A Tomboy's Love Attempt

Chapter Two: Local wax and tan

“Ah!” I scream, biting down on a towel in my mouth. “Why would anyone do this? This s**t is painful.” The excruciating pain I feel run down my leg is ten times worse than breaking a bone. If this is Jill’s idea of a joke, it isn’t funny. She decided it would be a great to bring me down to the local Wax and Tan to get my eyebrows and legs waxed. With these four walls being so then, I believe everyone out front can hear everything from the cussing to the screaming. I swear I thought I heard someone laugh as they passed by my room.

“Maggie, calm down.” I could hear Jill flipping through one of the magazine she had found on the little rack to the left in the room. “It’s not that bad. You just have to get used to it. After a few times, you won’t even notice.” And who says I’m coming back to do this again? I sure as hell ain’t. I wouldn’t even wish this on my enemy. It’s like slow t*****e. There is a converting display dividing the room in which I couldn’t see her. The lady has me laying flat on my back as she waxed my legs. Although I have a towel wrapped around me, I can still sense the icy touch of the table and the crisp, cold air inside the room. Almost my whole body being on display before this woman. Another thin hot layer of wax is applied to my leg before she peels it from my skin.

“Ah mother fu-“ I bit down on the towel as hard as I can. “Jill, why do I have to do this? Ah! It’s not like guys are going to stare at my legs.” I can hear her laughing on the other side of the changing screen before she peeked around the corner. Tears have already filled her eyes.

“Because beauty is pain, you need to experience it and a lot.” She smiles returning to her chair. “Just wait until they attack those bush-man eyebrows of yours. They are so unruly and need to be tamed.” Back a few years ago, I attempted to do my eyebrows because my brothers were teasing me about them. It was an utter complete failure.

“Could you turn over, ma’am?” The lady asks, as she went to get more wax. “There’s not much left to do.” We had been here for over an hour and a half. I could be at home reading a book or something, but sadly I was lying here on this cold table having surgery on my legs or that’s what it felt like. I held the front of my towel and rolled over to my stomach, placing my face in the little hole that was provided. Without even looking, I could tell she is back to torment me some more. This dreadful wax is going to be the death of me. Another layer of wax is applied and in one swift movement she jerks the wax back.

“f**k!” I scream, digging my nails into the palms of my hands and I fell a single tear roll down my cheek. I wipe away the tear with my arm. Why me? “Jill, I hate you for this. I could have just shaved my legs like always. This is unnecessary.”

“From this point on, nothing is unnecessary. It’s part of the transformation.” She smiled. “It’ll be worth it, believe me.”

After she finishes my legs, which took another fifteen minutes, she took a cool, wet rag to wash the excess wax off. I put my clothes back on and she sends me to a chair on the other side of the changing table. Oh lord, I thought, this is going to be hell. My face is the most sensitive part of my body besides my feet.

“Oh, the joys of being a woman.” Jill says, looking up at me as I cross the room. The joys my a*s. Being a woman takes a lot of work that I don’t know if I’m prepared for. I mean, why do we have to go through all of this painful agony? Why can’t we just use a razor and tweezers? Isn’t that what they’re there for? I sit down in the chair, glaring at Jill. If she was the one sitting in this seat, screaming her head off, I’d be laughing at her too. Isn’t that what best friends are for? The woman leans the chair back and sits at the head of the chair with two strings in her hands.

“What is that?” I ask, moving my head before she can touch me. Where’s the tweezers? When she didn’t answer me, I ask her again. Maybe she didn’t hear me. “What is that? Where are the tweezers?”

“We call this eyebrow threading.” She smiles, showing me the thread and how it moves. “It’s a thin cotton or polyester thread, which this is cotton. You roll it over the areas of unwanted areas so that it is removed at the folicle level, basically at the root. Its better than tweezers because with tweezers you can only pull one hair at a time. With this you can remove a short row of hairs. It’ll be less painful.” Well that doesn’t seem so bad. Get it done faster. I lay my head back down and she begins her work. The first row she takes has me screaming to high heavens.

“I thought you said this would be less painful.” I raise my head back up from the chair.

“Yes, it will be less painful, but I didn’t say it wouldn’t hurt.” She smiles, resting her hands on the head of the chair. When I had done my own eyebrows, it didn’t feel this bad. She probably doesn’t know what she’s doing. Come to think of it, I didn’t know what I was doing myself. I lay my head back down to let her proceed with her torturous ways.

“Maggie, you can get through this.” Jill laughs, closing the magazine and picking up another one. “Just think of your cheerful place.” Think of my happy place? How in the Hell am I supposed to think of my happy place when my face is getting attacked? I lay there thinking, trying to figure out what my happy place was, when a face appeared in my mind. Raoul Ferguson.

He’s one of the most popular guy in school, given that he’s my brother’s Ashton best friend and being co-captain of the football team, with my brother being captain. They voted him class clown of the year, which I think is funny because most of the jokes he told came from me. His body is something else. He has chiseled abs that could go for days, but with him being co-captain, he has to stay fit. The best thing about him though, is he ignores no one and doesn’t put up with the whole girls hanging all over him. He’s perfect, but every perfection has its flaws. Right?

“Ok we’re all done.” She claims, bringing me back to reality. “You can look at yourself it the mirror over there.” She points towards the rustic looking mirror hanging on the wall right next to Jill. I walk up to the mirror to find my eyebrows look decent for once. I run a finger over one and feel heat radiating from it.

“See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Jill asks, still looking at her Cosmo magazine. We all know this was hilarious to her. She needed a good laugh, so she brought me here. Best bet she’ll be the one on that table and in that chair next time. I refuse to do this again.

“You’re funny.” I flip her off as I collect the rest of my belongings. She thought it would be a good idea for me to get used to carrying around a purse, but the only thing it’s good for is getting in my way. “There was no need for me to go through so much pain in one day. This was torture.” Opening the door, we make our way towards the front to pay.

“Just think, if your brothers were to go through this.” Jill laughs, looking up at me. Thinking of Ashton, Tristan and Damion sitting here would be so funny. We would probably have to strap Ashton and Tristan down to the chair, but Damion, he would do it just to get Jill’s attention. I can see it now. He would walk up to her after everything and say it was all for her. I think I might actually talk them into doing this. I look down at my buzzing phone to find Ashton’s name pop up on the screen, along with a picture of him scrunching up his nose and sticking out his tongue. His choice of picture, not mine. He never really calls me unless it’s an emergency. Usually he just texts me.

“Hey, is everything ok?” There was silence. All I can hear is breathing. “Ashton?” The breathing continues making me freak out. “Ash-“

“Ah!” He screams in the phone scaring me and I drop my phone on the floor. Jill looks up at me, thinking something has happened.

“Are you okay? Is Damion ok?” she asks, looking at me worried. My heart was racing, feeling like it would burst out of my chest any second. I’m going to kill him when I get home. I look down at my phone to find my screen with multiple cracks. Now I’m definitely going to kill him when I get home, but wait. I stop and look at Jill for a second. “What? What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” I pick my phone up out of the floor and cross my arms over my chest. “Ashton, called and bust my eardrum. Did you just ask about Damion?” She finishes paying for everything and makes her way to the door.

“No, I didn’t. You must have heard things.” She says, taking her keys out of her pocket to her Toyota Camary. “Let’s go home.” I hope so. I don’t know how I’d feel about losing my best friend to my brother. Plus, she has a boyfriend. She wouldn’t cheat on him.

“Yeah, I guess.” I look over my phone to check for any more damages. Luckily, there wasn’t. He’s buying me a new phone for sure. Let it die and make him think it’s really broken. I climb in the passenger seat and buckle up.

“Now, the next step is to get rid of all those raggedy clothes in your closet.” She said, starting her car. “But first, we have to figure out what we’re going to do with those hideous clothes.”

“My clothes were never hideous.” I cross my arms over my chest, in which I only get a crazy look from Jill. “You simply have a distinct taste than I do.”

“Those clothes are going whether or not you like it, ma’am. You need a wardrobe update. Big time.” She says, pulling out of the parking lot towards home.

“You just don’t appreciate my taste in clothes. Admit it.” My clothes may have been hand-me-downs, but they weren’t hideous. Yeah, the clothes may be a few years old, but they keep me covered and that’s all that matters. I’m not the type to show off cleavage, or a lot of skin. I have a lot I could show off, though. Perks of genetics being passed down, but I’ve never seen it to be necessary. I fiddle with the radio for a little before I find the station I always listen to. It was a mixture of everything. The good music. ‘Let Me Go’ by Avril Lavigne fills the car as we made our way back home. The entire way home, Jill is swerving all over the road, trying to text Christian. I eventually take her phone from her and tell her my life isn’t worth a text message.

Finally arriving home, I make my way up to my room and lay down on my bed. All off this is so overwhelming.. Why do girls even go through any of this? It’s too much trouble to deal with. It’s too much work to be a girl. Why wasn’t I just born a boy? Suddenly, I hear rustling, and someone stumbling down the hallway. I raise up from my bed and look out my door to find Ashton and Raoul wrestling. Boys.

“Ashton,” I laugh, propping myself up against the door frame. He stops for a second and looks up at me before they pull him to the ground. “You’re going to get yourselves killed.” A grunt escapes his mouth and his face turns red.

“Na.” He tries braking Raoul’s head lock, only to fail. “You know I can never let him win. I’m the captain of the football team. Do you know he will not leave me alone if he beats me?” Raoul’s eyes widen as he’s flipped over onto the floor, but still a failed attempt to get loose. Ashton pulls on Raoul’s lower arm, still trying to break free. They were always rough with wrestling. Didn’t matter if they were at school or at home, they would tackle each other. I would sometimes join in, but mom would cut in before things got too rough, and that was always the fun part.

“Hey, Ashton.” I said, getting his attention. He looks up at me with a big grin. He’s proud he’s winning this battle. “I hate to burst your bubble, but I think you should let him go.” His grip tightens a little around Raoul’s arm.

“Why is that?” he asks, staring up at me. “Is it because you don’t want to see your brother lose? Is that it?”

“No, because he’s turning purple.” I point down at my very purple brother laying there almost unconscious. He looks down, realizing what I just said and automatically lets go. The tank top he has on doesn’t do him justice in the slightest. The sweat he accumulated while wrestling made his muscles glisten under the hallway light. He stands up and makes his way towards me. In the short distance, I can’t help but check him out. His shaggy dark brown hair, now drenched in sweat, stuck to his forehead. His lips curved up in a smirk, knowing I was looking. He walks past me and into my bedroom, letting me get a better look at his backside. No matter what pants or shorts he wore, they always hugged his butt. The things I can do to him right now. My head snapped back up. My head tilted slightly in the short time of my observation that I didn’t even realize it. I could feel my face redden. I took my attention off of Raoul and look at Ashton. He wasn’t moving. I go to check on him to see if he is ok. I place a finger under his nose to see if he is still breathing, only to be jerked over onto the floor. I cursed myself for falling into his trap again. You would think after the first couple of times I would have known better, but I always fall for it.

“Raoul, grab her feet,” Ashton laughs, reaching for my other hand. But I’m not going down without a fight. I kick, slap, and laugh all at the same time. There’s no telling what they were going to do this time.

“Let me go,” I scream, trying to break free of his grasp. Nothing is working, so it’s time to use my trump card. “Let me go or I’ll call mom!”

“You’re s**t out of luck.” He smiles, trying to reach for my other hand again. “Mom’s not here.” s**t. It would be my luck the one day she’s not here. He pulls this s**t. Mom is the only one that could get me out of this mess. I started screaming louder, hoping Jill would hear me. My feet came out from under me and I’m hoisted into the air. I feel a pair of arms wrap around behind my knees, and I look down to find Raoul. I went to swing at him with my free hand, but they took it captive, just like the other. I’m up s**t creek now.

“Let’s go throw her in the pool.” Ashton yells, only to have Raoul agree to his t*****e. I look back at him and his smile has me melting inside. Just then it registers in my brain what Ashton just said. No, not the pool.

“Oh, Hell no. No, you’re not.” I struggle, trying to maneuver my way out of their grasp, but it was no use. Their grips were too tight. Make their way to the double doors in the kitchen to the backyard. Raoul looks at Ashton, confused.

“Make sure there isn’t anything in her pockets,” Ashton said. A smile dances across Raoul’s face. He squats down and places my legs on top of his as if I were sitting in his lap. I saw my chance to move, but it didn’t work. His grip only tightened. Raoul reached around me and ran his hands across my butt. It looked like he was enjoying this. He reaches in my back pocket, pulling out my phone, and places it on the ground. Just as I thought I was going to die from being so close to him, my phone started ringing. I let out a sigh of relief, but Ashton wouldn’t let go of my hands. Instead, he combined both of my hands in one of his and placed his other hand over my mouth.

“Hello.” Raoul answers my phone. “I’m sorry Jill, she’s in the bathroom taking a shower.” I wiggle and twist, trying to break free from Ashton’s grasp so I can scream. Nothing is working. Either they have been to the gym a lot more or they haven’t been using their full strength on me. Since it is no use, I strain a little, trying to listen in on the conversation. Does Jill actually think I’m in the shower?

“I know she’s not in the shower, you doff.” She claims, being her feisty self. “Now, do you want to let me know why you’re in the bathroom with her, or are you going to let me talk to her?”

“You’re on speakerphone,” he says, laying my phone on my chest and they make their way out the back door.

“Maggie.” She sounded like she was laughing. Christian must be over. “I had to go home for a second because I had a last-minute visitor. Are you all right? I heard some screams coming from your house. I assume that’s not a scary movie going on.”

“It is a scary movie. One of my life in danger and flashing before my eyes. I need help.” I cry, trying to pull free as they stand next to the pool. “They’re about to throw me in the pool.”

“What? Who are they?” She sounded serious this time. “I’ll be over there in five minutes.”

“I don’t have five minutes!” I scream, wiggling like a worm. I’m going to die. “I maybe have thirty seconds. They’re standing beside the damn pool!” I heard Jill’s back door open, and I tried my hardest to look over, but it was already too late. Ashton took my phone off my chest and tossed it on the ground. Good bye sweet world. It was good while it lasted.

“Are you ready?” He smiled. “One.” Raoul had lowered his hands to where they were on my ankles, and they started swinging me from side to side.

“Jill!” I scream with all that I have. I’ve never married. Never had kids.

“Two.”

“Help!” At least my mother will not have to bear witness to this. Losing her daughter. It would devastate her.

“Three.” They both release me at the same time sending me a couple of feet in to the air with me screaming and flailing the entire way. They were lucky mom isn’t home. The mumbling sounds of someone talking made its way to my ears underwater. I make it to the surface and Jill had jumped her fence and was already yelling at the two.

“You guys could have killed her.” She yells, pointing her finger in their faces. “What would have happened if one of you let go at the wrong time or threw her too far? It could have cracked her skull wide open.” I laugh at the scene before me. She sounds like a mom. I pull myself up out of the pool and almost lose my balance before someone’s warm hand grabs my own. I look up to find Raoul’s genuine smile smeared across his face.

“So you thought that was funny?” I ask, my hand still in his. I play it off like I’m hurt that he would've agreed to do something so cruel.

“I’m sorry,” He apologizes, scratching the back of his neck. “It was your brothers’ idea. He’s the captain and my best friend.” And would you jump off a bridge if he told you too? I swear, these boys are something else.

“Oh, I’m sorry, too.” I smile, and his eyes widened. Before he could do anything, I jerked him towards the pool. I was expecting him to let go of my hand before he fell in, but he didn’t. My plan backfired a little. I was falling down with him. I hope there wasn’t anything in his pockets. We both rise to the surface to see Ashton and Jill staring over at the pool. I turn to look for Raoul, but he’s nowhere in front of me. I spin around and come face to face with Raoul. I can feel his breath dance around my face. I fill my face redden and look away. Why does he do this to me? Is he just doing this to pick on me because he knows what it does to me or does he feel the same.

“Need help?” he asks, lowering a hand down to me. When did he even get out? I gladly place my hand in his and he picks me up out of the water like it was nothing. We both walk over to Jill and Ashton, only to keep telling her I’m perfectly fine.

“I’m fine Jill.” I chuckle, pulling my hair back out of my face. “It’s just a little water.” She grabs my arms, inspecting every inch of my body. She exactly like mom.

“A little.” She looks pissed, but why would she be pissed? “You’re drenched.” I laugh and shaking my head.

“Hey, at least I got payback.” I said, looking over at Raoul. His once loose tank top is now a second layer of skin because of the water. Quickly, I look away from him, fanning my face. “One is good enough for me.” She just rolled her eyes and continued.

“We’re going shopping in the morning for your new wardrobe since someone drenched you in water and its already getting dark.” She claims, turning on her heel. “Be up and ready in the morning by nine, no later.” Great. Not only would I have to get up early on a Sunday, I’m getting rid of my clothes, too. It’s going to be a long, rough day tomorrow. I turn to Ashton, who is laughing, and punch him in the arm.

“What the Hell was that for?” he asks rubbing his arm acting like it hurt.

“It’s called payback.” I smile, walking towards the back door. “And paybacks a bitch.” I tell Raoul good night before I ran up to my room to get out of these wet clothes. Making my way through the kitchen, I stop mid-stride to the front door, swinging open. It was mom. Luckily she was looking down, so I hurry down the hall and up the stairs. I take off my wet clothes to jump in the shower so I can wash the chlorine out of my hair. Chlorine and blond hair don’t mix well. I towel dried my hair, not worrying about it getting my bed wet. Taking a running start from the bathroom, I jump and stick a landing on my bed. I pull the covers back to climb under them, thinking about the transformation process. I mean, is it worth it, going through all this trouble? Would it change who I really am, or will I still be the same, just with a different appearance? What will everyone at school think? What would Raoul think? My mind drifted off as I closed my eyes and fall into a dreamless sleep.