Barbie and the Spy Squad: The Start of Something New

Chapter Ten: Undercover and Over Exposed

"Barbie... um... I'm not so sure this will work..."

Apprehensiveness reached Barbie's ears as her best friend spoke up from his dressing room in the local outlet store. She stood up from tying her boots and grinned.

"Oh, come on, it can't be that bad!"

Ken sighed, "Okay... don't say I didn't warn you..."

Slowly, the curtain to the dressing room peeled back to reveal an awkwardly standing teen who very much did NOT look like himself.

Ken was wearing a green, white, and pink checkered polo shirt tucked into his jean shorts adorned with cargo pockets and hammer straps that were secured with a brown belt. White tube socks went up to half his shin height and white New Balance shoes covered his feet. "Beach Bum" brazenly embroidered in bright yellow lettering flashed on a denim baseball cap. In his hands were a pair of polarized Ray-Bans with a tie-dye neck strap he was sorely debating on wearing... as if that was the worst thing...

He looked like a typical dad on vacation.

Barbie couldn't help it... biting the insides of her cheeks and covering her mouth did little to nothing to stem the churning volcano of amusement inside her gut that threatened to erupt.

And erupt it did.

She began to cackle and snort... hard!

Ken was not amused... he dryly lowered her eyes to her doubled over, heaving form that hinted very strongly he wasn't about to join in. This was just like the time Barbie and her oldest sisters dressed him like the Roof Fairy without his prior knowledge... but also so much worse at the same time. At least no one else saw him in the pink dress and mop wig.

Well, Trey and his parents did, but they barely count...

"Har har har...", then exclaimed, "I look like my dad!"

Barbie wiped a tear and tried to catch her breath, then placed a finger in the air as if to make another point, "Wait, wait, wait...". She walked over to the nearest souvenir stand and retrieved one last item. Walking over to him, she buckled a neon pink fanny pack around his waist that read 'I came to Catalina and all I got was this fanny pack!' She stood back to admire her work and resumed her guffaws.

"NOW you look like your dad!"

Ken groaned frustratingly at her continued comedic seizures. He gestured to her, "What about you? You look awesome!"

Barbie was wearing a knee-length stonewashed denim skort and a white tank-top. Wrapped around her back was a sleeveless, collared denim vest to allow the glittery yellow pineapple applique on the tank to shine through. On her head was a largely brimmed wicker hat that covered her long, black curly wig she found in the back of the store she had since braided into low pigtails. Brown hiking boots were laced tight on her feet. She was also planning on wearing a pair of massive face-covering green owl-like sunglasses. A blue sequined satchel-like purse hung around her shoulder.

She looked down and began to admire her choice in attire, then scoffed, "Seriously? I look like a mess! First of all, I would never wear denim on denim..."

A blush overtook Ken's face immediately as he mumbled, "Well, I guess it's because I think you look awesome in everything you wear..."

Now, Barbie stopped her chortling and immediately warmed at the sweet compliment from her best friend. She squinted her eyes and smiled widely, "Aww... thanks, Ken"

He cleared his throat and scratched his head, then tried to break the awkward tension, "Heh... well... anyway, uh... how about we figure out what to do next..."