Caught between a rock and a high heel 12

Kieron was feeling the effects of a gruelling workweek when he awoke on Saturday morning to the sound of an ear-piercingly loud alarm. After spending the last year as a traveller, adjusting to a 9-to-5 lifestyle felt like a prison sentence. And to add insult to injury, his work uniform was restrictive clothing and towering heels, which left him feeling drained and uncomfortable. Rubbing the sleep from his puffy, tired eyes, he longed for a lazy morning. But there would be no restful morning with a lie-in. Instead, a scary appointment at the hair salon was what lay in wait.

Finding Becca sleeping in, for once, Kieron was given the freedom to choose his outfit without the fear of critique. But with that freedom came a newfound worry - what if he made the wrong choice and everyone could tell he was a crossdresser? As he tried on different combinations of jeans and tops, the thought of being exposed and mocked consumed him. After thirty minutes of self-doubt, where he fussed over every detail of his appearance, he made the daring decision of adding makeup to his look (something he never originally intended to do)

But even with his makeup perfectly applied, Kieron was still filled with uncertainty. The nagging fear that he still looked too masculine lingered in his mind! With time running out if he wanted to make it to the appointment on time, he made another bold decision. He slid a pair of sleek black tights up his smooth-shaven legs, wriggled his hungry body into a short black dress, and slipped on a pair of four-inch wedge pumps. Finishing the look with a warm and cosy button-up cardigan, he glanced into the mirror before frowning at what was becoming a familiar sight – a smartly dressed woman, ready for the office.

Reaching down with as much confidence as he could muster, Kieron snatched up the handbag he'd carefully arranged the night before. His eyes darted back to the mirror as a wave of nausea washed over him at the thought of what he was about to do - stepping out onto the bustling streets of London, wearing a dress and heels, and not for the first time. The idea of presenting himself to the world as a woman still petrified the young Irish man, but despite the fear, he was reasonably confident he could pull it off - after all, he'd donned this disguise countless times by now and knew it could fool people.

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Kieron burst into the salon, his nerves firing on all cylinders as he clomped in on his wedge shoes. A welcome change from the sky-high heels he had been sporting all week, they provided a sense of comfort as he approached the reception desk. With a deep breath, he announced his name and was soon seated in a plush chair, draped in a black cape, and given a glass of water. Despite his best efforts to calm down, he sat there shaking as his mind raced with thoughts of how he would explain the wig atop his head and the boyish haircut hidden underneath.

“Hi, I’m Lucy,” announced a cheerful woman, taking Kieron by surprise. “You must be Kiera?”

"Y-yes, that's me," stammered Kieron, his nerves getting the best of him.

"It's an absolute pleasure, Kiera," beamed Lucy, eager to get started. "What can I do for you today?"

Kieron's face turned crimson as he shifted uneasily in his seat. "Well, it's a bit awkward," he admitted, struggling to find the right words. “You see… I…”

But Lucy, with her sharp intuition, picked up on his discomfort and offered a comforting hand. "Don't worry, sweetie. Is it about your wig? You don't have to be embarrassed; I promise."

Kieron's head shot up in surprise. "You can tell?" he exclaimed.

"Honey, I've been working with hair my whole life," replied Lucy with a knowing grin. "Now, let's take it off and see what we have to work with."

With a deep breath, Kieron hesitantly reached up before peeling off his wig to reveal his natural, sandy-coloured hair flattened by a wig cap. To his surprise, Lucy's reaction was nothing but positive. "Oh, fantastic! We have so much to work with here," she exclaimed, removing the cap and running her fingers through his natural hair. "Your hair is lovely, full of volume and life, just lacking a bit of shape."

Kieron stared at her in the mirror, unsure of what to say. But Lucy didn't miss a beat, continuing the conversation. "So, what do you have in mind today? Something simple or a whole new look?"

"Nothing too drastic, please," Kieron stammered, his gaze darting nervously around the salon at all the pictures of feminine hairdos adorning the walls. “Simple it good. I kinda like how my hair looks.”

Lucy nodded with understanding. "Simple it is. Just sit back and relax. I got you.”

Surrendering to Lucy's talented hands, relieved that he hadn’t been branded a pervert and marched out of the salon, Kieron relaxed into the salon chair. But as the hairstylist began to work her magic, he soon realized that something was off. The first clue was when she coated his hair with a rich, black paste that made his scalp tingle and itch. But despite his growing discomfort, Kieron didn't want to cause a scene, so he gritted his teeth and endured the sensation. As the dye was rinsed away and Lucy began snipping and styling his hair, he knew for sure what hairstyle he was getting and mentally kicked himself for not being clearer in his instructions.

(See image 23)

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With a stony expression, Kieron stumbled out of the salon, still in shock from what had just transpired. The once familiar weight of his wig was gone, with his scalp now feeling the chill in the air. His new shorter style, with the fringe that once concealed his forehead pinned to the side, was not the most drastic of changes. But the greatest difference was hidden from the casual eye. Kieron was no longer wearing a wig! His natural hair, a sleek black mane, now bounced with each step as he stomped down the road in his wedge pumps. And as if things couldn't get any worse, in a bag Lucy had given him was an array of hair care products and a set of clip-in hair extensions, which blended seamlessly with his newly dyed locks. Lucy had taught him how to clip them in, promising they would be perfect for special occasions or as he grew out his natural hair.

As he walked, Kieron scanned his surroundings, fearful of every passing glance. The loss of his wig made him feel more exposed than ever, dreading that at any moment someone would see him for what he really was - a man in a dress! But as he approached the bus stop, it hit him that no one was paying him much attention. On one hand, it was a relief to be left alone, avoiding the embarrassment of ridicule. But on the other, it was a disheartening realization that even without his wig, people still couldn't see what lay beneath the layers of feminine clothing and beauty products. – a worried young man being led further away from his former life with each passing day.

(See image 24)