Summer's mind swam with questions as she hurried outside. How had Cynthia known about her changes? Did she see the bulge of her erection? Maybe she was in the bathroom? Had the maintenance man told her something? And what would she ask in return for keeping quiet? Money? An endorsement? One thing was for sure: this was not going to turn out well, and just when things were starting to look up.
Summer was so preoccupied with all these thoughts that she nearly collided with Alex as she turned a corner. She was so startled at the sight that her tail flagged and shot straight up and out of the back of her skirt. She quickly turned and stood with her back against the wall, hoping no one had noticed.
"Woah there, Summer. What's going on?" he asked.
"Hey, Alex. Sorry I'm just a little preoccupied at the moment," she said, sweating and holding her arms against the wall to block sight of her tail.
"Hey, I was just wondering if you wanted to go out tonight. Maybe we could grab some dinner, see a show, go out on the town. . "
Summer kicked herself. She and Alex had often hung out on campus, but they hadn't gone out on a proper date since the first one a week ago.
"No. Sorry, I really want to, but I have plans tonight," she said with genuine disappointment.
"Seems like you're busy a lot, Summer. Are you not feeling this," he wagged a finger between them, "anymore?"
"I am. I so am. I'm sorry. Things have been really crazy lately. How about Sunday?"
"That works for me!" Alex said with a relieved smile. He had shaved. It was a new look, but a good one, though his seemed to have a less masculine shape without it.
"Excellent," Summer nodded and slyly slipped her tail under her blouse. The two chatted for a little while. It was an effortless, enjoyable conversation about their favorite public art on campus. Alex must have picked up on the fact that she wasn't really in the right mindset for anything too challenging. It was always a pleasure talking to that man, but each and every ounce of joy was immediately counterbalanced by anxiety. It felt more like she was building a house of cards than a foundation for a healthy relationship. No matter how high she managed to build it, it would only lead to a spectacular collapse when he found out about her. . . condition.
==___ ;,-,y___==
With the solstice only a week away, it was still quite bright out at 7:30. The shadows were growing longer and the air had gone from muggy and hot to refreshingly warm. Summer was still sweating like crazy under her overcoat. She was more appropriately dressed for a mountaineering expedition than a summer evening. Her outfit was even less appropriate for Resturante Liandra. She stood outside on the flagstone patio and watched waiters in immaculately pressed shirts expertly providing service to a rather put-together clientele. She could tell at a glance that each table had some reason to come here. It was business meetings, birthdays, anniversaries, and dates all around.
"Do you have a reservation, miss?" asked the host.
"I am meeting a friend here. Cynthia?" Summer imagined that she looked quite out of place, like an animal trying to blend in with a group of humans. Gods, she thought, that wasn't far from the truth.
He ran his finger down a handwritten ledger. "Ah yes, she's been waiting for you."
"May I take your coat, miss?" asked a well-groomed valet.
"No no, I'll keep it."
"Very well. Mr. Madeo will show you to your table."
The host gestured to a waiter who nodded a greeting and made his way toward the back of the house. The tables were all set with white tablecloths, finely folded mauve napkins, and wine glasses. People turned to stare when they heard her clomping by. Her feet had grown long enough that the heels were fully outside her boot, and her hoof tips were nowhere near the toes of the boot. It made it impossible to move quietly. Only an extremely aggressive lace-job was keeping the boots on at all.
Cynthia's table was tucked away deep in the back of the restaurant behind a corner. Thankfully, it was about as private as it could be without being in a different room altogether. Cynthia smiled when she saw Summer and gestured to the seat across from her. She had changed out of her t-shirt and jeans and was now wearing a more appropriate olive-colored knit cardigan and black slacks.
"Summer. I am so glad you came."
Summer sat, leaned in, and whispered, "Alright, Cynthia. What do you want from me?"
"I am so, so sorry if I freaked you out at school," Cynthia replied. "I just wanted to have dinner and talk, but wrapping it in a threat was the only way you'd listen to me. I hope you understand."
"Wait, you just want to have dinner with me? That's it?"
She nodded. "And talk. Yes." She took a sip of water. "I hope you enjoy the spot. It's a little expensive, but don't worry, I'll pay. I know you've been going through a lot lately."
Before Summer could ask her next question, the sommelier arrived with a bottle of wine. Cynthia wiggled in her seat.
"You are going to love this rosΓ©. It is my absolute favorite." The man poured a splash into her glass and Cynthia performed the standard swirl, sniff, sip, nod ritual. He poured a generous amount into both their glasses and left the bottle at the table. "Drink! Tell me what you think!"
Summer took a sip. It was a sweet, simple wine. No complexity, but difficult not to enjoy. "It's very good. Now. How did you know about. . . me? Who told you?"
"Of course. No one told me. To be honest, I just kind of guessed. The fact that you're here seems to imply that I was correct."
"That's it? You guessed?" Summer's heart sank. She suddenly felt like her clothes were invisible, and anyone who glanced over could see her warped, naked body.
"An educated guess. I don't want to make it sound obvious or anything. You've done a very good job hiding what I can only imagine are some very extensive changes." She ran her eyes up and down Summer. "'Winter in summer is the new breakfast for dinner.' Very clever. Only you could pull something like that off.
"The reason I knew was because I'm something of a transformee. . . let's say enthusiast." She leaned in and lowered her voice. "I find transformed people like yourself to be very, very sexy." She relaxed back into her chair. "It started when I was just a little girl. I had an obsession for transformation and alchemy. I learned everything I could about it, what little was available in this backwards town. If I were born somewhere else, I'm sure I'd be a professional alchemist by now. When I came of age, I realized that I found the concept very, very arousing. Not to BE transformed myself, mind you, but to sample the endless variety of the bodies of transformees.
"Over the years, I've gotten very good at picking up on the little clues that someone is hiding something. The extra bathroom breaks, the subtle bulges," she sipped her wine. "The sudden unseasonal changes in attire."
Summer sneered. "You're a pervert!"