Well, I sure was glad we found out James’ true height at that time. After all, the mid-year dance at the end of January was coming up. Like I’ve mentioned, James and I have gone together to the mid-year dance at our school for three years already. It may have looked a bit ridiculous for a 6 foot, and then much taller, girl and a 5’2 or something guy to dance, and of course, each year it got worse, but everyone knew we were neighbors and friends so minus a laugh or two, they let it pass. And I was ready to overlook it too (haha pun intended), thinking he was 5’2 and a bit more in his shoes, but when I found out he was a mere 5 foot nothing, and only pretending to 3 inches or so taller, well that combined with my now 6’8 (and possibly more?) stature, just pushed me over the edge. I mean 20 inches difference is major (I know, I know, even 6 inches is major but at my size everything must be increased).

I love James like a brother, even a teeny tiny one, but come on, I can’t really dance with someone that size. And he agreed with me, I knew. If he was so into taller girls, maybe he really should take Jessi up on her offer? Haha, I guess I’d find out at the dance itself. I mean, there are girls in the 5’9-5’10 range in our class, but I guess the majority are in the 5’4-5’6 range; in either case, James has a large assortment to choose from. And regarding me, I was a senior this year; this would be my last chance at one of these things. I needed someone taller. Preferably, much taller. And the choices for me were, well, non-existent.

So I must say I was really happy to hear from Rach and Zoey that they knew someone for me, and would arrange my meeting him. What did “for me” mean exactly? I asked them. Charlie, they told me, lived in the same city but on the other edge of town so went to a different school. Zoey ever so casually mentioned to me that he was 7 foot even. I was surprised, maybe even astonished, I hadn’t met or even heard of him yet. I mean, how many other really tall seniors were in this town? You’d think all of us would know each other by now. Why had Zoey and Rach never mentioned him before, or gotten us to meet?

Whatever. I was super excited to say the least. It would be so nice to know, dance and maybe date a guy I could actually look up into his eyes. Short people – oops, sorry, I mean average size people -- really just take it for granted that a girl looks up into her guy’s eyes. Nope, sorry, that’s never happened to this girl here. 

Anyhow, in the days leading up to the dance, Charlie and I talked on the phone so we kinda got to know each other. We sent each other pics, but we both knew it wasn’t quite the same as actually meeting face to face. (O my God, even just that phrase has me shuddering in excitement. Do you realize how long it’s been since I’ve been able to talk to someone face to face, and not face to my shoulders or boobs? O, this is gonna be so great!!).

Charlie was (obviously!) a center on the b-ball team, but he says he wasn’t really into the game. He played because everyone assumed he would, given his height. He much preferred carpentry and had even built furniture kinda stuff for his family. I told him I was really impressed and could so totally relate. I hate b-ball actually, and even though lots of people tried to get me to play on the team I rarely showed up for practice and hardly ever for games (except for a few times my first year). I played for the volleyball team and really liked it. I wasn’t sure if I had a hobby I liked.

But whatever, I’m not gonna bore you all with everything we talked about. We arranged that Charlie would pick me up at my house next Sunday night and from there we’d go to the dance at school…and afterwards, who knows?

Looking back, though, I guess I hadn’t told him everything…by which, I mean about Georgie, and I guess Rach and Zoey also hadn’t, for which I love them so much! I mean come on, my life should not really revolve around little G just because he’s so, umm, famous (sorry, buddy!). I guess I figured I would tell Charlie when the time came. 

I actually went to a dressmaker (classy, right?) to make me a dress for the evening. First, because I just don’t usually wear dresses, and second, since I had grown a bit recently if I had had anything it wouldn’t have fit me. Third, at my size, you can’t exactly pull a cool dress off the rack. And I wanted something snazzy for the dance. Anyway, she is just amazing and made a beautiful (!!) lavender sleeveless dress that I was sure was too revealing for a high school dance (umm especially since I don’t wear bras too often, including that night) but I didn’t care. I was a senior, and damn it, I wanted to have fun!

I also got a new pair of heels, since I also don’t normally wear heels, because, come on, I’m freakishly tall but I knew you needs heels with a dress, so I relented. It is also soo hard to find heels in size 15 but, thankfully, online I finally did, in a really cool violet color to go perfectly with my dress. Also the fact that Charlie was so tall made it easier for me to swallow the idea about wearing heels.

So that Sunday evening just as I was putting on my earrings, I heard his car drive up. Excitedly, I ran down the hall and opened the door just as he was about to knock. I remember my initial thoughts upon first seeing him in person: tall, he’s so tall, hallelujah! Taller than me at 6’8 even in my 3 inch heels! And good looking! Charlie has dark brown hair and dreamy blue eyes and such an adorable smile! And he wasn’t incredibly thin as so many tall guys my age are. I had been scared I would outweigh him by a lot but nope, Charlie clearly worked out, his body toned and with a clearly muscular chest. Fine, yes, he’s hot!! Big points in his favor! 

I welcomed him in, we hugged hello, and I told him we could leave just as soon as I told my brother. As I turned around to call Georgie, I caught sight of Lauren’s little girl size 2 sneakers, lined up neatly against the wall near my humongous size 15s. The sight of, and contrast between, the two sizes so near each other made me giggle a little, and I also wondered at the same time how Lauren had managed to get into the house without my hearing it. Did she crawl through G’s doggie door in the back? I suppose if anyone other than G could, it might be Lauren. But maybe she just has a key to our house? Not impossible, seeing how she and G are so close and it would be helpful for him if a neighbor had a spare key. In any event, there was no doubting that Lauren was in the house.

So as I called Georgie for him to come out so I could say good bye before leaving, he and Lauren came running into the hall. I could tell as soon as I saw her that Lauren hadn’t expected company, by which I mean anyone other than me, in the house and certainly not as dressed up as me and Charlie were. Lauren, barefoot and hair a mess, wearing sweat pants and an oversized (for her!) t-shirt, neither of which was especially recommending of her true age, stopped short (hehe) and red-faced as she entered the hallway and saw us two well-dressed giants. I sensed her reaction right away and motioned her closer to me with my right hand.

As I brought her close to me, I noticed immediately that with her barefoot and me in my new (modest!) heels, the top of her head didn’t even reach my belly button. I knew this because my new beautiful (have I said that enough yet?) dress has an eye-shaped hole around my belly button. I cannot even describe what a rush that was for me! I’ve known of course that Lauren is small, and I know plenty of much smaller adults, but that she was (suddenly?) so much shorter than me seriously made me giddy. It may be because I see Lauren so often only in heels, hardly ever barefoot, and of course, like I’ve said, I rarely wear heels myself, so it is a rare occasion when those two facts coincide.   

Without missing a beat, as I gently hugged Lauren’s shoulder into and below my hip, I introduced her to Charlie. “Charlie,“ I said, “I’d like you to meet a really close friend of the family, and our next door neighbor, Lauren, whom we all absolutely adore. Lauren, this is Charlie, my new friend and…my date for the evening.”

The problem was I hadn’t prepared Charlie for any of this, so whatever came out of his mouth must be understood retroactively, I’m embarrassed to admit, as a fairly natural reaction. 

As Lauren smiled, turning her head all the way up to see, beyond the curve of my boobs, and eventually the bottom of my chin, Charlie bent his head down in her direction and very good-naturedly said “Hi cutie, are you in 3rd grade? My sister is 8 also and goes to McKinley and looks just like you!” 

“Err, no...” began Lauren, but I jumped in, “No, no, no, Charlie, I should’ve told you before. Lauren may be very small, her face may make her seem much younger, but she’s 25 years old. And while I may be a wee bit taller now, there was a time when I physically had to look up to her too!”

By now my two hands were gently massaging around Lauren’s tiny shoulders.

“Yeah, but then you turned 5 and overtook me forever,” Lauren giggled with delight at the memory. “But, Jeez Louise, look at the two of you! You’re both so unbelievably tall! I’m tiny, I know, but I’ve never felt so small in my life! What are you, like 7 foot?”

As Charlie smiled and nodded, he added “yes, but I am so sorry for thinking you so young! I feel so bad, I’m usually much more polite than that. And I am so happy to get to know you. Any friend of Lexie is a friend of mine now!”

“Umm,” I said, cutting in, ”hate to cut this chit-chat short hehehe, but we have to get going. Charlie,” I said as I moved a step towards Georgie, who had been standing silently waiting a step or two behind Lauren all this time, and extending my arm straight down, continued “I’d like you to meet my big, err, older, brother, Georgie, who is also 25. We may look a little different, but I utterly and completely worship him. And while I have never in my life had to physically look up to G, I absolutely have always, and still today, respect him, and indeed look up to him figuratively, for so much.”

I could tell Charlie was flustered. I guess not everyone knows of, or expects his date’s brother to be, the famous teeny tiny legend of my town. It’s one thing to read about the phenom that is barely a foot and half tall, it’s quite another to stare down at him as he stands barefoot in front of you.

So you have to understand, and excuse Charlie as his face contorted in bewilderment, as he nearly shoved these next words out of his mouth: “He’s ... he’s real? But…but…but…Oh my God, I really thought he was Lauren’s doll! Wow, that was a dumb thing to say. I am so embarrassed. Sorry! But…Good to meet you…big guy!” 

Charlie bent way down and extended his incredibly long arm and his full hand towards G. I gently touched Charlie’s shoulder and whispered to him through a smile and clenched teeth that a single finger would be more than sufficient for Georgie. Charlie shifted very gracefully and extended his right forefinger, which G grabbed with both his tiny hands (still not entirely covering its length) and shook vigorously.  “No problem, dude, as you can imagine the exact thing happens a lot to me!”

I was standing directly behind G now, with my new dress reaching my knees, still many inches above G’s head. I knew, of course, that he had a perfect view all the way up to my panties. I know this, because it’s happened so often in the past, although admittedly today in my heels I was much higher above his head then he’d had ever seen. I was also at a loss, though, as I wanted to bend down and pick him up but I also didn’t want to risk creasing the new dress. Thankfully Lauren sensed my uncertainty, bent down and picked up G over her head, so he was in closer distance to Charlie. 

As I grabbed G from Lauren, I held him near my shoulder, as one might an infant. and told him how Charlie and I were going to spend some time together, including the school dance and a movie after, so don’t stay up for me. Gently, I kissed him on his forehead, Charlie smiled too, and G nodded and said “I got it. Have fun!” I bent at my knee and placed G softly down nearby.

I turned to tell Charlie that we should go before we miss the beginning of the dance, and then remembering something, turned around to see G, who hadn’t moved, all the way down near my heels. “I forgot to tell you," I began looking down in his direction, “I made some tuna casserole I left in the fridge. Hope you like it! You’ll be good?” In answer, G just wrapped his tiny hands and body around my left lower leg and hugged me, “you be good. I’ll be fine.” 

Hugging my lower leg is as close to normal hugging as G can manage. I smiled, and then turned a bit red-faced in Charlie’s direction. I know it’s normal for me, and I guess Lauren too, but outsiders who have never seen G, or at least our interaction, probably see that hug as just pretty weird. 

As I took two steps away towards the door, I heard G call me. I turned around and, waving my hair away from my face, turned my face down to see what he wanted.  “Lex, umm,” and at this point G motioned with his finger for me to get closer. This time I had no choice so bent down at my knee and leaned in and down towards G, as he got closer and made an attempt to whisper in my ear. “Lex, I know you’re feeling kinda plucky and fearless – because you’re wearing those wild green panties which you wear when you feel that way.”

I could feel my face go red. I wasn’t angry, just amused, and not a little embarrassed, that my older brother was not only privy to that information regarding my panties (he was totally right, by the way!), but that he actually knew – in his case, saw – that I was wearing them now! “Just be careful, is all I’m saying. Don’t go all out right away. Give it time. Even if you’re feeling, umm, up to it.” 

I gently kissed him on his forehead as my hand, covering the entire back of his head and torso, moved him closer to me. “Don’t worry, G. I love you!" Standing up, I again realized how easy it indeed was for G to see straight up my legs. Green panties in particular probably contrasted with the lavender of the dress to create a stark, easily visible, difference. Anyhow, I waved down to G, "See you later! Lauren, see you later too!”

As I closed the door behind me, I could see them both standing there, waving me good bye.

I really want to tell you how my night with Charlie was but I know this is G’s log and I don’t want to hog up more space than necessary. I can say we talked a lot about Georgie, and how he's managed in his life this long. But we talked about other things too. 

I also want to emphasize that Charlie is really romantic. I am just so happy to have met him and can’t believe it’s been so long that we’ve lived in the same town and never met before. Briefly, we did go to the school dance and then saw a movie (funny!) afterwards. I can’t tell you how thrilling that was – to finally have a guy who can look you in the eye while we danced! That’s never happened to me before. I could’ve stayed there all night. Charlie kissed me, and I mean really kissed, and my head nearly exploded. 

I am sure we were a scene on that dance floor, and people there are probably still talking about it. It’s probably not that often you get to see two (almost) 7 footers dancing, and so romantically at that. I’ve gone out with guys before, and even danced with some, but there is no doubt this was my first real date. I probably sound like all other giddy-in-love 17 year olds, but fuck it, I deserve to be this happy. You all agree, right?

Of course, before he dropped me off at home, he asked if he could take me to upcoming school dances and...more? I don't think I gave it even 2 seconds before I answered.