Bea Lady Wig

Colin curled up in a ball, fighting to find his breath again. Cackling, Victor Cross kicked away his backpack and ordered, "Stay down, faggot. You're better on your knees."

A small part of Colin craved the idea of death, that he wouldn't take another breath. But he staggered back from the precipice with a heaving, wheezing cough, which Victor mocked. Only when he'd had enough "fun" did Victor finally leave him alone. Cleaning up in the bathroom, Colin received a text from his sister, Trina, saying she would be home late.

He sighed and scrolled over her previous messages scolding him about talking to her in history because "Greg shared tht clas". Talk to no one, get shit. Talk, get shit. That had been his day, capped off by that asshole ape, Victor. Staggering to fifth period after the lunch bell, he waited through a closed door, teacher lecture about being on time, and several pages of standards. The girls around tittered, as though him being there was a private joke they were all in on. His sister was the sort of girl to join in.

When he was finally finished for the day, he crept home with a tense, tender pain across his belly. He had to stop several times. He wondered idly if he still might get his wish. Leaning against a storefront, he peered through the window to take his mind off the ache. All he could see were wigs on white, plastic heads. The one in the middle looked like his sister's hair before she cut and dyed it a messy shade of green. Feeling the discomfort ease, Colin slipped inside the store.

It was filled with vintage costume pieces studded with rhinestones. A lady at the back ran a sewing machine while a few pins stuck out of her beehive hairdo. She looked like she'd stepped out of another decade. Colin waved as she smirked at him and asked, "What can I do you for?"

Gesturing over his shoulder, Colin noted about the wig, "My sister's hair used to look just like that. It's pretty. Maybe I should...get it for her if she ever messes her hair up."

The lady rocked her head. "Get it for yourself. I think that one would suit you."

Colin fervently shook his head. "I couldn't. I get it bad enough for how I look."

From her seat, the lady rose up and put on an oval pair of glasses. "I think you look fine. Anyone who says differently is a fool. You just need a little self-confidence. And that's what we sell here at Bea Lady Vintage Wear. Come on over."

Still not sure how to breathe, Colin stammered and turned as the lady picked up the wig he'd pointed out. Before he could say anything, it had been warmly set upon his head, and he was turned towards an ornate, full-length mirror. He fussed and squirmed as the lady, who introduced herself as Beatrice, adjusted the wig and asked him, "What's your sister's name?"

"Trina." He chewed on his lip.

She brushed his shoulders and remarked, "I think you make a good Trina. If you want to be her."

He tugged on his pants and felt silly. Sure, he had a wig that looked like Trina's old hairstyle, but his clothes were the same and only around the eyes did he even resemble Trina all that much. Still, in that moment, he knew he would gladly accept a respite from the strains of his life for hers. "I...kinda do."

"Then have a nice day, Trina. Oh, the wig is five dollars, if you wish to keep it. Give it a one day loaner."

Baffled and bewildered but feeling comforted under the warmth of the locks, Colin walked the rest of the way home with that wig on. He planned to take it off when he was down the street from his house, but a voice called out, "TRINA!"

Retreating from the sidewalk, Colin saw Trina's childhood friend, Nancy, wave in his direction. He hid his face and just wanted to curl up and die right there. Before he could stammer out a nervous excuse, Nancy declared, "You told me you were going with Greg today."

They were looking right at one another. Well, Colin couldn't meet her eyes. He expected a slap or worse. Instead, Nancy put her arms around him in a quick hug as she worriedly asked, "Trina? You okay?"

Colin always thought Nancy was cool. She was the only one of Trina's friends who didn't berate or tease him. Trina had snubbed her lately and talked shit behind her back. He could sense that same nervousness on Nancy's face as when Trina turned her away. With a breath, Colin cautiously answered, "I'm...okay. Nancy. Sorry. Just tired?"

Nancy raised an eyebrow and appeared unconvinced, but she put a hand on who she thought was Trina and commiserated with him while sharing her own exhaustion. Unlike Trina's other friends, boys didn't even come up. Rather she mentioned tests and how tall the grass got on the side of the main buildings and how she'd tried to jump at a sign in the gym and a dozen other silly things. Colin just listened and offered quick words of encouragement. Before he knew it, they were at his house.

He kept expecting to be exposed and embarrassed, but his mom was at her computer with supper plans for delivery Chinese. She greeted Colin with an aloof, kind smile. Used to a welcoming hug, Colin embraced his mom and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Immediately, she asked "Trina" if something was wrong, she was dying, or she'd been replaced by an alien replica. The last one brought Nancy a grin of amusement. Tempted to chew on his lip, Colin gave a half-hearted denial, asking her if it was okay if he was a nice alien.

Chuckling, Colin's mom resolved, "I'll take it then."

Bewildered but feeling good for the first time he could remember in ages, Colin nearly led Nancy to his own room before realizing he was supposed to be using Trina's. The fact his backpack was different than Trina's was supposed to be and he didn't have her purse weren't important to Nancy. Their chat continued for a while. Colin took a few random guesses at what Trina might say in his place but phrased her words gently.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Nancy left soon after his father arrived home. Like mom, he was flummoxed by Trina's gentler disposition. Colin hung out in his sister's room until he heard a car out front. Whipping the wig from his head, he tried to be Colin again. He begged to be Colin again. And he was.

Sniffling and grumbling, Trina shuffled into the house and complained at her parents. Everyone was mystified and mom and dad were uncertain when Colin had gotten home but were happy to see him, as mom put Trina to bed after some soup and an argument about how late she was.

All evening, as he heard Trina would be skipping school due to illness, Colin's mind returned to the strange, mysterious wig. One day as not himself. He was all he could imagine. Just wear it and be his sister. He even made the quiet promise to God or whoever would listen that he would improve Trina's schoolwork. Just for one chance.

The next day, he set the plan in motion. As soon as he got away from the house, he put on the wig and joined the crowds headed to campus. Sylvi, one of Trina's achingly-fake friends, did an exaggerated hug and wanted to know everything about Greg. Colin did his best to stomach the notions as he played coy.

Class was a minefield but not as bad as he feared. His sister's classes were lower level than his and every raised hand answer was met with open shock and cautious praise. He skipped gym out of fear something might dislodge the wig and because going into the girl's lockers still felt wrong. Greg almost got grabby with him between classes, but Colin gave enough phlegmy coughs to discourage him.

Trina had Victor for a different class than Colin. Staring at him, Victor made a mime of a kiss and winked at Colin. Clenching his hands, Colin walked right over to him and spilled out all the words he'd always wanted to say. That Victor was a tiny-dicked rat who could go get stuck in a sidewalk crack. And if he dared to mess with Trina's brother then "she" would personally slam his head into the nearest door until his atrophied brain started working. Through the middle of his ramble, which he couldn't believe he was saying, Nancy, who shared the same class, hopped in and backed him up.

Verbally-destroyed, Victor resorted to cussing them out. Fortunately, the teacher arrived at just the right moment and Victor had three weeks of trash pickup on Saturdays. Enjoying Nancy's company for the period, Colin told her, "You're amazing. We should...hang out more. I'm so sorry about how things have been."

He wanted to say more, but he knew he'd have to save it for when he wasn't wearing the wig.

After class, Colin wound up with five dollars leftover from lunch. The store was open again. He considered setting the wig back on the empty plastic head, but he passed five dollars to Beatrice and thanked her. She smiled and reminded him, "Thank you for your purchase. Feel free to come back any time. We have a full stock of things you might enjoy."

He met up with Nancy on the way back home and they giggled and talked freely. He went in first, while Nancy said she wanted to water the little pine tree Trina and she had planted when they were kids for Earth Day. Opening the front door, Colin froze when he saw his sister standing in the hallway beside a cup of hot tea. Wanting to turn away, he stumbled and slipped to the floor.

Trina screamed first, then glared. As the confusion melted away, she looked down at him with a crooked frown and ripped the wig from his head.

MWruv4H.png [https://i.imgur.com/MWruv4H.png]

With a still-sick rasp, she declared, "You little perv! What the fuck is this shit?!"

Colin wanted to return to that ball. But he lifted himself up from the floor and told Trina, "That's mine. I bought it." Snatching it from her, he met her gaze.

Trina laughed and pointed. She started to call him a spineless wimp before he cleared his throat and called her out for her terrible treatment of Nancy. Off-balance, Trina glared and growled at Colin until their mom showed up. Slipping his wig back on, Colin had no clue what would happen. Trina scrunched her face up and reached over to pluck the wig from his head, but Colin was already talking to their mom.

Somehow, it made sense to her that she had twin daughters. And the Trina, who was trying to mess with the other Trina's hair, really needed to head back to bed with her tea and more soup. Before Trina left, she whispered harshly to her brother, "This is not over..."

Nancy entered soon after that. Colin steered her away from Trina's room and struggled to explain, even with his newfound confidence. With a kind smile, Nancy shrugged and offered, "I'm just glad you're happy and we're talking again."

Colin smiled, nodded, and offered the same. He'd only begged for one day, he knew he couldn't ask for more. But still, he wanted it. He wanted to head back to that strange shop and maybe get a vintage dress that really did make him Trina's twin. Or just liberated in the way he felt with Nancy. But, for now, all he had was this treasured time and special moment. Even if it needed to live on as a memory for the rest of his life.

A memory and a reminder that things could be different...better.