Crestwood Academy for Young Ladies - Forced Fem Fantasy

Chapter Twenty-Eight: One Step at a Time

Dylan woke up in an unusually good mood that Wednesday morning. Last night's Equestrian Club meeting had gone better than expected—he felt more confident on horseback, and it was becoming one of the few times during the week he consistently enjoyed. On top of this, he'd fallen into a routine, his body was used to the uniform by now, and styling his new hair didn't feel like such a chore anymore. Still, even on a morning as good as this one, there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind that he couldn't quite shake: the Yucatan test.

Yesterday, Ms. Chandler informed them that their grades would be posted outside the classroom before class this afternoon. Dylan wasn't entirely confident he did well. His gut twisted as he thought about it, but he tried to calm himself, repeating Ms. Chandler's words in his head: It's only one test. It's just a small part of your overall grade. Still, the uncertainty gnawed at him. Would it be enough to keep him from falling behind? He shook off the thought for now—no point in stressing before he saw the results. One step at a time, he told himself.

He pulled on his blazer, adjusted his skirt, and checked his hair one last time before heading out for the day.

In 19th Century Literature, Mrs. Adkins introduced their next assignment: The Mill on the Floss. The novel itself didn't intimidate Dylan, but the essay prompt did.

"You'll each write a paper discussing how you, as a woman in the 21st century, can draw parallels to Maggie Tulliver, the protagonist of the novel, and how her struggles in the 19th century mirror modern challenges," Mrs. Adkins explained, scanning the classroom as she spoke.

Dylan swallowed hard, sinking a little in his seat. As a woman in the 21st century. He felt an immediate sense of dread. How was he supposed to write an essay like that? He wasn't a woman, and the whole concept felt... disconnected. What was he supposed to say? He figured he'd read the book first and see if anything came to mind. Maybe something would click. Again he reminded himself, just one step at a time.

At lunch, the usual group gathered at their table—Dylan, Aaron, Kyle, Marcus, and the girls, Emily, Olivia, Hannah, and Sophie. The cafeteria buzzed with chatter as they ate.

"So, excited to see how you did on that Yucatan test?" Emily asked Dylan with a playful smirk.

He gave a half-shrug, poking at his food. "Excited? Not really. Curious? Sure."

Aaron chimed in, "I'm more curious about your Beyoncé performance. What's your plan for that?" His tone was teasing, but there was genuine curiosity in his eyes.

Dylan sighed. "Claire mentioned last night at Equestrian Club that she wants to meet up tonight with the other girls to start planning. But honestly, I'm not looking forward to it."

Sophie leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, come on, Dylan. You should totally volunteer for the lead part. You'll kill it."

He rolled his eyes, brushing off the comment. "Yeah, not happening."

But the teasing didn't stop, and he knew it wouldn't. It was part of their dynamic now—poking fun at each other, especially about these things. Deep down, he appreciated the humor. It kept the tension from becoming too much.

That afternoon, Dylan's heart raced as he approached the crowd gathered outside the Geography of the Americas classroom. The grades were posted on the wall, and students were clustered around, anxiously scanning the list for their names.

He took a deep breath and made his way through the crowd, squeezing past a couple of girls chatting excitedly about their scores. His eyes scanned the list, looking for his name. He found Emily's first.