Rent or Forfeit 31

Chapter 31: Sisterhood

“Do I look alright?” Tommy asked, flustered, as he turned left and right, checking his reflection in the living room mirror.

Seated nearby, scrolling through her phone, Maddison slowly lifted and then shook her head, her gaze sweeping over her best friend. It was still surreal sometimes - how effortlessly scrawny little Tommy from school had transformed into the stunning blonde creature before her. His silky hair cascaded down his back in a shroud of golden strands, framing his gorgeous face. A sparkly turquoise spaghetti-strap top hugged his budding breasts, while a pleated leather skirt sat high on his nylon-clad thighs, giving him a beautifully feminine figure. And the boots - patent leather, knee-high, with towering platforms - were so impractically high that Maddison doubted she’d even be able to stand in them, let alone make it through a whole night out.

“Terrible. Cameron’s going to hate it,” she said dryly.

Tommy’s head snapped around, a deep pout forming on his recently filled lips. “Really? Is it too much? Did I make my lips too red?”

Maddison managed to keep a straight face for all of two seconds before bursting into laughter. “Oh, you’re too easy sometimes,” she teased. “You look gorgeous, Tam. Cameron’s a lucky guy.”

“No, I’m the lucky one,” Tommy said, his pout vanishing into a soft, dreamy smile. “He’s so kind and caring. He always makes me feel so special when I’m with him.”

“And so he should,” Maddison replied, nodding firmly. “You deserve to be treated like a princess.”

Before Tommy could respond, the doorbell rang, making him pause. “That’s probably Cam now. Will you let him in while I add some gloss?”

Maddison groaned as she stood. “Anything else while I’m up? A glass of champagne? A back rub?”

“Oh yes, please,” Tommy quipped, grinning. “I’ll take one of each.”

Maddison scoffed but chuckled as she headed out of the room.

“Love you,” Tommy called after her before twisting open a tube of sticky red gloss, carefully manoeuvring it with the inside of his thumb and index finger - his long acrylic nails making the task trickier than it should have been. Tilting his head, he brought the wand to his puffy lips and applied a fresh coat, pressing them together with a satisfied hum.

“Erm… Tammy?” Maddison’s voice called hesitantly from the hall.

“In here, baby! I’ll be right with you,” Tommy called back, his voice light and excited. But as he turned, his face dropped.

Maddison stepped into the room, flanked by his sister, Sarah. The moment Sarah saw him, her eyes widened in shock, her gaze raking over her brother's transformed appearance.

“What are you doing here?” Tommy asked flatly, his tone dropping as he tossed his lip gloss onto the coffee table and strutted around it, folding his arms across his chest.

(See image 31)

Sarah opened her mouth, but all that came out was a stunned, “Wow… you look… Wow!”

Tommy’s glare remained unmoved.

Sensing the tension, Maddison quickly took a step back. “I’ll, uh… leave you two to talk,” she said, already inching toward the door. “Tam, I’ll be in the kitchen. If you need me, give me a shout.” And with that, she scurried from the room, clearly wanting no part in the brewing confrontation.

Sarah, still staring, finally found her words. “Monica said you’d started hormones, but I didn’t expect you to look so… Are those real?” Her eyes flicked down to Tommy’s protruding chest, her voice unsteady.

Tommy’s jaw clenched. He had no desire to discuss his personal life - especially not with her. Her visit was unannounced, but after his recent reconnection with Monica, it wasn’t completely unexpected. He and Monica had been meeting up for coffee every few weeks, slowly rebuilding a bridge that had once been burned. During their last catch-up, Monica had mentioned that Sarah regretted how she had treated him and wanted to make amends. Tommy had expected a phone call, maybe a hesitant text. He hadn’t expected her to just show up on his doorstep uninvited.

“Yes, they’re real,” he shot back, his voice laced with venom. “So go on, say something nasty and then you can leave.”

Sarah let out a loud sigh, her shoulders sagging as she dropped her head. “I’m sorry, Tammy,” she said, her voice quiet but raw with sincerity. “I’ve been a terrible sister. I didn’t come here to fight. I just want to talk. Can we… can we sit and chat for a bit?”

The vulnerability in her voice threw Tommy off guard. He had braced for snide remarks, passive-aggressive comments, maybe even outright mockery - but not this. His arms slowly dropped to his sides as he studied her. After a moment of hesitation, he gave a small nod and gestured toward the sofa.

Sarah crossed the room, moving cautiously as if afraid she might say the wrong thing and make him change his mind. Even as she sat, her eyes never left him, the shock of his feminine appearance still evident on her face.

Tommy took a breath, steadying himself before sitting down beside her. A tense silence followed, neither knowing quite where to begin.

“You look nice,” Sarah said after a long pause.

Tommy glanced over, his expression unreadable. “I’m on my way out,” he replied flatly, smoothing his skirt. “I don’t have much time. Cam will be here soon.”

“Cameron. Your boyfriend, right?” Sarah asked, her lips pressing into something that resembled a smile.

Tommy gave a short nod. “Yeah.”

Sarah hesitated before speaking again. “I’m proud of you, you know?”

Tommy’s brow furrowed, caught off guard by the statement. “Proud of me?” he repeated, his voice laced with surprise. “For what?”

Sarah sighed, shifting in her seat. “For… everything. I know things weren’t easy after Mum left. But you figured things out. You built a life for yourself. You didn’t let anyone stop you.”

Tommy let out a bitter scoff. “No thanks to you,” he muttered, folding his arms again.

Sarah winced but nodded. “I know. And I’m sorry,” she said, her voice softer now. I should have been more understanding. I should have been more mature."

Tommy exhaled through his nose, looking down at his neatly folded pantyhosed legs. He wasn’t angry, not really. But the wounds were still there, even if they weren’t as raw as they used to be.

“I just…” Sarah hesitated, glancing down at her hands before looking back up. “I don’t expect you to forgive me right away. But I’d like to try and make it up to you. If you’ll let me.”

Tommy was quiet for a moment, his long lashes sending a waft of air across his rounded face as they lowered to process her words. “I don’t know,” he finally admitted, twisting his feminised body slightly towards her while straightening his back. “I’m not mad at you, Sare. I just… I don’t know if I can trust you after everything.”

Sarah nodded again, accepting his words. “That’s fair. I get it.”

Another silence stretched between them before Sarah exhaled and rose from her seat. “Well… I should probably go,” she said, her voice quieter now. “I don’t want to keep you.” She turned, taking a step toward the door.

Tommy watched her go, something twisting uncomfortably in his chest. Until his lips parted and he blurted out. “Sarah. Wait.”

She stopped mid-step, glancing over her shoulder.

Tommy hesitated, tapping together his long acrylic nails. “Maybe we could talk again. In a few days. Once I’ve had time to process… all of this.”

Sarah’s face softened into a warm smile. “I’d like that,” she said gently. “You’ve got my number. Call me when you’re ready.”

Tommy nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching into something that almost resembled a smile.

Sarah gave him one last look before heading out. Moments later, he heard Maddison show her out. Then, just as quickly, Maddison bounded back into the room, flopping onto the sofa beside him. “Well, that was.. something.”

Tommy exhaled slowly, staring at the door for a moment before shaking his head. “Yeah,” he admitted, rubbing his hands over his silky thighs. Then, he let out a small, almost disbelieving laugh. “But… I think maybe she wants to change.”

Maddison studied him for a moment before nudging his shoulder. “And what do you want?”

Tommy shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess… I want to believe her.” He glanced at Maddison, his expression unsure but hopeful. “People can change, right?”

Maddison tilted her head, considering. “Maybe.” Then, with a smirk, she added, “Or maybe she just realised how insanely hot her little sister became and now she wants beauty tips.”

Tommy rolled his eyes but couldn’t stop the small smile creeping onto his lips. “Oh, shut up.”

Maddison grinned, kicking her feet up onto the coffee table. “I’m just saying! If I were her, I’d be jealous.”

Tommy chuckled, shaking his head before glancing at the time. “Oh! Cam will be here soon,” he said, straightening up. “Does my makeup still look okay?”

Maddison leaned in, narrowing her eyes as she studied his face with exaggerated scrutiny. “Hmm… eyebrows even, eyes popping, lips lined to perfection. But… oh!”

Tommy’s breath hitched. “What?” he asked quickly, his hands twitching toward his face.

Maddison held her serious expression as she slowly raised a finger toward him - then burst out laughing. “Just kidding. Your makeup is still perfect, just like it was five minutes ago.”

Tommy groaned, swatting her hand away as she cracked up next to him. Crossing his arms, he turned away with a dramatic pout. “Honestly, I don’t even know why I put up with you.”

Maddison leaned her head on his shoulder playfully. “Yes, you do.” She flashed him a loving smile. “I’m hilarious.”