NEWFOUND HAPPINESS - PART 6 (Patreon)

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Part 6: The Dreams of Yesteryear

On the second morning in her new body, Tracy no longer had the panicked reactions she’d had the day before, though it still took her a full minute to reorient herself. A girl’s body, that’s right, she was Tracy now, no longer Bastian.

Once again, the worry stirring inside her was the same question to herself, “What should I wear today?” Clearly, she still hadn’t grown familiar with anything related to a girl’s life.

Hesitating wouldn’t help, so Tracy decided to just shut her eyes and randomly pick a set of lingerie for the day, and that turned out to be a mistake. The set she chose was extremely feminine and delicate, designed with intricate lace details. The bra was underwired, its cups covered in pastel pink floral lace over a white base, creating a look of elegance and softness. The thin, adjustable straps hugged her frame and subtly enhanced her bust. The issue was with the panties, made of sheer lace, with only elastic bands at the hips instead of fabric sides. The design matched the bra perfectly, forming a harmonious and sensuous ensemble. A tiny bow at the center of both the bra and panties served as a charming detail, one that Tracy felt a man like her had absolutely no need for.

Her face flushed bright red after she finished putting on the lingerie. That tiny pair of panties clung tightly to “that part” of her. If it had still been “what it used to be,” there was no way she could’ve worn something like this. But never mind that now. It was time to pick an outfit. After all, no one else would know what she was wearing underneath, as long as she could forget how it felt, everything would be fine.

Once again, she was wrong. As she turned toward the door, she was startled to realize that her “mother” had been standing there for who knew how long. Hallie was smiling mischievously at her, “Well now! My daughter is looking more feminine today!”

Tracy quickly shook her head, trying to explain, “No… it’s not like that… I just picked this lingerie at random.” But her mother merely nodded several times, as if completely understanding, “I know, I know, you don’t have to explain it to me, sweetheart.”

Tracy gave up trying to explain. Flustered, she quickly changed the subject, her face still burning red, “Mom! What are you doing here?!”

Hallie was pleased to hear Tracy call her “Mom” more naturally than the day before. She said, “I came to bring you your outfit. I already ironed it for you yesterday.”

Tracy looked confused. “Outfit?” she asked. Of course, with so little of Tracy’s memories in her mind, she had no idea what made today so special that her mother would go out of her way to prepare clothes for her.

She took the outfit her mother handed her, a long-sleeved white dress shirt and a red tie with blue stripes. She was surprised at first; it looked quite similar to a boy’s outfit, until she noticed the short black skirt that didn’t quite reach the knees. This was clearly a uniform.

She turned her questioning gaze toward Hallie, who was sipping coffee with a touch of allure in a form-fitting purple silk robe. Hallie asked in a warm, velvety voice, “Are you ready, my darling daughter?”

Tracy responded with a question of her own, “Ready for what?”

Hallie sat down on Tracy’s bed, crossing her legs, revealing her long, slender legs. “Today is your first day of university,” she said. “I already checked your schedule. You’re studying design. Isn’t university your dream?”

Tracy turned back, her wide, glistening eyes opening in surprise. “Dad… I mean, Mom still remembers?” She didn’t have all of Tracy’s memories, but the word “university” made her heart flutter. She knew her mother was speaking of Bastian’s dream, not Tracy’s.

Her mother feigned offense. “Oh goodness… don’t call me ‘Dad’ anymore. Your father is Niall, and I’m your mother.” She stood up, smoothing Tracy’s shoulder gently. “Of course I remember! Maybe you still resent me for not letting you pursue that dream. But now, I’ll do everything I can to help you!”

Tracy felt flustered, unsure of what to say other than a simple, quiet “Yes.” Once again, the images of two entirely different people, Turner and Hallie, merged in her mind, and of course… those two versions didn’t fit together in any coherent way.

While Tracy was still lost in thought, Hallie pulled her back to reality with a single sentence, “But you’ll need to wear black tights. Every girl at that university wears them as part of the uniform, even if the school doesn’t officially require it. But I suppose that won’t be a problem. It’s quite chilly outside, and the tights will keep you warm… and make you look a bit more alluring, too.”

Hallie winked, while Tracy blushed, “Huh?!” Before she could even react, her mother had already handed her a pair of black tights. She took them instinctively, though not the least bit willingly. Her mother teased, “Relax! They’re brand new, not something I’ve already used. Or… would you prefer mine instead?”

Tracy quickly tore open the tights’ packaging, hoping to stop her mother from teasing her any further. The black tights were quite sheer and matched the color of the skirt nicely. She had worn socks before, of course, but men’s socks at most were just knee-high sport types—and they were thick. Now, she was struggling to pull the tights on carefully. As difficult as they were to wear, she couldn’t deny one thing, she liked the feeling of them on her legs. They were smooth and comforting, surprisingly pleasant.

Next, she put on the rest of her university uniform. Hallie helped her apply some makeup and tied her hair into a neat ponytail. Tracy packed her notebooks into a pale pink backpack, then followed her mother down the stairs. Hallie stepped into the kitchen and returned with a lunchbox wrapped in a floral handkerchief. “I made this for you,” Hallie said, her eyes warm. “Enjoy your meal, sweetheart! From now on, I’ll take care of everything for you!”

Tracy took the lunchbox, her eyes slightly misty. Wasn’t this exactly what she had always dreamed of? No more staying up late or waking early to prepare meals for a drunken father who constantly yelled at her. No more being denied school, no more being left to fend for herself. Now she was going to school, being cared for. In a quiet voice, she murmured, “Thank you, Mom.” It might have been the most heartfelt thank-you she’d uttered since her life had started to feel like a descent into hell. Hugging the lunchbox to her chest like a precious treasure, she hurried out the door.

◉ ◉ ◉

The university wasn’t far from home, so Tracy walked there, the soft clicking of her black ballet flats echoing on the pavement. With every step, she felt the breeze slip past her legs, a stark contrast to the stifling feel of long pants she used to wear. Familiar? Not quite. The sensation of emptiness between her thighs was hard to describe. And yet, somehow, it was starting to feel more comfortable.

When she reached the university gate, she stopped, stunned by the sight of the modern building shaded by rows of leafy trees. Students bustled about, laughter and conversation echoing all around. Tracy stood tucked into a corner, gripping her backpack straps tightly, feeling like a lost bird separated from its flock. She was really standing in front of a university. A place that once had been only a buried longing in the heart of a young mechanic.

She took a deep breath and walked toward the classroom written on the note Hallie had given her. The room was bright, the desks neatly arranged, and the faint scent of chalk hung in the air. Tracy chose a seat by the window, sat down, and placed her lunchbox on the desk. Just then, a short-haired girl approached with a radiant smile. “You’re Tracy, right? I’m Lina. Mind if I sit next to you?”

Tracy looked up, her eyes wide. “Yes… I’m Tracy,” she replied softly. She silently thanked God she hadn’t accidentally introduced herself as Bastian. Lina sat down and immediately struck up a conversation. “You’re so cute, seriously, that skirt suits you so well. Not like me. I think I’d probably look better in the boys’ uniform.”

Tracy smiled, her cheeks tinged with pink. “N-No, not at all… You look cute too! Really! But… how did you know my name?”

“You don’t remember? During enrollment, you and your mom were the talk of the whole campus! It hasn’t even been a day, and people have already dug up all sorts of info about you. Cute people always draw attention!”

Tracy’s heart fluttered as she heard her new friend call her cute again and again. How strange! Why would a guy feel delighted being called cute? Just then, an image flashed through her mind. A vivid scene of her and her mother registering for school appeared, clearer than ever, like a slow-motion reel playing in her head. She suddenly exclaimed, “I remember now!”

Lina tilted her head and laughed. “Remember? That was only a week ago, how could you forget something like that?” Tracy blushed and said nothing more, there was no way Lina could understand what was going on inside her right now. But inside, her heart was stirring with excitement. Just as Hallie had said, the memories were returning, bit by bit, though not yet much. The more she embraced this role, the clearer Tracy’s memories became. The joy she felt from being called cute by a friend had triggered part of those memories. And from the image of her and Hallie walking hand in hand, other memories began to unfold as well. At the very least, she now knew how to do her makeup and hair without her mother’s help, and that made her happy. And because she was happy about knowing how to do those things, she unknowingly triggered yet another layer of memory.

PART 7 >>