little girl.)

"Well if you don't want to bet..."

"No I'll bet."

"OK, that is the first thing and I'll come up with a second thing later."

"Second thing?"

"Yes, two things.  You lost twice last night and this is double or
nothing."

"Whatever," Jay said exasperated.  He didn't thing he was going to lose
anyway so what was the difference.  "It's a bet."

Marcia had returned to the kitchen.  She was wearing only a shirt and
nothing else.  She was going nakey as the family called it.  She had the
modesty of a two year old and just loved to walk around without clothing
on.  When home it wasn't unusual for her to remove her pants or her shirt
at any time.  She just didn't care.  The family assumed she would grow
out of it when she got older.  Marcia put cereal in the bowls of her
three children and Jay.  Then she poured the milk.  She poured the milk
of Julienne before Jay, but Julienne played fair and didn't start until
they were both ready.

"One....Two....Three.....GO!!!!" Julienne shouted.  Both Julienne and Jay
started to stuff cereal into their mouth.  Jay picked up his bowl and
started to drink the entire contents down without using a spoon.

"Jay what are you doing?" Marcia demanded.

"Eating," Jay said with his mouth stuffed, but he didn't stop scooping
food into his mouth.

"I can see that.  But how do we eat at the table?"  Julienne had had this
argument many times with her mother.  The proper way to eat was to
carefully spoon the food into your mouth and then chew it thoroughly with
your mouth clothes until it was done.

Jay had to stop what he was doing and 'eat properly'.  This took a lot of
time.  He couldn't take big scoops of his cereal.  He had to put it
carefully into his mouth and then close his mouth and chew the food
thoroughly.  He couldn't put the next bite of food into his mouth until
the last bite was swallowed.  All these steps might aide in his digestion
but it slowed him down considerably.  Julienne could still take short
cuts since she wasn't under any obligation to eat as Marcia demanded.
Julienne won easily (as she knew she would) and didn't have to go to
school that morning.  It would be Jay who would have to go.  Julienne
could stay home with Marcia as Jay had planned to originally.

Marcia cleaned all the dishes immediately after everyone was done.  She
was obsessive when it came to housework.  She wasn't always this way.
Just like her new found lack of modesty she had also made a bet of two
using the Cheater's Stone.

Once breakfast was over, Julienne gave Jay her book bag and her lunchbox.
Jay was still an adult and didn't need to be taken to school, he could
drive himself.  When it was time to leave, Jay took his school supplies
and went to his car.  He then drove the approximate half mile to
Julienne's school.  He didn't want to do it.  But as with everything else
the Cheater's Stone made him.  Julienne who was still tired went back to
bed.  She had only gotten up to see Jay.  She wasn't even wearing her day
clothes when she had made the bet.  She knew she would win.  She would
think about the second part of the bet after she was up for the day.  She
could sleep in until noon if she wanted to.

Jay drove to the school.  He couldn't park in the school parking lot that
was only for teachers and parents who were dropping off their children.
There wasn't a parking lot for students obviously as the oldest students
were twelve and maybe an occasional thirteen year old, none of them drove
cars to the school as was possible in high school.  Jay found a spot on
the street close to the school and walked the short distance. The school
wasn't very far away from Marcia's home and he could have walked the
entire distance if he wanted to, but he didn't.  He had a car and he
wanted to use it.

He walked straight onto school grounds and no one said a thing to him.
Then he entered the school and still no one said a word.  Not the
students nor the guards who were posted at the door.  He went in just
like the rest of the students.  He walked the halls and none of the
teachers he passed gave any notice to him being out of place.  By
instinct he arrived at Julienne's fifth grade classroom.

"Ah, we have been expecting you," the teacher said.

"You have?"

"Yes, you are taking Julienne's place today, aren't you?"

"I guess I am."

"I'm Mr. Kern.  What is your name?"  Mr. Kern was an eleven year old boy
dressed in a business suit and a tie.  Even though he was the smallest
boy in the room, he had the demeanor of a teacher who didn't take any
crap from his students.  He ran a tight classroom.  All of his students
were well behaved.  Whether Mr. Kern was the winner or the loser of a
bet, only the Cheater's Stone knew.

"I'm Jay Heckmer."  Then a moment later he added, "Julienne's cousin."

"Fine Jay.  Let me introduce you to the class," Mr. Kern said.  Then in a
louder voice, "Children, children, can I have your attention?"  The class
quieted down.  Mr. Kern was a good teacher and had trained his class
well.  "This is Jay, he will be filling in for Julienne for a while.  I
want you to give him the same respect you would give to Julienne or any
other student in this class.  Is that understood?"

The class responded with, "Yes, Mr. Kern."

Jay thought about what he had heard.  Mr. Kern said 'filling in for
Julienne for a while not a day.  Jay might be her all week until he goes
home at the end of his stay.  This wasn't going to be good.  But at the
moment there was little he could do about it.  He would have to figure
out a way to get back to normal.  Jay felt like a new student at the
first day of being transferred to a new school.  He didn't want to be
there, but he knew this is where he belonged.  The only way out was the
'Double or Nothing' thing.  He had to figure out something that only he
could win.

"That is Julienne's seat and now it is yours," Mr. Kern said indicating a
seat in the third row on the left side of the room.  Jay took his things
(book bag and lunchbox) and proceeded to the appropriate desk.  Jay took
his seat and resigned himself that he was stuck in this class just like
any other fifth grader.  He assumed the work would be easy, but who knew.
Not everyone won the "Who Wants To Be Smarter Than A Fifth Grader," show.

Jay looked around the room.  It was typical of any elementary school
room.  Here were colorful posters on the walls in a variety of subjects:
English, Math, Science and Social Studies.  There was also plenty of the
student's work hanging from the walls, all had exceptional grades printed
upon them in a bright red pencil usually a 100% but there were some 90s
too.  A long chalkboard took up the front of the room.  To the left were
windows and heating elements.  On the right were the coat closets and in
the back were cubbies.  Before heading to his seat, Jay went to the coat
closet found an empty hook and put his jacket upon it.  Since he was the
tallest 'student' in the room by far most of the top hooks were empty, he
selected one closest to his seat.

Jay found himself surrounded by boys.  The seats had been arranged such
that the boys and the girls were inter-dispersed.  This was a sensible
precaution in a world where the boys and the girls each thought the other
had 'cooties.'  As far as Jay could tell everything was perfectly normal.
The only thing wrong with this entire school was that he was in it and no
one seemed to mind.

Taking his seat he did what the other students had done.  He took out his
workbook and did the problem on the board which was labeled 'Do Now'.
The problem was on fractions.  There were a list of fractions with one
missing and he had to figure out what was the missing fraction.  It was
very easy stuff and he finished quite quickly.  He wasn't the first to
finish the problems, some of the students had started before he had, but
when he was done he had time to think.

Jay couldn't really believe where he was.  He was a grown man in a school
with fifth graders.  Anyone else would be arrested, especially in this
day and age where the world seemed to be full of nuts.  The clothes he
was wearing, weren't particularly girlie.  Jeans and a t-shirt were fine,
although neon green wasn't really a manly color.  His shoes were
definitely a bit girlie.  What he thought was purple in Julienne's room
was really a dark pink now that he took a better look at them.  The socks
he was wearing which peaked out between his jeans and his shoes was more
colorful than he had ever worn.  The girliest thing was his panties,
which no one saw of course and his bra which no one could see directly
but the outline of the straps could be clearly seen under his shirt..
The light padding did make a slight indentation in his shirt in the front
also.  Jay tried not to dwell upon that.  He tried to convince himself
that the bra couldn't be seen at all, even though he knew from experience
that outline of the straps of bras could always be seen under t-shirts.

All the teachers and staff of the school treated Jay as if he was just
another student including Mr. Kern.  The children were another story.  He
wasn't sure if they were treating him like they would any other student
who was new or like an adult in their mitts.  Some students would take
casual glances at him, others would stare openly from time to time.  It
didn't matter the gender of the student, both sexes would do it.  No one
talked to him and he didn't try and talk to anyone.  Jay didn't see any
reason to become friendly with any of the students.  Besides, any talking
between students was quickly put an end to by Mr. Kern anyway.  All Jay
wanted to do was get through the day.

A short time later, Mr. Kern came to Jay's seat.  "Now over there," Mr.
Kern pointed to an area on the chalkboard in the left corner, "is where
we write down tomorrow's homework.  Write it down and do it at home,"
Mr. Kern said confidentially.

Jay wasn't sure if he was supposed to do it or Julienne.  This would be
clearly Julienne's homework, but he was the one attending the class now
and he didn't know what the Gambler's Stone would expect.  He supposed
the homework would be easy anyway.  He decided to just write it down now
and worry about who would do it later.

Mr. Kern ran his class very well.  He had trained his students to be well
behaved.  No one spoke without first putting his hand up or being
acknowledged by name.  Mr. Kern selected mostly from the students with
their hands up but he could also ask some students who tried to stay
motionless.  Jay didn't raise his hand, but when Mr. Kern asked him a
question he answered it.  Jay kept his voice even when answering the
question.  He didn't want to make any trouble.  Mr. Kern went from one
subject to the other in an efficient manner.  Jay who had been a teacher
(although in high school) appreciated the expertise that Mr. Kern had in
running his classroom.

Doing the fifth grade work was very easy for Jay.  It was really a waste
of his time but he had to stay here just like any other student.  He
didn't know how long this would last.  It might last just until it was
time to go home but he wasn't sure.  "Did this mean," he thought, "that
he couldn't go home on Friday like he planned?  Maybe he could, but he
might be back at school on Monday then.  The Cheater's Stone was
obviously very powerful, he was helpless against it.  If it wanted him
back here, then he would have to go.  It was obvious since he was here
and no one thought he was out of place.  It was like adults went to
school for their cousins all the time.  Did the people think he was a
little girl?  Jay didn't think so, but they treated him like he did
belong at this school which was ridiculous."  All these thoughts went
through his mind.  It scared him.  He had to figure a way out of this and
a bet that he won was the only way.

Then another thought occurred to him, if he had to go to the bathroom,
which one should he use?  He was still a man, but he was dressed as a
girl, sort of.  His panties and bra were definitely made for a girl, but
jeans and the t-shirt were unisex.  Jay guessed it didn't matter too
much, being in an elementary school class and being treated just like one
of the students was a worse problem.  Jay determined to wait until he got
home if he needed to go.

Back at home Julienne finally got out of bed.  She loved that she could
go back to bed and sleep late.  This was heavenly to her.  It was great
that no one told her what to do.  When she got out of bed she was wearing
Jay's boxers and a pair of his pajamas which had been shrunk to fit her
frame.  Jay usually didn't wear pajamas at home, but he had bought this
pair for the trip since there would be children around.  Looking into
Jay's suitcase, Julienne looked for something nice to wear.  But there
wasn't anything particularly nice.  It was all just a bunch of mens
clothes.  There wasn't anything colorful or in a nice fabric or style
that she liked.  There were a bunch of jeans and t-shirts.  But even the
t-shirts were very ordinary.  She didn't like them at all.  She decided
to use the second part of her bet to change things.  She could have
changed the clothes to more feminine clothes as she had changed the size,
but decided to make her like the clothes that Jay had brought instead.
She would now only like for herself male and unisexed clothing.  She
didn't use those words, she didn't even know what the word unisex meant.
But the Cheater's Stone could understand her.  She now felt totally
comfortable in any clothing that Jay had brought or owned.

As the hours passed, Jay found himself looking around the class and at
the students.  There was a pretty girl who was wearing a very nice top.
He hadn't noticed it before.  It was a true top, not a t-shirt like he
was wearing.  The top was woven with ruffles all over and flutter
sleeves.  It was mostly light blue but it had a very pretty floral design
throughout.  It had a rounded neck, not just a plain crew neck like he
was wearing.  Looking down he saw that she wasn't wearing jeans either,
she was wearing leggings to match the top.  Jay realized he could have
worn clothing like that.  He didn't have to wear boring clothes like
jeans and t-shirts, for now he could wear something really nice.  This
might be the only time in his life he didn't have to wear just boring
male clothing, he could wear something with style.  He realized that he
had always wanted to try on such things, but he was afraid to.  He didn't
want anyone to call him names, but after the bet he didn't have to worry
about that anymore.  Wearing a bra now seemed like fun and he was glad
that Marcia made him.  Despite their color he was really just wearing
plain sneakers.  He remembered seeing a cute pair of shoes in Julienne's
closet but he had decided upon the sneakers instead.  He didn't know why
he didn't at least try them on.  He thought this was a chance of a
lifetime to wear girl's clothing to see what it was like.

Jay didn't know that the next phase of the bet was made since he hadn't
heard Julienne make it, but he now found any clothing that was masculine
or even unisex pretty boring.  He just didn't want to wear them anymore.
All of Julienne's feminine clothing choices were now his.  For him to
want to wear a pair of jeans they would have to be of an obvious feminine
style.  Even jeggings was on the borderline.

Jay decided that while he could, when he got home he would wear some
nicer (meaning prettier and more girlie) stuff.  He was dying to try on a
pair of leggings just like the girl was wearing and a shirt with some
color and accents.  He hadn't thought about wearing a skirt or dress yet.
Just for now it was leggings and feminine tops.  He had received all of
Julienne's girlie tastes (in clothing) and even she didn't want to wear
dresses and skirts all the time.  She was only eleven.  Marcia would also
not have to  remind Jay to wear a bra ever again, he liked them, they
made his tops look better he thought.

Now that the final part of the last bet was fulfilled, Jay was free to
think of a new bet.  The Cheater's Stone wouldn't let him think of a new
bet until the old one was finished.  He didn't realize that it had worked
that way.  He didn't even consciously know that Julienne had completed
what she wanted.  Jay wanted to get home and win back 'his life'.  That
could wait a little while until he tried on some things.  This would be
the only time he could do so without anyone else or even himself thinking
he was a transvestite. He wasn't going to let this opportunity pass by.

With plenty of time to think, he had to think of a bet with Julienne that
he knew he would definitely win.  He decided upon betting that she
couldn't solve a riddle.  He knew a bunch.  He had been exposed to them
as he was growing up.  The answer would be things like the letter 'E', a
river, time and all sorts of esoteric things.  He was sure he could
remember one that Julienne couldn't figure out.  He would just have to
come up with one that she hadn't heard before.  That was the problem,
people told these famous riddles all the time, maybe she had heard one.
Jay spent the rest of the day coming up with the perfect one.  He wanted
to test it out on one of the students, but he was mostly left alone by
them.  He still didn't know if that was because he was the new kid or
because he was an adult or if it was because he wore such boring
clothing.  As a result during lunch at a table full of kids no one talked
to him.

Soon the day was over and Jay drove himself home.  Jay had to circle back
and pass the school again on his way home.  He saw the students waiting
on line for the school bus and was glad he could just drive himself.  Jay
noticed that Mr. Kern wasn't so lucky, he was waiting on line with the
students.

Marcia and Julienne was home when he got there.  Jimmy was still at work,
Sofia was at daycare and Dylan would be home soon.  Dylan had a longer
trip from the high school and he had to wait for the bus.

"How was school?" Marcia asked.

"It was boring.  I don't want to go."

"Then you shouldn't have swapped with Julienne."

"I didn't swap, I lost a bet."

"Same difference.  Julienne and I are going out shopping do you want to
come with us?"

"OK, I guess."

"Do you have homework?"

"Homework?"

"Yes, didn't the teacher give you homework?"

"Well yes, but shouldn't Julienne do it?"

"It's your homework.  You had better get to it."

Marcia was right, it was his homework.  If it wasn't done he was the one
who would get into trouble.  He thought he could get things back to
normal later, but just in case.  He really didn't want to cause a fuss at
school if he had to go back.  He was sure that the riddle thing would
work.  He would have asked Julienne about it now, but he wanted to try on
some of his new cute clothes while he had a chance.  He would stay here,
start his homework and then try on some stuff.  He didn't really like the
jeans he was wearing.  They were OK, but he could be wearing something
nicer (once again he refused to think of them as either prettier or
girlier, but that is what he meant.)

"OK, I'll do it now.  You go without me."

Once they were gone, Jay finished his homework in a few minutes and then
went off to Julienne's room.  He took off his sneakers, jeans and shirt
leaving him only in his socks, panties and bra.  The panties were a bit
plain looking to him too, but maybe next time he would put on something
else.  He was determined to put on something like the girl he saw.  He
wanted to wear leggings with a nice top and shoes.

He found some printed ankle leggings with a black and pink heart pattern.
They were made of cotton with 5% spandex which hugged his legs.  He had
never worn pants that hugged his legs so.  They were very soft and he
love the feel.  Jay never knew clothing could feel so comfortable.  Even
his favorite most worn in jeans didn't feel this good.  He moved his hand
up and down his leg just enjoying the softness.

Then he found a white off the shoulder scalloped top with blue lace trim.
This was also something new for him.  He had never worn anything that was
off-the-shoulders.  It had a scooped neck, but wasn't too revealing since
it was designed for a tween girl.  He just loved it and it worked so well
with the leggings.  It even hung low enough on his leggings that it
covered the bulge that would have been clearly evident.  Next he found a
pair of sandals with a small heel and a strap around the ankle.  He put
them on, but these sandals were made to be worn with bare feet so he
removed his socks and then put the sandals on once again.

His outfit was complete.  Not only did he look good, but the clothes were
super comfortable.  He even liked how his bra straps could be seen above
the shoulders of his top.  The white top with the white bra worked very
nicely.  Everything looked so nice on him and felt so good that he
decided that as long as the bet was in effect that he would always wear
the clothes that he couldn't wear normally.  He didn't want to wear
skirts all the time, but these leggings felt heavenly on his legs.  Maybe
next time he would wear them with nylon panties, he had never worn nylon
underwear before.  He was sure they would feel great too.

He was about to leave the room when he realized that his clothing was
thrown on the bed and on the floor.  He knew he couldn't leave them that
way.  So he put his soiled clothes into the hamper as he had done the
night before.

Jay debated upon driving over to the grocery store where Marcia and
Julienne were.  He wanted to show them his outfit but he thought that
doing so would make him seem too immature.  He was still a man he knew.
He decided to watch some TV and wait for them.

Dylan had already returned home from school.  Dylan had taken off his
shoes and socks although still in his school clothes and put on ballet
slippers.  He was practicing his glissade asemble on the hard wooden
floor.  He bounced back and forth from one side to the other.  Jay
decided to watch him for a while.  Even though Dylan wasn't properly
dressed (in a leotard) he did look good.  Jimmy was right, Dylan
certainly had some dancing talent.

Jay was hoping that Dylan would notice what he was wearing and say
something nice about it.  Dylan had never seen him dressed like this, no
one had.  But he didn't say a word.  He simply didn't care about Jay's
outfit.  Dylan finished up what he was doing and took a seat on the couch
to watch some TV.

"Your dad was right.  You are very good."

"Thank you.  My teacher says I am the best in the class.  I practice
everyday I can.  Even when I don't have class."

"I can tell.  Keep it up."  Jay decided to keep the conversation going.
"How was school today?"

"It was boring."

"Me too."

"I heard you went to school for Julienne."

"Yeah."

"Are you going to go tomorrow too?"

"I'm not sure, I think so.  I don't know how it works exactly."

"Me neither.  But I don't like to bet anyway."

"I think that is a good idea.  Stay away from gambling.  It can cost
you."  In the end it would cost Jay everything.

"If you say so.  I just don't like it."  Neither had any idea that Dylan
had bet and lost some time back.

A while later, the phone rang, it was Marcia.  "I'm running late, can you
pick up Sofia from daycare?"

"Sure thing."

"I'll call daycare and let them know to expect you.  She'll be ready in
about fifteen minutes."

"I'll be there," Jay agreed and then to Dylan "Want to come and help me
pick up Sofia?"

"I don't know."

"I'll get ice cream on the way home."  Dylan may be sixteen but everyone
likes ice cream so he decided to come along.  Jay secured in the spare
car seat into backseat.  Then they went to pick up Sofia.

Dylan had to put back on his sneakers to go outside.  The daycare wasn't
too far and Dylan knew how to get there.  Dylan waited in the car while
Jay went inside to get Sofia.  He didn't take his jacket since it was
only a few steps to the door.  This was the first time he was walking on
the pavement in heeled shoes.  The heels were small and designed for
girls, but it was a strange experience none the less.  He had gotten so
used to wearing leggings by now that he didn't notice them.  What he did
notice was the wind on his uncovered shoulders.  It wasn't that it was
really cold, it was just unexpected.

Jay went inside and told them who he was.  They said they had been
expecting him and brought him into the facility to get Sofia.  A woman
inside noticed Jay's top and liked it, but she didn't say anything since
she didn't know who he was.  There wasn't any shock about how Jay was
dressed.  An attendant was helping Sofia get ready.  Once Sofia had her
jacket on and all of her stuff, Jay took her by the hand and led her to
the car.  Sofia got into the back seat and sat in the spare car seat.

Jay drove them to the ice cream shop, and they all got out to select their
flavor.  Jay put on his jacket this time to keep his bare shoulders warm.
Everyone got their pick and the trio ate the ice cream in the shoppe.
Jay didn't want his car to get all dirty.  It was at the ice cream shoppe
that Sofia noticed what Jay was wearing.  "You look very pretty," she
said.

"Thank you," Jay said not wanting to correct her to use the word handsome
instead of pretty.  Sofia was only four, there was no reason to make the
girl feel bad.

"Sofia, how was daycare?"

"It's not a daycare, it's my school."  The daycare was known as a school to
the attendees.

"OK, how was school?"

"We had lots of fun.  We played singing games."

"Like what?"

Sofia tried to sing the song she had learned but without music and the
help of the attendant she got it all wrong.  But she pressed on
regardless.

"Wow, that was great.  You're a good little singer," Jay enthused.  "What
else did you do?"

Sofia explained as best she could what she did.  For half the time, the
boys and girls were separated to do their own activities.  There were a
few activities that both genders did together, such as singing.  But for
the most part, the boys played boys' games with the other boys and the
girls played girls' games with the other girls.

During their conversation, Dylan's cell rang and he answered it.  It was
his girlfriend.  Dylan's girlfriends used to be under seventeen, now all
of his girlfriends are over seventy-one.

"What's wrong?" Jay asked.

"It's my girlfriend.  She said they are going to be playing BINGO at the
home.  She wanted to know if I could come."

"Are you going to go?"

"I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"We got into a big fight last time.  I told her she has to keep her
dentures in when she sees me.  But she doesn't.  Then when I complain,
she says she can't hear me because of her hearing aid.  But I know her
hearing aid works just fine.  I don't know I might have to break up with
her."

"Relationships are always complicated.  I have similar problems with my
girlfriends."

"Girlfriends?"

"Yeah, I have three right now."

"How do you juggle that many?"

"I just do."

Marcia and Julienne returned home not long after Jay did.  Marcia was
carrying dresses that she picked up from the cleaners.  The very formal
prom and cocktail dresses were encased in plastic.  They were Jimmy's
work attire.  Marcia brought them up to her bedroom to be put away.  When
she came down, Marcia wasn't wearing a shirt or her bra.  "Mom, we have
guests," Julienne reminded her.  Marcia reluctantly went back to her room
there was a clear pout on her face.  When she returned she was dressed
appropriately, although she clearly wasn't happy about it.

"OK, Julienne I want another double or nothing.  I'll bet you I can ask
you a riddle you won't get." Jay asked when he got her alone.

"No bet," Julienne said.  This totally threw Jay off.

"What do you mean 'No Bet?"'

"I mean no bet.  I don't want to bet for that."

"But you have to.  You have to give me a chance to get even."

"No I don't.  I gave you two chances already.  Who says I have to give
you another chance."

"You just have to."

"I think it's fine the way it is."

"No it isn't.  I'm not supposed to be in the fifth grade, you are!"

"OK, I'll double or nothing you, for let's see, I want your education and
your drivers license."  This was only two things, but there were four
things that Jay needed.  When Julienne did make a double or nothing, she
would get two more things if she won.

"What do you mean my education and my driver's license?"

"I mean just that, if I win, I'll know everything you learned in school
and I'll be legally able to drive your car and everything that goes along
with it."  Jay didn't understand what was meant by everything that went
along with it.  But he didn't have any choice, if she refused to bet then
he was stuck in the fifth grade, regardless of his education.  "OK, so
it's a bet?" Jay asked.

"No, I'll decide upon the bet."

"OK, what will it be?"

"I don't know, let me think for a while.  I'll come up with something."

Jay pestered Julienne all day.  He had to win everything back.

Jimmy finally made it home at 6:30.  He wanted to get out of his work
clothes before sitting down to dinner.  So he went to his room to remove
his dress and shoes.  His feet were aching from wearing heels all day.
Jay had a better appreciation for the outfit that Jimmy was wearing and
was a little disappointed when he came back wearing only some sweats.
They all sat down for dinner.

"Jay, are you sure you have to go on Friday?  I have a gig coming up
Saturday.  It'll be a great show."

"I'm sorry I made other plans.  I can't get out of it"

"You should hear me sing, I sound just like Mary Wilson.  I swear if you
close your eyes you'll think you are hearing her."

"Jimmy is really good," Marcia said supporting her husband.  "You should
see him."

"I don't doubt it, but I have to go."

"Jimmy that reminds me.  I picked up your dresses from the dry cleaning,"
Marcia told him.

"Thanks, honey."

Finally, it was Jay's bedtime.  Marcia told him to get ready for bed.
This was the time that Julienne came up with an idea.  "OK, I'll bet you
I can be in my jammies faster than you can."  Jay knew that he was going
to wear a nightgown so that would be faster than putting on the Pjs that
Julienne was going to wear plus Julienne's room (which was his now) was
closer than the guest bedroom where 'Julienne's clothes' were.  Without
thinking, Jay said it's a bet, and ran towards his room.

But what Jay forgot was that he was wearing Julienne's sandals that had a
buckled ankle strap.  He had to take a seat just to try and get them off.
Julienne was wearing sneakers which she quickly flicked off.  It was true
that she also had to pull off her socks, but that was nothing compared to
the effort of unbuckling the tiny latch that held on Jay's shoes.
Julienne stripped off her clothes quickly and put on her PJs.  It was no
contest, especially since Jay had to unfasten the bra before he got it
off.  He thought he could pull it over his head, but that wasn't meant to
be.  Jay finished dressing and returned to the living room in his
nightgown to realize that he had lost.

But then he realized, that not only was all his education past fifth
grade gone, but tomorrow he would need someone to drive him to school or
he would have to walk.  Then to add insult to injury, Marcia reminded Jay
that he had to take a shower and brush his hair and all the rest.  So he
trudged to the bathroom and took off the gown (and panties) he had just
put on and took his shower like he did the night before.  He had to
follow Julienne's (now his) bedtime ritual to the letter.  Which included
fifty strokes with his hair brush, being tucked in with 'his Rabbit' and
a bedtime story.  So ended his second day at his cousins.

Julienne stayed up late that night too.  She didn't have a bedtime
anymore and she didn't need to go to school either.  Although she decided
to get up early.  She wanted to drive Jay to school.  She wasn't sure if
she owned Jay's car, but of the two of them, she was the only one
licensed to drive.  She was actually feeling so giddy about it, that she
decided if she was going to drive Jay to school, she should also drive
Dylan to school and Sofia to daycare.

Jay woke up the next morning but didn't get out of bed.  He still had
the Rabbit clutched in his arms.  It comforted him.  He was full of
energy since he had gotten a full night's sleep and when Marcia came in to
wake him up he shot out of bed.  He had to pee anyway.  He went to the
bathroom and pulled up his gown and down his panties and peed as he
normally would standing up.  Then he brushed his teeth and his hair.  He
knew what he had to do in the morning and didn't fight against any of it.

Next, he went back to the room and picked out an outfit for today.  He
quickly decided against jeans.  He had worn them yesterday.  He would
never wear jeans again if he could help it.  He decided to wear a skirt
today.  He picked out a red and blue maxi-skirt with a geometric pattern.
Then he looked through the drawers for a top that went with the skirt.
He knew he had to wear a top with some sort of sleeves.  Anything
sleeveless wouldn't work at school.  He found a button-down top that was
in similar colors.

But before he could put on his outer clothes he needed a bra and pantie.
He decided that even though he didn't have breasts the bra was a good
thing.  The padding of the cups would make his top look better.  He chose
a pretty bikini-style pantie that was also blue that went with his skirt
and a matching bra.  He didn't want to wear pantyhose, so he found a pair
of nude knee-high stockings to wear with his ballet flats.  Without any
procrastination, he was ready in no time.

Arriving at the breakfast table he saw that only Dylan and Sofia were
there.  He ate his breakfast.  Marcia was happy that she didn't have to
hurry him along today.

Julienne woke up a little later than everyone else, but that didn't
matter too much.  She wanted to drive everyone to school so she got out
of bed quickly.  It was a breeze to get ready.  Put on any briefs and a
pair of jeans.  Any t-shirt was acceptable with jeans.  Then white socks
and sneakers and she was done.  She pulled a brush through her hair a few
times and she was ready to go.  She could brush her teeth and anything
else when she got back from 'dropping everyone off at school.'

"Mom, I'll take Jay and Dylan to school and Sofia to daycare," Julienne
said.

"I go to school too," Sofia announced.

"Thanks, Julie, that'll be a big help," Marcia told her.

Everyone went to Jay's car.  Julienne helped Sofia into her car seat in
the back.  It was still there from yesterday.  Dylan got in the back with
her and Jay road in the front passenger seat.  Even though Jay's school
was closest, Julienne dropped Dylan and Sofia off first.

Alone in the car, Julienne informed Jay that, "I have decided.  The next
step on the bet is that almost all of your friends will be girls around
eleven."

"What???"

"Don't worry.  This will make school more fun.  You will have friends
there."

"But???"

"Hey unless you win everything back, you will be going to school for a
long time."

"I don't want to go to school."

"Neither did I, but here we are.  You had better get out."  Jay did as he
was expected.  He took his book bag and lunchbox with him and headed
towards his class.  He knew where it was including his seat in his room.
Today he was proud of his apparel and wanted people to see him.  He
wasn't worried about someone saying he didn't belong and calling the
authorities or whatever one did when an adult man entered a fifth grade
classroom.

While he was on his way, Julienne worked on the last part of her bet.
There was a boy in her class, Anton who she liked.  Well she was at an
awkward age she still thought that all boys were nasty.  But there was
something about Anton.  She hated herself for liking him.  He didn't know
that she existed, but she wanted him to notice her too.  She gave all her
feelings for him to Jay.

Julienne now no longer felt young nor naive when it came to her social
life.  She was now dating casually three women all in their thirties at
the same time.  She was sure and confident enough to get go after any
woman she wanted.  It wasn't anything serious with any of them although
she had a good time with all.  Julienne didn't want to get tied down to
just one woman and she thought that the girls she was dating knew that.
But if they didn't it didn't matter too much.  If they got too serious he
could cut it off with any of them in an instant.  She was going to cut
her vacation short because she had a date with one of them, Valerie this
Friday.  Julienne decided to call Valerie before she returned home to
confirm Friday night.  Women liked when you frequently called them
anyway.  The weekend was long, maybe she thought she should call one of
the others and see if they were free on Saturday.

In the classroom, Jay took his seat and immediately started upon the 'Do
Now'.  He found the work challenging, but not impossible.  When he got an
answer right he took pride in it.  He had to work to get the answers now.
Well for some of the problems anyway.  He still had time to look around
the class and he found that he really liked some of the outfits the girls
were wearing.  Most wore jeans which he thought were just so plain, but
there were a few in nicer clothing that he liked.

While looking around, he spotted one of the boys.  He felt a bit
different.  The boy had something indescribable about him.  He was
different than the other boys.  He thought that maybe during lunch he
could speak to him.  Jay couldn't play with him, he was too big.  The boy
wouldn't like him if he beat him too badly.  But maybe he could watch him
play.  Jay seemed to remember that yesterday Anton was playing basketball
with the boys.

The morning flew by as thoughts and school problems entered Jay's head.
When it was time for lunch, Jay sat at a table.

"Hey, I really like what you have on," Jay told a girl who was sitting at
a table with some of her friends.

"Thank you.  I like your skirt too.  I saw you are in my class."

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"I'm Liz.  Do you want to sit down?"

"Sure."  Liz introduced Jay to her friends and soon the whole group was
all friends.  Jay liked most of the group, but he thought that Delia
wasn't very nice.  They started to talk about what they were wearing then
they talked about school and other subjects.  Soon lunch was over, Jay
didn't have a chance to talk to Anton.  Jay was too shy to talk to him
anyway, just as Julienne had been.  Jay wished that Anton would talk to
him first, but he didn't know how to get his attention.  Jay had gotten
along so well with Liz and her friends that she invited him to her
slumber party.

"I'll have to ask Marcia if I can go," he said.  Somehow he needed her
permission to do things like that now.  He couldn't even walk home alone
anymore.  Julienne had gained (and Jay had lost) the rights when she took
his driver's license.  She could not only drive a car, but she could
vote, buy beer, and do as she pleased just like anyone old enough to have
a driver's license could.  Jay, on the other hand, couldn't do some things
other things he needed Marcia or Jimmy's permission.  Jay decided that he
really wanted to go.  He would wait for his next 'Double or Nothing'
until after the party, assuming Marcia would allow him to go.

Julienne picked up Jay after school.  Jay didn't want to swap back until
after the party so he kept his mouth shut.  He didn't want Julienne to
know about the party at all.  Julienne was originally invited to the
party although she had forgotten all about it.  She didn't want to go
anyway, she was looking forward to her date on Friday.  If she did then
she would switch back quickly so she could go instead of him.  Jay was not
going to let that happen.

"How was school?" Marcia asked when Jay got home.

"It was OK, we learned fractions and spelling and stuff.  But I have to
ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Liz at school is having a slumber party with all the other girls and she
said I could come.  Can I???  Please!!!"

"Well there isn't any school tomorrow," Marcia said.  The school was
having standardized tests for the fourth and second-grade classes.  Jay,
being in the fifth grade didn't have to attend so he didn't have any
school tomorrow.  "If you do all your homework now, then you can go.
I'll call Liz's mother and see what the story is."

Marcia was a good mother she never would take her children's word and
always checked things out before letting them go anywhere.  But she saw
no reason not to let Jay go if he wanted to.  Homework had to come first.

Jay finished his homework and picked what he needed, a nightgown for
tonight and a change of clothes for tomorrow.  He also changed for the
party.  He took off his skirt and decided to go wear a nice floral
romper.  The romper had short sleeves and a pink patent leather belt
around his waist.  It would be easier to move around in these clothes if
there would be any roughhousing like a pillow fight.  He didn't want to
wear sneakers so he found a pair of slip-on shoes and no-show socks.  If
he had to move around, he could always take off the shoes and just run
around in the socks.  This left his bare hairy legs exposed but he didn't
care.  (Marcia had never taught Julienne how to shave her legs or
armpits, but maybe she would have to teach Jay soon.)

Marcia made sure that Jay's homework was done and then sent Julienne to
escort him to the party.  Liz was several blocks away and Marcia would
never let him go that far without someone to accompany him.  There were a
lot of nuts out there these days.

Julienne waited on the sidewalk while Jay walked up to the door.  He rang
the door bell and Liz's mother opened the door.  "Hi," she said
cheerily, "I guess you are the new student in Liz's class."

"I guess I am," Jay admitted and went inside.  Julienne walked back home.
Once inside, Liz's mother led him to where all the partiers were.  Jay
was the only boy technically but he was treated just like anyone else.
There were six girls in all, Liz and five of her friends.

Jay knew all of the girls at the party except one.  She wasn't at the
table where the other girls had eaten lunch.  Liz introduced Jay to the
new girl and then Jay joined in the fun.  They were playing a party game
called "Would you rather?"  The girls had started before Jay had come and
were well into the game.  One girl would pick a question out of a can and
then ask another player the question.  There were two hundred questions
so there was plenty to go around.

Since Jay was late to the party, he had to answer the next question,
"Would you rather have the floppy ears of a dog or a dog's tail?" one of
the girls asked Jay.  This was an easy one for him.  "I would rather have
a tail," he announced.

"Why is that?" one of the girls asked.

"You can hide a tail under your clothes if you want."

There were plenty of fun questions like "Find proof that Big Foot or
Unicorns are real?" or "Have three arms or three legs"  Everyone had a
lot of fun, there weren't any serious questions that would embarrass a
girl, like truth or dare could have.

"OK let's play Chubby Bunny next."

"I don't know how to play that," Jay admitted.

"It's very easy.  Everyone gets a marshmallow and puts it in their mouth.
Then you say, "Chubby Bunny' if everyone can do that you add another
marshmallow.  You keep doing that until only one person is left.  You
can't eat the marshmallow between turns."

Jay was sure he would win this game, his mouth was certainly bigger than
all the rest of the players.  He did win it too.  He thought that this
would be a great bet to try on Julienne when he got home.  He was sure he
could beat her.

There were other games, Jay (and the rest of the girls) had a lot of fun.
Liz's mom came into the room and told then they should get ready for bed.
Everyone started to take off their clothes to put on their nightwear.
Jay was now just one of the partiers (he had lost all interest in girls)
so he did the same.  He removed everything he was wearing, including his
panties and changed into a new pair as he would have at Marcia's house.
No one said a word including Jay.  Although Jay did notice that all of
the girls were also wearing bras.  None of them really needed one.  There
was one girl who had started to develop, but even she hadn't gotten too
far along.  Jay was glad that he had worn his.  He didn't want to be the
only one who didn't wear a bra at the party.  Once they were all dressed,
they played more games before it was bed time.

Jay and four of the girl's slept on the floor.  One of Liz's friends
shared a bed with her.  Jay had brought his Rabbit to sleep with.  This
was the third night in a row and it comforted him.  He thought he should
give it a name, "Chubby Bunny" sounded like a good name for his rabbit.
He had gotten so used to (because of the Cheater's Stone) going to bed
early that Jay was the first one asleep that night.

In the morning they all had breakfast and talked about this and that.
They were all going to a movie at noon.  Jay wanted to ask the girl's
about Anton, but he couldn't do it.  He didn't want them to know he had a
crush upon him.  Worse he didn't want to know if any of the other girls
felt sweet on him either.  That would be very embarrassing.  He tried to
bring up the subject but kept chickening out.  Jay didn't know that many
of the girls had crushes that they didn't talk about.  At least they
didn't talk about in large groups.

In the morning they each took turns taking a quick shower.  Jay usually
took showers the night before, but this was a shower in the morning
household he surmised.  Due to the shower schedule and everything else,
the girls were different stage of dress throughout the house.  Liz's
father wasn't there so it wasn't any problem.  This included Jay who felt
no embarrassment at being half dressed in front of little girls.  He
would find it surprising to realize that he would have felt the weird
around boys or especially men.

Liz's mom dropped Jay off at Marcia's house after the movie was over.
Jay had had a great time and he told Marcia and Julienne all about it.
But now was time to get back to everything being normal.  He suggested
that they bet upon who would win 'Chubby Bunny'.  Julienne said she
didn't want to bet on that, besides they didn't have any marshmallows
anyway.

"But you could drive to the store and get them," Jay insisted.

"No I don't want to play that."

"You owe me a double or nothing," Jay insisted.

"I already gave you three," she reminded him.

"Just one more."

"OK, but I pick the game and I'll tell you what the double will be before
we start.  This will be the last double or nothing no matter how it turns
out."

"OK, it'll be a simple toss of the coin.  You pick and I throw it in the
air.  If you win everything goes back to the way it was."

"...and if you win?"

"Well then, I don't want anything else from you.  I already have
everything.  I can't think of anything else.  But for my eight choices,"
Jay didn't realize how many choices were involved now, "then I think I'll
help Sofia.  The first one, you know that Sofia has to wear a pull-up to
bed.  She was just potty trained not too long ago and she has accidents
at night.  You will be the one to have accidents and wear pull-ups.  Then
for my second one, Sofia will be going to fifth grade and you will be
going to daycare.  The third one would be Sofia would know everything you
learned in school and you will be back to knowing what a preschooler
knows."  Julienne kept listing the betting stakes.  In the end Jay would
end up being a little toddler.  He wouldn't even be able to open the door
of his own house which had child safety locks and all his friends would
be four year olds.  "Got that?  Is it a bet?"

Jay realized that he would lose so much.  Being treated like an eleven
year old wasn't great...well he did have a lot of fun and he didn't have
any problems with Marcia about going to bed and things like that.  But
did he really want to be a little toddler in everything but body?  Jay
when what Sofia's live was.  He heard what she did at daycare, he knew
she was watched like she could hurt herself at any moment.  Marcia
personally bathed the girl every night.  She couldn't read and couldn't
even count to ten.  She couldn't even play a simple game of 'Clue' which
started all this.  She had enough trouble playing 'Candyland.'  That
would be his life if he lost the bet.  Jay decided he didn't want to risk
it on one toss of a coin.  "No," he said quietly.

"What did you say?"

"I said 'No', no bet."

"Are you sure?"

"I think I am."

"This will be your only chance.  I'm leaving tomorrow.  I have to be at
work Monday."  Julienne didn't mention that she had a date with her
girlfriend on Friday night.

"I don't think I could handle being a baby if I lost," jay admitted.

"OK then, How about one last game of 'Clue' before I go."

Epilogue

Three years later, Jay got out of bed in the morning.  He was still
clutching Chubby Bunny when he work up.  He didn't have to be woken up,
he was on a schedule and followed it to the letter.  He was never getting
ready for school.  He hopped out of bed as he was well rested, being to
bed on time the night before as he had always been for three years
straight.  He walked over to the bathroom, peed, brushed his teeth and
brushed his hair, fifty strokes at least.  His hair was still receded in
the front, but had grown long in the back. It was long enough to touch
his shoulders but not much farther.  It was shiny as he washed and
conditioned it every night before going to bed in his nightly showers.

Looking in his drawers he picked out a pair or panties and a training
bra.  He wore a training bra every day even though he didn't need one.
It was natural for him to wear on even though his chest hadn't developed
and would never develop.  Then he found a pair of leggings and
coordinated it with a nice top.  He wore leggings five days or more a
week.  He loved leggings, they were so cute and he loved how they made
his legs feel, they were so soft.  On occasion he would wear a skirt or a
pair of slacks or maybe a romper, but leggings were definitely his
favorite.

Once dressed, he slipped on his ballet flats and was ready to greet the
day.  He grabbed his book bag and bounded down to the kitchen for
breakfast, sometimes he beat Dylan down there, sometimes he didn't.
Marcia made his breakfast whatever it was then he went to school.  Marcia
was almost always naked in the morning unless it was very cold outside
and chilly in the house.

Jimmy had left early this morning.  He got a run in his gray pantyhose
and had to buy some more before going to work.  It was the only kind that
went went with the cocktail dress he was wearing.  Today he wore a
strapless number with a short skirt and a corseted waistline with sequins
on the bodice.  The pantyhose was what he hated most about his job.  He
hated it even more than his heels.  His heels made him stand over five
foot ten which he liked.  He wished he could wear some tights instead,
but that wasn't professional enough or so he thought.  Sheer pantyhose
was what was required, but in the end for the money they were paying him,
he supposed it was worth it.

Jay was still in the fifth grade.  Every September his new class would be
in the fifth grade, the same as the spring before.  Mr. Kern had been his
teacher twice in the last three years, but this year it was Mrs. Santos.
Dylan was in college now.  He was majoring in dance and had lost a lot of
weight but he was one of the top ballerinas at his school always bagging
the lead role.  Sofia was attending the same school as Jay in the second
grade.  Dylan had to drive Sofia and Jay the distance to their school.
Jay wasn't allowed to go by himself and certainly not with Sofia alone.
A responsible adult had to take them.

At school he greeted his friends.  Most of whom were in his grade is not
his class.  They were almost always girls about eleven years old.  Liz
and her friends had moved on.  They were in middle school now and would
be going to high school next year.  Jay saw them in the neighborhood, but
they were no longer friends.  Jay was now friends with some of her former
friends younger sisters now.

When the school bell rang, Jay would take his seat and do the Do Now like
the rest of the class. He knew the work as well as anyone in the fifth
grade (quite honestly as well as anyone in the Sixth grade) but he was
never promoted.  When Julienne made the bet she bet that Jay would take
over her classes and she had been in the fifth grade then.  When she got
Jay's education she never needed to attend any other grades, thus Jay
would always attend only the fifth grade.  He would also never be able to
vote, drive a car, buy alcohol or even see PG-13 rated movies without a
parent or guardian.

Once he finished the Do Now, Jay noticed Evan.  Evan was Jay's latest
crush although she hardly ever talked to him.  She admired him from afar
hoping that Evan would ask him out, whatever that meant for a pre-teen.
Jay's crushes never asked him out, they were just too young to care.  Jay
would crush on a boy for about two or three months, imagining that they
were dating if he just happened to say hi or had any interaction and then
move on to the next boy.  It was quite innocent for both of them.  His
best friends usually knew which boy he was crushing upon.  Some of them
had crushes too.  Girls it seemed matured faster than boys.

When Mrs. Santos asked for volunteers to show their homework, Jay's hand
immediately went up.  He was called upon and showed his work on the
board.  He got it right and was proud of his work.  In general Jay was
happy.  He was smart (for a fifth grader), and popular (at least with the
girls in his grade, he might run for class president this year) and
rarely gave Marcia and Jimmy any trouble at home (certainly not any
problem when it came to bedtime or getting ready for school).  What more
could he ask for?

In the middle of the night, Jay woke up from his nightmare.  He had been
stuck as a fifth grader for several years in his dream.  He didn't
remember how many years in his dream but it didn't matter.  It couldn't
be possible to stay this way forever.  He would have to grow up.  But
what would be grow up as?  Would he become a woman or become a man?

Physically right now he was a man.  He was in fact a man in his thirties,
but he had been living the life suited for a pre-teen girl.  Every school
day he attended fifth grade.  All his friends were middle school girls
and even though Marcia and Jimmy weren't really his parents they treated
him like he was their little girl.

Jay liked his friends, Liz and all the girls at school.  He was happy
when he was around them, but he knew it wasn't right.  Even though it
didn't feel wrong to be around them, he knew at some level it was wrong.

There were also boys at school who he liked.  He didn't mean like, but he
meant like like.  He watched them and hoped they would talk to him.  But
these boys didn't really talk to girls and they pretty much didn't talk
to him either.  It was more likely they would hit or insult him than to
talk nice to him.  Jay didn't mind though.  The little eleven year olds
couldn't hurt a 'man' like him and in someways being insulted was better
than being ignored by the boy he liked.  Not that he wouldn't insult the
boy right back.

Jay sometimes told his friends that he like this boy or that.  (He had
moved on from his crush for Anton when he found out that he had asked
another girl to 'play'.  Jay cried his eyes out that night.)  Their
reactions were mixed as some had crushed too and others did not.

Jay was thinking about telling Marcia that she liked a boy.  They had
grown closer over the last few months.  She liked that he was finally
listening to her and following her rules.  He was always in bed at the
right time and always did his homework.  She showed her appreciation by
getting Jay gifts, mostly clothes and teaching him how to properly put on
his makeup.  He had become more advanced in the makeup arts than most of
the girls in his grade.

Jay's relationship with his family was in a sense strange.  He was still
Marcia's cousin, but she treated him like her daughter.  Jay was at once
older and bigger than Dylan but he was also just in the fifth grade and
Dylan was in high school.  Jay also enjoyed playing with Sophia more than
hanging out with Dylan.  This was especially true when it came to
'playing dress-up'.  Sofia loved to try on Jay's clothes.

The cheater's stone left Jay feeling incomplete.  He was neither a grown
man nor a teen girl.  He was somewhere in between.  He had to make
Julienne make one more swap no matter how it turned out.  He didn't care
if he would be reduced to a thumb sucking little girl in daycare, he
couldn't stay as he is.  He had to make a bet that in the end would make
him a complete girl or return to being a grown man.

Not that he really knew what being a grown man was anymore.  Health (or
as it is usually called sex education) wasn't for another two years in
seventh grade.  He didn't really know what sex was anymore nor really the
'mechanics' of where babies came from.

Jay knew he had to do something.  It couldn't stay like this forever.  He
found Rabbit who was lying next to him on his bed, clutched him tightly
and went back to sleep.

In the morning, Jay woke up resolved to return to normal.  It had been
several month since the swap and Jay's morning rituals was fully
ingrained in his psyche. He probably wouldn't miss them, although, it's
not like he would stop brushing his teeth or taking a shower in the
morning.

What he would miss was all his cool clothes.  He had grown to enjoy
getting dressed in his own style.  He liked clothes that were bright and
fun.  Today he's going to wear his blue and white striped top.  It has
hearts in a hot pink color that match his pink leggings and a round neck
with a drawstring at the waist.  He always put a pretty bow in the draw
string.  Because as he thinks 'you know, what's the point in having a
draw string if you don't tie it into a pretty bow.'  He wears it with
sneakers with no show socks.  He used to think that he was too cool for
sneakers, but now they are just part of his wardrobe.  Just another
fashion accessory no different than his shows with a small heel.

He even liked making up his face with a little bit of blush and lipstick
in the morning.  As a matter of a fact, just last week his hair had grown
long enough for it to be styled at a real salon.  He could even put bows
and ribbons in his hair which he also liked.  Despite all this, he knew
he couldn't stay this way.  ( He was the only girl in the fifth grade who
had to shave his face every day.  He also shaved his legs and armpits a
little less often. )

-------------------------------------------

Julienne had similar concerns.  She might have Jay's dating life, but
physically she was a little girl.  She didn't even have any hair on her
privates and her 'boobs' were little more than puffy nipples.  Her boobs
have definitely expanded in the months since the swap.  Julienne wondered
if she could finally fill out a real bra.  She didn't have A cup boobs
yet, but maybe she had grown into a AA.

The women she dated didn't seem to mind though, they thought of her as if
she was a grown man like Jay.  This included people that hadn't known Jay
before the swaps.

Julienne could do Jay's work.  It was 'fun' for a while, but then it
became just as much a drag as any other job.  She didn't swap the passion
that Jay had for his profession.

Julienne went to a bar once and ordered a drink.  She didn't like the
taste though.  She did like pina coladas though.  But her friends (and
dates) kidded her when she ordered one, especial when she ordered it
virgin.  Her body couldn't handle alcohol anywhere near as well as Jay
had, she weighed over a hundred pounds less than he did.

Being an adult or at least treated as an adult wasn't as fun as she
thought it would be.

Julienne also missed her Mom.  Even her Mom's nagging.  Julienne got into
more trouble by sleeping late now that she was perceived as an adult than
she did when she was perceived as a kid.  The freedom of adulthood had
the price of the responsibilities of adulthood.  Responsibilities she
wasn't ready for.  In many ways, she still had the maturity of a girl.

Julienne was like Jay caught in the middle.  She wasn't truly an adult
and she wasn't truly a kid.  She wasn't truly a man and she wasn't truly
a girl.  She needed for the thing to be resolved one way or the other,
either she had to be a man in every way or return to her old life.

Julienne went to Jay's school and picked him up after classes ended.  Jay
was walking towards home with one of his friends, Cheryl.  It was a girl
in Julienne's former class that Julienne hadn't been too friendly with
before the swap.  But Jay had developed a friendship with her that
Julienne never had.  You might even call them BFFs.

"Get into the car Jay.  We have to talk," Julienne told him.

Jay didn't have to be asked twice.

"Who is this, Jay?" Cheryl asked.

"Don't worry.  Julienne is my cousin.  I'll be fine."

Julienne and Jay drove off and parked in a secluded spot.

"I think it's time to swap back," Julienne said.

"I think you are right.  How do we do that?"

"We need one last bet from the Cheater's Stone."

"Yeah, one that you are sure to lose."

"It doesn't work like that.  You can't cheat the Cheater's Stone. It has
to be a real bet."

"It does?"

"Yeah."

"What happens if it's not?"

"Well then it punishes you."

"How does it do that?"

"You probably haven't notice but my family hasn't always been how they
are."

"They seem OK to me."

"They aren't.  I don't want to go into it, but they aren't as they seem.
I'm not even sure if I know all the changes."

"Your family has changed?"

"It doesn't matter.  The point is we have to make a real bet and let the
chips fall where they may."

"What should we do?"

"It has to be a coin flip.  There is no way to cheat upon that."

"OK, so if I win, I get everything back.  What if I lose?"

"I don't know."

After a few moments of thought, Jay suggested, "I have an idea."

"What?"

"If I lose then we complete the changes."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean there has to be eight things.  So if I lose, one of the things we
swap will be names, so I'll truly be Julienne."

"So what?"

"The second thing will be bodies, so I'll be an eleven year old girl
physically."

"I think I get it."

"The third thing will be place in the family and society.  So I'll be
Marcia's daughter and Sophia's sister etc and I'll be just another girl
in the fifth grade.

"Uh huh."

"Can you think of anything else?"

"Well we should swap maturity and psychology.  That will be four and
five."

"How about memories next?"

"That is six.  Now two more to finish it off."

It was getting harder and harder to come up with the proper thing to
swap.  But Julienne found the last two to finish off the bet.  "How about
our preferences.  You know like likes and dislikes and stuff like that.
The final swap is everything else that we haven't swapped already?"

"Everything else is a perfect last choice.  But all the other swaps have
to be of things that haven't been swapped let.  I mean, I like things
now, like clothes that I didn't before."

"You are right, we'll make that part of the list."

"You think the Cheater's stone will allow this.  I mean it's sort of like
heads I win and tails you lose.  Either I'll be back to be the Jay I
always was, or I will be exactly how you were meant to be."

"I think it'll work.  I don't see why not."

"But what if it doesn't?"

"Can we stay like this?"

"I guess not.  We have to do this."

Julienne got one of the coins she kept in the car.  They left the car as
they needed a solid surface to flip the coin.

"Do you have any preference?"

"What?"

"Do you want heads or tails?"

"Does it make a difference?"

"I don't know but for it to be a bet we have to make a choice.  I'll flip
so you have to choose a side."

"Tails I guess."

"OK you win with tails.  Are you ready?"

While they were deciding upon a course of action, Jay's BFFs was rounding
the corner.  They parked on the way he her house.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

"I guess I am too."  Julienne put the coin on her pointer finger with her
thumb right under it ready to flip the coin in the air.

"So now it's time for the actual bet, if I win I get everything back and
if you win we swap names, places in the family and society, bodies,
psychology, maturity, memories, preferences and everything el..."

"Hey what are you doing?" Cheryl shouted when she was them.

Julienne was startled as she propelled the coin into the air.

End.