Who Is Lucas Ryker O'Riley?

34. THE SAME BUT DIFFERENT

Having gone to bed fairly early last night, rather than sleeping in, Dave and I got an early start, or at least what we'd consider early for summer vacation. Qualifying as early during summer vacation really just meant that we were up before Dad left for work.

"And what got you two to drag yourselves out of bed so early on a perfectly restful summer vacation day?" inquired Dad with a little pinch of harmless sarcasm as I bounded down the stairs with Dave hobbling along, behind me, using his one crutch for support.

"We're going to clean up the bikes and make sure they're running in perfect condition so you can  sale them."

Seeing our inspiration, Dad acknowledged our intended effort, "If you get them cleaned up and in a running condition, I'll get them posted online tonight when I get home. Once they're sold, we'll go shopping for new bikes. How's that sound?"

"Heck yeah, Dad! Thanks," Dave and I happily chirped.

"But, uh Dave, are you gonna be able to do that with your knee? You heard the doctor, don't be standing on it. It's got to be completely healed before football tryouts."

"Yeah, Dad, I'll take care of him," I added, looking out for my brother. "I'll roll the computer desk chair out to the garage for him to sit on. Don't worry, I won't let him further injure himself. The team don't know it yet, but they need him."

"Dave, you let Lu-uh your sister take care of you." Dad added before heading out the door.

After a bowl of sugary sweet cereal, I rolled both of the bikes into the driveway and got the rolling desk chair for Dave to sit in. We then began to hose the bikes down and clean every little nook and crevice around the engines, the forks, the tube frames and even under the fenders.

Cleaning every inch of our bikes was no small job. After spending the first ten minutes in relative silence, just cleaning, Dave rolled his chair back into the garage and put on some early 80's rock music while we continued to work.

After about the third song, Dave suddenly spoke up, "So . . .," but then he paused.

He was looking over at me squatted down, polishing a bit of chrome, wearing a pair of my old jeans and an old, almost too small tee. The jeans were entirely too tight on my hips now, but I didn't want to destroy my new clothes.

Unknown to me at the time, the lacy top of my panties could be seen peeking out above the waistband of my pants in this position.

"What?" I looked over at him and asked while still polishing the chrome.

"Well," he reached up and rubbed the back of his neck while rolling the chair closer to me, "I don't know if you noticed it or not, but uh, Jeremy thinks you're uh, you're hot."

"Really?" I asked sarcastically, still focused on my bike.

"Yeah, he even asked me yesterday, if you had a boyfriend."

I slowly turned and looked up from my bike toward Dave and let out a laugh with an amused expression on my face.

"So . . . I guess that means you're not interested in Jeremy?" pried Dave.

"Did he really say that," I enquired.

"Yeah, he did . . . Sooooo, you interested?"

"No, not really, Dave. Between you and me, most of what you may've seen me do at the Miller's house was an act. It was mostly out of convenience and necessity . . . and of course, a bit of naughty fun."

I let the cleaning rag I was using, drop to the ground, and turned towards Dave. "I've been going through this, all of this, for over a year in secret. But recently, it's gotten to the point where I can't hide what's happening to me anymore, especially when school starts in the fall and I have to change in a locker room for Phys Ed class. I have no choice. I have to do this and I wanted to practice some feminine mannerisms and make it clear to the new neighbors I was all girl. I have to make sure no one that sees me, ever thinks I'm anything other than a girl. I have to make sure there's no doubt and erase all the boyish mannerisms and habits I learned up to this point, you know?"