- Title: The Androgynous Model
- Author: Yulia Yu. Sakurazawa
- Category: transgender, mtf, romance fantasy
Oliver Evans, an 18 year old androgynous model, is terrified of heights. His manager cum best buddy, Jasper Robinson, tricks Oliver into going to Morocco, where Oliver models for renowned photographer Dame Felicity Wright. Oliver finds himself mesmerized by a group of female Shikhat (traditional Moroccan dance) dancers. He starts dancing with them. The dance moves come to Oliver magically, even though he has never heard of nor learnt the Shikhat dance. Oliver discovers that he is comfortable in a female dancer’s costume. He, eventually, begins to develop a desire to transition into a woman. Oliver’s desires turns life as he knows it topsy turvy, but helps him find the love of his life. After becoming “Amina”, Oliver discovers the reason for his fears.
The Androgynous Model
by Yulia Yu. Sakurazawa
Chapter 1 – Androgynous Model Oliver
I was a model named Oliver Evans. At 16, I had taken part in a reality show on a local television channel. I got noticed by a renowned modeling agency called Green Silvers. The first commercial I’d done was for a winter wear company. My green eyes, pouty lips and slender girlish frame became an overnight rage. Now, by 18, I had walked the ramp for the crème de la crème of fashion industry including Dolce & Gabbana. My feminine face had been splurged on the cover of many fashion magazines including The British Vogue.
The macho male look was passé in England: No one liked brawny, bearded guys anymore. The modeling industry wished to hire effeminate guys like myself to showcase their clothes and to advertise their accessories. Maybe it was the combination of a beautiful man wearing uncompromisingly male clothes, which caught people’s imagination.
In spite of my girlish looks, I was a rugged male at heart. I liked hanging out with other men, guzzling beer and playing cricket. I liked checking out girls in my spare time. Not that I had any difficulty getting them into bed. Any girl would feel flattered to sleep with Oliver Evans.
I had been with many girls, but didn’t have a steady girlfriend. I wasn’t a flirt or a womanizer and would have eventually liked to settle down with the right person. However, I just hadn’t found my soul mate! All the women seemed to be after my good looks and money…nobody loved me for my soul.
I loathed my long hair. But since designers seemed to like my look, I didn’t chop it off. I, however, made sure that I only showcased men’s clothes. I’d never have worn a skirt for a million pounds!
My best friend, Jasper Robinson, was my manager cum agent. He had guided me through the modeling world, managed my career and introduced me to agents, clients, photographers and designers. I attributed my success to Jasper’s dedication and the career plan he’d made for me.
One day, Jasper came into my office looking flushed and excited. “You’re in luck, Oliver boy” he breathlessly said “Dame Felicity Wright wants to work with you”.
“Dame Felicity Wright?!” I cried incredulously. I was unable to believe my luck. Felicity Wright was one of the biggest names in the photography world. She was one of the few photographers below the age of 35 to been bestowed a title by the queen. If Felicity wanted to work with me, I must have been making massive waves in the modeling world.
“Very much” said Jasper presently “but she has one condition”.
“What is it?” I asked curiously.
“Felicity wants to shoot you in Morocco” said Jasper.
“Damn!” I said “you know that’s not possible!” Disappointment pulled me down like a dead weight. Here I was, being presented with an opportunity of a lifetime. Unfortunately, I couldn’t grab it.
“Get over it, Oliver” said Jasper “you can’t afford to say ‘no’ to Dame Felicity. It will destroy your career”.
“I know” I cried dismayed “but in spite of trying, I’m unable to get over my fear of heights and of flying. I have gone to various psychologists and psychiatrists, but they have been unable to cure me of my phobia. I have lost many international assignments due to that”.
“Yes, everybody isn’t like Dolce & Gabbana” replied Jasper “Dolce & Gabbana understood your fears and shifted their fashion show from Milan to London”.
“Could you please talk Dame Felicity into shooting in the UK?” I pleaded with Jasper “we could have studio sets that resemble Morocco”.
“I did, but Felicity isn’t budging from her stance” replied Jasper heaving a sigh “she says she can’t imagine you in any other place but Morocco”.
“That’s really weird” I said “and I seem to have lost the opportunity of my life”.
“Yeah” said Jasper “but it wouldn’t hurt to have a drink with Felicity”.
***
That weekend, Jasper and I had a drink with Dame Felicity Wright in one of the swanky pubs in Glasgow. I was dressed in my trademark baggy pants and black Metallica T-shirt. Dame Felicity was congenial, down-to-earth and carried her title lightly. She was in her early 30s, but looked much younger.
“You’re such a beauty, Oliver” she said stroking my long blonde mane “I was super keen on working with you. Can’t you change your mind and come to Morocco?”
“I wish I could, Felicity” I said “but the prospect of sitting on a flight is enough to give me a heart attack. I am terrified of heights; hence I have avoided trekking, rock climbing, paragliding etc all my life. When on the terrace of a building, I don’t dare look down!”
“But what is the source of your fear?” asked felicity pouring me some more wine into my goblet “did you lose your loved ones in a plane crash or something?”
“I have no idea about the source of my fear” I said “I lost both my parents, but not in a plane crash. Mom died of cancer. My dad died of a broken heart a few months afterwards”.
“I am sorry” said Felicity grimly “perhaps I shouldn’t have asked”.
“No worries” I said as Jasper poured me another drink “Jasper has been my family since my parents passed away. He’s an angel sent on earth to watch over me”.
“Come on, mate, don’t embarrass me” said Jasper flushing to the roots of his thick dark hair. Felicity, meanwhile, poured me another drink.
Soon, my companions’ faces began turning hazy. Before I knew it, I could feel my world turning dark.
***
I woke up after what seemed like an eternity in the back seat of a cab. Jasper and Felicity were sitting in the front seat. They smiled benignly at me as I woke up and rubbed my eyes in confusion.
I looked around me. The place the cab was parked in was some sort of a crowded market place. People around me walked wearing long, loose garments with full sleeves. Some of them wore a hood and yellow slippers without a heel. They yanked sheep and goat along with them. The people around me looked like Arabs or moors. They weren’t Caucasians, and I definitely wasn’t in the UK!
“Where in the world am I?” I asked perplexed.
“You’re in Morocco” replied Jasper calmly “Dame Felicity brought you here in her private jet”.
“But…” I asked still confused “how did you manage? I hardly remember a thing!”
“We drugged your wine” said Felicity unconscientiously “and brought you here when you were in deep throes of sleep”.
I was upset at being tricked. It made me furious that Jasper had been in cahoots with Felicity in her little scheme.
“That was an unprofessional thing to do, Felicity” I said “I didn’t expect a titled personality like yourself to do such a thing”.
“I’m a girl first, a titled personality later!” protested Felicity “and I am a girl who was desperate to shoot you in Morocco”.
“Sure” I said “but I didn’t think you’d resort to devious methods to get me here” I said. Dame Felicity looked ashamed of herself. .
“And you Jasper?” I said turning to my best buddy “how could you betray me like this? Had I woken up on the private jet, I could have suffered a heart attack! It seems like you care much more about your commission than my life”.
“Please don’t misunderstand me, mate” said Jasper apologetically “I did this only so that you can progress in your career”.
“Leave me alone, the two of you” I said still miffed “I want to be by myself for a while”.
“Let’s reach the hotel and rest…” suggested Felicity “Joe and Will, members of my crew, have already reached the hotel. They took another cab. Jasper and I were on the way to the hotel from the airbase when you woke up. The cab driver has gone to get himself a cup of mint tea and will be returning shortly”.
“Leave me alone for a while please” I repeated my request.
Felicity and Jasper shrugged and got off the cab.
“We’ll get you Couscous, a delicious local dish” said Felicity grinning from the window “that should cheer you up”. She then turned away and walked off with Jasper, leaving me alone in a cab in a foreign town.
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