Fanning the Flames

Even though you've only been in your new body and new life for a weekend, it truly feels like you've been this way your entire life. You feel great, you've got more confidence than ever, and if you ever need an excuse to smile it's only a glance in the mirror away. Is that shallow? Maybe it is, but whether it's because of some effect of the magic that turned you into a girl or something about yourself you'd never realized, you spent this weekend really feeling like yourself for the first time in...you don't know. Maybe forever.

The point is, even given how well you've already adapted to your new situation, it's a thrill to realize that there are still plenty of discoveries to make about your new self. This morning's discovery? Getting dressed is fucking fun now.

As a poor boy with both limited wardrobe and limited fashion sense, you'd pretty much rotated between the same three oversized tees and one pair of shorts, relying on some black nail polish and hair that had been mussed into what you hoped was a semi-stylish fashion to nudge you past sloppy and into sloppy-chic. As a rich girl who knows exactly how to rock her God Tier body, though? You're spoiled for choice, and you're super into it. The band tees are still there, of course, though they've multiplied ten times over and most of them have had a rather generous cleavage-baring V cut in the neck. Girl Ash also seems to be a big fan of crop tops and arm dropped shirts, clearly relishing an opportunity to display her hard-earned abs and arms. You have the greatest boobs in the world, it's true, but that doesn't mean the rest of you isn't equally delightful. There are cardigans, dresses both formal and casual, even a tuxedo that's clearly been custom tailored to your outrageous dimensions.

That would certainly make a splash. But maybe not for your 'first' day at school as New Ash. You wouldn't have minded going through and trying everything on, but you'd only paraded a few outfits before your mirror when the sound of Jenny honking her horn in your driveway interrupted your impromptu fashion show. You wind up wriggling into a pair of black high-waisted pencil pants that do just insane things with your butt and a short sleeved white button up that would almost be demur if it wasn't ever so slightly sheer, your dark lacy bra and the faintest outline of your stunning cleavage visible through the thin material. You throw a black leather bolero on top of that, slip on some Mary Janes and strut out to catch your ride, looking for all the world like some sexy goth spy off to investigate graveyard crimes or something awesome like that.

As it turns out, you weren't off to investigate graveyard crimes. Jenny just drove the two of you to school. Sort of a bummer.

Though this did lead to another interesting discovery about yourself: you aren't the most popular girl in school now. Or even all that close to it. You'd half expected to be greeted by throngs of adoring classmates the moment you set foot on campus, but the response you get between first bell and the end of your first period class is honestly sort of muted. It's not that you're _un_popular, not by any stretch of the imagination. Quite to the contrary, you have a suspicion that if someone was to create a hierarchy chart of your school, you would comfortably sit somewhere very near the top. It's just that Girl Ash seems to have a relatively small circle of very close friends, a handful of casual acquaintances, and everyone else is just sort of your classmate.

You actually think a sizable portion of the other students are sort of intimidated by you. Which, you know, understandable. You're the semi-spooky mega-babe daughter of a wealthy actress, and while they don't know it you're a literal for-real witch now. So yeah, you aren't trying to lean into it or anything? But you don't mind if people are a little intimidated.

Not so intimidated that the boys don't try to sneak stares, and a surprising number of the girls, too. You don't mind that, either.

All of this is why you're both mildly surprised and not all that surprised to find someone working up the courage to approach you as you fiddle with your locker. You had just finished etching a warding sigil on it, eyes peeled to see if anyone noticed the faint pulse of soft light that flickered briefly the moment it was finished, when you noticed her halting approach. It's a tall blonde girl, slender and leggy with her hair scrunchied back into a ponytail, and you think you actually kinda know her. That's Leslie from Drama Club, right? Max's on-again off-again girlfriend? Old You had semi-hung out with her once or twice, though seeing as Max was there he talked the entire time and you didn't get much of a chance to get to know her. Well fuck, no time like the present is there? "Hey Leslie!"

The girl jumps at that, apparently having given herself a little too much credit for stealthiness, but she doesn't turn tail and scarper. "Oh! Oh, um, h-hey Ash..."

You turn around and prop an elbow against your locker, giving the suddenly skittish girl an easy grin. "What's up?"

Leslie fidgets with her long ponytail, considering that before she sighs. "I...ugh. It's dumb. I'm being dumb. Look, can we just pretend this didn't happen? Please?"

Well that's weird. And now that you're looking at her more closely, her eyes are a bit red around the edges. She's done a good job covering it up, but you're sure that she was crying recently. You frown, straightening up from your locker. "Whoa, Leslie. Are you alright? What's wrong?"

The girl can't quite stifle her sniffle. "...I, ah, I just wanted to say that I hope you two are happy? And that there's no hard feelings? And, um, that's it?"

You just stare at her for a moment, eyebrows deeply furrowed as you try to parse through what the girl currently struggling to hold back more tears is saying. You're lost for a long moment, and then it hits you all at once. Jesus Fuck. "Leslie. Leslie. I am not dating Max Butler."

Leslie crinkles her eyebrows at that, confusion passing over her pretty face. "I, what? You're not?"

"I am not now, I was not then, and I will never be dating him."

That just seems to confuse the poor girl even more. "But...he broke it off, and he said...I mean, I think he implied you two were-"

You cut Leslie off there, giving her a helpless shrug. "I don't know what the tell you, Leslie. We're just friends. Actually, I'm not sure we're even that. He sort of sucks."

Leslie gives a sudden laugh at that. "He does sort of suck, right?" Her short-lived smile melts away into a look of despondence. "...I feel so stupid. I've been wasting my time on that guy since, like, eighth grade."

You nod sagely. "Well Leslie, we all make mistakes." The girl gives another start when you abruptly throw an arm around her shoulder. "But hey! You're young and hot, so the situation isn't all that dire, right?"

She gives you a sheepish little smile. "You're just trying to make me feel better."

"I am absolutely trying to make you feel better, but I'm not 'just' doing anything. Say, I could introduce you to some people if you want?"

Leslie balks a bit. "Oh geez, um, I don't know. I'd sort of planned on spending the next couple days watching Gilmore Girls and bawling. Going from that to meeting guys is maybe too big a swing for me right now?"

You give a pout. "Aw, okay. David Wright is having a party this Friday, and I thought maybe you'd want to come."

Leslie blinks at that. "David Wright? Running back David Wright? That David Wright?"

"Yep, that one!"

"Oh, wow." Leslie considers that. "I mean, I guess-"

You cut her off. "No, I really mean that one. Hey, David!"

The girl gives a squeak as you wave to the boy approaching behind her, suddenly very interested in making sure her clothes are on straight. Not that you blame her. You'd known who David Wright was before, sure, but now? The guy's a fucking hunk. Tall and broad-shouldered with that toffee skin and lop-sided grin, he certainly fits the part of Big Man on Campus. He's maybe the only player on the team with a real shot at playing college football, too, though you know he's set on studying veterinary medicine. He's handsome, sweet, just the right amount of full of himself, and you don't mind saying that his dick ain't so bad either.

That errant thought briefly knocks you out of your rhythm. You'd had your suspicions? But now you're absolutely certain that you are not a virgin. That is a dude you have for sure fucked. Not that you care all that much. Actually, you don't care at all. Moving on!

David grins warmly as he reaches you and Leslie, waving for the guys he'd been walking with to go on ahead. "Hey Ash, what's up? You're coming on Friday, right?"

You make a show of thinking about it, slipping your arms behind your back to thrust your bulging chest out ever so slightly. What? Teasing is fun. "I mean, I want to? But I've already got plans to hang out with Leslie."

"Oh?" David glances over at the other girl, Leslie making a heroic effort at not flushing fire red as she gives him a little wave. "Oh! Hey, weren't you in the musical last year?"

Leslie's eyes go a bit wide at that. "Um, yes?"

"You were so good! I thought you were a way better Belle than Hermione was in the movie."

There is precisely zero chance that Leslie is going to be able to respond to that, so you jump back in. "I know, right?"

"For real!" David shifts his grip on his backpack strap, glancing over his shoulder. "Well hey, I've gotta get to my next class, but if your plans on Friday end early...?"

To your surprise, Leslie actually responds at that, somehow managing to sound airy. "Yeah, maybe we'll pop by."

"I hope so." David gives Leslie another crooked smile, her cool facade holding steady above the water but her knees buckling slightly against yours. "See you later, Leslie! Ash!"

You wave to the departing boy bemusedly, shooting a smirk at the shell-shocked Leslie. "That was fun, right?"

"Fun?! I was, like, two seconds from puking in stress or something! God he's cute."

"Aw, Leslie, you've been focused on one guy for too long; your flirt game has really atrophied. Don't worry though,"--you puff out your chest, proudly indicating yourself with a thumb--"You're under the tutelage of the master now. I am a cruel master, yes, but a fair one. Heed my lessons well, and you too can wield the secrets of the Teasing Tiger Style."

Leslie can only shake her head in grinning disbelief at your audacity. "Okay, I guess?"

You sniff imperiously, favoring the girl with a nod before giving her a dismissive wave. "Then be off with you!"

She gives you a small bow that is only a little mocking. "Sensei." With that she turns and leaves, the renewed bounce in her step not escaping your pleased eye. You're going to have to figure out what the fuck is up with Max soon, but this is way more fun. You didn't miss that the sigil you'd marked on your locker flared up ever so slightly when David and Leslie smiled at each other, either, the glowing energy actually spreading from your unit to the immediately surrounding ones. Did your brief gestures towards playing match maker actually increase your spell's strength? That is really weird, and really cool.

And also really convenient, because you definitely weren't going to stop doing it. You might not have the widest circle of friends, it's true, but there are still some pretty cool people at this school. It's practically your divine duty to make sure that they fuck.