Being You

Chapter 2

Somehow Jeremy managed to keep up the bubbly, energetic facade over dinner. He retreated back upstairs with Ella as soon as was acceptable and wouldn't arouse suspicion.

"God, that was exhausting," Jeremy confessed as he flopped onto his back on his bed. "I don't know how you keep it up."

"Maybe I just have higher energy levels than you." Ella pushed her brother across the bed with her foot to make room for herself to sit. He pouted at her with full lips and she found herself unnerved by her brother's behaviour. He's getting way too into this...

"What'll we do for school?" Jeremy muttered. Ella leaned her head against the wall, lost for words for once. What could they possibly do? It seemed like the only option would be to go along with it, each pretending to be the other.

"PE class will be awkward," Jeremy said after a moment. "Changing with all the girls."

"No it won't," Ella scoffed. "Just don't stare at them. It's not like you can get an awkward boner or anything."

"...Oh yeah. But won't you, ogling all those hot, sweaty boys—?"

"I swear I told you I was gay. Like, two years ago."

"What!?" Jeremy stared at her in disbelief, eyes boggling. "No way."

"So I guess that makes me straight? For now."

Jeremy cackled and punched her in the shoulder. "Well, don't go getting too much action while you have my body. I want to lose my virginity while I'm in my body." He went red and covered his mouth when he realised what he'd said.

"Well you won't be losing it in mine," Ella said with a devilish grin.

"No way. I can't believe you — you seriously lost your virginity before me?"

"Well I see it more as gaining sexual experience, but yes. Problem? Feel emasculated yet?" Ella was still grinning.

"Um, yes, quite frankly. God, you whore." Jeremy shielded his face as Ella punched him good-naturedly, squealing a little for good measure.

"I'm gonna have to give you some tips on dealing with my friends," Ella realised once they'd calmed down. "At least I won't have to deal with any of yours because you don't have any..."

Jeremy scowled. "That's it. You're dead." He tackled her onto the ground and promptly a slapping contest broke out on the worn beige carpet. After a couple of minutes they called a truce and, breathing heavily, lay on the floor where they landed.

"You're lucky I love you, El."

"I sure am, Jer."

. . .

Jeremy smoothed his skirt down for about the fiftieth time and looked at himself in the mirror. A girl that looked like Ella stared back at him, seeming unusually demure. He noticed his toes were pointing inwards like a pigeon's, and he kept fiddling with his hair. He forced himself to straighten his posture and remember the confidence he'd had the night before at dinner as he pretended to be Ella. I can do this. Probably.

"Lemme fix your hair," Ella fussed, tugging at the sleeve on the white school blouse Jeremy was wearing. "There's no way you'll pass as me if your hair isn't on fleek."

"Oh my god, we're going to be late if you take more than three minutes." Secretly, though, Jeremy had no idea what to do with the brown curls that were flying in all directions from his scalp, and was glad Ella had insisted.

Ella evidently took this as permission and immediately whipped out a hair straightener, a tub of some hair product and a number of narrow hairpins. "This is actually so much easier because I can see the back now."

"I hope you combed your hair properly, too," Jeremy tutted.

"What the hell are you talking about? It's, like, the most basic of haircuts. I couldn't possibly style it wrong."

"Hm. Well, it'll do."

Ella sniffed, affronted, and ignored Jeremy as she continued to tong, tug and tamper with his hair. Finally she nodded, seemingly satisfied enough, and packed Jeremy's bag for him.

"Timetable. Phone. Keys." She checked the items off out loud as she handed them to him.

"Okay, Mum."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. It's practically like your first day. If you mess up, people will treat you so differently; they'll eat you alive. Girls can be absolute bitches."

Jeremy swallowed, taking in this information. "The boys can be awful too. Make sure not to egg them on."

Ella squinted at him, uncomprehending. "Well I'm not going to let them walk all over me," she said, sounding as though it was the worst possible thing one could do.

Jeremy's heart sank. He could easily see her copping a beating or two at school with that show of attitude. "Just be careful, okay?"

"You worry too much." Ella nudged him towards the door. "C'mon, we'd better go."