The Makeover Project

Ellie

I woke up on the sound of my alarm clock ringing non-stop. I hate to say it but today is Monday and we have school today. The thought of Monday makes my day ruin. I think every student would agree that Monday is no other than a day that would make your head boil because it's the meaning of 'it is time to go to school'. I slowly open my eyes and flex both my arms and legs before I got up and head in the shower. It's six o' clock in the morning and class starts at seven, meaning to say, I still have an hour to prepare before classes starts. This is my usual routine, unlike my twin brother, Elliot, who gets up later than I am. Sometimes he would wake up at six thirty, worse, is when he would wake up seven o' clock and I'm already at school. We usually go to school together but sometimes when he wouldn't get up after I had my voice shouting on him, I would just go straight to school without even trying to wake him up. It would just make my day irritated if I continue to put an effort waking him up when any of my methods does not work at all.

Yes, Elliot and I are twins. We share the same features, like the green round eyes, the brown hair. But I am a girl and he is a boy that makes him look more muscular. My brother has a built body because he is in the football team and I, on the other hand, have a slim and fit body because I'm also into sports but the sport that I'm into right now is soccer. Since I was born, I have always idolized my brother and I was really fond of having him around and being with him because there is no kids around the neighborhood, that makes him my only playmate. It was hard to play the same game because we are different in gender but as days pass by, I slowly started liking the games he plays. I was like a tomboy, until now but I am still girl at heart. I just don't like wearing make-up and wearing something more girly like skirts and tops like tube where you're shoulders are seen. It makes me cringe with the thought of me, wearing them. I'm still happy of what I am even if they say that I act more of a guy than a girl because most of the guys in our school are my friends and they are comfortable having me around and I like having them around unlike some girls who would pretend that they like you but later, you'll find out that they were talking behind your back. But I still have a handful of gal friends that I'm close to, not every girl is like that. I just think that guys are much easier to be with because they are straight with their words.

I wore my favorite shirt that says 'I'm awesome' and wore my jeans as my bottoms. And let's not forget my all time favorite shoes, the converse. It's more comfortable than any shoes in the world, and I wouldn't dare to exchange them with heels. I brush my long layered brown hair and didn't bother tying them, I took my bag afterwards and went to check on my brother in his room.

"Knock knock." I said out loudly with my hand banging on his door. He didn't respond, and that means, he may have been still asleep. I sigh loudly and twisted the door knob to let myself in. As usual, what I have been guessing is true. My brother is still sleeping and snoring like a little kid. I can't believe girls in our school would love to have this dork face. Can't they see how he drool that much when he sleeps? I started cringing, as much as I want to leave this dork, I still need to wake this dork up because I don't want to take a bus. He needs to drive me to school.

I took the bottle filled with water on his desk and splash it right in front of his face. He immediately got up from his bed with an irritating look that made me laugh, "Wake up douche, it's already six thirty two in the morning."

He wipes his face with his hands, with a glare that I could handle, "You don't need to do that."

"Well you told me last time to wake you up in every means possible." I stick my tongue out and said, "I'll be waiting for you downstairs, I think mom has already finished cooking breakfast."

I went out as soon as I can because I don't want to hear any profanity that he may utter because of what I did. He's a grumpy old man in the morning and I prefer to back out before he starts to unleash the beast.

When I reach downstairs, I smell the bacon from the kitchen. My mother has always been a great cook and never fails to cook us good food. I instantly went to the dining room to see bacon, pancakes and waffles on the table. She is the best mom in the world.

"Good morning honey, where is your brother?" She places the pitcher filled with orange juice at the table and sits beside me. I and my brother inherited our looks from our mother because same as ours, she has green round eyes and curly brown hair but we didn't got the curly hair because we inherited the straight hair from our father. She has her hair tied up in a pony tail and she is currently wearing his office uniform, she goes work after we leave. She is a lawyer and I idolized her for that. Our father has already gone off for work, he usually left at six in the morning because he has a lot of things to take care off since they are going to build a mall nearby. He is an architect.

"I already woke him up. He'll be down after he took his shower." I place a pancake on my plate and took three strips of bacon which I love so much. Who does not love bacon?

"It has always been difficult waking him up." My mother sighs, "How did you manage to wake him up this time?" She takes a bite from her pancake and looks at me.

I bit the bottom of my lip and avoided her gaze, my mother is sweet and caring but whenever she hears something unpleasant happening between me and Elliot, she would burst her horns and start to engage her motherly like words that would make our ears bleed.

"I woke him up by telling him to wake up." I said smiling, I shove the bacon on my mouth and started avoiding her suspicious stare.

She lets me off the hook this time and continued to eat her breakfast, which Elliot had joined in after a few minutes. "Mom, you wouldn't believe what Ellie did to me."

He sat down across from me with a grin on his face. He is wearing his black shirt that would show his muscular figure, he's trying to attract more girls and it's making me feel disgusted, with his jeans down below and our favorite shoes, converse.

"I didn't do anything Elliot." I eyed him with a gritted teeth and he started chuckling, "Mom, look at how she's acting right now."

"Ellie, what did you do to your brother?" She asks with a doubtful look on her face.

I instantly check on my phone and said, "It's already six forty five! Hurry up!" I was changing the topic. I don't want my mother go nuts because of the small trick that I had done to Elliot. He has always been a mama's boy and that's the thing that I hate the most.

Mom didn't push the conversation anymore and grabs both of my plate and hers, placing it to the sink. Elliot started eating faster and drinks the glass filled with orange juice after. I place a kiss on my mother's cheek and Elliot did the same before we went to the car and leave. We had three cars in total, the two cars are for my parents and the only one is for me and Elliot. We have to share the car that made it really annoying. I know how to drive but I rather let Elliot drive instead because I couldn't still recover after I had crash a poor kitty. Luckily, it's still alive but the picture of it with having a broken bone is still inside my head.

"How dare you tell that to mom when you told me to wake you up in any means possible." I glare at him. He chuckles softly, as he started to turn on the engine, "I'm not trying to get you in trouble, I just want to share what you did to me." It's still the same, he wants me to get in trouble.

"I know you hate this but Austin needs a ride." My eyes widen after hearing that name. Austin Prince is our next door neighbor, they moved when we were still freshman in high school, since then, Elliot and Austin has been best friends because of their love for sport and having the same interest. I, on the other hand, consider Austin, as my number one enemy. Since he had moved here, and after meeting me, he always tease me and I always fight back, there is no place that we wouldn't fight whenever we're together. We always kept on cursing, talking back at each other and sometimes it leads to the point where I have to physically hurt him but it does not seem to affect him. He holds a high reputation in school because he has good looks which I hate, a very muscular body that any girl would die for, his so called cute blue eyes that would catch any girl he wants, his awfully messed up blonde hair that girls would want to touch, the captain of the football team, the ladies' man and most of all the bad boy because he usually ends up in detention. We're like cats and dogs whenever we're together and people around us are amused watching us.

"Why the hell would the fucktard needs a ride when he has a car of his own?"

Someone had opened the door at the back and I'm guessing that it was Austin, "Because my car broke down and needs fixing."

I rolled my eyes in irritation, "Serves you right."

"Why are you grumpy this morning cupcake? Have you finally realized that you need a man on your life before you age like an old lady?" He started chuckling. He never fails to annoy me, sometimes I wish that he could stop being a dork and leave me alone.

"I don't need a guy thank you very much." Elliot had already started the car and we're off to school.

"If you want to ask me to be your boyfriend, don't forget that I'll never turn you down pumpkin." He teases.

He's starting to make my blood boil, "I don't want to have a boyfriend like you who is after with all the girls in the school."

He clears his throat, "I'm not after them, they throw themselves to me." I felt his hand touch my cheek, "You could throw yourself at me, if you want."

I instantly took his hand and bit it, "You have a big head, assface!"

He screams in pain after I had bit it, "Ouch! That fucking hurt manface!"

"I'm not a man, fucking pussy!"

"Bitch!"

"Asshole!"

"Drama queen!"

"Fucktard!"

"Pigface!"

"Manwhore!"

Austin was about to say something but Elliot had butted in, "I find it amusing seeing you two fight but I don't think I could handle a lot of profanities in the morning, so please, why don't you two shut up and get along? Just for this morning, please!"

"I can't, he's an asshole." I clarified.

"And you love me." He teases, "Just admit it."

Elliot had park the car on our usual parking space and before he could even turn off the engine, I had already gone out without bidding good bye to my brother and that assface. He never fails to annoy my day. He should have an award of the best asshole in the world.

I went to pick my books from my locker, "Hey El." My friends in school call me El, they liked it that way. Especially my two gal friends who are really close to me.

I turn my back to see Casey. She's a cheerleader and my bestfriend since middle school. We hang out a lot and are fond of being each other's side despite of our differences.

"What's with that face?" She raises an eyebrow and waited for me to speak, she instantly gets it when I didn't say anything, "Austin! Really?"

"Well, I really think that Austin likes you because you're the only girl that he had fun teasing and being himself when no girls are around." Lila had joined us. She's my other bestfriend but I'm much more closer to Casey since we go along way back in middle school while Lila had join our group on freshman year. She's really smart, other would say she's a nerd but I don't think a nerd could also join the soccer team. She's a soccer player, just like me. That's what we're in common.

"Ew." My face is covered with disgust after Lila's response, "I don't think I would ever fall in love with that manwhore. Heck, I don't think I can imagine him being my boyfriend."

"And I think that El deserves a better guy than Austin." Casey agrees with me.

"Well, I'm just saying. I just feel like Austin likes you because he is fond of teasing you and being with you." Lila adjusts her glasses, looking at me seriously. I can't believe she's telling this to me when she knows that I hate Austin so much.

"Lila, I don't think that guy would like me when he clearly knows that I hate him, the feelings are mutual and besides a guy couldn't possibly like someone and bang any other girl in the school." Austin is a ladies' man, sometimes I would see him bringing a girl in their house and after getting what he wants, he wouldn't know there name tomorrow. Poor girls.

"That's what I'm saying. He just bangs them but never really enter into a serious relationship because his heart is already reserved to someone else." Lila continues to push the subject further. I don't know why she's siding Austin but it really creeps me out whenever she opens a topic about me and Austin being together.

"I would rather go on a date with him." I said with my eyes glued on Matt Cross as he passes by beside us. He is considered one of the popular guy in school. He has a really built body, cute brown eyes that match his handsome features, smart and the captain of the basketball team. I am friends with almost all of the guy in the school, specifically, all the football players because of my brother and some boy friends that my brother is close to but I'm not really in a so called friend term with Matt because he hangs out with a different group that my brother and his friends does not really talk to that much. I don't know why they're not close but well I guess it's a part of life. We seldom talk to each other and that was the time when we're chemistry partners in sophomore year, and that was the beginning that I started liking him. Though I haven't been making any effort for him to notice me because I was hoping that someday he'll notice me and come to like me when I know that it is impossible because of my reputation of the school. They label me as the popular girl who is considered to be one of the guys because of my care free attitude, outgoing personality, tomboyish acts and the guys' bestfriend. I don't want to change because I want a guy to like me for being me but chances are, not a single thing has happened to me yet. No one has asked me out and I don't even have a boyfriend.

Sometimes I think if I was the problem or is it my brother's overprotective attitude.

"We're already seniors and I don't see any improvement." Lila points out. I rolled my eyes and told her in a sarcastic way, "I can see that clearly Lila."

"Just saying." She raises both of her hand in surrender, "If you want him to notice you, I and Casey would be here to help you."

"Nu-uh. No thank you." The bell rings, signaling for the next class. My first class is Math which is not my all time favorite. Casey and Lila has the same first class which was English, so that means, I have to separate with them, "See you guys at lunch!" I wave my good bye and hurriedly went to my first class.

--

My gals and I always sit with lunch with the football team because I am friends with those guys, as well as Casey because we've been together since middle school. At first, Lila wasn't really comfortable seating with them since she's much comfortable hanging out with girls ever since she was a child but after meeting them, slowly, she learns to enjoy their company.

"Hey El." Ivan greeted me with wave. He is the funniest among the group and much more decent. Decent because he sticks to one girl unlike the guys who I know. Even Elliot is much of a player, I just wish he finally has a girlfriend to get serious with.

"Hey Ivan." I greeted with a smile. Lila and Casey are still on the counter, choosing the food to eat. Casey has been dieting lately because she said that she's getting fat when I don't see any excess fat on her body. She's really sensitive. While, Lila, on the other hand, is a vegetarian, so by now, she must have been asking the cafeteria lady if she had any salads. Glad that I'm not either of the two, because I'm enjoying my meal right now, without any care in the world.

"Hey El, I heard you spilled a bottle of water on Elliot. He's been asking me on how to pay you back." Ace said, he's been one of my closest guy friends, as well as Ivan. "But don't tell me that I told it to you, we all know that I'll choose you over your brother." He winks playfully.

I gave him a high five, which we normally do, "Glad that I could count on you."

"Are you backstabbing me?" Elliot places his tray on the table and sat across me. He raises an eyebrow and eyed Ace suspiciously.

Carl made himself noticeable, "Yeah, they were." He's always been a douche but not like Austin. I could still have a proper conversation with him.

Alex hisses, "Now, now, if you spoil the fun, there would be no fun at all." Alex does not really side on anyone and usually the type of guy that is mature enough to handle things and whenever one of us needs advice, he's the type of guy to go to.

"Hey manface." A familiar voice said behind me. I know who it was from and it's definitely making my head boil by just hearing his voice. I kept my composure as he settles down beside me. He has the habit of teasing me, and find it a hobby and fun to do.

"Manwhore." I greeted him back. "Can you please get away from me, Lila and Casey would be seating there."

He moves closer to me, occupying every space between us, "I sit where I want to sit. Aren't you glad that a guy like me would want to sit beside you? And with that manface and tomboyish acts of yours, I find you really attractive." He winks playfully, it's evident that he was just toying with me.

I showed him my middle finger and diverted my attention to my food instead, minutes later, Lila and Casey had joined the table.

I saw Lila's expression, she was grinning at me. As if she was trying to point out what she told me a while ago which was about Austin. Just because Austin is seating beside me, does not mean everything that she said earlier was true. He is seating beside me because he finds it funny teasing me.

"Fin is going to have a party on Friday." Casey started, "The girls in the squad has been talking about it like forever." She rolled her eyes in irritation. She's in the cheering squad because she likes what she has been doing but she is not fond with the girls on her squad.

Ivan manage to smile like a weirdo after hearing a party, he loves party, well every guy in the football team wants to party. They get laid, get drunk and get wild. I don't really like going to parties but I was always forced to be in one because of my guy friends and to watch out for Elliot. Once Elliot got drunk, he acts as if he had amnesia and that, I couldn't let go off him on his own.

"Parteeeeeh!!!" Ace started dancing by throwing his hands on the air, he started to act like a kid, "Let's go to the parteeeeh!" He sings song.

I breathed heavily, "Can somebody please look for someone who could baby sit my brother because I'll be forced to be in one just because of this dork who does not know how to tolerate alcohol." I sneered.

Elliot snorts, "Excuse me, last time I remember, when you got drunk and I didn't, you can't even tolerate alcohol." He crosses his arms against his chest.

"That was a year ago and that's why I haven't been drinking anymore! Plus, I was like that because we're siblings but what I was really trying to point out that if you want to drink, you must tolerate it." I retorted, Elliot sticks his tongue out like a kid, "And I don't want to baby sit you anymore."

"Yeah bro, so that Ella could baby sit me instead." He was being annoying as usual. Austin usually gives me nicknames depending on his mood. He never calls me by my name and instead, if he does want to call me by name, he'll call me Ella. It started two years ago. He said that I was being a tomboy with everything I do so he decided to call me a girly name so that maybe something would come out of it which nothing even happened at all. He was being an idiot. How can a person change by just changing the letters of their names? But since then, he has been calling me Ella. He's the only person who calls me that. My other guy friends told me that I must have feel special because there is a hot guy who is treating me a girl, if they only knew what I feel.

"In your dreams." I rolled my eyes at him and he places his hand over his chest, "You really love to hurt me that much now, do you?"

"C'mon El, come with us. He'll be there." Casey gushes. No one in our group knows about the crush thing I have with Matt except for Casey and Lila. And I'm not surprised that they will know about it because they treat me more like a brother than a sister.

I can feel a smile forming on my lips, "Really?" I bit the bottom of my lips, preventing myself to smile any further.

The guys have a look that I couldn't depicter, "What do you mean him?" Elliot had his eyebrows raise, he stares at Casey, trying to juice an answer from her.

"Duh, someone that El likes." Casey said in a matter of a fact tone. Can't blame the guys, they thought I was much of a guy than a girl.

Ivan has his mouth form into an 'o', "El-ELLIE!" He screeches like a little girl, "You're actually a girl now!?" I can't help but to chuckle after seeing Ivan's expression.

Alex slams his hand on the table, earning attention, "And who is this guy?" His face was stern. He was acting the big brother he is. Well he is a year older to everyone of us in this table.

"As if that guy would ever like you." Austin snorts, I knew he would say that, but why does it shot me right in the chest? I tried to ignore it. But his words were circling inside my head, what he said was true.

"C'mon tell us." Ace begged, he wants answers more than Elliot who has a confused look on his face. Austin was serious and it was odd. But his words still hurt even if I knew he was just teasing me.

I stand up from the table and place a smile on my face, I tried to keep myself compose, I don't want to show them that what Austin said bothered me, but I knew for a fact that they didn't even noticed what Austin said at all because they are gushing about Matt, "I have to go to the comfort room, I'll be back."

I heard Ivan and Ace said that I was avoiding the subject but right now it didn't matter. I was sad, I was really sad. Every fight and bickers that I had was Austin was manageable, it does not really bother me at all. But after hearing him say that, hurt me a lot. I don't care what other people says but why am I bothered after hearing him say that?

I was in the girl's comfort room, staring at myself in the mirror. I feel like I was going to cry, but I was still trying to kept it all in. Luckily, there is no one in the room besides me.

"El, are you okay?" Casey just got inside, she's really my bestfriend. She knows when something is wrong with me or not.

I breathed heavily, trying to form a smile on my face, "I'm okay."

"You look like you don't though." She pats my back, it was comforting for her to do. "Casey—" before I knew it, I can feel tears crashing from my eyes, I could no longer stop it, "Austin was right, what he said hurt me. Matt wouldn't really like me, heck, no guy would ever like me. They see me as this guy who is just in a girl's body when I'm just a girl who just happens to like what guys like or do." I sob. She hugs me tightly, rubbing my back to comfort me.

"El, you're already perfect as what you are now. Don't let Austin get to you. You know that he loves to do that," She pushes me back, trying to remove the tears from my eyes with her hand, "You are already perfect and we love what you are now."

"I want to change." I plainly said, "I don't want to be this type of girl anymore. I want to prove to that fucktard that I'm a girl who would be liked by a guy like Matt!" I retorted.

"El, are you even sure of what you're saying? Don't let Austin get inside your head, he was just messing with you—" I cut off Casey's sentence, "No, I have already decided, I want to change."

Casey smiles, "I already like the old El but if that's what you want then," She takes a hold both of my hands, "Let's do the makeover project."

I will show Austin what I'm capable to do. What I'm going to do is hard but if this is what it takes for guys to see me as a girl, for Matt to notice me and for Austin to shut his mouth, I will do this.