I decided to say nothing about my imminent birthday to my two best friends, Jordan and Mark.
If they ask,
I’ll just say we’re only having a family meal this year…
and if they get wind of my sister’s party,
I’ll play it down and claim that’s ‘her’ birthday party,
not mine
(we are all in the same year at the same school, so it’s likely).
Hopefully, they’ll presume I’ll not be attending it…
and hopefully, I’ll be able to talk Sally and her friends into not saying anything afterwards.
Sally’s already agreed not to mention my party outfit beforehand,
it’s just a case of getting the girls she’s inviting to keep it secret afterwards.
It’d be bad enough if my classmates found out that I’d worn a dress,
let alone a baby pink one with matching shoes and white lacy tights!
Sally and I seldom walked home from school together.
She tends to stick with her friends and I tend to stick with mine.
We get along just fine but we’re about as far as you can get from identical twins…
she’s a girl and I’m a boy for a start.
She listens to pop music whilst I prefer a rockier sound.
I enjoy action films,
she loves romantic comedies.
I’m a normal boy and she’s an old fashioned girlie girl
which in this day and age, can be quite an embarrassment.
Today however, I loiter by the school gates and wait for her.
I spot her exiting the school building with friend Mollie.
They stand out because they’re two of the few girls who still wear skirts for school.
“You waiting for me Pete?” Sally asked as she approached.
Mollie smiled and greeted me too.
I suspected Sally had told her about my party outfit,
but wasn’t going to ask one way or the other.
The three of us walked together for a while until Mollie headed in her own direction.
The moment she was out of earshot, I asked Sally if she’d told her.
“No… course not!” she insisted.
“You sure?” I asked.
“Because of the way she grinned at me… I suspected she knew something.”
Sally assured me that her lips were sealed and informed me that I’m their ‘big surprise’.
“So… who else have you invited?” I asked.
“Mollie and Kirsten and Sarah Clarke…”
“I don’t know her.” I interjected.
Sally described Sarah but I was none the wiser,
before explaining that she’s not a ‘girlie’ girl and would be borrowing one of Sally’s prissy dresses for the party.
“I kinda wish I was borrowing one of yours too.”
“That was the idea.” she informed me.
“Then Mum noticed the boy’s section in the back of one of my catalogues and figured you’d rather wear a boy’s dress than a girl’s one.” she explained.
“I’d have much rather borrowed a girl’s dress!” I sighed.
“It seems like a lot of expense for just a few hours though.” I stated.
“Those pink shoes alone must cost twenty or thirty quid.”
“Well, my shoes wouldn’t fit you… so you at least need your own.” she said before asking how I was getting on with them.
I described them as ‘weird’ before adding that they’re ‘OK’.
“It was weird when I finally took them off…
I felt about two inches shorter.”
“Well you would have been.” she smiled.
“I was impressed that you kept them on for so long.”
“It was only a few hours… and I do need the practice if I’m going to carry it off.”
“Oooh it’s great that you’re making the effort.” she said.
“Are you looking forward to it?”
“I’m looking forward to it all being over.” I replied.
“And when it is over, word’ll get round that I wore a dress and it’ll haunt me for the rest of my life.” I claimed.
“So no… I’m dreading it.”
“It’ll be fine.” she insisted. I wasn’t convinced. I asked who else she’d invited.
“Melanie.” she replied.
“Cousin Melanie?” I asked.
She nodded. “Ohhh… that means the whole family will find out too.”
“It’s just a dress Peter… loads of boys dress as girls for Halloween and stuff.”
“Yeah I guess.” I conceded.
We always dress up for Halloween but I’ve never once considered dressing as girl.
A zombie, vampire, mummy and Frankenstein’s monster; yes… a girl; no… well not until now.
I expect the dress will still be in my wardrobe come autumn.
“You know when you shave your legs?” I asked.
“Yeah?”
“How long does it take for them to start growing back?”
“A couple of days.” she replied. “If leave them a week they either need shaving or I wear thick tights.”
“So just a week then?”
“Yeah… a week tops. In the summer I’ll shave every two or three days… in the winter not quite so often.”
“Cool.” I replied. She asked why I was asking and I sheepishly told her that Mum said I have to shave my legs for the party.
“…or use some cream.”
“You really are making the effort aren’t you!” she exclaimed.
I replied saying that I have to. I stopped and pulled up my trouser leg.
“Can you imagine these sticking out of a pink dress?” I asked as I ran my fingers over my bushy leg hair.
She giggled and said “No.” before informing that it might take a bit more than a week for them to grow back to that extent.
“Well I’ll just have to avoid shorts until they do.”
I figured. It’s not a bad plan since we can wear shorts or tracksuit pants for PE, and I can opt out of swimming if I want.
The fact that our cousin Melanie had been invited popped back into my head.
“Does Mel know that it’s a pink party?” I asked.
“Yep.” Sally replied.
“Does she even own a dress?” I asked.
In our mother’s youth,
Melanie would have been called a tomboy,
but in this day and age, she’s a typical girl who generally shuns things like dresses, make-up, long hair and jewellery.
Sally informed me that like Sarah, Melanie will also be borrowing one of her dresses.
“She can borrow mine if she wants.” I suggested. Sally chuckled.