Betting It All

Chapter 1 - Haircuts

(Chloe's point of view)

"Don't mess up!" my best friend Alexis said, shifting from one foot to the other.

Kate, my sister, was standing behind me, about to cut my beautiful, straight brown hair so I would look like a guy. Alexis was going to be getting hers cut after Kate finished my hair.

"Yeah, no pressure or anything," said Matt, Kate's boyfriend. He was standing near the door, observing us with a smirk.

"Thanks for the support," I snapped.

"Someone's a little bit nervous," Lex sing-songed.

"Oh shut up! It's not like you aren't nervous too," I stuck my tongue out at her.

She crossed her arms and pouted. "Yeah well...whatever."

"ANYWAY," Kate said, "we've had plenty of lessons teaching you two how to be guys, and we've already gotten you both plenty of clothes and other necessities. The only thing left to do is cut your hair so you look the part."

"I'm just not sure how I feel about being your test subject for your beauticioner exam," Lex stated.

"A bet's a bet. If you want to hand over $50 to Matt then be my guest," I said. This bet is between Matt, Lex, and me, of course. A few months ago, during an argument about whether boys or girls are more daring, Matt bet us that we couldn't make it a year at an all-boys boarding school without getting expelled. If we got expelled, we owed Matt $50 each, but if we made it the entire year without being kicked out, Matt would give us each $25. But the part that made it worth it was that if we won, Matt would have to dress up as a girl for three months. Kate, being Matt's girlfriend and my sister, found out about the bet and, after some begging, she agreed to help us and keep it from our parents that our new school, the prestigious Green Acre Academy, was boys-only.

"Yeah, like I would ever pass up the chance to see that idiot in a dress and a full face of makeup," she shot back.

"Wait, who said anything about make-," Matt was cut off before he could finish.

"And we're done!" Kate exclaimed, snipping the last piece of my long hair, and diverting her boyfriend's attention from Lex.

"Wow...I really do look like a guy..." I marveled, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

"Now it's your turn Alexis," Kate said.

Matt and I shoved her into the chair I had been sitting in and laughed at the face she made.

"You didn't have to push so hard," she muttered.

We were silent as Kate snipped away at Alexis' long, dirty-blonde hair.

"Wow. I make one heck of a smexy dude!" Alexis remarked, examining herself in the mirror. I shoved her for being a doofus.

"Thanks so much for all you guys have done for us," I said.

"You're welcome," Kate and Matt replied simultaneously.

"Well, I'd better get home. I'll see you guys tomorrow, so we can drive you to the school and get you situated," Matt stated.

"I'll walk you to the door." Kate followed him out the bathroom as we shouted our goodbyes.

Once they were gone I turned to face Lex. She stared at me for a minute, and then asked, "Do you think they're going to make out?"

"Probably." We both started gagging and pretending to throw up.

Kate walked back in in the middle of our spectacular and very convincing impersonation of people in the throes of a bout of food poisoning.

"Well," Kate said with a wry grin. "Now I know how you got out of school all those times."

Alexis and I jumped. "Oh, Kate! I didn't see you come in..." I said guiltily.

"Just saying good night. I'll see you two in the morning," she said.

"Okay. Night Kate."

"Later Kate," Lex chirped. She had the whole "acting innocent" thing down to a science.

Lex and I cleaned up the bathroom and then went to my room. I finished packing my stuff while she stared at me, probably trying to creep me out. I double checked to make sure I had everything, and for once I did.

"Well, I guess I should go..." Lex said sadly. "I've gotta make sure everything's packed too."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. I assume you can find your way out."

"Noooo, it's not like I practically LIVE here or anything," she replied sarcastically and headed out the door.

After she left I went to my dresser, grabbed some pjs and changed into them. I turned off the light, jumped into my comfy waterbed and drifted off to sleep.