Rent or forfeit 20

It had been a miserable day, not in just in terms of weather, being an icy cold, windy, January day, but mood wise Tommy was fed up. Having chosen Monica’s option, not wanting to give Sarah the satisfaction of being her servant all week, Tommy woke up to find an outfit laid out for him, and after a quick glance at the girly clothes he was expected to wear that day, hanging from his wardrobe door, he wasn’t sure he had made the right decision.

He walked over to the eye-catching outfit and took a closer look, horrified by the thought of having to wear it and leave the house where people would see him. He reached out and touched the frilly skirt, feeling the soft light weight fabric, for most eighteen-year-old boys, the thought of wearing a skirt, like the one Tommy currently held between his long acrylic nails, out in public would be their worst nightmare, not to mention the strappy low cut top or the thigh high boots, with their tall stiletto heels, but by now Tommy was almost used to wearing such clothes, the part that sickened him to his stomach was the colour, the whole outfit was girly girl pink, the most feminine of colours and a colour he hated.

He took a long shower, trying not to think about what his sisters had planned for him that day and enjoying the feeling of the warm water against his skin. Re-entering his bedroom, he found Monica was sat on his bed waiting for him, “Morning Tammy, how did you sleep”? she asked cheerfully.

“Yeah, just great”, Tommy mumbled sarcastically, annoyed at the stupid question.

“Oh, don’t be like that, remember you chose to be my princess for the week, and now that it’s happening, you can either spend the day miserable, piss off Sarah and make things harder on yourself or you can put a smile on your face, like a proper princess, and try to have some fun with it”.

Tommy sighed, too worn out to fight with her, “Ok, Mon, I’ll try”, he said as he forced a little smile on his lips.

“That a girl, now come sit over here and I’ll do you hair and makeup”, she said cheerfully, moving over towards the vanity. Tommy trudged over and sat down, “I’ll be out of this crazy house soon”, he thought to himself, “just got to tough it out a little while longer”.

A few hours later after a rather humiliating bus ride into the city, Tommy arrived at a soul-destroying destination, a hair salon. He followed his sisters in as the bell on the door rung out, announcing their arrival, prompting all the people in the room to turn and look and all the free stylists to rush over and greet them, they seemed to be expecting him, and made a big fuss over his outfit, asking him to spin around and pose, using words like words precious, dainty and beautiful to describe him, it was actually a relief when he was finally allowed to move over to the stylist chair allowing everyone else went back to what they were doing. With his head in the sink, and the relaxing feeling of the stylist running her fingers along the top of his scalp, Tommy listened on as his sisters and the stylist discussed what was to be his new look.

“So, what are we thinking today”? asked the stylist.

“What do you think Monica? What look do you have in mind for her”? Sarah asked.

“hmm…, I don’t know, she already has such beautiful hair, can I just leave it up to you”? Monica said directing her question towards the stylist, “just make her pretty something that’ll match her outfit, can you do that”?

The stylist smiled, “Oh I’m sure I can come up with something”, she replied, as Tommy got a sinking feeling in his stomach.

“Look mommy, that lady looks so pretty, just like one of my dollies”, said a passing little girl, holding her mother’s hand.

“Come on Jenny, let’s not bother the woman, “replied her mother”, dragging her daughter past and giving Tommy a look of disgust.

Tommy hung his head in shame, ever since he left the salon, he had been the centre of attention as everyone he past stopped to stare or comment, but who could blame them, he would have starred himself, if he had seen a girl dressed like he was, dressed completely in bright pink, a stark contrast to all the other people in their dark wintery clothes, her boobs half hanging out, and trying to awkwardly navigate the uneven cobblestones in a pair of tall spiky hooker boots. He didn’t want to think about what he now looked like, even though the memory of seeing himself in the mirror earlier as the stylist relieved his new look, would be etched in his memory forever.

Earlier in the salon when she had removed the long extensions from his hair, for a brief moment, he had actually been happy, thinking about all the hours he had wasted washing and styling the long fake hair and how much easier it would be from now on, but those thoughts were shattered when he came face to face with his new look.

If he hadn’t already felt ridiculous parading around in his Barbie pink outfit, he now had the hair to match. He could still see the image of the of himself in the mirror, his pouty pink lips open in shock, long bubble-gum pink nails holding the side of his face, and his heavily made-up eyes wide open, staring at the pastel pink and blonde colours dyed into his real hair making him look like someone out of a pop video.

“Stop pouting Tammy, and hurry up will you”, Sarah said having stopped in front of him and getting impatient due to the cold wind.

“Sarah, please, everyone is staring at me, I feel ridiculous”, Tommy answered.

“People are only looking because you look so fabulous, try smiling a little, it looks odd for a girl dressed like you to look so miserable”.

“Smile, are you serious, look at me”? Tommy said raising his voice.

“Oooo, calm down you little diva, don’t get your panties in a bunch, or should I say thong”, she replied, bursting out laughing.

Tommy wanted to explode in anger but noticing the people who had stopped to look at his sudden outburst, including the mother and her daughter, he decided it wasn’t the time or the place for a full-on argument.

He took a deep breath to calm himself, “Sarah, can we please just go home”? he pleaded in a quiet voice, utterly fed up and shivering as a cold gust of wind attacked his upper legs though his pink tights.

“Not, yet princess, we aren’t done, so pull yourself together and move that cute little butt of yours”.

Where is Sarah taking him? Vote in the poll.

1) Shopping to buy some new work outfits.

2) Out to a city bar.