sleep away at Camp Wiŋtke

Chapter 4

The screen door popped shut behind Amy as she left, and Albert sat down on the bed. His head was spinning and he wasn't sure what to do.

It was one thing to put on a dress and nylons when he was by himself in the privacy of his home, but not around anyone else, especially a bunch of boys his age.

He looked up and saw another camper apparently having the same reservations as him. That kid was sitting on his bed scowling as he stared at the floor.

Albert sat there for a moment before the curiosity was enough that he had to look back in the closet. He fingered through the drawers checking out all his new things for the week.

Maybe, if everyone else had to do this, he began to reason, then it would be okay. Besides, he thought back, not one other kid got on the bus when he did. None of them seemed to live near him.

"Hi!" a voice excitedly called from behind him. Albert spun around to find another camper standing there, who had already changed into in a fitted v neck tee shirt that had Ariana Grande's face plastered across the entire thing and a black skort. Albert could see the outline of a bra underneath. The boy had on trainers and frilly ankle socks.

"Uh, hi?" Albert answered unsure of how to proceed.

"I'm Belinda," the boy motioned towards the name card on his closet door. "Isn't this great? Have you chosen your name yet?"

"I'm, uh... " Albert was stuck. "I haven't got a girl name and I don't know if it's so great yet. Did you know what this was going to be like before we arrived?"

"Yeah, my folks told me. I know most of the guys here don't get told anything and I was told I couldn't say anything while we were on the bus, but now that we're here I can make friends. Do you know why you're here?"

"I guess my Mom figured out I was trying on her things sometimes," Albert confessed in a low embarrassed whispered.

"Don't worry, I think you'll find a lot of that here," Belinda nodded. "You look like a Julie to me. Unless you have another name that you like better. It's just a suggestion."

Albert looked at Belinda for a moment. "Okay, Julie works for me."

He pulled the card from its slot and wrote Julie on the line in front of his last name. Belinda took it from him and turned the dot over the letter "i" into a heart then slipped it back in the slot for him.

"Um, if you don't mind, I need to change and I'm not comfortable with you standing right by me."

"No problem," Belinda grinned. "I have the next bed over, the one behind you. I'll sort through my things  while you change."

Albert looked around and didn't see anyone watching him so he quickly stripped down and grabbed a pair of cotton panties from the drawer. They were white with little blue flowers and blue lace trim.

He checked a skirt hanging from clips on a hanger and found shorts underneath it. He pulled it off and stepped into it. He opened another drawer and pulled one of the padded training bras out and slipped it on. A plain white tee shirt came next and then he grabbed the white trainers with light purple trim.

After tying the shoes on his feet he looked at himself in the tall mirror on the inside of the closet door. He found himself to be excited and terrified at the same time. Once he pushed the doors closed he saw Belinda sitting on his bed.

"I guess I'm ready," he shrugged.

"You look great, Julie," Belinda beamed. "I think we are going to be BFFs."

"So what now?" Albert asked. "We still have time before we go back outside."

"Maybe we should talk to - him," Belinda answered pointing to a boy sitting on a bed across the room from them. He was still sitting on his, scowling.