Undercover In An All-Boys' Academy

♂ First ♀

A/N: This is to get some of the characters out there, and introduce the plot. Things will definitely be picking up within the next chapter onwards. Comment/Vote? <3

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Chapter One

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"Are you sure about this?" my best friend asked, biting her lip.

She clutched the scissors nervously with both hands, poised for action around a glossy lock of my strawberry-blonde hair.

I gritted my teeth, nodding curtly. Here goes nothing.

The scissors' blades gleamed wickedly, inching closer to my hair. Elodie squeezed her eyes shut. 

"Ellie! Don't close your eyes!" I squawked, jumping in my seat.

Snip.

"Oops," she said sheepishly. "That didn't sound good."

I dug my fingers into the arms of my chair. "Gee, no kidding," I muttered sarcastically.

Ellie opened one eye, squinting at my shortened hair. Then she let out a loud squeal. "Ohmygosh!"

"What is it...?" 

I was already beginning to regret this.

"Just... see for yourself." 

She handed me a mirror, and I hesitantly peered at my reflection.

Shaggy, ash blonde hair fell in my eyes, tousled in a fashionable, "effortless" style that lay in a perfectly boyish way. The ends were layered, curving nicely a little above the nape of my neck. With the new cut, my cheek bones suddenly seemed more prominent, my jaw more angular and my eyes, an unusual pale green, appearing brighter and intriguing.

My lips curved up in a smile. "This is amazingly weird," I admitted, turning my head in the mirror.

"You're hot," Ellie giggled, biting her lip.

"Too weird..." I murmured in agreement.

"The dye was a great idea. I can hardly recognize you!" my best friend exclaimed, leaning over to pinch my cheeks. "My wittle Jay-Jay's growing up."

I swatted her away, still grinning. "If this is what classifies as 'growing up,' my mum would freak," I noted delightedly. With her crisp business suits, pin-striped pants, and traditional values ("No sexy time before marriage, honey."), Mum would most definitely more than "freak," and would likely start World War III. Throw in a couple bomb raids and the image was frighteningly accurate.

I saw Ellie nodding, suddenly sober. "She probably will. Why are you doing this, again?"

I spun around in my desk chair to face her. "I told you. It's my one shot at getting discovered. Joining the Alton Academy soccer team? Freakin' elite! Instant scholarship: guaranteed."

"But you're not even a boy," she reminded me.

I waggled my eyebrows at her. "I am now."

She opened her mouth to reply, but I interrupted. "Look, I've told you a trillion times: I know what I'm getting into! I just want to spend one semester there - maybe a bit of the summer, too. I'll brush up on my soccer skills, and then go to whatever stick-up-the-ass private school I'm really supposed to be at, and all shall be golden."

I smiled triumphantly.

"What does your mum think of this?" Ellie asked. I let out a huff of air. "She still thinks I'm going to some Catholic, all-girls' boarding school in Switzerland."