Goddess by the pool

— "Dude, check her out!" — Bob couldn't take his eyes off the girl who had just walked out to the pool, her tits bouncing with every step. — "Oh, damn, look at that body! Absolute bombshell!"

John, with a slight smile, looked at Bob and raised an eyebrow. The girl they were talking about was… well, not quite the one Bob had in mind. It was their old gardener, Chuck, who had just recently gone through a sudden transformation a couple of weeks back. As usual, Bob hadn't caught on; news around their neighborhood always reached him dead last, which John found endlessly amusing.

— "Oh yeah, she's... something," — John stretched out the words sarcastically, watching as the former Chuck awkwardly scratched herself between her legs, seemingly forgetting there was nothing there anymore. She slowed down, fumbling to adjust her chest, in a way that looked... well, weird, to say the least. — "But don’t you think... she walks kinda... unladylike?"

— "So what? Maybe she's an athlete. You know, those types train all the time, build up muscles. Not like us," — Bob sighed dreamily. — "Man, I think I’m falling in love," — he said, not taking his eyes off the "girl."

John almost choked with laughter, barely keeping it in. He even felt a little sorry for his buddy, who was so innocently infatuated with the former gardener.

— "Oh, dude, she's looking at us!" — Bob suddenly straightened up, taking a step back, like she could somehow hear them. His eyes widened, and his face flushed red. He raised a hand in a slight wave, but she either didn’t notice or pretended not to. — "You think she knows I like her?"

John could hardly hold back his laughter, watching how Bob, normally so confident, was now like a kid caught doing something naughty.

— "Oh, yeah, buddy, I’m sure she’s totally feeling your vibe," — John said, struggling to keep a straight face as he looked at the "girl," who had finally stopped fidgeting and was awkwardly looking for the nearest bench to sit on. — "Just don’t scare her off with your, uh… subtle charm."

Bob squinted, trying to make out more details. He clearly liked the way she just kicked something on the ground with a rough move.

— "Oh, give it a rest, dude. You’re just jealous!" — Bob turned to John, nudging him with his elbow. — "Where else are you gonna find a girl like this? Fit, gorgeous, tits on point... everything right where it should be!"

John snickered quietly, watching as Bob got more and more excited. He had a million ways to reveal the truth, but it was way more entertaining to watch his buddy swoon over former Chuck. Meanwhile, "she" seemed annoyed by all the staring. She’d already adjusted her bikini straps a few times, scratched herself clumsily where her stomach used to be, and shot them an irritated glare.

— "Oh yeah, man, she's got it all. See that look? Full of mystery. You can just tell she’s got a... unique view on life," — John said, holding back his laughter, barely able to keep a straight face.

— "Oh! So you noticed too?" — Bob nearly jumped with excitement, pleased that John was on his side. — "See? She’s not like all those other plain girls. She’s got a special... something."

John couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing, loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear.

— "Oh yeah, she’s got a ‘special’ touch, alright!" — he managed between laughs, holding his stomach.

— "Maybe I should go talk to her?" — Bob started smoothing out his shirt, glancing quickly at the "girl," clearly planning to make a move. — "Say something like, 'Hey, you’ve got... um... beautiful eyes'?"

— "Oh, Bob, you’re a real poet," — John could barely get the words out through his laughter, wiping away tears. — "You’ve got to tell her that! Especially about her eyes, oh, she’ll love it!"

Without catching the sarcasm, Bob straightened up with newfound confidence and glanced back at the "girl," who had just sat down on the bench, scratching herself between her legs again, looking like something was bothering her. Ignoring the strange gestures, Bob took a deep breath, pumping himself up.

— "Alright, I’m going in," — his voice was full of determination as he started heading toward her.

— "Hold up, hold up!" — John grabbed his shoulder, still grinning. As much as he wanted to let Bob walk into this trap, he knew he’d have to break the truth sooner or later. — "Bob, buddy, there’s something you really need to know about this... ‘lady.’"

Bob frowned, annoyed at being stopped on the brink of his "big moment."

— "What now, John? Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something… important?" — he waved a hand toward the girl.

— "Listen, Bob," — John patted his friend on the shoulder, — "I’m serious, there’s something you need to know about this... uh, fine lady. Don’t rush."

Bob squinted suspiciously at John.

— "Why are you saying this now? Are you that desperate to ruin my chance? Can’t you see she’s caught my eye?" — Bob threw another longing look at the girl by the bench, who had finally stopped tugging on her bikini straps and looked almost calm. — "And she gave me that look; it’s fate, I swear!" — Bob glanced back at her with excitement, just as she started picking at her teeth with her nails.

John could hardly keep himself from laughing, watching his friend dive headfirst into this mess.

— "Bob, really, I’m not trying to mess with your 'fate,'" — John started, trying to sound serious, — "but I’ve got to warn you: this ‘fate’ of yours has... um… a dark past."

— "A dark past?" — Bob raised a skeptical eyebrow. — "Is this your way of saying she used to be… a bad girl?"

John snickered softly.

— "Not exactly a ‘girl’," — he added. — "More like… a former guy. Remember our gardener, Chuck?"

— "What?" — Bob froze, looking back at the girl who was now sitting on the bench, flashing an awkward smile. — "Chuck? Our old bald gardener, Chuck?"

John nodded, savoring every second.

— "Yep. Old bald Chuck, but now he’s… well, she’s… sort of a she now. Had a chemical spill accident down at the plant, and, well, now he’s — I mean, she’s... ‘Chakelyn’ now."

Bob blinked a few times, as if trying to snap out of a bad dream, staring at their old gardener-turned-girl, who at that moment was scratching her armpits.

— "Are you serious?" — Bob furrowed his brow, unable to look away. — "This can’t be... Bald Chuck… and now she’s… like that?"

— "Bob, bro, I know how this sounds," — John patted him on the shoulder. — "But it’s true. The whole neighborhood knows; even Mr. Jenkins from next door greets her now as ‘Chakelyn.’ And as usual, you’re the last one to find out," — John smirked, barely containing his laughter, which was bound to burst out any second.

— "This can’t be…" — Bob shook his head, as if trying to shake off the ridiculous thoughts. — "You’re pulling my leg. No way this is Chuck. This... this is..."

He was at a loss for words, staring at the supposed goddess in front of him. His fists clenched as he took a deep breath, trying to calm the anger boiling inside him.

— "Enough. You’re messing with me, John," — he shot his friend an annoyed look. — "I’m going to find out myself."

— "Whoa there, Casanova!" — John tried to grab his arm again, but Bob just waved him off.

— "You know what? Just sit there and be jealous!" — Bob marched toward the girl, shaking off John’s warnings and mentally repeating, "No way. Chuck? That grumpy old dude and... her?" He glanced back over his shoulder at John, who, wiping away tears of laughter, just waved him on.