Boys Will Be Boys...or in this case; girls.
Okay, random drabble, had issues writing in third person, as I'm so used to first.Going to give a warning: cross dressing, on this because, well, there's cross dressing, but it's still a very tame, tame ficlet.
For shar_lah , my wife.
So here it is:
"So do I look like Taylor, or does she look like me?"
Mitchell blinked. "Hayden, you're twins; you both look like each other."
"What he means is; does he look like a girl or do I look like a boy" Taylor filled in.
"Oh! Well, ah, I suppose...Taylor you don't look like a guy; at all" he smiled at her.
"So you’re saying I look like a girl!" Hayden yelled; disbelief painted across his face.
"No, it’s obvious you're a guy, just, you're girlier than Taylor is boyish." Mitchell tried.
"You are kind of androgynous" Taylor inserted unhelpfully. "Just quietly."
"No man, no! If I dressed like a girl everybody would still know that I am in fact a guy"
"We're not saying otherwise, just-" Mitchell attempted.
"Just that you look like a girl!" Hayden stood up to storm away. He got half way across the room before turning back. "Idea! If I dressed like a girl and we all went out I guarantee that everyone would still know I'm a guy, I'd get a ton of weird looks and it would be settled, I'm not girly! In any way!"
"No, and you're just willing to put on a dress and make up to prove it.” Taylor deadpanned.
“Exactly.”
“Hayden, do you listen to yourself?” Taylor asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Clearly I’m the one talking, I shouldn’t have to do both Taylor; I’m not a multi-tasker, that’s what girls are, which I am not.” And that was that.
Until of course later that day.
“My master piece is complete! I give you...insert drum roll here, and please hold applause until the end of my speech...Hayley!” Toni announced excitedly; grinning wide and flushed with her achievement. Taylor and Mitchell stood gobsmacked.
Gone was the dark band t-shirt, the severely ripped and faded jeans, the chucks, and crow’s nest of hair that was Hayden. They continued to blink in amazement.
“So I chose the knit dress for a few reasons, one, the turtle neck collar will hide his Adam’s apple, two, is will hide the fact that his shoulders are broad and his waist narrow and hips nonexistent. Next is black skinny jeans, showing off his lovely legs, while also hiding the fact that he doesn’t shave them, which I wish guys would do.” Toni huffed. “The hair was a bit difficult. Taylor, yours and Hayden’s hair seems to wave a little bit, yours is mostly weighed down by your length, and it allows Hayden’s hair to be even messier, so I straightened it. Boy needs a hair cut” Toni smiled again, softer now, fondly, hand seeming to hover in the air, wanting to ruffle Hayden’s shaggy locks like she normally did. But now, they were neat, and straight, nearly touching his shoulders, with one side pulled back with an elaborate clip. The make-up was subtle, almost natural, just enough to soften his jaw line and bring out his eyes. Hayden licked his glossy lips.
“Strawberry flavoured.” He muttered. Then Taylor noticed the real kicker of the ensemble, pun intended; Hayden was wearing high heels, high heels that meant business.
“Hayden, you’re wearing stilettos.” Taylor declared.
“Very good Taylor, I’m also wearing a dress, if that escaped you’re notice.” He snarked. At least we know it is actually him, Taylor thought to herself.
“But I can’t even wear those, I’d fall over after taking three steps.”
“It really isn’t that hard.” He rolled his eyes and then shared a silent conversation with Mitchell, who was shaking his head with a small smile plastered on his face.
“Hayden’s actually used to wearing heels now,” Toni added suddenly. Hayden’s eyes widened. “I pay him twenty bucks to break in each new pair of heels I get.”
Taylor’s jaw dropped. “You pay him to wear your heels? What about me?”
“He always seems to need the money, I don’t know where your allowance goes.” She says the last part in Hayden’s direction who just shrugs defensively.
“We hitting the road or what?” He heads down the stairs, his steps even and balanced, better then Taylor could have managed in heels that high, and she seethed a little; it just wasn’t fair.
“Okay, so if people flirt with you it’s a point to the fact that you are girly, and if people show any signs that they know you’re a boy it’s a point to you, and your not girliness?” Mitchell clarifies.
“Exactly.” Hayden nods once.
“What if someone knows you’re a guy but flirts with you anyway?”
“Then I buy that poor sucker a drink, ‘cause he has issues.”
“He’s enjoying himself way too much.” Taylor scowls. They had made it to their usual bar without mishap. Taylor had only fallen over twice, which made Hayden chortle because she was wearing flats while he was still strutting along without a pause. Mitchell played mediator, but this was all common place (minus of course the fact that Hayden was dressed like a girl). Now Taylor and Mitchell were sitting in a booth watching Hayden flirt with anybody that walked by. Guy, girl, it didn’t matter, Hayden had quickly realised that no one, not even the other regulars or the staff, who they all knew by name could tell it was him, and allowed him to act out in any way he pleased.
Currently he was perched on a bar stool, posing prettily, and sending ‘come hither’ looks at passer bys. Blatantly flirting and having a great time of it.
“I don’t understand! He’s acting like a total skank! How come guys are crawling all over him?” She pouted, fiddling with a long strand of chocolate coloured hair.
“Because they think he, well, she, will put out.” Mitchell said simply.
“Then I don’t stand a chance.” She sighed heavily.
Mitchell smiled at her affectionately.
“Taylor, guys try to get your attention all the time and not for the same reason as those guys, but you just don’t realise, and besides those guys are all total wankers; if they did come over here I’d have to cause a scene. And then Hayden would come marching over and make the situation even worse. Most likely by taking off one of those wicked heels and trying to stab someone with it.” Mitchell grinned, and Taylor smiled, slightly flustered.
“I don’t understand him sometimes.” She changed the subject, trying to prevent herself from going tomato red. “I would have thought he’d be over here having a fit that he pulled off being a girl so easily. But he’s living it up.” She laughed. “I wish I had a camera, this is great blackmail material.”
“I already took photos on my phone.” Mitchell smirked.
They sat and ate in a comfortable silence, occasionally breaking it with banter or small talk.
“Taylor! Mitchell! Oh. My. God. Are you guys finally going out?” They jumped about a foot in the air, hitting their knees on the table. Grimacing and rubbing her knees Taylor turned to see Chloe bouncing on the spot, blue eyes wide and excited, blonde curls flying. She looked as though she just found out that Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were not only real but were making a brand new holiday that involved presents, chocolate and a day off school.
“Umm, hey Chloe, ahh, no, we’re here with Hayden.” Her smile went down a few watts, as though the public holiday and presents were cancelled but East-mas was still a go.
“Oh? Where is he? Maybe I could keep him company so he doesn’t feel like such a third wheel.” She smiled cheekily.
Taylor blinked owlishly. She wasn’t mean enough to tell the biggest gossip in the school (even though said gossiper was a good friend of hers) that her brother was over at the bar cross dressing. She was saved from having to make up a really bad, terrible, embarrassing lie by the arrival of Hayden...and Damien?
“Look who showed up to ruin my evening.” Hayden growled, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the blonde male. Who looked decidedly uncomfortable. Taylor didn’t bother looking at Chloe’s reaction; it was either going to be devastation that her crush was a total freak or total shock that somebody she actually knew was a total freak. Not much of a difference really.
“Awe, did someone scare away all your admirers? No more free drinks for you then. Damien I probably owe you.”
“I bought you a drink to say sorry.” Damien muttered. Taylor raised an eyebrow and actually turned to look at him. Usually he was haughty and always willing to snap something back at Hayden, it amused her a little to finally see someone snark at Hayden the way he did to her, or to watch them bicker like a married couple, so while she always put an end to Hayden’s fights, she felt that Damien and Hayden’s spats were maybe just a little good for him. But tonight Damien just looked awkward, standing a little away from the group, but not showing any signs of being embarrassed at hanging with a cross dresser, no one else realised so why should he be? Taylor looked at his clothing. Usually Damien dressed very formal, as he was from a fairly rich, very classy family. He was always dressed immaculately. Tonight he was dressed more like a typical teenager; jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt, hair just a little ruffled, wearing sneakers, so still fashionable and respectable, but by far the most casual Taylor had ever seen him. She then looked at the expensive beer in Hayden’s hand. Taylor’s eyes narrowed.
“Damien. You’re looking very nice tonight.” She commented. Mitchell frowned, while Hayden raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Damien more closely as well. Hayden looked him up and down, and then like Taylor, glanced at the beer in his hand. While Mitchell would never say it out loud, having learnt his lesson about how much the twins hated being similar, the two were remarkably alike.
“Come on Damien.” Hayden grabbed the blonde boy’s wrist and began walking away; Damien didn’t fight it, still in shock at Hayden actually using his given name.
“Where are you going?” Taylor asked.
“I’m going to buy this poor sucker a drink.” Hayden grinned at them before whirling around and stalking off, Damien still in tow.
They’re going to be cute. Taylor thinks.
“They’re going to be cute.” Chloe says quietly.
Tah Dah!