“Are you sure you want to cut your hair this short?” said the barbershop lady.

I took a deep breath, shutting my eyes tight.

Come on Kimberly, you have to do this. It’s just a hair. I slowly opened my eyes staring at my before reflection at the mirror.

“Yes,” I answered. Here goes nothing.

She took a pair of scissors and went around my hair spraying, clipping and cutting. I bite my lip when I felt the cold metal of scissors hit my back neck.

I couldn’t believe my long brunet hair is getting cut short like a boy’s hair. But I had no choice because my life is ruined. I wanted to forget the old Kimberly that was a nerd who had no friends, who had braces, and a big black round nerd glasses. I’m not going to be a nerdy girl Kimberly who goes to school and that no one knows.

I watch as my hair fell from my head to the floor.

I’m going to regret this, I said in my mind. This isn’t working. Why’d I let myself in here and let a lady cut my hair? I got to stop this, but it was too late. The lady had already finished. She step back to take a good look at my hair [or me] and she blushed like she’d forgotten that I was a girl. Brushing off the strands of hair on my shoulders and taking off the black coat in front of me; I stepped off the chair and looked at the mirror. I wasn’t Kimberly Davis anymore I was a new boy in the city.

I paid the money and took off. Several people looked at me like I was crazy and half cute. I’d forgotten I was wearing girls’ clothes and my hair made me look like a boy. I went to mall examining clothes-girl’s clothes. Seeing those blue heels that I could never wear… they look so fabulous.

I sigh; get your mind out of here Kimberly! If I wasn’t going to be the nerdy Kimberly anymore, I needed a boy name. Kian? Kyle?

I shook my head, those names don’t fit me and I don’t look like Kyle or Kian. I need a name that almost reminds me of my old name, a mix of a boy’s name plus I want it to sound unique where I came from.

Kevin?-too boyish. Kelli? Too girly.

No, Kim... Kim Stewart.

I smiled at that thought.

“Kim Stewart,” I said out loud testing on my tongue. It’s a good name.

I took some black and blue jeans, trying it out in front of a mirror. I held the shirt in front of me and switch it to the rest. They seem pretty good. I also put on black, blue, green and red caps, trying it on my head and checking if it fits and sure enough it does. I stared at my converse-I’m not buying another pair of shoes. I just bought these a few weeks ago and their not that girly, it’s just black. After paying for them with my allowance and my part time work money, I went to the rest men’s rest room [of course] and thank god, there weren’t any guys here. Locking the stall, I changed my clothes putting in my old girl clothes in the bag and slipping on the male clothes. Unlocking, I stared myself in the mirror.

Wow. This boy staring at the mirror does not look like me. He looks …like….kind of cute. I checked my wallet counting how much money I’ve got left – about twenty five dollars. That’d be enough so I could by eye contacts. Which reminds me, I have to take out my braces – it’s time

Walking out of the store, I hadn’t thought about how I’m going to talk.

I cleared my throat testing,” he-he-llllo.”

The girls giggled a few feet away from me, I smiled politely, but it faded the moment I saw the devil.

I could have guessed that was her friends.

She kept staring at me like I was some cute guy-wait I am. I ignored them and walked pass them, but Isabel didn’t ignore me. She came toward me with her short skirt and high heels. That girl has some problems wearing that – it’s like January.



“Hi,” she said, trying to recognize my face, but she had nothing in her mind expected, “do you go to Prescott High School?”

I thought about transforming there, having friends…Hillside was my old school and we’ve been a competitor to Prescott High School. I know Isabel because in my school all the guys couldn’t stop nor halt staring at her.

Just thinking about that gives me the creeps.

I replied in a man’s voice, “yes, and just new here.”

I stop the moment I said I go to Prescott High School. I don’t go there…yet. But I’m transferring to a school I hated. Out of all the schools in Chicago, I had to go to Prescott High School.

God. Help. Me.

This year is just going to be a hell out fun, spending time with those Prescott students.



“Can I get your phone number? You know, when you get lost in here you could call me.”

Wow, really Isabel? She doesn’t even know my name and now she wants my phone number? I can’t believe this is how Isabel acts around boys. I thought she was better than this. There were rumors about her in my school - that I didn’t believe, but now to come across from it. I think I’m starting to.

I lied, “No…I have a …girlfriend.” Just saying the last word made it awkward for me.

Why couldn’t I say that I didn’t have a phone – which is a false fact I might say. But still!

What’s going in your mind Kimberly? I asked myself.

She smiled at me and said, “Well at least I get to see you around.”

More like a stalker, my inside voice replied.

“Yeah,” I answered. “See you.”

She walked back to her friends giggling and gossiping to each other.

Note one: Practice my man’s voice.

Reminder: Stay away from Isabel and her friends.

“What happened to you?” asked mom, she kept staring at me like I wasn’t her daughter and I was a stranger who broke in her house.



“Nothing, I just wanted to be a boy mom.”



“The kid’s right Emily, just let her be like this. At least I could have a father and son time with my new…um son.” Dad gave me a high five and said, “nice makeover.”



“Thanks.”



“Enough of this,” mom said.



“What do you mean, mom?”



“Your still Kimberly not Kim. You’re still going to be my little girl, not a boy.”



“C’ mon’ mom,” I beg. “This is new to me. When I was Kimberly I had no friends. This might change my life, to have friends. I’ll still be Kimberly in the inside.”

She paused for a moment thinking it over and said, “fine, but I have to call the school saying that Kimberly transferred. But you’ll still keep up your grades, no above B or you won’t be Kim anymore.”



“Thanks mom,” I said, giving her a hug, “love ya’ and oh, one more thing I want to change.”

Mom gave me a serious look like she didn’t want to her it. While dad was on the couch watching TV not wanting to hear what I said.

I continued, “Can I have my braces taken out tomorrow? Please?”

Mom nodded not thinking it through; maybe she wanted my braces taken out so she could see my perfect teeth.



“Thanks, love ya’ all.”

I went upstairs to my bedroom. I took a large brown storage box that I had been hiding in my closet when I was little. I took all the girl clothes, books, lamp, and my nerd stuff and stuffed it in the box. Almost half of my room was empty, so I put the boys’ clothes in my closest, contacts in the bathroom. While it was quiet in my room, I was thinking about my new friends and even the wired stuff in my mind like girlfriends I’ll be having-NOT.

I didn’t even get out of my red truck because some girls were in my way. I tired beeping, but they just giggled in front of me. Finally I got out of the car and entered the building. I made my way to the office. When I went there, the lady already gave me my schedule and my locker number. I searched for number 12, but some people didn’t move when I said excuse me so I just squeezed in and pushed some of them out of my way (not trying to be rude, but hey there’s a lot of people in the hall). I found locker number 12 (at last) and turned the combination. I opened it and took the books I needed for class, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw John and Jordan coming toward me.



“What’s up? My name is John this is Jordan,” John said.

I smiled at them and spoke a male deep voice, “sup, my name is Kim Dav-I mean Stewart.”



“Where’s your girlfriend? Is she here?” asked Jordan leaning on the other lockers next to me.

I closed my locker and said, “No, I don’t have any.”

I took my bag and put it on my left shoulder.

John’s voice was surprised, “wow, dude all the girls here are interested in you even Drake’s sister, Isabel.”

I smiled, but in my mind, I was laughing wishing they’ll know that I’m a girl. Seriously? Girls are interested in Kimberly, the nerdy girl that no one knows? How pathetic.

Finally, I said, “not interested in one of them, not even Isabel.”



“You serious?” asked Jordan.

I nodded.

Before they could say anything, the bell ranged.



“See you in classes man,” said Jordan.



“We better go, Mr. Lee will kick our butts if were late, I mean literally kick our butts.”

I laughed.



“No, lets go later man, this is my world’s record, 63 trades straight.”



“This is my 56th time,” said John.

I smiled at them and said, “Well, ya see you.”

I sigh when I went to class because again most of the girls stared at me and some were just putting on makeup ready to get a kiss from me-wired right? I took my seat in the middle of the room, which was really worst for me-all the girls came a little closer. It was very awkward when I answered the teacher’s question about round worms because all the girls-literally all of them even nerds turned to face me. Isabel threw air kisses for me. The rest of the class was really wired as a boy. Until lunch, most of the girls saved every sit for me to sit on, so I just sat at the boys’ table.



“Yo’ man, Isabel is still checkin’ you out. She wouldn’t stop until you ask her out to go to the prom. You better make it quick cuz’ Sam and I are asking her out,” said John.



“Ha-ha, like that will happen. I would never ask her out, not in a million years. She could ask me out when I die or the world ends but I will always tell her no.”



“Wow man, it sounds like you hate Isabel the first time you met her.’



“I don’t like her, she’s not my type,” I continued. “Can I sit here?”



“Sure ma, this is Eddie, Sam and David,” Jordan said pointing at them.

I sat by Eddie who kept fooling around; Sam looked over his shoulder and groaned.



“Not again,” he said.



“What?” asked David, who was crushing an apple with his hand?



“She’s doing it again.”

I took a bite on my sandwich and asked, “who?”

He gave me a dark look and said, “Who do you think?”

I looked over his shoulder, I saw Isabel and her friends laughing and staring at us. Isabel caught my eye and wicked at me. I looked at Sam, who was staring between Isabel and me.



“I’m not her type,” I repeated.



“In her world yeah,” said Jordan.



“Not interested in her,” I said.



“Don’t you see?” asked Eddie.



“What?”



“She’s all over you, don’t you notice?”



“I notice, she was asking my phone number before I could even introduce myself.”

The boys laughed.

When school was finish, I went to my truck right away wishing no one would fallow me. When I got home, it was quiet my parents wasn’t here. They must be at work or had dinner together without inviting me. At nine I finished my homework, mom and dad wasn’t here yet so I decided to go to bed early.