The next day, Blaze went shopping after lunch and returned with a package at Tibby's in time for dinner.
"I got a dress, Jacky-boy."
"Good, Blaze, you can show us back at the Lodging House." Jack turned back to his meal and Blaze sat down next to Trick and whispered in her ear.
"You guys are in for a surprise!" Blaze didn't know if the boys would like her outfit, but the girls probably would and she was anxious to show them.
After dinner they all went back to the Lodging House and Blaze rushed to the bathroom to change.
The skirt was black and went down to her ankles. It was loose and flowed around her feet while the waist hung down about two inches from her bellybutton. The shirt was white and had a wide, low neck. The sleeves came to just above her wrists and they flared at the end. The shirt had a cut that went halfway down the shirt and the two sides were held together by string across her breasts. The shirt didn't meet the skirt, but instead hung about two inches above her bellybutton, exposing it to the world. The entire out showed her figure well, something most of the boys would like, but the Jack would probably find improper. And it didn't have any lace or frills.
When Blaze stepped out of the bathroom the entire room stared at her and fell silent, none of them had ever seen such a revealing dress on anyone but a hooker.
"What do you think Jacky-boy?" asked Blaze with a smile.
"Where on earth did you get that? That is no dress, that's a, a" Jack was lost for words, and Blaze pretended to be hurt.
"You said to wear a dress, well, I'm wearing one! If you don't like it, too bad, it's either this or pants! And I'm being kind enough to let you choose!" Jack just stared at her.
"You know Jack, I kind of like it. It's different, but not so bad," Race broke the silence.
"Yeah, Jack, what's wrong with it? The skirt ain't real short, and none of its real tight or nothin'" Mush agreed with Race.
"What's wrong with pants anyway? I still don't understand what the problem is," Blink asked.
"They're girls, that's the problem. Girls don't wear pants," Jack defended his beliefs.
"Jack, you've lost this one. Let us wear pants and get on with life," Snap pleaded.
"Maybe you should wear a dress for a day, so you know how it is," suggested Pixy, and the girls grinned.
"Fine, I give up. But listen to me, one more thing and you're out of here, understand?" Jack growled at Blaze.
Blaze curtsied, "Of course, your Highness, how could I ever think of disobeying you? Please forgive me," and with that she went into the bathroom, changed to her regular clothes and climbed up to the roof. After a few minutes, Trick climbed up after her.
"Jack has been such a jerk lately," she said as she sat down next to Blaze, "He didn't use to be so bossy, or have these weird ideas about girls. It started just after he and Sarah began dating. She's changed him a lot, and for the worse, I think. We try to point out to him what she's done to him, but he just gets mad, she has him wrapped around her little finger."
Blaze thought about Sarah, she didn't know her well, she'd only met her a few times at Tibby's, but Sarah didn't seem to like her, so she didn't like Sarah.
"Trick, I don't know what to do, I like it here, I like y'all, I have just as good, if not better, friends here that I did in LA, you and Spot are my best friends but I hate to cause trouble."
"Do you like Jack?"
"I like him as a friend, when he isn't trying to control me. How do you guys stand the way he orders you about?"
"He's our leader. We put him in that position and he's good for it. That was before he was dating Sarah, but he's still good, he just needs to be more accepting. Now come one, lets go to bed, its getting dark."
Blaze grabbed Trick's hand as she (Trick) stood up. "Thanks for being my friend," Blaze said.
"You're welcome. And, from one friend to another, I think Spot really likes you, though he tries to hide it, and he'd be a good boyfriend."
"I know he likes me, he even kissed me, but I don't like him, at least not that way, he's just a good friend."
"Half the girls in New York would die to be in your place, you know."
"So? I ain't them, no come on, bed time."
