Author Topic: story: The new girl's secret (Read 28951 times)

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #30 on:** 26. July 2023, 17:31:39 PM »

Part 4

Chapter 17/22 - An evening stroll

The father sighs and rises from his chair. "Get dressed, child, let's get some fresh air!"

"What do you want? Go out? Now?" She looks at him like he's gone crazy. "Why? It's pitch black. And cold as heck!"

"That's why. Cold air works wonders." He is already at the coatrack and beckons his daughter to follow.

Confused, Leonie gets up. "What's the matter, dad? What is this supposed to be?" But she follows suit and puts on her coat, along with gloves, muffler and hat.

"A little exercise and cold air work wonders against a moral meltdown."

"I don't have a meltdown!"

The father laughs loudly: "Oh yes, you do!"

"Are you serious about going out now?", Leonie stares at her gloved hands contemplating.

"You could show me where your bus is stopping. We still haven't found out after all, when you have to be at the bus-stop tomorrow morning."

They are standing at the door of the apartment when the father notices something: "Go and put your headgear back in!"

"Why?" Leonie shakes her head. "I don't want to now."

But her father insists: "Come on, go, I'm waiting for you here!"

She shakes her head again. "Don't want to."

"And if I insist on it?", he's still smiling.

"Why should I?" But then she indeed walks back to her room uncertainly and returns with headgear on.

Leonie is more than skeptical as they walk down the stairs to the front door. Only because the light in the stairwell is so dim, one can't really see how much her ears are burning: "Why... do I have to I wear my headgear?"

The father looks down at his daughter and takes her in his arms: "Child, you don't have to. If you really don't want to, you can of course take it off here and now. I just thought you'd might like to wear it! You've done so the entire day. And from my point of view, you are absolutely welcome to do so!"

Leonie has no idea what to think. Somehow however, she has the feeling that it would be better to leave the brace in for now.

It is really freezing cold. Winter shows its unforgiving side. The wind whistles through the narrow alley as two figures walk along the dimly lit street. Silently, they walk side by side, their hands tucked into their coat pockets despite their gloves. Hoarfrost creates an almost ghostly white shimmer on the plants in the moonlight. A distant streetlight hums and flickers. Scattered sand and old snow crunch under the soles of their shoes. Apart from that, it's dead quiet.

Leonie is restless. She fears that her father might be planning to tell her something he doesn't want to do in the intimacy of their own four walls. Of course, it will be about her orthodontic treatment. Or her 'perversion' of it. Why else made he her put on her headgear? That's extremely suspicious. Leonie fears that she knows what her father wants to tell her: That he wants to have the very conversation she's been dreading for weeks.

But nothing happens. He doesn't reproach her; he doesn't scold her; neither does he tell her that he is disappointed in her. The only thing he says is: "I envy you your scarf!" He turned up the collar of his coat and tucked in his head.

"I'm definitely not going to give it to you," laughs Leonie. Despite her nervousness, it is funny to see her father walking like this.

Blowing white clouds into the air, they walk through the deserted alleys of Thalfeld.

A few times, Leonie starts to ask her father why he has brought her out into the cold. No, Leonie already knows the 'why': No doubt about it, sooner or later she will have to listen to a moral sermon. The correctly formulated question should therefore probably be: Should she get it over with right away or should she savor the calm before the storm as much as possible?

In the end she can't bring herself to speak up, and so the silence continues to weigh on her.

Even without Google Maps, Leonie can find the village center again. Well, that's more of a euphemistic expression for: »The street's a bit wider here and there's a fountain next to the bus stop«. Thalfeld is so small that there is no church. Just one pub. No corner-shop, no butcher and no bakery. Only one bus stop. And a fountain next to it. So, maybe one should call it a hamlet instead?

Oh yes: there is also a bench. A completely, in every way ordinary bench. For sitting on it. Must be the pride of entire Thalfeld, because in the light of her cell phone Leonie can read on the plaque that this bench was donated by a resident of Thalfeld just a few months ago.

A glance at the menu of the pub announces that it is closed for winter break for another month.

In front of a house is a small bed with flowers. Withered for months, of course. But they are still there. Frozen stiff. The stem of a flower breaks clean when Leonie reaches for it. Lost in thought, she plays with it until finally the head snaps off as well. Sighing, she drops the stem.

A look into the fountain reveals that it was emptied in the fall. There's no thick slab of ice glistening menacingly in the shine of the smartphone-flashlight.

Leonie didn't expect it either. She rather is trying to use every opportunity she finds to occupy her mind as much as possible so that she does not have to worry about what her father might want to talk about.

Even the single sheet with the departure times at the bus stop is studied more intensively and longer than would have been necessary. But at least Leonie now knows when she has to wait for the bus tomorrow morning.

"Shall we move on?" the father asks finally.

"I was afraid you'd never ask," Leonie shudders. When they stop moving, even a winter coat doesn't shield them from the bitter cold. "Because of you, I'm nearly frozen solid!"

"Why is that my fault?"

"It's always your fault, dad!" for the first time in a while, a genuine smile forms on Leonie's lips.

They continue on the main street. To the edge of the hamlet. Then, they plan on returning to 'their' street via a detour. That won't take much longer than just turning around. Thalfeld is small after all.

"My nose is slowly freezing," he reports.

"It's your own fault if you didn't want to wear a scarf," grins Leonie. Her nervousness has partly subsided. The walk is good for her, as the father predicted. The cruel cold calms her tense nerves. Or freezes them. Probably the latter. "But on the other hand, I can understand you: my teeth are freezing right now too."

"How is that supposed to work?" he looks at his daughter in amusement.

"The air is so frigging cold," she complains and bares her teeth for a moment: "I have the feeling that my braces are freezing every time I breathe in. And since they are made out of metal and conduct cold very good..."

"Then you have to breathe more through your nose!"

"Very funny, dad, haha". Leonie has been struggling with a cold for weeks. Nothing serious. Just bad enough that her nose is blocked. And her father knows this very well.

"What did you say, child? »It's your own fault«?"

Her cheeks have turned deep red again. However, nobody can say whether it is because of the cold or her next remark: "Besides, this facebow is also freezing cold!" She snips her finger at the metal bow, but because of the gloves the effect is more of a dull 'woomp' than a metallic 'clack'. "It feels very strange whenever the cold metal touches my lips or cheeks!"

"You have to be careful not to stick to it," jokes the father. "You would certainly stick to a lamppost now if you licked it."

"I'm not THAT dumb!"

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #31 on:** 27. July 2023, 17:38:33 PM »

That's a bit of a longer chapter, but I don't want to split it.

Chapter 18/22 - The truth

They walk side by side in silence again. In the distance a car drives by; behind a window, the TV is flickering, but otherwise it's quiet.

But it is exactly this silence, that starts to weigh on her nerves. And finally, Leonie feels like she has to say something. The longer they walk side-by-side in silence, the more restless she becomes. Until she can stand it no longer: "You know, dad, I'm a little scared of the next orthodontist."

"Why's that?"

"Well, because I haven't been to a doctor in such a long time. Half a year... long enough that even the health insurance is contacting us! I'm afraid he'll give me a hard time about it!"

"I don't think he's going to chastise you. Sure, he will ask you why you took such a long break. You'll have to expect that, but that's about it. While we're at it: Would you tell me WHY this pause has become so long?"

"Because...", Leonie hesitates, "...because Dr. Reinhard was a stupid git. That really put me off for a while!"

He looks at his daughter in the light of a streetlamp. "I can understand that. But somehow, I have a feeling that's not all. Won't you tell me?"

But his daughter does not answer. She is busy blowing white clouds into the air.

"You know that you can tell me everything, Leonie? If you want to tell me something, then I'll be there for you, no matter what it's about."

"I know, I know," but there is still no answer.

"Does it have something to do with you liking braces?"

His daughter stops dead in her tracks. She looks at him wide-eyed and scared. Then she looks down, ashamed, "You think I'm mad!?"

He shakes his head. "Where did you get that stupid idea?"

She just shrugs her shoulders.

"I'll tell you something, child. But be so kind and listen to me first, OK?"

Leonie nods uncertainly. So, there it is! The conversation he didn't want to have with her in the living room at home. The reproaches, the moral sermon, the I-am-so-disappointed-by-you. She clenches her hands into fists. "It's so embarrassing...", directed at no one in particular. Especially not at her father, whom she takes great pain to ignore.

And yet - of course - he heard. "This conversation isn't easy for either of us, child," is his gentle reply. "But I think it's high time we addressed this issue, don't you think so too?"

A silent shrug is all he gets from his daughter.

"It's not going to get any easier if we ignore it any longer. You don't need to answer now; neither 'yes' nor 'no' nor anything else, Leonie. Just listen to me and then think about it, OK?"

Even though she nods, it is clear that Leonie would give a lot to be able to escape this conversation.

"So... You have a 'preference' for braces. Many people have some kind of 'preference'." He smiles: "Can you still remember your Uncle Robert? And how he had always enjoyed riding his motorcycles?"

Leonie nods cautiously. She has no idea what her father is getting at.

He continues: "You could say that he had a preference for motorcycling."

Leonie looks at her father as if he's gone mad. "That's something COMPLETELY different!", she murmurs nearly inaudible.

"Granted, not every 'preference' is the same. With Robert it was an intensely pursued hobby," he nods. "Nevertheless: He had a lot of fun riding his motorcycles. And you... You have fun wearing your braces."

Leonie looks away.

"Are you ashamed, child?"

Leonie nods silently.

"Why? Tell me: Did you feel embarrassed listening to Robert talk about his motorcycle rides?"

Leonie shakes her head: "Why should I? It was really interesting. If I had been old enough back then, I might even have made my motorcycle license because of it. Uncle Robert was always good at telling stories."

"Why are you embarrassed about one and not the other?" he asks her. "Where's the difference?"

At first Leonie doesn't answer. Then, with little more than a whisper: "This braces-thing... that's not normal!"

"Says who, child?"

His daughter doesn't answer.

"What do you think: Maybe the difference is that society accepts motorcycling as a hobby? And that braces are seen more as a necessary evil. A lot of people might therefore have a hard time understanding how something like that can be fun?"

Leonie's ears are burning. If they had been at home in their apartment, she probably would now have fled to her room. But she can't just run away here. Maybe that's why her father has insisted on taking this stroll? Because he wanted to make sure that she doesn't abscond halfway through?

"Would you agree with me when I say: The main difference between a 'harmless hobby' and 'unnatural behavior' is whether society accepts what you do?"

His daughter nods. And her lips become even thinner.

"In other words: Whether you are 'crazy' always depends on the point of view of the person who makes this 'diagnosis'. Some would say that you're quite normal. Others would call you quirky. Still others would say that you're indeed a nutcase." He pauses for effect: "And the expert would probably call it a fetish!"

Leonie shakes her head, ashamed of herself. However, the father continues: "Yes, Leonie, I think we may as well call it that." With a gentle smile, he looks down at his daughter, who is standing next to him:

Hands in her coat pockets, head turned to one side. She doesn't want to look at her father now. A few seconds pass.

"You disagree?" he then asks.

Her reply consists of a mixture of a nod, a shake of the head and a shrug.

"Even if we do call your relationship with braces a 'fetish', you don't need to take that to heart. Because having a fetish isn't a bad thing."

Leonie snorts through clenched teeth, a white cloud rises to the sky.

"Yes, I certainly mean that," affirms the father, "A fetish is nothing bad, even if people are made to believe that all the time!" He wants to put an arm around his daughter's shoulders, but she flinches. The father feels a little helpless; he hadn't expected that and now he doesn't know, what to do.

"A lot of people have some sort of 'preference'. Many of those are accepted by society as 'harmless hobbies'. But if not... Then it doesn't matter whether you call it [ i]'sexual preference'[/i], 'extravagance', 'kink' or 'fetish' or something else. Most people have a hard time admitting that they have SUCH a preference. Precisely because the subject is so extremely stigmatized."

"'Stig...' what?" Leonie blurts out before she can stop herself.

"'Stigmatized': Laden with prejudices," explains the father. "Mostly with false prejudices. A fetish really is nothing bad, child, you can believe me."

"Then why is it so 'stigma...' You know what I mean? Why?"

The father sighs: "People are dumb, Leonie. They're afraid of things they don't understand. And people without a fetish find it difficult to understand what drives people with such preferences. And because they can't understand it, they are afraid of it. They demonize it. And that - of course - makes it extremely difficult for people with fetishes to admit that they have something that others consider 'deviant' and 'perverted'."

Leonie presses her lips together.

"If people would just be open and honest with each other, everyone would realize that the 'others' are just normal people as well. People just like you and me."

Leonie shakes her head.

"Do you not want to believe me, child? Or can you not?"

Now the girl laughs: "Oh, dad, I want to believe you, I really do! I just have a hard time with the 'just normal people' part!"

"Oh child, don't you think the earth would be a damn bleak place if everyone was 'perfectly normal'?"

"Right now, I'm wishing for it..."

"Then you may as well stop wishing for that again now."

Then he adds: "However, if I may say so: Of course, not everyone has a soft spot for braces like you do."

Leonie rolls her eyes.

"There are 'other topics' that are much more well-known and 'popular': Foot fetish. Latex-and-leather. Bondage. S/M. Just to name a few."

Leonie's eyes widen as she hears what her father is saying.

"Are you embarrassed, child?" he asks softly.

"Of course! I... I NEVER expected that we would talk about something like THAT!"

"You have problems with people who have a fetish?"

"No, I don't." She shakes her head hastily, "What you mentioned before: Bondage and all that stuff..." She shrugs: "That's not my cup of tea, but if someone likes it: »More power to them...«"

For a short moment, she smiles broadly: "On the other hand: A pretty girl in tight leather pants: Yes, I'd definitely like that..."

He nods: "You came out to me last year that you like girls. Would you tell me: Are you ashamed of not being straight?"

Slowly Leonie shakes her head: "I'm surely not going to tell every soul on this planet. There are still enough as**oles around that cannot accept that. But no... I'm not ashamed of that. Not anymore at least. I came to accept it."

He smiles: "Do you realize, what you just said? You called those people who cannot accept your life-choices »as**oles«. As in: »It's those people - and not ME - who have to change their views!« But when it comes to your fetish, you want to hide under a rock..."

Leonie looks to the side: "That's different!"

"Is it really? Sure: Being gay isn't the same as having a fetish, I give you that. You really must not say that those are the same! On the other hand: The LGBT-people had - and still HAVE - to fight, not to be regarded as 'deviant'. Just as people with fetishes have to! Over the past decades however, society slowly changed. 'Being gay' is now in the process of being accepted by society, but still there is backlash."

"If you look at it from this side, child: Having a fetish and not-being-hetero were once both regarded as 'deviant'. One of them is finally more-or-less accepted. Don't you think that this shines a ray of hope on the fact, that the other will become more acceptable over time as well?"

His daughter doesn't answer at once. "Maybe... but other people still HAVE a problem with fetishes. Dad, you said that yourself just now. What do I know: Maybe it will change in thirty or fifty years. But that doesn't help me NOW!"

"Doesn't that make you think that maybe having a fetish - just like being gay - is nothing to be ashamed of?", he asks.

Leonie shakes her head. "I know, what you're trying to say. I just... I just can't...", she shrugs her shoulders. "I'm not allowed to judge!"

"Of course you're allowed," he contradicts. "You are just as much a part of this society as anyone else. You may judge others just as they judge you."

"Yes, but..."

He smiles: "I have the feeling that your views on that matter are significantly more open than many others."

"It's THEIR life and not mine. They should do what makes them happy. No, I don't have a problem with other people being gay or trans or whatever. Or with them having a fetish. Really not." And then much quieter: "I have a problem with ME having one!"

"But if you give other people permission to be happy in their own way, why do you not allow that yourself?"

Leonie shrugs. She does not find an answer to this question. "I haven't thought about that yet," she has to admit. But at the same time, it's clear that she still has trouble accepting that she's 'different'.

"I've already told you that you don't have to be ashamed. That there's nothing bad about it and that everything is frowned upon because people are too stupid to understand it."

"It's easy for you to say, dad!" Leonie exclaims. "You have no idea what..." She breaks off.

"Tell me, child: why don't you have a problem if other people have a fetish, but you can't accept it for yourself?"

Leonie does not answer.

"Uncle Robert drove his motorcycle nearly everywhere. He had four of five of them. He even repaired and modded them himself. He was more involved in his hobby than many other people. So much so that some people looked at him askance."

Her favorite uncle being criticized makes Leonie start in anger: "So what? What's so bad about driving motorcycles? Nothing at all!"

"What's so bad about wearing braces and enjoying the experience?", her father asks softly.

Leonie looks at him with wide-open eyes. She doesn't find an answer. "Why... why are you trying so hard to convince me that..." she shrugs: "... that I... don't have a 'problem'?"

"Because you don't. And because I think that it would be stupid if you beat yourself up over something that doesn't warrant that."

A few seconds pass. Then a few more. Leonie just looks straight ahead.

"We don't have to find the answer to every single question here-and-now," he partially closes the topic. "Just think about it, child!"

For a few seconds, they stand side by side in silence. Leonie blushes and turns her head even further away, "You seem to know exactly what I... what I feel and..." She licks her lips. "You know: What... What 'makes me tick'!"

"I can guess," is his soft reply.

"That's so embarrassing!" in barely more than a whisper.

"I'm not Wikipedia, you can look up everything there much better than I could ever explain it to you. Now let me just say two things:"

He reaches out for his daughter. This time, Leonie allows him to take her into his arms. Then he bends his knees a little so that he can look his daughter directly in the eyes. Leonie sinks her hands - trembling with cold and nervousness - even deeper into her coat pockets.

She no longer manages to escape his eyes. Now... here it comes. What... What is her father going to say? Is it going to be very bad? She presses her lips together.

"»A fetish is nothing bad« and »I don't judge you«. You are my daughter and I love you with all my heart. Just the way you are!"

Leonie sniffs, but not because of the cold. She blinks several times.

A few seconds pass during which both stand silently next to each other.

"Let's go on, I'm really getting cold," she finally asks. Her father surely expected a different answer, but he straightens up again.

A short time later, walking silently side-by-side - they turn into 'their' alley; they will soon be back at their apartment.

"You are stupid. Like really really stupid!" Leonie complains at last.

"Why, child? What have I done now?"

"It's your fault that my eyes are frozen shut now!" the girl wipes the tears from her eyes.

"I don't think so: tears are salty and salt water has a lower freezing point!" He replies dryly.

In response, Leonie prods her father's side.

Comment: Yes, I know: Directly comparing hobbies and sexual preferences probably isn't correct from a psychological standpoint. But if it helps Leonie...

And yes: Kink and fetish are not the same. And BDSM is not a fetish, but both are paraphilias. Which again is a subpart of sexual preferences…

But I think, that this is neither the right time nor the right place to further discuss that.

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #32 on:** 28. July 2023, 16:48:53 PM »

Chapter 19/22 - The Beginning, Part 1

A few minutes later the apartment door closes behind them. Even if many of the windows they passed by had been illuminated, they did not meet a single soul on their walk.

"Well, I'll make myself a cup of tea now. Do you want one too?" The father rubs his cold hands.

"Yes please", Leonie nods. "Look here, dad!" She points to her metal facebow: Condensed breath forms a layer of hoar frost on the cold metal and when she stretches her tongue out and touches it, the tip of her tongue sticks to the bow for a short moment.

Five minutes later they are both sitting in the kitchen with a hot mug between their cold hands.

With red ears, Leonie points to her headgear. "Can you somehow understand that?"

The father laughs and shakes his head. "No, absolutely not."

Leonie nods dejectedly. She should have known.

He reaches for his daughter and gently touches her arm: "I really can't share your fascination for braces. But that doesn't mean much. I said earlier that I don't judge you."

"Yes, but...", murmurs Leonie.

He smiles a fine smile: "You didn't understand what I was implying earlier: People with fetishes are just normal people. People like you and me!"

She looks at him questioningly.

He suddenly feels insecure: "You still didn't catch on: People like... you... and... ME!"

Leonie's eyes open. "You mean..."

"Tell me, how could I ever judge you, when... I myself do know well enough what a fetish is?"

His daughter looks up with wide eyes. Now the father has turned quite red too. "Let's just leave it at that: I CANNOT blame you for your 'fascination', OK?"

Leonie nods. Just a little bit at the beginning, but the up-and-down movement of her head gets bigger and bigger. »Dad understands me? Dad doesn't hold it against me? Dad doesn't think that I'm a mental case? Dad doesn't think that I'm embarrassing to him?«

A grin creeps onto her face. Relief. Pure relief. And yet again her eyes get wet.

Then her eyes get wide: "Is... is that why... earlier you talked about bondage and stuff. Is that because... I mean... If I'm allowed to ask and..."

Her father shakes his head: "Please, don't take it amiss, but I think that I'm not yet ready to talk about it here and now. OK?"

She nods: "Certainly. I surely don't want to make you talk about something you don't want to talk about."

Leonie however looks at him for several seconds with an inscrutable gaze. Until her father visibly regrets having told her about his secret. "I'm sorry having burdened you with that. I shouldn't have said anything. I can understand that you didn't want to hear about it and..."

Leonie hastily shakes her head: "No, dad, no. It's all right. Really. I... I was just surprised. I just never thought that I'm not the only one to... have such a secret. No, really, dad. It's fine!"

"You're not embarrassed?"

Her daughter laughs out loud: "I can't believe how this situation has changed... Now YOU'RE the one who's sitting there meekly." Then she becomes serious again: "No, dad. I'm NOT embarrassed. It's your life after all. You should do whatever you want to be happy."

He nods slowly. "But if you allow others to do that, why don't you accept for yourself to simply be happy?"

"Because... well... it's..." Leonie shrugs. This new revelation is something she has to think of first. There's too much confusion in her brain right now. And then as an afterthought, she adds: "I don't think any less of you, now that I know, that..." she doesn't finish the sentence. Both blush furiously.

Both are glad to change the topic. Leonie calculates at what time she has to get up tomorrow in order to be at the bus stop on time. Then the meal plan for the next few days is discussed.

The cup of tea is soon drunk and refilled.

"You know, dad", her hand slowly wanders along the metal bow. "The way I feel right now - and after what you said - I would love to wear my braces for many more years!"

He smiles, "You really do fall from one extreme into the next, you do realize that, don't you?"

Leonie looks at him questioningly.

"Earlier you asked me if you should stop wearing your headgear altogether. And then you didn't want to put it on anymore at all. And now you want to wear it again 'for many more years'..."

"You're stupid, dad," Leonie sticks her tongue out at him.

"I know, child, I know..." but he is not offended in the least.

Some time passes, both devote themselves to their - still too hot - tea: "Is that the reason why you didn't want to see a doctor in Kiel?"

Leonie's response is a mixture of shaking her head and nodding. "Dr. Reinhard was an ass. That put me off. I really didn't feel like visiting another doctor for some time."

"I can understand that", he replies, "But as I said earlier: I don't think that this is the only reason."

Leonie blushes: "Yes... yes... there is something else, but..."

"You don't have to tell me if it's too embarrassing for you."

She laughs out loud: "If's THAT'S the case, we should've never gone out for that walk. No, Dad, THAT'S now behind us." For a few seconds she plays with her tea-mug. "I just don't know how to phrase it. I still don't understand it myself all that well."

Her father gives her enough time to find an answer.

"You know... please do not misunderstand me... but after we moved to Kiel, I wasn't to keen on going to a new doctor right away. There were more important things for me to do, you know. Like settling in first and finding new friends and so on..."

Her father nods solemnly.

"But when we finally went to an orthodontist... and he turned out to be an as**ole, that REALLY put me off. I really didn't want to go on for some time..." She silently lingers on her thoughts for a few seconds: "But when I was willing to go to an orthodontist again... in the meantime 'something else' had changed:"

"I had started wearing my headgear again. And I didn't understand, why I would do that. »Why do I put that stupid thing on voluntarily?«, I had asked myself. And I didn't find an answer to that. That was such a damn strange feeling. I didn't know how to deal with that. That had made me feel so insecure that..." she just shrugs her shoulders.

"...that you decided to get to the bottom of it before going to another orthodontist?", he completes the unfinished sentence.

His daughter nods: "More or less, yes. And later on... well, there was a third reason:" She licks her lips and sips the tea, which is still hot: "At some point I finally understood why I'm wearing my brace again... What we talked about 'out there'. You know... the... the fetish and stuff..."

"How do you feel now about it?", he asks.

She grins awkwardly: "The more often I go to the orthodontist, the faster my treatment will be over. You know, what I mean? "

"So you thought you'd just extend it for half a year by skipping your appointments?"

Leonie shakes her head: "No, I didn't. Well, at least not on purpose. But I wasn't angry that you didn't make a new appointment for me." She looks at him questioningly: "Why not, by the way? Of course, I would not have refused to go to the orthodontist if you had made an appointment for me. But why didn't you?"

Now it's up to the father having to answer an uncomfortable question: "I can't really answer that. I think it's more or less the same reasoning you just told me about: I didn't want to urge you to do something that you didn't want to do. And it seemed to me that you weren't all that enthusiastic about your treatment."

He raises his arms in a kind of helpless gesture: "But at the same time you started wearing your headgear from time to time. To be honest, I - just like you - hadn't really known what to think. And then I just thought that, well, that we don't have to rush anything and that at some point everything will work out by itself." He laughs: "And then, in the blink of an eye, half a year went by." Then he nods affirmatively: "But now I think we have made significant progress on this front."

His daughter grins, embarrassed. "That's one way to put it."

One could also say that both now deal with the topic more openly than before.

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #33 on:** 28. July 2023, 16:49:22 PM »

Chapter 19a/22 - The Beginning, Part 2

It all began with Leonie's first orthodontist being of the opinion, that he had to 'bestow his favor' on his patient by treating her with such an 'extraoral brace'. And like most children who have to wear a thing like this, she had complied rather poorly. While she had no problems with her normal braces, Leonie had not been able to get accustomed to her headgear.

Her father - as he had just confirmed again - hadn't wanted to push her to do something she didn't want. And so, Leonie had never worn her bridle that much.

How things would have developed with her first orthodontist must remain an open question, because less than two months later they had moved. The new orthodontist had indicated that he did not think much of his predecessor's treatment strategy and promptly stopped using the headgear. And his successor in turn only knew from records that Leonie had once worn a facebow for a short time.

And Dr. Reinhard from Kiel - her fourth orthodontist - knew nothing at all. He didn't want to be bothered with a patient who's moving away again in a couple of months. He had downright refused to even look at her records.

And so it came, that Leonie 'only' had to wear her 'normal' braces and was freed from the conspicuous additional treatment device, after she left her first orthodontist. That should have been a cause of relief for Leonie.

And it was!

At least for some time. Because over time - and especially in the last few months - something had changed in Leonie's behavior and feelings toward the braces. What? No idea! Who knows how such 'preferences' develop.

However, one evening - several months after her orthodontists had stopped using headgear - her father had seen her come out of the bathroom with her headgear in her mouth and disappear into her room. Leonie hadn't noticed at the time that she was being watched. And he hadn't asked her about it.

Her father didn't think much of it, however. Even though Leonie at this point in time no longer had to wear that brace, it had been part of her treatment earlier in time. So, while it certainly was surprising seeing his daughter with it, it wasn't anything to worry about.

A few days later the event repeated itself and then again and again and again. At some point Leonie had noticed that her father knew, but neither side had made the first step, but always pushed the topic aside.

But when - instead of 'hiding' in her room - one evening she suddenly stood in the living room with her headgear in and without saying a word snuggled into a blanket on the sofa to watch a film with him, the subject could no longer sensibly be ignored.

Leonie had answered his question; she had said something about trusting the first orthodontist more than anyone else. And that she started wearing her headgear again because she was afraid that all doctors - with the exception of the first one - could be wrong. That she might have to wear the metal bow after all. That she is afraid of not getting straight teeth if she's not wearing it anymore.

This explanation was at the same time logical and yet so obviously far-fetched that her father thought it easier to live with his daughter's explanation for now. That made the situation a lot easier for both of them for the moment. He wasn't sure how to deal with it. But in the end, he had made up his mind not to say anything.

From then on, Leonie had worn her headgear from time to time outside her own room, so that at some point it became 'a familiar sight' for him to see his daughter walking around with it. And Leonie had become more and more used to the fact that her father just seems to accept that she again wears her - actually no longer necessary - headgear.

At some point, however, Leonie was wearing her headgear more of her own accord than she had at the beginning of the treatment, when the orthodontist had still instructed her to do so. That was the moment when the father felt it was necessary to talk about it again. So, one evening, he had brought up the subject again.

And Leonie had brought up the same explanation that she trusted the first orthodontist a lot more. That she was now convinced that he was right. That all other orthodontists were wrong and that she really had to wear her headgear. That she could not get straight teeth otherwise.

Her father knew - or at least strongly suspected - this to be an excuse, but did not want to pursue the subject further. His daughter's heart seemed to be very much attached to wearing her headgear. He simply didn't want to see her dejected, if he had told her that he doesn't believe her 'explanation'.

And so, he gave in and they reached a sort of compromise and agreement: Leonie could wear her headgear whenever and wherever if she felt that she had to do so. She was allowed to wear her headgear as much or as little as she felt was necessary for her 'treatment'.

Her father knew where he stood with his daughter. And he strongly suspected that Leonie also knew her own position. But both kept up the illusion in order not having to face the 'embarrassing truth'.

Which was not that complicated to do. After all, Leonie's orthodontic treatment continued. Her still having those glues-on braces is the best proof! That made it easier for both parties to pretend that headgear was also still part of her treatment. Even if only on a purely 'voluntary basis' from Leonie's side.

That way it had become more and more normal for both sides, until finally Leonie had told her father a few weeks ago that she intended to wear her headgear a lot more after the move. That she was convinced by now, that she had to do a lot more in order to finish her treatment. And that therefore she also wanted to take the big step of wearing her headgear to school for the first time ever.

"I want to go to school on my first day and pretend that it's the most normal thing for me", she had said. And then she had added: "I WANT it to become the most normal thing for me too!"

That was the first time, her father actually started to worry about his daughter. What if he misjudged the situation during the last couple of months? If his suspicions that Leonie had developed a braces-fetish, were not correct?

What if she REALLY believed that she HAD to wear her headgear? What if she got fixated on an idea that is not true? After all, her last orthodontists both had the same opinion that headgear was not needed! What if Leonie would simply refuse to accept that? Or what if she doesn't understand that her phantasies are not based on reality? In that case he really ought to have a serious conversation with her. So he had made up his mind to talk to his daughter for a third time.

That they had talked about that topic today, wasn't planned. It was a lucky accident. In more than one way. Because now he knows for sure, that his daughter is not becoming obsessed with an 'idee fixe'. But that she used this only to justify and hide her fetish before him.

All of this happened without them ever having 'seriously' discussed the subject. That only happened today. And it was a 'good talk'.

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #34 on:** 29. July 2023, 17:12:48 PM »

Chapter 20/22 - The end of the day

"You said that you wanted to wear your braces for a long time. I don't even think that is very unrealistic. Even if we start looking for an orthodontist right now, your braces will surely stay with you for a while. And this six-month-pause certainly didn't help to shorten this time."

Leonie nods and can't keep a smile off her face.

"No, child, this is not a good thing to be happy about," but he does not manage to give his voice a stern tone. To see his daughter's good mood return is far more important to him. "May I ask you: Do you want to continue or stop?"

Leonie returns the question to him once again. "What do you think?"

He smiles: "As cheekily as you are grinning at me now, the matter is clear. And, if I may say so: That you are still wearing your headgear makes everything even clearer, am I right?"

His daughter nods.

The father nods. "Okay, then that's settled. Then at least I know what to tell the health insurance. Would you like to ask your friends at school if they can recommend a doctor to you?"

Leonie shakes her head: "I definitely won't do that. I've told them that I already have an orthodontist!"

He is surprised: "You have talked about it already?"

Leonie rolls her eyes: "Dad, what do you think? I stuck out like a sore thumb with that brace. OF COURSE I have been riddled with questions. Among them a question about my orthodontist. Now I can't go back and ask them which doctor I should go to!"

"Right, that might be a bit awkward. Well, I'll find someone for you." A short time goes by. The father pours himself more tea and also refills his daughter's cup.

"Dad, if you find an orthodontist for me, can you do me a favor?"

He looks carefully at his daughter: "I definitely can't promise that I will find someone who will prescribe you headgear again."

Leonie shakes her head and grins melancholy: "I know. I wish that were possible, but no, that's not my point. But maybe we can choose an orthodontist who is a little further away. Not one from around here? Is that possible?"

"We certainly could, but why should we do so? Are they orthodontists around here just as disagreeable as the doctor from Kiel?"

The daughter shakes her head: "I don't know. I don't believe so!" Then she grins, embarrassed: "I told my friends at school that I was going to an orthodontist in Munich. Basically someone, no one in my school knows. So that my story is not exposed. But if they catch me going to a doctor around here, that will definitely give rise to stupid questions!"

The father sighs long and distinctly. Then he nods: "I can do that. Munich is a bit far away, but it should be doable."

"Thank you, Dad!" Leonie grins relieved. Then she adds: "We don't have to go to Munich. That's not necessary. I just told my friends that because I couldn't think of anything better in that moment. I don't care, where we go. Just not to the one that everyone in my class went to!"

"Would you care to tell me what else you have said to your friends?"

She doesn't really understand what her father alludes to.

"You just said: »... that my story is not exposed«. So, you must have invented some things. You must have explained somehow why you supposedly have to wear headgear. Especially as you wore it to school as well!"

Leonie grins, embarrassed: "Because the doctor from Munich - whom, by the way, I called Dr. Reinhard because I couldn't think of another name in the hurry - told me so!"

"I told them that the doctor from Kiel didn't want me to wear headgear. But that the one from Munich firmly insists of me wearing that thing again. And since we've only been here for a few days, I only had to wear the headgear for a few days after it had been in the bedside cabinet for months before that. And that's why everything is again new and unfamiliar to me." She laughs: "I had to find a way to explain, why I'm a nervous wreck... or why I wear my headgear to school at all!"

With a half amused, half worried smile, he replies: "You really have to be careful that your house of cards doesn't collapse on you at some point. If you invent so many things, at some point you won't be able to remember everything."

"You promised not to interfere", Leonie defies him in a good mood.

"But, child, I don't do that at all. I don't forbid you to wear your headgear. You can do what you want. Even in school for all I care." Again, he takes off his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose. "But when you tell fibs, you should remember what you are saying. Otherwise, you can end up getting tangled up in your lies."

Her grin becomes even more embarrassed. "That's right, but after all, I have to tell them something if they ask me. And I hardly can tell them the truth!"

The father smiles gently: "Yes, I can see that. That would probably lead to some more than strange questions!"

Leonie grins: "Quite apart from that: I don't like the term 'lies' at all, dad! That sounds so mean!"

"Then how would you call it that you pretend to have to wear headgear, although you haven't had to wear it for most of your treatment? And how would you call it that you pretend to have been to an orthodontist last week even though you haven't set foot inside a practice for half a year?"

The answer is dry as dust and quick as a shot: "'Creative interpretation of reality!'"

Intentionally or not, her father has to laugh.

"Now I'm curious: Tell me: What exactly did you tell them? Why do you have to wear your headgear on the first day of school? Your orthodontist insists on it? The was enough of an explanation for your classmates?"

"Yes... yes, I had said that." Leonie avoids looking directly at her father with red cheeks.

He sighs: "Let me guess: »I hate my headgear very much, but my wicked evil father demands that I wear it anyway!«?"

Leonie shakes her head. But it is clear to both that he hit the nail on the head. The father sighs again: "Sometimes I feel like I have to be an absolute monster, you know..."

She looks up, startled. "I didn't mean that," it's almost a whisper.

He nods: "I believe you. Still, it's not really nice to be the bad guy." He doesn't sound angry or aggressive. Maybe a little disappointed? "I already know that I put you through a lot and that..."

Leonie shakes her head so hard that he doesn't finish his sentence. "That... I never said that. Not even thought of that! Really not!" She looks at him pleadingly. Apparently, she hit him much harder in his sore spot than she had thought.

"I never said you were 'evil' or anything like that. Really not!" Leonie defends herself. Almost breathlessly, she enumerates: "I only told them that you were 'strict'. Because it's about my health and the headgear is very important for my treatment. And that I shouldn't slack off because of that."

With every sentence, Leonie speeds up. She wants to - she MUST - explain to her father that she didn't want to hurt him: "That's why I have to wear headgear so much. Because 'Dr. Reinhard' prescribed it that way. And you want me to follow his instructions. Because it's important for me. Because you care about my health. Because you care about me. That's why I have to wear headgear again from now on. That's why I have to wear that brace more than I did in the last few months. That's why I have to wear it to school from now on."

She breathes heavily, "THAT's what I said. That you're strict because...because you care about me. Nothing else!" She sounds pleading. Leonie wants her father to believe her.

"You know what, Leonie. Let's just stop talking about it." When he sees his daughter staring into her teacup, he can't bring himself to say what he's actually got on the tip of his tongue. Instead, he is content with, "You admit that you haven't put me in the best light, and I admit that a strict father is a good starting point for your story. Deal?"

Leonie quickly nods.

Then he smiles: "And you really said that you have to take care of your health and therefore need to wear your headgear MORE than before?"

Leonie nods red headed.

"Isn't that kind of backwards?"

"You don't have to rub it in, dad!", complains his daughter.

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #35 on:** 30. July 2023, 10:46:13 AM »

Hey folks,

as this story will come to an end shortly, I will soon start publishing the second story in the "The new girl's secret"-saga.
I have just skimmed over the second story and I have realised that the length of the individual chapters is longer than those I published so far.

The seconds story consists of 33 chapters of varying length.
If I try to cut chapters aparat to achieve roughly equal length, I estimate that would result in around 50 chapters.

My question to you: Would you prefer
- longer chapters - 1 chapter per day - the last chapter would be published in 33 days
- shorter chapters - 1 chapter per day - the last chapter would be published in about 50 days
- shorter chapters - cut longer chapters apart but post both halves the same day - the last chapter would be published in 33 days

It would be nice to head back from you.

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #36 on:** 30. July 2023, 17:00:33 PM »

Monday late evening

Chapter 21/22 - A discussion

"Do you want to finish assembling the bedside table today?" The tea is drunk, and both have retired to the living room. The sofa does not yield ultimate comfort, but it is a lot better than the kitchen chairs.

Leonie yawns and opens her mouth very wide: "No, not today. I can do without it if I have to! I did manage the last couple of days."

"I would like to come back to your treatment again. I know that we had agreed that you can do whatever you want with your braces," he begins. Leonie nods. "But now I have to insist that we include a few restrictions after all!"

"But why?"

"»Because I care about you«", repeats her father smiling.

Leonie rolls her eyes. "What would that be?" she looks at him questioningly. What is he up to now? She has the dull feeling that she won't like what her father wants from her.

"It's actually very simple: You can wear your headgear for as long and as much as you want. At least as long as you don't harm yourself!" the father nods emphatically. "I think you can see that for yourself: You have braces to get straight teeth."

His daughter nods half-heartedly. The father smiles: "Yes, I know, you have the braces for another reason too. Anyway: The braces are there to correct your misalignments."

"I promise that you can do what you want, as long as you don't fall into your own sword over your 'shenanigans'." He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees: "And by that I mean: If your teeth become even more crooked even though you are wearing braces... that's when I'll pull the plug. No point discussing that! Got it?"

Leonie looks at him big eyed. It is rare for him to be so 'emphatic'. Still, that shouldn't be a big problem, because: "I want straight teeth too. I don't want to cause any harm to my teeth with the braces, dad! I'm not that stupid!"

"I thought so, but you also have to admit that we - neither you nor I - can assess the effects of you still wearing headgear, even though NONE of your doctors know about it."

Now the cat is out of the bag, now Leonie understands what her father is getting at.

"That surely can't be without consequences! Especially now that you announced that you want to wear your headgear even more from now on."

That doesn't sound good. That doesn't sound good at all. Before she can object, however, her father raises a hand:

"I do not forbid you to wear your headgear at all. At least not yet! I can't imagine that it has already had a negative effect on the position of your teeth. I don't get the feeling that your teeth shifted out of position during the last half year. What do you think?"

Leonie hurries to shake her head.

"You have worn your brace from time to time. But it wasn't 'that much' yet, after all. I do not believe that there have been serious consequences so far. But as I said, we do not know!"

She hastens to nod: "I... I also have...", Leonie doesn't finish the sentence.

"What do you have?" her father asks after a while.

Leonie runs a hand over her neck. To be more precise, not her neck, but her fingers run over the neckpad. "I've already reduced the tension off this thing. I don't want to cause any harm with it..."

"A sensible thought," nods her father. He doesn't know if she really did that or is just pretending to have reduced the tension. It's however clear to him that Leonie is trying every single loophole in order to keep the consequences of her actions as low as possible.

"But tell me something, child."

"What is it, Dad?"

"You've always said that the reason you wear your headgear is because you trust your first orthodontist more than any of his successors. And that you were afraid you wouldn't get straight teeth if you didn't wear your headgear regularly."

His daughter nods. "That's right!"

"Then why are you reducing the tension of your headgear? Wouldn't that be counterproductive"

Leonie blushes. She averts her gaze. "You're mean, Dad!" she mutters.

He shakes his head, "Don't hold it against me. But the question was meant quite seriously. Will you tell me: Was the first orthodontist always an 'excuse' or do you really believe it?"

His daughter doesn't answer, but plays with the fringes of a sofa cushion. Her gaze goes anywhere but where her father is sitting.

"Leonie?"

"Both," she finally replies. She sits up and now looks at her father. Hoping to convince him that she was really thinking about serious treatment and not just a white lie to hide her fetish.

"A brace like that is very noticeable, dad. That's what Dr. Krämer (the first orthodontist) said when he used it on me. Do you remember? He had said that he didn't like to use this kind of contraption because he knew how much it stresses his patients. That he would prescribe something like that only if he really had to."

Her father nods, remembering that.

Leonie shrugs, "Well, and if he says that, then there must be something to it, right? He certainly didn't strap me into this thing lightly.... So if I have to wear it, I probably need it, right?"

"But the other doctors didn't think that you needed headgear," the father interjects.

"Well, yes, but... Then why did Dr. Krämer say it then? I just can't imagine that he was mistaken." Leonie licks her lips, "And.... And the other doctors also just said that I didn't need headgear anymore.... They never said that this thing would hurt me... And, well... I just thought... If it doesn't hurt, but indeed may help..."

Leonie doesn't finish the sentence and, when her father looks at her questioningly, she just shrugs. And that's all he should get out of her on this subject.

Finally, he nods: "All I want to say is the following: After this half-year pause, it is high time that we check whether you are still on the right track to getting straight teeth. Okay?"

Leonie nods.

"We'll set up an appointment with an orthodontist for you in the next few days and we'll hear what he has to say. And we'll see from there, OK?"

His daughter nods again.

"And as long as he doesn't have much to complain about, you can continue to wear your headgear, as much as you want. Can we agree on that?"

Several quick nods. Not what she was hoping for. But far better than any serious alternative!

Braceface2015 · « **Reply #37 on:** 30. July 2023, 21:06:03 PM »

I don't think it really matters very much. Your stories are good and you should post them at whatever speed you want to. The size of the chapters are a good length to read in a short time without having to reread them to keep up with what is going on.

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #38 on:** 31. July 2023, 16:55:03 PM »

Chapter 22/22 - Reassurance

"Oh child, you're falling asleep. Don't you want to go to bed?"

Leonie lazily shakes her head: "It's so cozy right now". There's no contradicting that: Snuggled into a blanket and supported by several sofa cushions, yes: this is the life! Add a new cup of hot tea and a few cookies: It's really cozy. No wonder that Leonie's eyes are hardly half open at this advanced hour.

But that's not the only reason holding her back. The other reason however is much harder to put into words. Even if she had been fully awake, it would have been difficult for her to describe the feeling that makes her linger in the living room:

Somehow the girl feels as if she would endanger the 'deal' she made with her father if she left now. Somehow... yes, somehow she feels like she has to stay awake. As if she had to be afraid that her father would withdraw his promise as soon as she disappeared from the living room.

Leonie knows, of course, that this worry is not real, but arises from her nervous imagination. Her father had given his promise and he keeps his word, she knows that. And yet she can't stop looking nervously at him again and again.

Out of fear that his assurance not to judge her is only a lie and that he secretly thinks she is 'perverted'? A terrible suspicion is dawning on her: What if her father did that on purpose? What if he just invented having a fetish himself to get a 'confession' out of her. And now that she herself has admitted to being 'different', he would...

She shakes her head vehemently, her lips pressed tightly together. »No!« , she says to herself, »that would never happen. Dad doesn't do that. Never ever! You're just inventing things now, keep your feet on the ground!«

But her gestures have not gone unnoticed: "What are you thinking about?" Her father watches television only half-heartedly. One can tell that his day too was exhausting and that he will retire soon.

"Oh, nothing," is her evasive answer. With a sigh she pulls back the covers and leaves for the bathroom. Shortly afterwards she comes back without her headgear. That doesn't go unnoticed either:

"Enough for today?", the father smiles enigmatically.

Leonie shrugs her shoulders. "Maybe." She snuggles up in the blanket again. "You know dad, as much as I like to wear my braces, somehow I just have the feeling that now is not the right time for it. Do you know what I mean?"

"Not really. Would you like to explain it to me?"

Leonie shakes her head: "I can't really." She hesitates, looks for words: "Somehow I have the feeling that I shouldn't wear my headgear now. As if doing so would destroy something. Do you understand?"

When he gently shakes his head, she tries again: "I don't know how to describe it either. Like one should go and apologize after an argument and remaining stubborn would only make things worse. Something like that." Leonie laughs: "And yet somehow completely different. I really can't describe it..."

"But you know that I promised that I would stick to the deal, don't you?" He mutes the television and turns to his daughter.

"I know, dad, I know." Leonie sighs. "But... but the conversation earlier, with the... the fetish and all, that was so sudden. Neither of us wanted to talk about it, it 'assaulted' both of us."

She nods slowly: "If I were to insist on continuing to wear my headgear, I think that would be too much. Today I've already worn it a lot more than usual and if..." she doesn't finish the sentence.

"You don't want to force it. Out of fear that it might prove to be too much for me and that maybe I might back down - despite my promise?"

The girl next to him nods quickly and uncertainly. Then she shakes her head, but the father smiles. Then he becomes thoughtful, a few seconds go by: "Are you really afraid that I feel overwhelmed with the subject?"

She slowly shakes her head, however not absolutely convinced of her answer. "No, I'm not scared. It's just that..."

"Even though the two of us now know where we stand and that we can live with it... the nervousness remains?" he suggests.

Leonie nods again; infinitely happy and relieved that her father seems to understand her so well. And at the same time very astonished at this fact.

"With a subject like this, it's normal to be nervous, believe me. Even if you have no reason to be nervous."

Leonie's eyes open a little, she sits up on the pillows. She thinks she understood what her father is alluding to: "Did mom know about your... did mom know?"

Both father and daughter have now turned red. But he nods, his gaze directed into the distance: "I was at least as nervous as you were earlier when she and I talked about it." He is silent, the thoughts go back to a time when the three of them were happily living together. "And she took it better than I feared. Much better. Even better than I had hoped..." He sighs softly: "Your mother was a wonderful woman!"

"Yes, she was!" The sudden memory of past times brings tears to Leonie's eyes: "But, Dad, we still have each other and... and we just have to make the best of it!"

Perhaps it was his daughter's fragile voice, but her father forces himself back into the here and now. Lingering in the past is of no use. It brings nothing but sadness, and that doesn't have to be. "You're right, honey. We WILL make the best of it!"

He smiles: "And that also includes that I surely will not be less tolerant than your mother was when it comes to your - our - 'preferences'. You are my daughter and I love you with all my heart. Exactly the way you are. Can you believe me?"

Leonie sniffed, her lips pressed together, her eyes moist. She nods wordlessly.

The father grabs the remote control again, but then lets it drop again. "I don't think that was the last time we will have talked about the subject. We will have to deal with it again. At the latest when we hear the orthodontist's prognosis. But don't you think that it will be easier now that we now know where we stand with each other and no longer have to beat around the bush? I would call that progress. Don't you think so too? "

Leonie feels compelled to nod. Yes, that was definitely progress. As unwelcome the conversation an hour ago was, it laid the foundation, so to speak, for dealing more openly with an embarrassing and therefore unpleasant topic.

The father smiles: "If I understand you correctly, you do want to wear your headgear to school again tomorrow?" With that he turns the sound on the television back on and concentrates on the late night news.

She stares at her father. "You know, dad, sometimes I really can't figure you out!" But after a minute she answers the question nonetheless: She nods slightly.

Without knowing if her father saw the movement at all. But that is not necessary either. She didn't nod to give her father the answer. She nodded for no one but herself. Because now she knows what she wants to do. Because now she knows what she's allowed to do. Because she knows she doesn't have to be ashamed. Because she knows that she can be herself.

It has gotten late; significantly later than Leonie's normal time to go to bed. Tired, she drags her feet towards the bathroom. In the door she turns around again: "You know, dad, I'm so happy that you are here with me!"

Now it is the father's eyes that start shimmering.

END

Yes, I know, the ending is a bit very melodramatic. And probably also quite rushed. Surely, nobody will change their views that fast from "it's so embarrassing" to "I don't have to be ashamed anymore!". I know. However, this story has dragged on long enough as it is and I wanted a Happy-End. Even if I had to force it.

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #39 on:** 01. August 2023, 16:54:32 PM »

I have decided to split longer chapter in half but post both parts the same day. Thanks for your feedback

Story 2 - Her first Week in School

What happened so far:

Five years ago, Leonie had lost a large part of her family in a terrible accident. Only her father remained. But he couldn't stand staying at home anymore and is now touring across Germany as a consulting industry expert. As long as Leonie was still a minor, she had to accompany him. Now she is of age, but she still prefers to continue following him.

Even if that means that Leonie has to move several times a year and every time get used to new schools and new friends.

Today is Leonie's second day at her new school.

But at least she quickly found acquaintances at this school - in the small town of Obereisenbach in the deep south of Germany - and it is to be expected that friendships will soon develop with Jessica, Karina, Nadine and Susanne.

And that's a good thing, too, because on the very first day of school, a somewhat unpleasant situation had happened: When she came back from lunch break, she had surprised her classmates by suddenly wearing headgear. Most of her classmates had responded with obtrusive stares and stupid comments. Above all a boy named Marcel. But her new friends stood by her.

Leonie then told them that her treatment had started a long time ago. But due to the constant moves, her treatment had made little progress. That's why she still has crooked teeth even after more than three years with braces.

But the most annoying thing about her treatment is that she also has to wear headgear. However, not during her entire treatment, because her orthodontists cannot agree on the headgear. One insists on it, the second doesn't care, and the third thinks that headgear only does harm.

So, Leonie only has to wear her headgear for a few days again, after it had been packed away for months. So, everything is new to her again and she is accordingly sensitive and nervous at the moment.

However, her father insists that she fully complies with the wearing schedule that her new orthodontist gave her. Since her health is at stake, she shouldn't slack off. And since the orthodontist stupidly insists on a quite tough schedule, Leonie has no choice but to wear her headgear to school on the first day already.

At least if she doesn't want to keep arguing with her father about her braces. And since he is all, she has left in terms of family, she rather wants to "jump over her own shadow" and wear her headgear to school from now on.

But when after school she arrives at the apartment where she will live with her father for the next few months (she refuses to call that place "home"), it turns out that the story she told at school cannot be true.

A letter from the health insurance is waiting for her, asking her whether she wants to continue her treatment after she hadn't been to an orthodontist for six months.

It also turns out that her treatment has by no means already lasts for more than three years, but that she got her braces about one-and-a-half years ago. And nothing had happened in the last six months. The biggest difference, however, probably is that Leonie actually hasn't had to wear her headgear for many months.

But she did do exactly that: She wore her headgear off-and-on during the last couple of weeks and months. And - since yesterday - even to school.

When her father insists on an answer, whether she wants to continue her treatment, Leonie has a moral meltdown. Her father takes her for an evening walk through wintry Thalfeld. In the course of this walk, the conversation that Leonie had been dreaded for weeks finally talks place. After all, it's about why she hasn't seen a doctor in half a year and why she still wears her headgear, even though she no longer has to.

Her father explains that he knows - or at least strongly suspects - that Leonie's behavior is due to her having a braces fetish. Of course, the girl is very embarrassed by the subject and at first, she doesn't want to admit that he is right in his assessment. But little by little he is able to convince her that a fetish is not a bad thing and nothing to be ashamed of.

Leonie can relax even further when her father promises not to judge her because of her "preferences". After all, he admits to her that he knows well enough what it means to have a fetish. In the light of these new facts, Leonie is relieved that her father doesn't think of her as "perverted".

He gives her the freedom to continue wearing her headgear if she wants to. At least as long as it does not interfere with her treatment - which Leonie wants to resume.

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #40 on:** 01. August 2023, 16:54:50 PM »

Part 5

Tuesday morning

Chapter 23/56 - A clarification

"Good morning, Jessica," Leonie waves to the girl standing next to the classroom door. Then she lowers her hand again. That enthusiastic greeting was perhaps a bit too much this early in the morning? Because the girl facing her yawns heartily and raises her hand to her mouth almost too late.

"Morning, Leonie," yawns Jessica, "you're a regular bundle of energy."

"I have gone to bed very late yesterday, but - at least judging by the way you look - still earlier than you."

Jessica mumbles something unintelligible. "Why are you already here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," retorts Leonie. "You're the one who lives nearby, as far as I understand. You could come in much later if you wanted to."

"Me?" Jessica yawns again. "I'm here because I missed you all so terribly."

"You don't even blush when you lie!"

"No, there is no real reason behind it. It just became sort of a habit for me... But why are you already there, Leonie?"

"Me? Well, I do have to take the bus. And that arrives here that early."

"Morning, Nadine," Jessica greets the other girl standing a few feet away. "Oh yes, that's right, the two of you take the same bus. If one is there, the other isn't far away. I should have known." She yawns again. "I'm not awake yet!"

"I never noticed," Leonie replies dryly.

Today Leonie had finally learned the name of the girl who had accompanied her to the bus yesterday. A few stops after Leonie got on the almost empty bus in Thalfeld, her acquaintance got on as well. Finally, she had brought herself to ask: "You know, this is embarrassing, but I forgot your name already..."

Thankfully, Nadine doesn't seem to mind: "No problem, I couldn't remember thirty names in one day either."

"Is there something on my face?" Leonie runs her hand over her face because Jessica is eyeing her with a strange look.

Jessica looks away, but Leonie wipes her face again to be on the safe side. It would be rather embarrassing to have breakfast cereal hanging from her nose all day. And so Jessica replies: "No, it's okay... I was just wondering if..."

"If what?"

"I half expected you to show up here today in your headgear..."

"No, definitely not," Leonie blushes and shakes her head. "I don't want to. Why do you think so?" She didn't expect to talk about her braces that fast again.

Nadine, who was also in the 'illustrious circle' of those who squeezed Leonie yesterday afternoon, explains: "I feel the same way. You told us yesterday that you were considering wearing your headgear in the mornings as well. Because you couldn't cope otherwise. So, it really could have been..." she doesn't finish the sentence.

Leonie shakes her head again: "No, I DON'T have to wear my brace in the mornings. I'm not THAT pressed for time. It's just: The more I wear my brace, the faster my treatment would go. But as long as I don't really have to strap my headgear on in the mornings, I don't want to do so."

"Ahh, OK, yes, that makes sense", nods Nadine.

"You might laugh," begins Leonie. "But despite that I actually thought about it for a moment."

"Seriously?" The two girls stare at her.

"Yes. But only briefly. For about two seconds. When I was brushing my teeth. Then I thought about putting the thing back on. But I quickly stopped thinking about it. I'm not THAT keen on wearing that thing, after all. YES, my treatment would probably go a bit faster, but I'm not sure that I care enough!"

She points over her shoulder towards the main entrance. "And a few minutes ago, I was glad that I really didn't do it. When Nadine and I arrived, a bunch of fifth graders were storming through the main hall with a soccer ball." She looks over at Nadine, who nods in confirmation. "I didn't want them to chase ME instead of the ball!"

Jessica nods emphatically; that had been the right decision.

"I've got it with me, though," says Leonie.

"You really want to put it back on this afternoon?"

"What do you mean: »want«?"Much more casual than she feels, Leonie shrugs her shoulders: "I have to! Before noon it's optional. But after noon I have no other choice!"

"It would bug the living crap out of me if my dad made me wear it to school every day!" says Karina, who is just joining them.

"I would never do it," Jessica agrees.

"Listen, guys", Leonie has turned red: The guilty conscience of having portrayed her father as a 'villain' does not sit well with her. "I don't want you to get the wrong impression of my father. He's not that strict. I..." she hesitates briefly, "I may have exaggerated a bit yesterday!"

Karina's eyebrows rise. "Why's that?"

"We - Dad and I - discussed over the course the weekend when and how long I should wear my headgear. We discussed it AT LENGTH. And - well - that annoyed me a bit." Leonie grins awkwardly: "Maybe I was even more than »a bit annoyed«. So, it's possible that yesterday I was a bit grumpy with my father."

Leonie makes a face: That's still not the truth. But it's better than what she had told about her father yesterday. »So... it's all right, right?«

"Then why are you wearing that thing if you don't have to?"

"But I have to!" Leonie corrects.

Karina, Jessica and Nadine look at each other confused. "What now? First you say that your father is pushing you to wear headgear to school. Then he doesn't do it after all, but you still have that thing with you? Do I have to understand that?"

"You don't have to look so confused. It's actually quite simple: I have to wear the stupid headgear. Unfortunately, there's no way around it: My orthodontist insists on it. He says that treatment doesn't make much sense without it. "

The other girls nod; they can follow the explanation so far, after all, they had already talked about it yesterday.

Leonie scratches her head sheepishly: "It's just, that my father... He's not quite as strict as I might have portrayed him. He wants me to wear headgear as much as possible. He's right in a way! The darn thing only does its job if I actually wear it."

"But dad does not insist that I 'absolutely' have to wear it to school or anything. If I can bring myself to do that, then that would be the best thing I could do. But if I can NOT will myself to do it... then that's not the end of the world for him either. But then I should try to get the time in another way. In other words: I should then just try a little harder at home."

Jessica nods: "You had already explained that yesterday: that you would have to try to make up the time on the weekends. And that that wouldn't be easy for you, because then you'd have almost no free time left. Because your father is pushing you so hard."

"Uhh... yes... that's what I said, yes," Leonie nods, her head red. »Ups! Have I really already said that?« She already forgot, what exactly she had told her new friends yesterday. Now she has to learn that some of the things she was about to tell them, are already known to her classmates.

"But you know... honestly: He wants me to try a little harder. But dad wouldn't insist that I wear my headgear so much that I'd have no free time left. He doesn't demand THAT much. After all, he sees that I'm trying, and he also knows that it's annoying to wear the thing."

Leonie is relieved: Even if this 'clarification' is embarrassing, it was the right decision. Even though her father will probably never know, she was anxious to set his image a bit straighter. As he had said yesterday: A strict father is a good hook for her story. But there's no need to exaggerate.

On the other hand: Telling the truth is impossible, so somewhat of a middle ground has to be found: A bit of truth mixed with some fibs.

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #41 on:** 01. August 2023, 16:55:35 PM »

Chapter 23a/56 - A clarification, Part 2

"Don't be miffed, but then I understand even less why you wear that brace to school if you don't really have to," Jessica shakes her head.

"But I have to...", Leonie repeats doggedly.

"What's the matter? What's going on?" Leonie flinches in surprise as a disembodied voice speaks directly behind her. She hadn't noticed Susanne approaching in the last few seconds. The girl is now brought up to speed in quick words by Karina. Susanne then nods emphatically, "I wouldn't do it either if I were you."

Then the girl looks around nervously. Did she just reveal too much with her comment? After all, she wants to keep it a secret that she once had to wear headgear herself. But all the people standing around Leonie already know. And the other classmates are not interested in the conversation. Lucky!

"You're right. I'm not keen on having to put it on again later," Leonie shrugs. "Nevertheless, I believe, I already told you yesterday: If I don't want to fall way too far behind, I'd have to keep the bow strapped on almost constantly at home. And that's damn exhausting. And I don't feel like doing that either."

"I don't understand: You just said that not even your father wants to cause you so much stress..."

Leonie pressed her lips together. Damn it! She wasn't paying attention to what she was saying. She wanted to exonerate her father and has now maneuvered herself into a contradiction. Now she has to watch how she gets out of it!

"It really almost sounds like you WANT to wear that brace...", Jessica grins.

"Not at all," Leonie stares at her new acquaintance, her cheeks deep red. "Where did you get that stupid idea? The sooner I get rid of this thing, the better. But you know: The more I wear it, the easier it gets. And then hopefully I'll care less and less about wearing headgear to school, too."

"Well, it sounds to me like you're the only one whose stressing out about your braces!" is one response to that.

And Karina says, "Exactly. The only reason for your stress is that you try sticking to the schedule down to the last minute. But you said that even your father doesn't push you that hard.... Why are you doing it then? And Susi said that with her headgear an hour more or less didn't make a difference either."

"Can you maybe blurt it out even louder?", Susanne hisses and looks around, startled. But still none of the others is interested in the conversation. Lucky!

"I'm sorry, Susi, I didn't mean to," Karina apologizes, but isn't particularly contrite. "I don't see why it should be any different with you, though, Leonie." The others nod in affirmation.

"Do you really have to count the minutes?" Nadine takes the same line.

"No, a MINUTE more-or-less is certainly not important." The addressed shrugs her shoulders: "Probably an hour more or less doesn't make any difference either."

The bystanders nod.

"But folks, I don't even want to start down that rabbit-hole! Because if an hour less isn't bad, sooner or later I would indeed wear my headgear an hour less per day. And then ANOTHER hour less. And then ANOTHER... And at some point, I'd only wear it for two or three hours a day. And then I'd be surprised that there's no progress anymore."

"Do you really think you would do it that way?" Jessica asks.

Instead of an answer, Leonie laughs. "Of course!". She looks over at Susanne "What do you think?"

Who nods with a red head: "Back then I used every way out that I could find. Every excuse was good enough!"

"I feel the same way," Leonie picks up the thread. "And that's why I'm stressing about it now! Because now everything is still new to me. If I can get used to wearing headgear as much as possible NOW, everything will be easier. Cause then the temptation to leave the darn thing in the bedside drawer, wouldn't be so great anymore. Do you understand me?"

"We understand you," Jessica replies. The others nod. "But that doesn't mean that we would do it the same way!" Now the bystanders shake their heads.

"Well, you're not in my situation after all!" Leonie objects.

"I WAS in your situation," Susanne murmurs, "and I still didn't do it that way!"

Leonie doesn't know how to respond to that and decides to ignore Susanne's statement.

"I'm almost a little bit glad that my father is pushing me a bit to wear my headgear enough."

"What now? Is he strict with you or not? Are you annoyed that he's pushing you or are you grateful to him? I'm totally confused now."

Leonie rolls her eyes: "He's strict enough that I don't start to slack off too much, but he's not a tyrant either, OK? He wants me to wear headgear. Because it's important for my treatment. But I wouldn't have to sacrifice every bit of my free time."

"Dad and I - as I had said - discussed it over the weekend. And he had suggested several times that I could wear it to school." She raises her finger: "»Suggested!« Not demanded! Anyway: That had annoyed me. That's why I was maybe a bit grumpy with my father yesterday! And that's why I maybe made him a little 'too evil'. I'm glad - after all - he's keeping an eye on me not falling behind my schedule too badly."

"Please don't be offended, but what you're saying sounds kind of contradictory!"

"Why's that?" Leonie swallows nervously, her heartbeat accelerating. Has she already given herself away? Has she said something that might make the others stop believing her story? Has her secret been blown after just one day?

No. Not yet!

"Maybe 'contradictory' isn't the right word...", Nadine cocks her head. "In any case, I find it strange that you're annoyed with your father for insisting that you wear your brace. And then the next minute you're grateful to him for it."

"Split personality, huh?" laughs Karina.

Leonie bites her lips: Damn, even if Karina is miles away from the truth, by now she's too close for comfort. Her grin is strained: "Yes, I understand what you mean. In your place, I would call that »contradictory« as well. But believe me, it's really like that. I'm sure Susanne can confirm:"

"It's a damn awkward feeling having to wear headgear. On the one hand, it doesn't matter how well you get used to it; it's no fun at all. It is and always will be embarrassing and uncomfortable. On the other hand, you know that you have to wear such a conspicuous device to straighten your teeth. Isn't that right?" The last question was directed at Susanne.

Who nods with a red head. "That's exactly how it is. Although there is still a difference between you and me: Even though I knew that I would have to wear headgear, I couldn't bring myself to do it. With you it's the other way around: even if you don't like it, you wear it anyway because you know you need it."

Leonie blushes. To be praised like that is embarrassing. Even more because in reality there is no reason the be praised in the first place.

"Come on, don't always hide your light under a bushel, Susi! You certainly didn't make it easy for yourself either!" admonishes Jessica. Susanne shrugs but gives her classmate a grateful look.

Leonie continues: "And because you know you need that brace but don't want to wear it, you're torn about what to do: Should you wear it and then have to live with being the center of attention? Or should you not wear it and then have to live with the fact that your teeth won't be as straight as they could have been?"

She stretches her arms out and holds her hands far apart, "And the stupid thing is that those goals are polar opposites. You can only have one." She wiggles one hand, "Either you have straight teeth or..." she wiggles the other hand, "...you don't stand out like a sore thumb. You can't have both."

She sighs theatrically: "Sometimes I don't want people to laugh at me. And sometimes I prefer straight teeth. Do you understand what I mean?"

Slowly and thoughtfully, the girls around her nod. "If you explain it that way, it actually makes sense..."

"And because I know that I need this thing, well, I'm willing to wear it. Most of the time, at least. And that's why I'm actually grateful to my father for pushing me a LITTLE bit. So that I keep at it and don't start slacking off. But every now and then he gets on my nerves after all. Do you understand now?"

"A new neighbor for me please! Mine is crazy!", Jessica announces with a laugh.

Leonie sticks her tongue out at her. "I was about to say that I only wear my headgear to school because you're all really nice and supportive. But that changed quickly..."

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #42 on:** 02. August 2023, 17:02:43 PM »

Chapter 24/56 - Second day of school

In the following minutes, the other classmates gradually trundle in. Johannes wanders through the corridors like a 'smartphone zombie' - with his eyes constantly riveted to his smartphone - and nearly knocks over a teacher, so engrossed is he in an online discussion about Whatever.

Konrad and Annika are almost too late. Ms. Lessing, the English teacher was about to close the door when the two hurriedly turned around the corner. They were 'occupied with each other' and had lost track of time. And now they had to go to their seats under the smirking stares of the other classmates.

No, she hasn't corrected the English test yet, Ms. Lessing has to announce, it won't be that quick. They shouldn't expect it during this week either.

Apparently, however, she had found a little time to at least take a quick peek at it. When the lesson is over, Ms. Lessing turns to Leonie: "I was a little curious, I have to admit. I don't know what grade I'm going to give you - I haven't corrected that far yet - but I have to say that your English is pretty good. I would think that you are at least a year ahead of the others."

This is the point where I - tongue-in-cheek - would like you to do me a favor: As English isn't my main tongue, I'm not overly proficient in it. My English is probaböy good enpough to be readable. But I will never be able to write "fluently" in a way that is undistinguishable from a native speaker. On the other hand: I'm not above learning. If you come across phrases that are particularly awkward or words that I used just plain wrong, I wouldn't mind you pointing them out to me.

The girl blushes. "Thanks," she grins sheepishly, as Jessica shoots her an envious look.

On the way to the chemistry room - that's where they'll be spending the second period of the day - her benchmate sighs, "Lucky you. I always have a hard time with English!"

"English and Math are my strongest subjects. Maybe that's because my father deals with them every day," Leonie shrugs. "You can chase me with Biology and Art though!"

"Well, in that case we go well together. Because Biology is MY forte!" Then Jessica points in the direction of the chemistry room. "By the way, you probably don't know that yet: The chemistry teacher and the biology teacher are brothers."

If Jessica hadn't mentioned that, Leonie would probably have followed the chemistry class a bit puzzled. She would have noticed that the two teachers look relatively alike. No wonder, of course, if they are brothers. In terms of teaching style, however, they could not be more different. Biology was more average than average. But the chemistry brother manages to make the lessons interesting. But that could also be because chemistry is simply more interesting to Leonie.

During the first recess, significantly fewer people gather around her than yesterday. There are probably two reasons for this: Even though Leonie has only been at the school for the second day, she has already lost her status as an 'attraction'. Most classmates now know as much about the newcomer as they care to know.

The second reason is that Leonie got snarky after Art class yesterday when her classmates got too pushy with their stares and stupid jokes. And some of them still resent her for that. First and foremost Marcel. Leonie is relieved to see that this boy is keeping his distance from her. Did he realize that he had gone too far yesterday? Or had someone told him to stay out of the newcomer's way for the time being? Whatever the case, Leonie has - at least for now - peace from him and his stupid jokes.

And if the other classmates decide to sulk just because Leonie doesn't want to put up with everything.... let them. Leonie doesn't need to get along with everyone in the class.

She has her friends: Jesscia, Karina, Nadine and Susanne.

The question is whether a group of people has formed around her, or perhaps she has joined an existing group? Or maybe this question doesn't arise at all, and it doesn't matter. In the end, all that matters, is that Leonie has already made connections in her new class. Without having the feeling of imposing herself on people.

Comment: While rereading this story, I noticed that I neglected Christoph and Monika. They still appear now and then, but - compared to the first story - they now play a more marginal role

To say that the next few hours fly by would be a lie. Perhaps it's more accurate to say that the next few hours hold no surprises for her. Although she gets to know other teachers, this has no earth-shattering consequences for the girl. With the 'first day of school' behind her, she can now focus on fitting in with the new school routine.

The time is probably passing so quickly because there is a thought that occupies her mind. And it's not very difficult to guess what that thought may be:

The third lesson is over, but the teacher of the fourth lesson isn't here yet. Most classmates wait in front of the classroom.

Her eyes fall on her backpack again. As they did several times already. She can see the flat blue pouch poking out a little, almost treacherously, from her backpack. She had half-heartedly pulled it out a few minutes ago. Looking around nervously to see if it might be a good opportunity to put her headgear on now.

Right now, there are very few people in the classroom. If she does it NOW - and hides a little bit below the table - she might be able to put on her facebow without being observed. Her heart beats in her throat. Does she really want to wear her headgear now? Should she? Or shouldn't she?

Yesterday she had hinted that she might wear her headgear in the mornings as well. But should she really do it? Yesterday that had not been more than a thought. A pipe dream. A fantasy that made her stomach tingle. Should she really do this now? Now... on the second day of school?

She swallows nervously and reaches out for the bag. The tingling gets stronger.

No, opportunity missed! The children stream back into the classroom. NOW she would inevitably stand out and attract a ton of attention if she strapped the metal bow around her in front of everyone. And that isn't really necessary!

She sighs, half relieved and half disappointed, and pushes the pouch back into her bag. Even if the others certainly don't know what's in it, she doesn't want to risk the flat bag falling out of her backpack. That would be too embarrassing.

She licks her lips. Missed opportunity. Well, no need to exaggerate! Maybe she should get used to wearing headgear in the afternoon first before deciding to wear the metal bow all day at school? Sounds reasonable!

Ten seconds later she has changed her plans again: Maybe she can put on her headgear during the second recess? If she takes it with her? If she then straps on the metal bow in the girls' bathroom? And only leaves the stall just before the end of recess? Maybe even after the gong rang? So that there are as few people as possible in the corridor? In that case, she could...

Leonie doesn't get much out of the fourth lesson. Her thoughts revolve around just one question: Should she? Or shouldn't she?

It's almost time. In a few moments the gong will ring. What should she do? Reach out for the flat pouch? Now the gong. While the murmuring around her suddenly increases significantly and the screeching of chairs can be heard, she looks down at the backpack again. She slowly reaches out for the pouch.

"Are you coming, Leonie?" Jessica waves to her.

"Yes, I'm coming!", the addressed stands up. With empty hands. Her breathing is rapid. Not now. Not yet. Half relieved, half disappointed. She licks her lips nervously. During the lunch break then, yes!

She had already made up her mind to put on her headgear during lunch break! Just like she did yesterday: That was - and still is - her firm plan.

So, she's definitely going to wear her headgear to school for a few hours today! She doesn't have to take it to the extreme and put the metal bow on already in the morning. Today during the afternoon classes, that's enough!

There is also another topic after all: She was able to persuade her friends that she has to wear her headgear so much that it can only be sensibly done if she wears it at school in the afternoons. Her friends pity her for that. In other words: She can do THAT without arousing suspicion.

But... could she really wear her headgear to morning classes as well without causing astonishment? After all: A few hours ago, she had explained to her new friends that her father doesn't push her 'that hard' and that nobody - not even the orthodontist - would ask her to wear headgear in the mornings.

So, if she WERE to strap on the metal bow in the mornings now, her friends certainly would find it hard to believe. And she doesn't want to risk that. Maybe she should really just limit herself to wearing headgear in the afternoons? After all, that's - at least for now - still 'more than enough'!

In a few weeks, she maybe could pretend that it's not enough after all? That her orthodontist isn't happy with her and that 'unfortunately' she has to wear her headgear in the morning as well from now on? Yes... yes, that's much better. THAT is much more realistic than having to explain to astonished friends why she is already wearing headgear full blast on the second day of school.

So: Today - and in the next days - only in the afternoon. But that's not a small feat either. Because today - like yesterday - she has four lessons in the afternoon. She'll get her money's worth. No need to exaggerate and...

"Earth to Leonie, come in please!"

The girl is startled out of her thoughts. She is the last in the classroom, Jessica is waiting at the door and the teacher is already impatiently jingling his keys.

With a red face, she hurries out of the room. "I'm sorry", to the teacher and, "Sorry, was kinda preoccupied " to Jessica.

"I noticed. What was it about?"

"Oh, nothing to do with school," Leonie dismisses.

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #43 on:** 03. August 2023, 16:36:56 PM »

Tuesday Noon

Chapter 25/56 - During lunch

The second recess, just like the fifth and sixth period pass again uneventfully.

"Do you want to come with us today and grab a bite?" Jessica points in the general direction of the cafeteria.

"Yeah, let's go, I'm starving. I hope there's something good to eat!" And so, accompanied by a few others, they set off.

"By the way, do you already have a cash card for the cafeteria?" Christoph has joined them again.

"»Cash card«?" Leonie looks at him confused. "You mean like a debit card? Do I really have to pay with a bank card here?"

"No, he means a card like that," Jessica holds up a white, credit-card-sized card with the name "Jessica Karelius" written on it in felt-tip pen. "You use this to pay for your food here. Only the snack machine uses money. Well, money or card, to be exact. At the counter in the cafeteria, you can only pay with a card like this."

"This is the first time I've seen this card." Leonie shakes her head. "Is there somewhere I can get it? In the cafeteria? Is there a vending machine for it?"

"There is a machine. But only for charging the card," Christoph explains. "The only place to get the card itself, is the secretary's office."

"Oh...", Leonie looks crestfallen. "And without this card I can't get any food? Then there's no use in me coming with you at all, is there?"

"Don't worry about it," Jessica waves it off. "I'll just pay for you today. Then you'll give me the money back later. And we'll just drop by the office on our way back and get you a card."

Leonie gratefully accepts the offer.

It's strange to step through the glass door today and not - like yesterday - walk up the stairs right next to the door. They're lucky: It's not yet overcrowded. There is already a queue at the food counter, but it's not that long yet. And there are still plenty of free seats. "But it will get crowded in a few minutes," predicts Susanne. "That's why we always have to hurry a bit!"

Jessica explains everything in quick sweeping motions: "Here are - as you can see - trays and cutlery and such. Remember to get your drink - if you want to drink anything at all - BEFORE you get in line at the food counter. Because you pay directly at the counter. If you remember too late that you are actually thirsty, you'll have to queue again."

"There's not a lot of choice. The line on the left is for - well - 'normal' food, the line on the right is alternatively vegetarian and vegan. And over there are side dishes, like fries and salad and stuff. And dessert too, if you want to have some. But remember: Get the side dishes first and get in line for the main course at the end!"

"It's a bit stupid to look for the side dishes before you know what to eat," says Leonie.

Nadine points to a large poster in the middle of the room: "There's the meal plan for the entire week."

Jessica gets in line in the left queue with her tray. Leonie - after a quick look at the poster - in the right queue. She's a little concerned that this might have been a stupid idea. She can't pay after all. And if she has to wait for Jessica to come and pay for her, the people behind her would surely get impatient. Maybe they should stand in the same queue together?

But the problem resolves itself before it even arises. Jessica's queue is moving faster. And by the time Leonie is getting her plate from the counter, her neighbor is ready to hold the cash card onto the reader.

Seats are found quickly. But it's good that they hurried to the cafeteria. In the meantime, the queues at the food counter have grown significantly.

"Oh, Jessica, I forgot to check what my meal cost exactly."

But she waves it off. "You don't have to give it to me in cash. When you also have a cash-card, my next meal is on you."

"Deal," Leonie nods in relief.

"Are you a vegetarian?" Karina points to the plate in front of Leonie.

"Nope," she shakes her head. "Not at all. It's just that my father made sausages and mashed potatoes yesterday already and now I just wanted to eat something else. And the spaetzle pan doesn't look half-bad."

"Yes, the food isn't bad. There's not a lot of choice, but it's actually always good. You can't complain!"

"Yes, you can: The tofu burgers were really awful," Susanne objects, "but they haven't been on the menu for ages... but overall, you're right: Nothing wrong with eating here."

The next few minutes pass more or less in gluttonous silence. Every now and then someone makes a comment, but a conversation doesn't really want to ensue.

At one point, Leonie's attention is caught by a movement in the corner of her eye. She looks up. Only now does she really see it: there is a balcony above the food counter. And from there several glass doors lead to small rooms. One of them has just been closed and had reflected the light from the ceiling lamps. Leonie had seen that out of the corner of her eye.

As if Jessica could read minds, she replies: "We were up there yesterday. These are the study rooms, where we can retreat to, if we want."

"Right, right! Now that you mention it... It looks so different from down here. It took me a second to figure out what the rooms up there are supposed to be." Leonie shakes her head: "You can't believe how relieved I was yesterday that I didn't have to sit down here with my headg..." Leonie interrupts herself. "You know. That we found a place UP THERE and that we didn't have to sit down with the others down here..."

The people around her suggest that they very well understand that. "But the solution would have been very simple," Susanne objects: "You could have just taken that thing out. Then it wouldn't have been so bad to sit here."

"True enough," Leonie has to admit. "Nevertheless, I'm glad things worked out the way they did."

"I'll never understand how you can wear 'that thing' voluntarily," Susanne shrugs. She chooses her words carefully so that she does not have to use the word 'headgear'.

Leonie shudders when she imagines having to sit down in the crowded cafeteria NOW with her headgear. And then having to endure the eyes of everyone turning to her. »I think I would die...«

And that isn't really necessary. Wearing headgear when there are a few - nice - classmates around: Yes! After all, this creates a certain tingling in her stomach area. But being stared at by dozens - or hundreds? That's more than she wants. More than she could stand at the moment.

"I hope you didn't plan on staying here for the entire lunch break," Jessica puts in after emptying her plate. "The cafeteria is big, sure. But not big enough for all the students to sit here at once."

"Then let's go," nods Leonie, who has also finished her plate.

"Don't rush," demands Karina, who is still struggling with the last bratwurst. But this fight is won a minute later and the group stands up collectively.

As they take up their trays to return the dishes, Leonie has to admit that Jessica was right: "Wow, it has filled up!" Almost every seat is taken by now, and yet people continue to line up at the food counter.

"Look: Our seats are already taken again...", Nadine points with her head to where they had just eaten.

silver-moon-2000 · « **Reply #44 on:** 04. August 2023, 16:56:07 PM »

Chapter 26/56 - Through the auditorium

Jessica's plan to stop by the secretary's office on the way back was a good one. But unfortunately, also an impossible one:

"Damn, I completely forgot that the secretaries also have lunch break!" Jessica points to the sign next to the door. "What do we do now? Do you want to get the card tomorrow? Or do you want to wait? Ms. Kempff should be back in a few minutes..."

"I would like to do it today: »There's no time like the present« and so on. But you know, Jessica, that's not all that bad. Because then I'll have a little time to disappear to the bathroom and scrub my teeth." This time it's Leonie who walks ahead, Jessica in tow. "I hate not being able to brush my teeth after I've eaten..."

"You're going to have a problem with that, I'm afraid," Jessica objects. "The classrooms are locked. You can't get to your toothbrush now..."

But Leonie is not fazed by this. "I know," she nods. "But that's not a problem, because:" She pulls a small pouch out of her pant-pockets. "I had already thought ahead and brought my toothbrush with me."

Jessica eyes the small bag critically: »How is everything supposed to fit in there?«, can be clearly read on her face.

Leonie explains: "It's one of those foldable travel toothbrushes. A collapsible cup and a small tube of toothpaste. That's all it needs for in between. And it saves space."

"You're right, that even makes sense. Especially for people with braces..."

"What makes sense?" asks Karina, who rejoins the two and has heard the last sentence.

"That Leonie has her toothbrushing utensils with her!"

It's obvious, that Karina does not find it at all 'normal' that Leonie apparently carries her toothbrush around everywhere. But she settles for a "Well, if you say so..." Karina wouldn't be Karina, however, if she didn't add: "At least it's better than having food stuck in your braces all day..."

This makes Leonie blush and scrub her tongue vigorously over the brackets in the seconds that follow.

In the meantime, they have arrived at 'their' classroom, which of course is still locked. Leonie doesn't stop there, but instead continues on towards the girls' toilet.

A few minutes later she comes back. With a bright red head and a silver metal bow in front of the face, which now forms an even stronger contrast to the red of her cheeks.

Most of the classmates don't seem to have learned anything from yesterday: Quite a few are staring at Leonie again. Fortunately, at least the whispering is now so subdued that she can walk past the group without hearing any unpleasant things.

She's made just a few steps when she hears: "Hey you? Wait a minute... can I just..."

Leonie stops and turns around. A red-faced girl approaches her. Apart from the fact that this girl attends the same class, Leonie knows nothing about her. She doesn't even know her name.

"You... I'm sorry. About yesterday. I... I really didn't mean to laugh." The girl stammers an apology while a few other classmates look on astonished, curious, and sometimes smirking or even disapproving. "I understand that it can't be easy to wear such a device... and that it was unfair of us and..."

When Leonie starts to nod, the girl quickly shuts up; glad to have gotten this embarrassing apology - and irksome chore - over with.

"It's okay. I know I stand out with it." She smiles encouragingly at the girl, "But thanks! It's really nice of you." Apparently, her snapping at her classmates yesterday at least had the effect of making some of them apologize for their inappropriate behavior. At least something!

The girl nods, then quickly returns to her friends, relieved.

"Well, if I were you, I wouldn't have forgiven them so quickly," whispers Jessica. However, she whispers - probably on purpose - so loudly that some of the bystanders can hear her and shoot her disgruntled looks.

"Let's go," Leonie 'whispers' back just as loudly. "I really don't want to be a sourpuss all the time." And then much quieter: "Besides, I know that I really stand out with it. And I'm glad that she apologized. To be honest: I have no idea who that was. I didn't notice her yesterday. So, she wasn't the worst of the bunch by far. That's why I don't want to give her a hard time. She apologized after all. A lot of people didn't!"

Jessica also lowers her voice. At least until they're out of earshot: "There are also a few you'll NEVER hear an apology from!"

Leonie shrugs. "If that's the case, they don't need to expect us to become friends!"

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