Study Hall Dress Code
The last rays of the afternoon sun cast long beams on the Gamma Delta house as Nate, Milo, Julian, and Owen approached the house together. Their nerves fluttered in anticipation, and the feel of their lacy undergarments were a constant reminder of their predicament. The front door swung wide before they could knock.
Tara and Brianna greeted them, their eyes sparkling with anticipation. âWelcome, Little Sisters!â Tara announced, her voice ringing with good-natured mischief. âWeâre so glad youâre here on time. Thatâs the Gamma Delta spirit!â
The Big Sisters wasted no time in ushering them to a second-floor room where Madison, Cassidy and Elise were already waiting. âTonight,â Elise informed them, âyouâll be learning how Gamma Delta scholars present themselves. That means dressing appropriatelyâdemure, tidy, and, of course, adorable!â Her wink was conspiratorial.
Madison announced, âWeâve put together some nice âstudy uniformsâ for you. We donât allow slouches and slobs in the halls of Gamma Delta!â The boys stared, wide-eyed, at the four matching outfits hanging before them. Nate swallowed hard, and Miloâs mouth fell open. Julian nervously fiddled with the strap of his messenger bag, and Owen let out a tiny, incredulous snort. It was immediately obvious that things were getting real now.
âYou mean⌠even for doing our homework, we have to wearâ?â Milo began.
Madison cut him off with a teasing smile, âThatâs right! Skirts, blouses, tights, the whole ensemble. Oh, I promise youâll get used to it before you know it.â
âDonât worry,â Cassidy soothed, âweâre going to help you get ready.â The girls each took charge of their new Little Sister and set to work. The boys were issued delicate white silk blouses with peter pan collars and pearl buttons. Knee-length, pleated navy skirts and creamy white tights came next. These were followed by cute ballet-style navy flats with modest heels.
The process of getting dressed was awkward, slow and embarrasing. Nate fumbled with the tiny buttons, his fingers clumsy at the unfamiliar task. Milo held up his skirt uncertainly, as if double-checking how it was supposed to fit. When he pulled his tights up, Julian took a moment to smooth them over his calves, his cheeks burning and his skin tingling with the new sensations.
Once Owen had his blouse on, he pouted at his reflection while Brianna briskly adjusted his collar. âYou look darling,â she teased, âvery scholarly chic.â Owen then quickly looked away from the mirror with his lips pressed tight. It was almost as if he saw something that frightened him.
Madison said playfully, âNow that youâre all dressed to impress, itâs time for hair!â Elise pulled out a large bin of hair accessories they had obviously gathered for the occasion: pearl and silver barrettes, tasteful hair clips, hairbands in velvet and satin. There were also plenty of combs, brushes and styling products.
Cassidy started with Nate, assessing his thick hair with a discerning eye. She worked in a modest amount of mousse, taming his flyaways with gentle brushstrokes. She swept his bangs to one side and pinned them with a pair of pearl barrettes, creating a cute, feminine fringe. She then brushed the sides back nicely away from his face.
Tara spritzed Miloâs curly hair then worked in a dab of smoothing cream. She used a comb to coax a few curls to sweetly frame his forehead. Parting his hair off-center, she pinned each side with subtle, silvery barrettes. Looking in the mirror, Milo cheeks tinged with surprise at how different he looked.
Elise took charge of Julian and brushed his blonde hair out thoroughly. After applying a touch of product, she parted his hair neatly down the middle. Then, she swept the sides back and tucked them under a slender navy headband. She used a few pins to hold things in place. Then, she tugged gently at the ends to soften them into gentle wisps. âThatâs kind of cute,â she said sweetly.
Brianna took on Owen, whose dark hair was longish and straight. She used a dab of styling wax to smooth his hair into a gentle side part. With a little more product, she teased the front into a slight wave added two gleaming silver clips just above his left temple, anchoring the style in place. Owen grunted as he saw himself, but the result was undeniably presentable and feminine.
The boys were amazed at how quickly the sisters had conjured feminine hairstyles out of their unruly mops. âNot bad for the first try,â Madison declared. After a momentâs pause, âNow, for makeup!â
Tara produced a caddy of makeup brushes and shimmery compacts. âJust a touchâmascara, a hint of blush, and a little gloss,â she said, âAt Gamma Delta, we always put our best face forward.â
By this point, the boys were no longer protesting. Still, the unsettled looks on their faces spoke volumes. Madison simply grinned and assured them, âItâs all about poise and presentation, and itâs part of our deal.â
âI hope youâre paying attention,â Brianna warned, âsoon youâll be doing all this yourselves!â
Nateâs lashes were brushed lightly, his green eyes framed with unexpected elegance. Milo wriggled nervously as a dab of pink blush brought out the color in his cheeks. Julian sat very still, eyes wide, while Elise traced a glossy tint over his lips. Owen sat quietly while Brianna gave him a quick flick of mascara and a dusting of powder.
In a short time, they blinked at their reflections in amazement and ogled each other. Despite themselves, they realized that they all sort of looked⌠pretty. Confusing emotions stirred in them all, ranging from nervousness to embarrassment and even to a bit of excitement.
âWell,â said Madison, stepping back to assess the Big Sistersâ efforts, âI do see some promise.â