DISGUYSED

Parker's First Normal Plan

"I can't believe this is really happening."

I looked to my side at Alex who sat stiffly, staring out the rain streaked window, his chin cradled against the window pane.

"What?" I wondered aloud, looking over to him curiously.

"That you're going to leave." He said grimly, his hands gripping the upholstery; his nails digging violently into it.

I furrowed my eyebrows, "What do you mean? I'm not going to leave anytime soon. We're going to convince my parents to stay away from the school and that you're all my friends from school coming to meet them," I explained. At first, I didn't want everyone coming because it'd draw suspicion. But Parker said he'd have a backup, though he didn't exactly tell me what it was. Hopefully he was reliable.

Alex turned around to me, peering at me with his almost healed black eye. Only a faint purplish ring lingered around the perimeter of his eye. His lips were drawn into a fine line and looked at me like I was an idiot, "You can't be that naïve, Ron." He whispered, hoping that no one else could hear him. It's not like they could, though; they were too busy debating Lord of the Rings versus Star Wars.

I raised a brow, confused, "What? Me?"

He chortled under his breath and sat his head back, letting out a long and lingering sigh, "Ron, this plan is going to crash and burn." He said pessimistically, his voice injected with venom, "I hate to admit it, but your parents are obviously not stupid if they raised a kid like you. They'll be able to see through Parker's plan as easily as you can see through this window." He said, leaning his head back against it, his face ashen and grim as the chalky color of my sweater.

"Alex, don't say that," I said hopefully, "Maybe they'll buy it. Being negative won't help it-"

Alex almost scowled at me and he stared me straight in the eye, "You call it being negative," He said eerily, his voice almost raspy, "I call it being realistic."

I frowned at Alex's pessimism, but deep inside me, a part of me sort of believed it. Parker's plans weren't exactly black and white. There were flaws in them, just like any other plan. And my parents were smart. They saw through most things; why not this?

I mentally slapped myself.

I couldn't think like that.

I wouldn't think like that.

Parker threw back his head, letting out a loud cry, "Are you kidding me?" He snapped, "Lord of the Rings is so much better! Star Wars is just a bunch of incestuous losers prancing around with light up swords who blindly drive through space with their hairy ape friend-"

"His name is Chewbacca!"

"An ape by any other name would suck as badly," Parker said blissfully.

"Well, at least Chewbacca isn't a two foot dwarf with hairy feet!"

"Don't you dare talk about Frodo that way!-"

"Guys!" Pax screamed, punching Parker lightly on his shoulder from the passenger seat. "No arguing while we're on the road! You'll crash the car!"

"Calm down, dude!" Parker scoffed, "We're here, anyway." He sighed, pulling the car into the parking lot. I immediately felt myself stiffen as my eyes wandered around the parking lot, seeing parked a couple of spaces away from us, a dark red Prius. Vic told me that was the car my family has rented.

"They're here," I said breathlessly, my eyes wide.

Everyone suddenly stopped talking, and Parker turned around to me, genuine care in his brown eyes, "We'll get this over with, Ron. And we'll make sure they'll never find out. I swear." He said hopefully, smiling.

"Yeah!" Drake and Aaron agreed in harmony while Paxton simply smiled gleefully. Alex stared irritably out the window, totally detached from everyone's cheer.

"Alright!" Parker cried, putting his hand out in the center of the car, demanding for everyone else to join in, "Let's do this, alright?" He shouted cheerily.

"Alright!" Everybody yelled in an uproar. I turned around, looking to Alex who continued to stare out the window and began to draw in the fogged up surface. Parker noticed him, too.

"Come on, Al!" Parker shouted, caught up in the moment, "Put your hand in!"

Alex turned around, confusion written all over his face. I smiled at him, and as his eyes set on me, he returned the favor with a small grin. Reluctantly, he shoved his hand apathetically in the pile.

"Alright! One, two, three, break!" Parker shouted, suddenly shooting his hand up with the rest of us. "Now let's go in there and make Ron a woman!" He said, not bothering with how awkwardly he phrased that sentence.

Immediately, everyone unlocked their doors and got out of the car, heading hurriedly across the parking lot and to my doom. I curiously peeked over my shoulder to see Alex behind me, giving me a faint smile. I quickly returned the favor and dashed after the rest.

Quietly, we approached the door. I felt Paxton's hand on my shoulder as I reached for the handle.

"Are you ready?" He whispered, a smile lingering on his lips.

I sighed and nodded, trying to smile back. I nervously reached my hand outward to grasp the doorknob and turn it so that it clicked open. Slowly, I pulled the door and revealed the restaurant right in front of us. Solemnly, we proceeded further into the familiar looking restaurant with our chins held high, trying to look as casual as we could.

I watched as Parker cut in front of me and walked up to the man at the podium, "Hello? Has the Miller family came by yet?"

The man at the podium looked up and smiled after checking his reservation book quickly, "Actually, they just came by-"

"Ronnie!" A voice cried. Immediately as I turned around, instead of being greeted normally, I was clobbered. Dark hairs blurred my vision, long nails poked my back and tall heels made the person distinguishably taller than myself, and I realized that it had to be-

"Victoria!" I cried back, entangling her in a bear hug.

She pulled back in order to see me, and I saw her bright, vibrant eyes sparkling with joy. Her rosy smile spread from ear to ear and her bouncy copper curls bounced with her as she jumped up and down excitedly.

"Oh my god! It's so awesome to see you, Ronnie!" She said happily, grinning like a madman. I looked her over; she was decked out in a pearly pink dress, black shrug and glossy black pumps. She snuck a glance behind me and frowned at me; under her breath, she muttered, "Did you tell them all that you're...you know..."

"Yes, Vic," I told her, smiling warily, "They all know about it."

She frowned, a bit worried, "But why are they here?"

I crossed my arms, "They're going to help me distract mom and dad from going to the school. If they go there, they'll know that it's all boys. We're telling them that it's a school holiday." I said.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Do you seriously think that that is going to work?"

I frowned, pursing my lips nervously, "I can only hope."

Victoria sighed, shrugging, "Alright. Then let's get this show on the road," She said, smirking eagerly.