Made in Taiwan 21

Day 95

I woke up pretty hungover the next day and really didn’t want to get out of bed. Unfortunately, Simona was already up.

“Come on, sleepyhead, it’s time to get up”, she announced cheerfully, “we have to get ready”,

With my head pounding, I just stared at her. I didn’t want to speak to her. Hell, I didn’t even want to be around her. By this point, I was convinced Simona had a screw loose, and if I’m honest, she scared me a bit.

“Ok, let me at least take a shower first”, I replied groggily.

“Of course”, she answered, “I was going to suggest that myself. Remember to wash your hair. It smells like smoke”.

I nodded my head and sighed before dragging myself out of bed and plodding off to the bathroom. Feeling a twinge of pain in my backside as I walked, I tried to block the thoughts of the previous evening out of my mind. At that moment, I couldn't deal with them.

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Two hours later, we were sat on the train, heading up to Fulong beach. Being late in the year, thankfully, there weren’t too many people on board. Meaning we managed to easily find a seat. I’d heard the train got pretty busy in the summer months when the weather was hotter. Not that it wasn't nice out today. The Sun was shining, and the temperature was in the mid to high twenties, perfect weather for the beach, under different circumstances.

Shoulder to shoulder with Simona, I avoided eye contact with the old couple sat opposite us. Feeling very self-conscious, I wriggled in my seat and pulled at the short summer dress barely covering the top of my legs. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I was wearing beneath, and was dreading the thought, that soon. Everyone on the beach would see me parading around with only the tiny orange bit of material to cover my modesty.

But the bikini wasn’t the only thing making me squirm. Worried that wearing so little, something might show, Simona had taken great care in strapping down the thing between my legs and taping my chest to create some cleavage. The result was almost unbearable, but at least I didn’t have to worry about anything that shouldn't be there showing. One small mercy, at least!

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After an extremely slow train ride, we finally pulled into Fulong station. Simona jumped down from the train first, having no problems wearing my old flip flops. For me, it proved a little more troublesome with a pair of her high heeled cork sandals strapped to my feet. I accepted her extended hand but still stumbled down from the train and into her arms.

“I got you, Babe. Don’t worry”, Simona joked.

Stepping back and straightening my dress, I glared at her. Annoyed that she had made me wear those shoes which my opinion, was a ridiculous choice for a day at the beach.

Straight of the station, we were right in the middle of Fulong town. A small place with not much to see, just a few streets with little shops and restaurants, a seven-eleven, and a few street vendors. But I guess people didn’t go there for the town. They came for the beach, just a few hundred yards away.

After getting some drinks and snacks in the seven-eleven, we headed for the beach. But before we stepped foot on the sand, we first needed to get changed, something about making an entrance. Finding the place she was looking for; Simona stopped and took some sunscreen out from her backpack. “Ok, dress off, Simona. I’ll do your back, so you don't burn”. Not wanting to overthink things, like I’d done all the way here on the train. I grabbed the hem of my dress and whipped it over my head.

Stepping forward, Simona pried the dress from my hands before stuffing it in her backpack. Bringing my arms in to try and cover some of my exposed flesh. My head swivelled about to see if anyone was looking. Having never felt so exposed in my life, standing there in a tiny two-piece bikini, I was convinced I was doing something wrong.

Squeezing a dollop of sunscreen into the palm of her hand, Simona approached me. “Come on, we talked about this, you can’t walk around looking like a scared cat”.

“But I am scared”, I replied nervously, “I feel naked”.

“But you're not”, Simona shot back, “you look like every other girl going to the beach, you look great”.

Her words weren’t very reassuring if anything they just made me feel more frustrated. But knowing I wasn’t getting my dress back; I didn’t bother to argue. Instead, I let her lather up my body with sunscreen, which actually felt pretty nice, not that I wanted her to know that. I waited for her to close the bottle before I looked up into her eyes. “Are we done”? I asked in a surly voice.

“Yes, let me just…”.

“Great”, I declared, cutting her off before turning my back and strutting away.

(See image 28)

It didn’t take her long to catch up with me, given the steepness of the path down to the beach and my impractical footwear.

“Is this about last night”? Simona announced as she arrived alongside me. “Are you still upset about what happened at the bar”?

Stopping, I slowly turned to face her and took a breath. “It’s everything”, I yelled, throwing my arms in the air. “I don’t want to be here! And I don’t want to be wearing a fucking bikini! I want my old life back! I want to be Grant again”!

Simona looked angry for a second before her face relaxed. “Ssshhh, keep your voice down. Do you think I'm happy with the way things are? We just have to get through today and the next few months. There’s no point continually complaining about it. After all, this is your fault”.

“My fault”! I cried, “you can’t be serious”!

A tremendously loud cracking sound exploded in my ear as a stinging pain erupted across the side of my face. My vision blurred and I barely managed to stay on my feet. “Pull yourself together. I’m so sick of this shit", Simona screamed, " I can’t believe I ever gave a loser like you the time of day. All you ever do is moan, moan, moan. Now let’s get down there and impress Lulu and her team. That’s why we're here”.

Holding the side of my face, I could believe she had just slapped me. I felt like punching her in the face or scratching her eyes out with my nails. But something stopped me. Perhaps it was some deep routed feeling that it was wrong to hit a girl, even if she didn’t look like one, at that moment in time. But more likely, it was the fact that I was almost naked. In a place, I’d never been before with all my belonging, including my little dress, stored away in Simona’s backpack.

Pulling my hand away from my face, I looked into her eyes and smiled broadly. “Yes, Grant, whatever you say, Baby. Can you hold my hand on the way down, so I don’t trip"?

I saw the look of surprise on her face, obviously not expecting my reaction. Reading this, you might also be surprised by my reaction. But I had made a decision. I'd had enough. For the rest of the day, I would jump through her hoops. Smile and agree. And then as soon as we got back to the city that evening. I'd get back to my apartment and out of these girly clothes, to hell with the consequences.

“No problem, Babe”, Simona replied, raising an eyebrow, and extending her hand, “I’ve got you”.

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With the smile still plastered to my face, we arrived at the bottom of the path and stepped onto the sand. My heels. as chunky as they were, instantly sank into the soft sand.

“You can take your heels off now if you want”? Simona said, looking over.

“No, It’s ok, I think I'll keep them on”, I replied, knowing how ridiculous I’d look, hobbling across to where Lulu was wearing them. Or in my mind, how ridiculous Simona would look. If she wanted me to wear these impractical shoes, she was going to get her wish.

“No really, you’re going to sink in with every step”, Simona stated, sounding a little annoyed, "you'll be much more comfortable without them".

“Now who’s the one complaining”, I said with a smile. “Just hold my hand and I’ll be fine".

“Fine”, She groaned, “let’s just go”. And off we went, across the soft sand at an excruciatingly slow pace. My feet were sinking in with every tiny mincing step I took. Which was pretty tiring, I can tell you, but seeing the angry look on Simona’s face made it all worthwhile.

After fifteen minutes of walking, which without the shoes would have taken a minute or so. We approached the area that had been set up for the photoshoot. A cordoned-off area with ten or so people inside. Most of them staring straight at me. Looking bemused and obviously thinking I was ridiculous as I stumbled along awkwardly, pulling my well-practised bitch face. But the looks only made me play it up even more, exaggerating my movements and letting out little moans of frustration. If Simona wanted a fight, then game on. I had my own arsenal of weapons.

Arriving at the area, I was drenched in sweat and panting. Simona quickly let go of my hand and ran ahead to talk to one of the men who was supposedly going to let us in. I didn’t care either way. My attention was drawn beyond where the two of them were talking. To the absolutely gorgeous Lulu, lying on the sand, posing for a picture.

(See image 29)