Chapter 3

"So let me get this straight you're going to your dad's college as a guy to make sure he isn't cheating on your mom?" Mia asked me while we look at guy clothes and I nodded.
"Well, then what type of guy do you want to be? Hot jock? A player? The Bad Boy? Nerd? Druggie?" She listed sounding excited and I just stared at her.
"You know I'm probably not even going to be there that long? It could end up being only a week and you can't tell Nathan about this,” I stated and she shrugged.
"Who cares? This is a nice shopping spree and why not?! He would love to hear this,” she told me, excited.
"He would tease me endlessly," I told her lifting up a plain green shirt.
"He is your other best friend so of course he would just like I am going to."
"Are you lost?" A man who worked at the store asked and I snorted.
"Nope, just shopping for my brother,” I lied and he nodded. He looked to be maybe my age or older.
"Well I'm Julius let me know if you need anything and I mean anything at all,” he told me with a wink before going to help someone check out.
"That guy totally wanted your ass!” Mia told me, and I rolled my eyes but laughed.
"How come your brother isn't doing this?" Mia asked me as she lifted up a shirt and held it against me.
"Because he is too young to go to college and would get kicked out the first day for not knowing anything, I mean, he is only a sophomore in high school," I told her and she nodded.
"You should try it on,” she said, throwing it into my arms I went to go do that but she grabbed my arm, stopping me.
"No, not yet. You are just going to go all at once and try everything on."
"So are you going to get your hair cut off?" she asked me and I looked at her like she was crazy, which she is when thinking like that. I grabbed just a few simple pairs of basketball shorts and a few plain t-shirts.
"Hell no. It just grew back from Jeffery cutting half of it off a two years ago,” I told her and she nodded understanding.
You may be wondering what I'm talking about. Well a couple of years ago Jeffery thought it would funny to play a prank on me at his birthday party with his friends and they all snuck into my room and chopped off my hair and made it all different lengths. To say it was awful would be an understatement. I had to go to the salon and they made it so it was all the same length which ended a little bit under my ears.
Of course now, my hair is fully back to its original length which is about four inches below my shoulders. A few hours later after trying on and buying outfits we were finally out of the mall I stopped suddenly looking across the street.
"Wait stop," I told Mia as I looked at the sports shop. I've been dying to fix my skateboard and get a new wheel for it. My skateboard was a nice simple plain white, but what made it unique is that I made it have a splatter paint design.
"New skateboard?" Mia asked smirking at me.
"More like just a new wheel. You know I would never replace my baby,” I told her and I grabbed her arm and pulled her into the shop. A small bell rang as we opened the door, alerting the workers we entered.
"Claire? I haven't seen you in forever!" Johnny told me as he jumped over the counter and hugged me. I immediately hugged him back and smiled.
"Um, Claire?" Mia called for me.
"Oh sorry! Johnny this is Mia my best friend, and Mia this is Johnny a guy who use to help my dad at work,” I told her and she smiled saying a hello and reaching out to shake his hand but he just stared at it. She quickly realized he wasn't going to shake it and awkwardly brought it back. Johnny quickly pulled Mia into his arms and kissed her cheek.
"Please girl, no need to be so formal and I can't believe you went shopping without me,” he told us when he noticed the bags.
"Sorry Johnny, but how come you're working here? I thought you wanted to be a teacher?" I asked him and he just shook his head.
"Mmm no way, sister," the twenty-eight-year-old said, shaking his head and putting his hand on his hip. “I decided I wanted to work with beauty instead so I went back to college and now I'm here."
"In a sports store?" Mia questioned.
"Just for now until I get a call from one of the few places I applied for,” he told us and we nodded.
"So what can I get you, darling?" he asked me and I smiled.
"I'm just getting a new skateboard wheel," I told him and he nodded and brought me over to the small wall with different colored wheels and sizes.
I grabbed a red wheel to match my others. After checking out and saying goodbye I headed home.
"What did you get?!” Mom asked excitedly.
"Some outfits and a cap thing for my hair and a wig plus some padding thing to hide my boobs," I told her and she frowned.
"Why didn't you just cut your hair? You would have played the role better,” she told me and I lightly smacked her arm.
"Mom! This isn't some acting game! I'm only doing this for you for probably a week or two!" I told her.
"Doing what?" Jeff asked coming down the stairs.
"Nothing sweetie. Why don't you go and set the table,” Mom told him and he groaned but did what she asked.
"I know, I know, I'm sorry,” she replied when Jeffery was in the kitchen. "Go wash up and come down to eat, your father should be home any second and dinner will be ready in five.” I went upstairs and threw the bags on my bed and sighed laying down.
"How am I supposed to act like a boy?" I asked myself quietly before I got up and changed into some shorts and a tank top. After washing my face and hands I went downstairs and joined everyone at the table.
"Hey, Claire,” my dad said smiling at me from across the table. “You know Jeffery I hope you can continue and try to keep up your grades so you can get into a good school like your sister."
"Not this conversation again,” Jeffery groaned and I snorted.
"What do you mean again? Dad never talks to you about school,” I told him and he glared at me.
"How would you know? You're always out with Mia and Nathan or Liam,” he told me causing me to glare at him.
"I thought you and Liam broke up,” Mom asked bring the food to the table.
"We did," I said glaring at him. I noticed mom had a few more pans so I got up and decided to help.
"Here Mom, hold on let me help," I told her and grabbed one.
"Be careful they're-" she started to say but I already released the pan from my hands as I realized they were scorching hot as it burned my fingers and fell to the ground.
"- Hot,” she finished.
"Sorry, Mom," I said sheepishly.
"Nice going, Claire," Jeffery said. I just rolled my eyes.
"It's hard to tell you're sixteen when you act like you're eight," I said and he didn't reply and just stuck his tongue out proving my point. "You know what I'm just going to go to bed. I have to leave early for college tomorrow,” I said not feeling really in the mood to eat as a wave of tiredness swept over me.
"Okay goodnight, hon," Mom said hugging me before suddenly gasping.
"Oh wait! I have something for you!" She quickly grabbed an envelope from inside a cabinet. "This is for you!"
"What is it?" I asked her suspiciously.
"It's from Mia. She told me to give it to you before you went to bed.” She winked at me and I understood what it actually was, something to do with this new university I'm going to.
"Goodnight, Claire. Call me tomorrow once you're free," Dad told me pulling me into a big hug. "I'll miss you.” He kissed my forehead and gave me one more hug before letting me go.
"Even though you're annoying as fu-"
"Don't even finish that sentence young man,” Mom told Jeffery causing him to roll his eyes.
"Okay, even though you're annoying and never know how to mind your own business and you don't know how to not take four hours in the bathroom just to get ready I still love you and I hope you have fun being a college student," Jeff told me, hugging me and making my eyes almost water. I didn't realize that even though I was only going to be at this college for a few weeks I will still going to miss my crazy family like crazy.
"Bye, Jeff love you too. Make sure to keep it PG in your sophomore year,” I told him and he shrugged.
"I'll think about it. It will depend on how hot the girls are this year I'll find out tomorrow, though,” he said, making mom smack the back of his head.
"Eat your dinner then go to bed. You have your first day tomorrow,” she told Jeff and he nodded. I gave him a hug and whispered in his ear,
"Try not to annoy mom too much and don't get some girl knocked up.” He just laughed and pulled away.
"Make sure to set your alarm, Claire! Goodnight see you in the morning!” Mom yelled to me as I headed up the stairs. Before I went to bed I threw all of my new guy clothes into the plain black suitcase I bought earlier and zipped it up. Putting my suitcase by my skateboard I went and brushed my teeth then hopped into bed I just hoped this experience wouldn't be too bad.