The School and the Duchess

[poppylongstocking]

Mark's mum was knocking on the bathroom door. "Are you finished yet?"



Mark winced and pushed the waxing strip onto his leg. "In a minute mum!" He clenched his teeth and yanked it off. "Oww!" He could hear his mum tittering from the other side of the door.



"Are you sure you don't want a hand?"



"No!"



"Well hurry up. The girls will be here in a minute."



Caley's mum was a hairdresser. When Mark appeared in his dressing gown, she was waiting for him along with Caley and Susan. Mark sat down in the proffered chair.



"Don't worry" she said "when I'm finished you'll look a picture."



The first thing she did was apply a funny smelling hot goo to his upper lip. Once it was spread evenly, she applied a strip of paper on each side and Mark realised what was coming. In the meantime they pierced his ears, Mark letting out a little yelp each time the pin went in. Then the wax came off. Mark yelled out again and this time cried a little.



"It's alright" whispered Caley, "I cried too."



Her mum began to work on his hair, which was quite long now, trimming the loose ends, layering it and putting in curls at the ends. When she was done there was a conference and everyone agreed it would be best to back-comb it and see how it looked. She combed and combed, putting the occasional slide or pin in as she went. Mark was handed a mirror. He gasped; where there was once a ragged mane of uncombed hair, there was now a pretty bouffant bob sitting neatly on his head with little curls behind the ears.



"There, I think Sally has herself a new look!" said Susan as Mark touched his new hairdo in disbelief - he really looked like a girl.

[poppylongstocking]

Mark lay in bed, his head propped up by the extra pillows his mum had brought him. "I don't think I can go through with this mum."



"Mark, do you remember why we came here in the first place?"



Mark swallowed.



"You stole from our landlord, remember? And before that?"



"I..."



"This is our last chance. If we don't make this work, then what are we going to do? I'm sorry, but you are going to go along with this. You're going to do whatever it takes to keep this school going, even if it means wearing a dress every day, because I'm not going to see my only son leave school with no exams, no job and no future. Have you got that?"



"Yes mum."



"Good. Now try to get some sleep, and remember not to roll over - you'll catch an earring."



***



It was the big day and everyone had come to help Mark prepare. The girls all looked very cute in their strappy summer dresses. Again, he found himself in dressing gown and cape with Caley's mum fussing over him.



"You haven't taken much care of your hair have you? No matter, we can soon fix that."



There was another round of combing and pinning. This time though, a can of hairspray descended and covered his bob in a thin lacquer. Mark patted it tentatively.



"Don't touch!" said his mum, slapping his hand away.



The girls had brought false nails to cover his short-bitten fingertips and new earrings; white plastic things that clipped to his lobes.



"We thought they went with your hairdo" explained Susan.



Then the girls brought his dress out. His nemesis, Emily appeared in the doorway with what appeared to be a little girls party dress, pink, with big puffy sleeves, lacy hems and a line of pretty bows down the front. Mark stared at it open-mouthed.



"What do you think of your new dress Sally?"



"That's not my name!" Mark shouted.



"Now come on" said his mum, "the last thing we want is for someone to get it wrong in front of the Duchess. I think we should all use Sally from now on." She gave Mark an 'I'm serious' look and Mark changed tack.



"I can't wear that dress. No girl would be seen dead in that!"



"It's the best we could do. It's the only dress we could find with a high enough neckline - all the others would give you away."



"But I'll look ridiculous!"



"It's too late now. Emily dear, would you put that in Sally's room please. The bras and the falsies as well. Thank you. Now young lady" she said, turning to Mark "we're going to have a little talk about responsibilities." And with that, she took Mark's hand and marched him out of the room.

[poppylongstocking]

There was the sound of lowered voices from behind the bedroom door, then a bang as something fell to the floor, then a faint rustling. Emily thought she heard sobs. Finally, Mark emerged to the sound of friendly applause.



"Oh Sally" said Emily, "you look so pretty!"



Mark shot an evil look at her, but could only meet her eye for a second, as he was blushing beetroot red. His dress fitted perfectly, the sleeves were puffed up round his shoulders and held snugly in place by little bows on the cuff. The skirt was puffed out by three layers of petticoats and hung just above his knees. He wore knee socks and black mary-janes which pinched his feet. He looked very unhappy.



"You look absolutely fine love" said Caley's mum, "no-one will ever suspect you were a boy."



"I'll say" snorted Emily.



"Now let's be supportive, remember Mark's doing... sorry, Sally's doing us a big favour."



"Sorry Sally."



"Ok. Now sit down dear and I'll do your face."



Mark sighed and sat back down in the chair. His mum warned him to mind his skirts and reluctantly he got back up and smoothed them down beneath him. Caley's mum explained:



"I'm just going to put on a bit of foundation to smooth out your complexion and maybe hide some of that red face of yours." After that, she applied the smallest touch of rouge to his cheeks and some sweet tasting pink lipstick. "There. I think you're ready."



Mark gaped at his reflection in the mirror. The clock read 12.30. They'd be leaving within the hour. He couldn't believe this was happening to him.



***



"No." said Mark's mum, "Watch how Susan walks. See how she keeps her shoulders back and her head up. Now you try."



Mark walked up and down the room in front of his audience of tittering girls. They had been making him do this again and again. Next came sitting down.



"Before you sit, smooth out your skirts under you and gently lower yourself into the chair, and keep your legs together." Mark tried it. "Look, your petticoats have ridden up your leg. Stand up. No, keep your legs together!"



Mark tried and tried again. He didn't see why everyone had to watch him but he knew it wasn't the time to complain.



"Better. But try not to look so sulky. Remember, you want to make a good impression which means being gracious and smiling. Lets practise the greeting. Someone play the duchess."



"Me!" said Emily



"Ok Sally, introduce yourself."



Mark forced a smile a walked to Emily with his best head-girl posture. "Good afternoon Miss Beaumont" he said extending his hand.



Emily took his gently and put on her plummiest voice. "Good Afternoon. Pleased to meet you."



"Pleased to meet you too." Mark paused, he knew what was expected of him next. Emily raised an eyebrow. Mark held his breath and dropped a curtsey. Emily burst out laughing.



"Emily!" shouted her mum, "get out of here!"



"Will someone else step in please?"



Caley stepped forward. "It's easy Sally, watch." She gave a little curtsey of he own and said "pleased to meet you." Mark responded in kind. Then she took his hand and took him to each person in the room and they all did the same. Mark felt a lot better after that and when the time came to leave Mark was still holding her hand. He was holding it tight.