The Crystal Warrior (Chapter 15)

4.4K 203 1
                                    

The Crystal Warrior

By Maree Anderson

Chapter Fifteen

Classes were officially over for the evening, and the remaining students were getting in a bit of freestyle practice while Chalcey and Sam brainstormed how Chalcey was going to come up with six grand plus change before the IRS started knocking on her door. Of course Sam had immediately offered to give her the money. Or loan her the money. Even charge her interest on said loan if she couldn't stomach it any other way.

Chalcey refused each offer. But she was wavering. Boy, was she ever. Especially since none of Sam's other ideas had been very practical so far. Like the modeling one. No way was Chalcey going to "do some modeling on the side" when she hated being in front of a camera. And, in the unlikely event that she did get on the books of some agency, where the heck was she supposed to find the time? Sometimes she wondered whether Sam lived in the real world.

Esmeralda slinked up to perch on the edge of the registration desk. "Couldn't help overhearing. You know, I dated an accountant for a while. Didn't last. Was fine until he realized I was serious about the whole sex change thing. Then he called it quits. Wanted it both ways, you see. Tits and dick. Greedy bastard."

Her statement had completely floored Sam, who stood there gaping, unable to think of a single thing to say.

Classic frame it and hang it on the wall for posterity moment. Chalcey's laughter bubbled up and spilled out. "God, Esmeralda, is there anything you won't say?"

She shrugged. "When you've been through the sort of things I've been through, nothing embarrasses you anymore."

"I can only imagine."

Esmeralda hitched up her dress and crossed her shapely legs.

"What I wouldn't give to have your legs," Sam said.

Esmeralda stuck her legs straight out and contemplated them critically. "Yeah, they're not bad. Hair removal's a bitch though. It's so time-consuming being female."

"I wax," Sam said.

"I have to shave," Esmeralda said. "Hairs come in too dark to get away with leaving them long enough to wax. What about you, Chalcey?"

"Same. Hair removal's one of the only times that I sincerely wish I took after my mother rather than my dad."

"Fine body hair's the only good thing I inherited from my mother," Sam said.

Chalcey patted Esmeralda's bared thigh. "Better put those away, sweetie. They're attracting attention."

Esmeralda peeked at Chalcey from beneath her lashes, hope flaring in her eyes. "Oooh! Who?"

"Over there, by the sound system." Chalcey jerked her chin at a guy holding up the wall, his gaze glued to Esmeralda's legs.

"Oh. Him. He's sweet," she said, a flush of color painting her to-die-for cheekbones. "A little too sweet. Don't know he'd have the stomach for the truth."

"It's tough, huh? Not knowing how they'll react?"

"You have no idea, Chalcey." Esmeralda heaved a gusty sigh. Her bustier seemed about ready to pop its hooks and eyes, and her admirer's eyes widened still more.

"The perfect guy's out there, Esmeralda. One day he'll find you."

"Hope so." She visibly shook herself. "Anyway, I didn't come over here to talk about me. I have an idea how you could raise the money you need."

Chalcey leaned back in her chair, tapping her chin with the rolled up sign-in sheet. "Oh? Do tell."

"You could hold an auction." Esmeralda threw up a hand to prevent the automatic response that was about to spill from Chalcey's lips. "An auction of men. Dates with men, to be precise. A whole bunch of us—" her emphasis on the word "us" made it clear she meant transgenders like herself "—auctioned ourselves off a few years ago to raise money for a friend with HIV. We held a charity gala. Raised a heap of cash for his treatments." Her gaze went all dreamy and unfocused. "I had the best night. The guy who won me said I was worth every single dollar."

The Crystal WarriorWhere stories live. Discover now