The Party

Written January 2023

Ok so first, a little background info, I'd been friends with Chris Aaronson since we were young; our dads worked together at the same company on the outskirts of town plus we went to the same primary school, so it was kind of inevitable that we'd drift together. It also helped that we were both quite similar little boys, both a bit on the small side and neither particularly outgoing. We spent most of our time together and did all the usual stuff that kids tend to do, like kicking a ball around in the park and playing games.

Every so often our parents would have get-togethers for all the family, usually, these involved a barbecue if the weather was good then the adults would have a few drinks and we kids would wander off to the bedroom of whoever's house it was. When I say kids, I mean me and Chris plus my little sister Sam and his older sister Julie. One of these events that sticks in my memory was when Chris and I were either 9 or 10, I remember it was cold, so must have been winter, and we were around the Aaronson's house. I think it was Sam, who was about 7 at the time, who suggested we play a game of dress-up. Me and Chris both protested a bit as it was the kind of thing little kids did, indeed little girls at that, and we were both 'big boys' now. After a bit of convincing by Julie, we gave in, though she admitted that she couldn't think of much else to do anyway, especially as the adults had taken over most of the downstairs of the house where things like the PlayStation were.

I don't remember much of the details, but Sam seemed to find it hysterically funny that we two boys were wearing some of Julie's old clothes. I do recall looking in the mirror and both me and Chris looked pretty stupid and obviously like boys in awkward fitting girl's clothes. After about an hour or so of this messing around, Chris's dad Mike came up to check on us, he walked in and, within seconds, was joining in the fits of giggles that had struck the girls. A few minutes later we were being paraded in front of the other parents downstairs. It wasn't too bad, but I didn't really enjoy the whole experience, and after we'd gone home that night, not much more was ever said about the incident.

A few years later, when me and Chris were both 12, we got some bad news. Chris's dad was getting promoted within the company and transferred to another office 200 miles away across the country. The Aaronson's were to move away in a few weeks, and I'd hardly see Chris. As kids do, I managed to cope and within a few weeks I was hanging around with some other friends but none of them were as fun as Chris had been. We kept in contact via the internet, but after a while, we both just kind of ran out of things to say, I guess boys just spend their time together playing and not really talking, other than a few sessions on Xbox Live every so often we didn't really have much to do with each other.

As they were still friends with my parents, I'd get news of Aaronson family goings-on every so often and about two years after they moved away, I found out that Chris's parents had separated, his mum had been having an affair with someone else and had left them to be with him. I emailed Chris to see how he was, but he didn't tell me much, teenage boys aren't exactly good at that sort of thing after all.

Me and Chris had also bonded as our birthdays were pretty close together, mine in April and his early May. The year after his mum had left, we were both due to sit our A-levels in our seventh year of high school, my own 18^th birthday hadn't been anything special but as his 18^th birthday was just a week before school broke up for the exams Chris was going to have a large party at house. When the Aaronson's moved, they had managed to play the housing market at just the right time and upgraded to a large house out in the country. I remember Chris saying it was cool to play around at thanks to the huge garden, but it was miles from anywhere. I had asked around at my high school if anyone else was going to Chris's 18^th party but no one else really remembered him well enough to justify the 400-mile round trip. Indeed, it took a bit of convincing before my parents would let me go by myself, thankfully they gave in and agreed to pay for my train ticket so long as it was only for the weekend as I had revision and exam prep to do.

The weekend of Chris's party arrived, and my parents dropped me off at the station for the trip cross country. I knew that once I got to the other end, I needed to get a bus and then walk a few miles to reach the Aaronson's house. Originally his dad, Mike, was meant to be picking me up from the station but unfortunately, some work stuff had come up, so I was public transporting it all the way, thank goodness for smartphones.

Everything went ok and I got off the bus in a small village near the Aaronson's house. Chris was there waiting for me; it was the first time I'd seen him in person for over two years, but he hadn't really changed much. In fact, looking at us both neither of us was really blooming into young men, it was something which I'd become a bit annoyed about, but my mum had to keep assuring me that it was just a matter of time. Anyhow Chris looked well otherwise and seemed very excited about his party. As we set off walking the last few miles, we got chatting like it was the old times.

"Hey, it's lucky you got that bus, man, it's the only one on a Saturday, so not sure what we'd have done if you hadn't"

"You still not passed your test?"

"N'ah, not yet, though gonna try again once get exams and stuff out the way."

"Hasn't Julie got a car?"

"Julie!?! She hasn't even bothered trying to get licence yet, never mind a car. It's kind of strange as my dad says he'll buy us both a car each once we've passed. Living out here driving is really useful, especially for her as she works in the town and has to get lifts. To be honest, I think she enjoys getting her mates and boyfriends to ferry her about."

"Fair enough."

"Yeah, I'm more motivated I reckon, it'll be mint to be to just drive off and not be begging my dad for lifts all the time, especially as he's working all the time now."

"Does he have to go to work most weekends?"

"Yeah, it seems that way, actually since mum left, I think he does it more out of choice than because he has to."

"So has still not really got over it then?"

"Heck they were married for more than 20 years, it's been pretty shitty on me and Julie, but I think it hit dad worst of all. I just wish he'd find someone else, does that sound bad against my mum?"

"Not really, she was the one who went off with someone else."

"Yeah, I guess so."

We talked about various things and what was planned for the party. Chris said he had invited about 40 or so of his friends from school, including some hot chicks, as he described them.

"But will they turn up?" I asked, hoping that he'd say they would, and this would be an opportunity for me to increase my experience with girls.

"I don't know man, it is one of the pains of living out here, convincing people to bother making the journey. I guess that's another thing that will be better next year once we all have cars and stuff."

Slightly let down that this was starting to sound more and more like a bit of a damp squib of a party I tried to find out some positive points.

"Well one good thing with my dad having to go to work today is that we'll have the house to ourselves for most of the night. Julie's coming alone tonight, I agreed she could invite some of her mates as long as they bring drinks & stuff."

"That's pretty good, so there's going to be booze for us to drink, especially if your dad's not going to be around?"

To be honest, that this stage, I hadn't really drunk much alcohol, just the odd can of beer, usually when school friends managed to get their older siblings to buy it for them albeit now I was 18 I could legally get my own but had forgotten to for this weekend.

"Heck yeah, that's one thing my dad is quite cool about. I guess he knows that it was his and my mum's choice for us to live out here, so he is less strict about things like beer than most townie parents are. By the way, we're almost there, just around the next corner."

"So, anything else party-wise that I should know?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, of the girls that are hopefully coming, there's one called Shaz who you're not to try it on with."

"Why? Does she have a big tough boyfriend?

"No, the complete opposite, she's single at the moment and I'd like to be her big tough boyfriend!"

"You? Big and tough?" I joked.

"Ok, ok, but you know what I mean, man. She is meant to be bringing a few friends, though..."

"Cool!"

We walked on for a few minutes and then passed the gate to their house. I hadn't ever been there and was impressed by the size.

"Wow, this place is massive, mate!"

"It's ok, isn't it."

Chris let us in and gave me a quick tour around. I dumped my bag in one of the two spare bedrooms where a bed had been prepared. "See, you get a double bed whilst I'm still stuck with my single" Chris explained, "I hope you do get lucky tonight otherwise, it'll not be fair if me and Shaz are sharing my tiny bed!"

"Yep, you're right there, mate."

"So, think Shaz said she and a few mates were all going to come as some sort of group theme, but she wouldn't let on what it was, I hope it's something sexy."

"Group theme? What do you mean?"

"Like their outfits, they're all coming as the same thing, like a girl band or something daft."

"Outfits??" I asked earnestly.

"Err, yeah," Chris replied with an implication that I was being dumb. "You know, outfit as in fancy dress, as in fancy dress party."

"Woh woh woh, what do you mean fancy dress, since when was this a fancy dress party?"

"Like since it was originally planned, hang on a minute, are you saying you didn't know it was a fancy dress party?"

"NO!! You never mentioned that! I think I would have remembered that aspect."

"Oh bugger, maybe you're right. I've been talking about it at school for ages and just kind of assumed everyone knew it was fancy dress."

"Well, I don't go to your school, do I, and you never mentioned it in any emails or texts or ouwt."

"Feck, I'm sorry mate, that's my bad. So I guess that means you haven't brought anything to wear then?"

"Of course not, I just brought my normal clothes."

"Hmm, not sure what we're going to do then."

"Well, can't I just wear my normal stuff?"

"And be what character exactly, Teenage Boy Man?"

"Ok ok, do you have anything I could wear?"

"Not that I can think off, nothing that isn't like what you're wearing now. That's kind of why I wanted to have a fancy dress party, as it'd be an excuse to wear something different and hopefully impress Shaz instead of just my normal jeans and t-shirt."

"Right, that makes so much sense," I replied sarcastically, slightly annoyed at the situation. Right now, I was really wishing I hadn't come all this way. Yep, it was good to see Chris, but it sounded like this was going to be a bit of a lame party where I didn't know anyone, and he was only going to be spending it trying to get off with a girl.

"Don't be an arse about it, man, I said I'm sorry for not mentioning it."

"Ok, mate, I'm just not sure what we're going to do. I mean, you living out here means we aren't going to get to any shops before this evening, are we, unless there's a fancy dress shop just down the lane...?"

"Unsurprisingly, no there isn't."

At this moment, Chris's sister Julie came out of her room to investigate what all the noise was about.

"Oh, hi Gerry, how are things?" She asked which I thought was pretty laid back seeing as how we hadn't talked in about 5 years.

"Ermm, fine Julie, you?"

"Yeah, great, thanks. So, what are you two shouting about?"

"Gerry here didn't bring anything to wear to my fancy dress party tonight," explained Chris.

"Only because Chris didn't think to mention it was fancy dress," I added.

"Darn, that's a shame, Gerry, so what are you going to do?" She queried in a slightly uninterested way.

"We're not sure, none of my stuff is really fancy and it's too late to get to a shop before people start turning up in a few hours."

We all stood around in silence for a few seconds, I hoped the other two were thinking of solutions because I was stumped. I had a vision of myself being the only person in normal clothes at a party where I didn't know anyone, not exactly the best night I could imagine. Suddenly Julie spoke up:

"Hey, I've got an idea!"

"Really?" I replied hopefully.

"Yeah. Do you remember years ago, back before we moved, when mum and dad were having one of those dinner parties or something, and us lot were all up in my room?" I could vaguely tell where this was going.

"And me and Sam convinced you guys to dress up in some of my old clothes?"

"Err yeah, I think so" I responded noncommittally.

"Well, if I recall correctly, you looked ok in my old yellow dress, and looking at you now, you don't look to have exactly grown up much."

"Hey, that's not fair!" I tried to defend myself.

"She is kind of right, man" chipped in Chris.

"Oh, thanks."

"Yeah, well, how about if we do you up in some of my old things, or...or even better, some of mum's old stuff?"

"Mum's clothes?" asked Chris.

"Yeah, she left loads of stuff and dad hasn't ever cleared it out, there's like two wardrobes full of clothes. And her stuff will probably fit Gerry better than mine, in fact, I've got a great idea. Plus, I don't really want a smelly boy touching my things!" She joked.

"Hmm, what do you reckon, Gerry? It might be the only choice we've got."

"But your mum's clothes, isn't that a bit, well, creepy?"

"Not really, at least they would be getting used, and if you give me a few hours, I promise I'll make you look good Gerry," said Julie.

Thinking about it for a few minutes, I really wasn't sure of the idea.

"It's not exactly going to help me with any of those friends of Shaz's, though, is it?" I asked Chris.

"Err, well maybe, you never know, if you wear something really good, they might be impressed by your effort and daring!" he tried to answer, failing miserably.

"Oh, come on, mate, as if any girls are impressed when a guy puts on girls' clothes!"

"Women's clothes Gerry, and yeah, I might be impressed, like Chris says, it shows a level of confidence that most guys wouldn't have, and us girls love confidence."

I still didn't believe either of them but glancing at the clock, I noticed that time was ticking on, and there didn't seem to be many other choices.

"Well ok, but, and I mean but, I get to choose the outfit and it has to not be too embarrassing!" admitting defeat.

"Yay! I knew you'd go for it!" Julie screamed in victory, "This is going to be so much fun!" She seemed to have majorly perked up compared to just a few minutes earlier.

"Right, how about you too go and get Gerry all dressed up, and I'll crack on with the other party preparations," Chris suggested as Julie suddenly grabbed my hand and dragged me off along the corridor.

She led me into what was now her dad's bedroom but had, until last year, been her parent's. Looking around, it still had the air of being a couple's room, there was the odd bit of women's clutter scattered here and there.

"Yeah, my dad hasn't really come to terms with my mum leaving, I've suggested having a clear-out and even tried to start once but he got all worked up and started shouting."

"God, that must not have been fun."

"Yeah, you know my dad, he's normally quite a laid-back kind of guy so it took me a bit by surprise to see him so worked up."

"Actually, I don't think I've seen your dad since you guys moved away, and I hardly remember much about that long ago."

"Fair enough, so shall we get on with this? What to see what my idea is"

"Err I'm I guess so."

"Well, my mum did leave a lot of stuff, I'm not sure if she was planning on coming back for it but never did or just wanted to have a clean break. That big walk-in wardrobe over there was hers."

Almost one whole wall of the bedroom was made up of a walk-in wardrobe with mirrored doors. With slight trepidation, I opened the first door, I still wasn't sure about this whole idea, and it did feel weird me going through someone else's clothes, especially a grown woman's clothes at that. I wasn't sure of their mum's age when she left, but as Julie would have been about 19, and I think they had kids young, so I'd guess somewhere around her late 30s. So here was me, a boy of 18 about to leaf through and choose from clothes belonging to a grown woman. It was kind of like routing through her grave in a way, especially as Julie and Chris didn't seem to have much contact with her since she left. Well, let's get on with it, I thought.

"So, I think we've got two options," said Julie after I'd been looking for a few minutes.

"Yeah, what are those?"

"Well, I think mum did have some proper fancy dress outfits from parties that my parents went to, so you could try one of those, or we could just pick a normal kind of outfit but make the point that you're a boy so that makes it fancy. What'd you reckon?"

"I think maybe the first option, at least that way, I can still say it's a fancy dress outfit."

"Great, just let me have a look for something, I think that's where mum kept things like that."

"She did have a lot of stuff, didn't she."

"Yeah, I think she liked to keep clothes that reminded her of happy times."

Julie hunted around in the wardrobe and found what she was talking about, there seemed to be all types of clothes stuffed into the wardrobe.

"It' lucky you're pretty slim like mum was, as most of these costumes are quite tight from the look of it. And the one I've got in mind is especially so"

"You saying I need to work out more!" I half-joked.

"Well, right now, that lack of muscle building is a positive" she winked back. "Here we go, I think mum got it for a '90s-themed night out she and dad did a while ago to remind them of their youth."

Julie held up a copy of the classic union flag dress Geri Halliwell wore with the Spice Girls.

"Really? Geri Halliwell? Plus isn't it a bit short and tight"

"Yeah, cos like you're Gerry, so we don't even have to think of a new name!" Julie laughed, "And we just said you had a slim build and bet you've got the legs for it!" She added encouragingly.

"I haven't really got the hair for it, though, have I." I added albeit my hair was a bit on the long side for a boy, but it definitely wasn't ginger.

"Ah well, that's where you're wrong if what's in this box is what I think it is..." she said whilst pulling down a box from the top shelf of the wardrobe.

Inside the box was a mass of ginger hair. "Ta-dah!" Julie exclaimed, lifting and arranging a huge ginger wig with blonde bangs at the front.

"See, this will help with the look, assuming it fits ok. Try it on!"

"Hmm ok," I took the wig and struggled to put it on my head before Julie reached over and helped.

"Yeah, that should work, goes well with your face, you're lucky with your smooth skin, and a bit of makeup and you'll look great!"

"Makeup?!?"

"Well duh, of course, if you're going to be like Geri with an I, you'll need a bit of lippy etc"

"Mm ok..." I replied uncertainly, starting to worry about how far this was going to go.

"We'll sort that later, lets' find the rest of your clothes," said Julie, clearly getting excited. She dug around the back of the wardrobe and came back triumphantly with a pair of red knee-length boots with six-inch heels. "Here we are!"

"Those?! They're a bit much, aren't they?" I asked.

"Not at all, if you want to complete the look, these are part of it."