Tough - Tup

People change

It had been 2 weeks since Taz's birthday catastrophe and Saturday was the day. Taz remembered the promises she had made to herself on the night of her birthday. That was the last night she would be the same. She was sticking to it. Taz sat of the edge of the bath looking in the mirror trying to find a place to start. Taz just had a very girly appearance to her - whether it be her height or dainty bone structure, changing her look would be hard. Taz hadn't told Up about this - it was mainly just because she had other things to talk to him about but also because she knew that doing this would be something that she would have to do alone. The only thing Taz could actually change was her haircut. As she noticed before, it was now just passing her hips and was a real set back in combat, so she found the sharpest scissors in her dorm started cutting bit by bit, cutting different strands at different lengths. After deciding it was shortened enough, she looked at what length it was currently at: it sort of feathered down to her shoulders. Taz really liked the length it was. It was sharp, there was enough to tie back but also enough so make it look fierce - it sort of reminded her of a character called Tonks from a 'Harry Potter' film Up showed her a while ago. She imagined herself in 10 years time when she was a ranger with it even shorter or styled up but for now this would do.
Taz felt so mixed up. In the short space of a month she had gone from feeling like a wreck to a princess to weak to okay and finally to Taz. This is who she was. This look felt comfortable. She was definitely satisfied. Taz was partly excited to see Up and partly nervous that he wouldn't like what she had done, never the less there is no turning back. Taz cleaned up her bathroom then got changed into some sweat pants and plain strap top. She sat on her bed with her book and heard a knock on the door.
"Ugh I just sat down!" She muttered to herself. Taz opening the door expecting to see Up but instead, Beth stood at the door. She looked up to see Taz.
"Oh sorry! I thought Taz was in here - wrong room." Taz rolled her eyes. A hair cut surely hasn't changed her that much - Beth was just a little bit slow as Taz had figured out.
"Bethany I am Taz, my hair is just shorter."
"Oh yeah." She stood and stared at Taz for a little while, assessing what she was wearing and then what she was holding.
"What's that?" She asked. Taz felt the need to be sarcastic but feared that Bethany wouldn't understand.
"A book. Ever seen one before?"
"Yes. There's no need to be rude. Why are you reading? That's so weird."
'Well maybe if you read you wouldn't be so damn thick.' Taz thought.
"I read because I want to, not that it concerns you." Bethany snatched the book from Taz and read the title.
"What the hell does 'Finis mundi' mean? And why do you have to read it in your language?"
"It's a Spanish novel about an apocalypse basically. I read it in Spanish because it is easier for me to understand. Is that okay with you?" Taz was getting pissed off with Bethany. She was beginning to think that this girl wasn't as thick as she made herself out to be.
"No it's not. Why can't you just do things like everyone else, freak." Taz was ready to swing a punch.
"What did you just say to her?" Up growled as he appeared. Beth visibly jumped but when she realised who it was she glanced at Taz slyly and turned to Up.
"Taz was being so horrible to me, calling me stupid just because I'm not as clever as everyone else and she's so violent, I was scared so I had to stand up for myself." She whined and pouted to Up who payed no attention to what she said. His focus was on Taz who was clenching her fists at Bethany. Up decided to play a game.
"Really Beth? Did it hurt your feelings?" Up said patronisingly and Beth nodded, still pouting.
"I don't know how you tolerate her Up. You deserve so much better than her Up. I would never hurt anyone like she hurt me, especially not you."  It was clear that Beth liked Up and was now using this to get him and on top of that, she seemed to believe that Up cared. Taz was still watching everything happening in the corridor outside her door and was slightly unsure what Up's angle was but either way, she was shaking with anger. That was when Up looked at Taz.
"Taz, anything you'd like to say to Beth?" Beth turned to look smugly at her. Taz looked to Up who winked.
Taz couldn't resist any long. She slapped Beth in the face, hard enough so shock but not to hurt and gave a satisfied smile.
"Si Up, I do have something to say. Lo siento much, perra." Beth stormed off, cursing and angry. 
Up had to contain his laughter as he put an arm round Taz to walk in and sit on her bed facing each other.
"You look hot by the way." He said and ran his fingers through her hair.
"Do you like it?"
"Take a guess." Up said as he pulled Taz on top of him and continued stroking her hair.
"You know, for a moment there I though you would side with Beth." Taz said as she kissed Up's neck. He laughed a bit before saying -
"Don't be ridiculous, I heard what she said and she's a stupid bitch."
"She seemed to like you though." Taz said mockingly.
"Looks like you've definitely got competition then." Up replied and he slid his hands down to Taz's waist as she giggled.
"But all joking aside, I love your new look. Not just because you look smokin but because you've changed, you're daring and different. And I love it."
He loves it.