Dude: You're a Girl

Chapter I

It was an act of desperation. There wasn't really another explanation to why I was doing it. I grabbed the opportunity when I saw it, but I should've probably spent more time thinking through the plan more before leaping into it.

"You promise you'll be good?" My mum asked me with a weak smile. I firmly grasped onto my suitcase as reassurance although she still had that look of sadness on her face.

"I promise." I replied as I picked up the rest of my luggage. "And do you promise to take good care of Sammy?"

She laughed and nodded her head. Her greying hair rippled down her small frame. "I'm your mother, Avery. That's my job."

I pursed my lips through my smile. I tried to control my feelings but I just couldn't help it, I dropped everything I was carrying and gave her a tight hug. It was going to be the last time I was going to see her this year - my stomach knotted at that thought. "Bye mum. I'll miss you."

I pulled away slowly and with my arms still stretched out, I fixed my gaze towards my worried mother. Tears were already rolling down her tired yet young face. "I'll miss you too, Avery. Take good care of yourself. You're a good girl." She said in between sobs.

I nodded my head before turning around and picking up the rest of my bags. "I'll see you next summer, Mum." I sent my farewell. I decided not to turn back around since I would probably end up bursting in tears. I was fighting with every last bit of my might to not give into the temptation to stay. I repeatedly told myself that this was, in fact, for my future, for my family.

I pulled my suitcase along the mass of bodies queueing up for their trains. I pushed passed them until I found the toilets.

'Here I go.' I mentally prepped before entering the women's washroom.

I walked in casually, going inside the first empty stall I saw. I stripped down until I was in my underwear, changing my bra for binders and then put boxers over my pants. I jumped into my new school attire, hastily pulling my tie up as I heard the annoying voice that announced the train times booming through the toilet speakers.

I bent down to tie my shoes but hit my head in the process. "Shit!" I repeatedly hissed at the door.

"Everything all right in there?" A woman asked knocking on the door. I could see her blue sandals as I bent down to lace up my shoes.

"Yeah, just a little something I ate before my train journey. Got a big load. " The woman backed away from the door in disgust. I slapped my head - I couldn't be more socially awkward. The second I heard the toilet door close behind her, I continued putting the other shoe on.

Once I was done getting changed, I tied my long brown hair into small braids and pinned them tight onto my head. I put on the skin coloured head cap before putting on the shaggy brown wig Amber, one of my best friends, gave me.

I poked my head through the slightly opened door, checking if anyone was still inside. When I thought it was clear I quietly walked out. "I look awful." I mumbled under my breath as I checked myself out in the mirrors. I shrugged in contempt. "This will have to do."

To my dismay, there was indeed someone still inside. The stall door at the very end of the room opened revealing a little old lady with an oddly sharp walking stick. Oh sugar.

"This is, umm, not what it's seems like." I said grabbing my bags, I looked as if I got caught cheating. Probably to her beady eyes, I was a strange teenage boy with an impressive high pitch voice, lurking in the girl's bathroom. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Her grey eyebrows furrowed into a glare and I squealed as she raised her pole at me. "You little pervert!" For a granny like her who looked like she lived through both world wars, she sure knew how to run. I sprinted as fast as I could dodging her every time she swung that prehistoric stick of hers.