Chapter 1

"Miss Skylar Kennedy?" The new history teacher, Mr. Cameron said. A few of his classmates snickered as Skylar raised his hand, not even trying to look up. His morning was already ruined when he heard the word 'miss'. "Can you please look up?"

He looked up with an eyebrow raised. "Sir? You know that I'm a guy right?" Mr. Cameron's face screamed disbelief.

"Sky's fine," Skylar said as he narrowed his eyes.

Mr. Cameron felt like he couldn't breathe anymore. "W-why do I feel so unsafe when he looks at me like that? It feels like he's the predator and I'm the prey here," he thought. He coughed awkwardly. "O-okay then. Um, Ashton King?"

"Here," Ashton said. He didn't want to be here, but his friends said that Skylar would be here. They made a bet. The one that makes him fall for one of them wins 500 dollars. He doesn't need the money, but secretly has a crush on Skylar. So if this works out, it'll be a win-win for Ashton.

The rest of the class Mr. Cameron avoided Skylar. Skylar didn't care, because he knew that he'll be just fine. Ashton was studying Skylar the whole time. The bell rung and Skylar put his things in his bag and speed-walked out of the class. Ashton followed him, but he abruptly stopped when he saw Nash making his move.

"So what do you think of a movie this Saturday?" He tucked Skylar's long hair behind his ear.

Skylar glared at him and Nash's body froze. "I told you. I'm not interested," Skylar hissed. Nash looked like he was ready to pee himself. Skylar left and went to his other class.

"This is what happens when that bitch forces you to let your hair down," he muttered to himself. He walked inside the math class and observed everything. Some people eyed him whispering to each other.

"SKY! SKY! OVER HERE!" He saw his only friend, Parker, waving like a maniac. He sighed and gave him a small smile. He dropped his bags and sat down next to him.

"Hi Parker," Skylar greeted him. Parker noticed something off about his attitude. His expression doesn't change, but it's more pissed off than usual.

"What's up?" He asked, concerned.

"That one soccer playing guy hit on me."

"Which one?"

"How am I supposed to remember his name? It was... Neil? Nathan? Something like that."

"Oh! You mean Nash?"

Skylar furrowed his eyebrows. "His name's Nash? He doesn't look like a Nash to me," he scoffed and Parker chuckled.

Ashton came into the room and the girls started whispering to each other.

"He's so hot!" One girl whispered. The second agreed.

"Do you think I have a shot with him?" The third girl asked.

"Of course! You're the prettiest here," the second one whispered and the first one agreed.

"Tomorrow I'll shoot my shot!"

Ashton sat in the back of the class, listening to their conversation. Like they had a chance. He had both boyfriends and girlfriends in the past, but the only one he wants now is Skylar. Aston looked at him talking to Parker and a pang of jealousy hit him hard.

"It's my time to shoot my shot too," he mumbled to himself.

One hour later

"I'll join you in the cafeteria soon. I have to go to the bathroom," Skylar said to Parker. He hummed and they went separate ways.

Parker turned around. "Sky! I'll save a slice of pizza for you," he yelled. Skylar gave him a thumbs up. As he walked to the bathroom, he felt that he is followed. Changing directions to go to the other bathroom, he still felt it. He got inside the bathroom and went inside one of the stalls. Once the door opened, he reached for his pocket knife and opened the door very slowly. He peeked outside just to see a guy that's in his class standing there. He put his knife back with a sigh.

"What's his name? Ash? Ace? Meh, I don't remember." He did his business as Ashton leaned against the wall, waiting for Skylar to come out. When Skylar finally came out, he washed his hands and went to the door. Ashton stopped him and turned him around. Skylar's back hit the wall. Skylar looked up at him with a glare.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Skylar asked calmly.

Ashton didn't respond. He quickly got lost in Skylar's steel-blue eyes. Skylar snapped his fingers and Ashton focused his attention back to him. "Oh yeah. I've been meaning to ask you something."

Skylar pushed Ashton a little off of him and raised his eyebrow. "What is it?"

"I don't want to beat around the bush with this. Will you go out with me?" Ashton asked bluntly.

Skylar's eyes widened. "Huh?"

"Is this some kind of joke? Or is he for real?" Skylar wondered and his eyes met Ashton's. Skylar only saw sincerity shining in his eyes.

"I've liked you for a few months already and I've waited too long to say it to you. Please go on a date with me!"

Skylar's face flushed red as he averted his eyes to the side. "I don't have time for this Ace."

Ashton furrowed his eyebrows. "But my name's Ash-"

Skylar stopped him. "I don't care what your name is, Ace."

Ashton sighed with a smile. "Fine then. See you later, Cherry." Ashton left the bathroom and made his way to the cafeteria. When he entered the cafeteria, he saw his friends already sitting at their table. He sat down and kept glancing at the door. A few seconds later, Skylar opened the door and walked to Parker. He sat down, his face still a little flustered.

"What happened in the bathroom? Did you see some people having sex?" Parker asked.

"Nothing happened. I just saw that one rich guy in there. What's his name? Ash? Ape? Alexander?"

"It's Ashton," Parker sighed. "He has that bad boy vibe and that 'I can steal your bitch in a heartbeat' vibe. So basically, he's a total casanova," Parker added.

"And kind of weird," Skylar mumbled to himself.

"What?"

"What?" Skylar took a big bite of the pizza. Parker watched him chew his pizza angrily until he noticed Skylar's weird behavior. He hit his hand on the table. Skylar didn't even flinch.

"What happened in the bathroom? Did someone confess to you or some shit like that?" Skylar kept quiet as his face became pink when he thought about it again. "OH MY GOD REALLY?! WHO WAS IT?!"

"Give me one good reason why you have to yell," Skylar demanded. "And no one confessed to me."

Parker kept silent and raised his brow. "Okay then." They ate in silence.

"Do you wanna go to my place after school?" Parker asked.

Skylar wanted to nod, but then he remembered that he couldn't go. "Sorry, I can't. My mom wants me home directly after school," Skylar replied.

Parker sighed. "Maybe next time then?"

"Yeah. Next time."

A few hours later

Skylar quietly opened the door of their house. He was greeted by his mom, Carla, watching TV.

"Hello, mom."

Carla turned around and smiled. "Hi, Skylar. How was school?"

"It was okay. When is dad coming home from his business trip?"

"Today," she answered.

"Okay. I'm going to my room then."

Carla stopped him. "Wait. I have something for you." She stood up from the couch with a bag in her hand.

"Please don't be a new dress. Please don't be a new dress," Skylar silently begged.

She grabbed the black cocktail dress and showed it to him. "Look! A new dress for you! Isn't it cute?" She put the dress in front of him. "Go and try it on."

"But I don't wa-"

Carla raised her hand and glared at him. "Try it on. Now," she ordered. She handed him the dress and Skylar went up to his room, muttering about how stupid this was.

He opened the door of his room and was greeted with the same view every time. Almost everything is pink. He got rid of his clothes and put on the dress. Struggling to put it on, he finally got it and glanced in the mirror.

"The dress is beautiful. It would've been better if a girl wore this." He went downstairs and his mother gasped.

"Oh honey, you look beautiful!" His mom gushed. Skylar had the straightest face so Carla wouldn't get one of her episodes again. She let her fingers go through his long hair.

"My parents never wanted me to have long hair and they never bought me dresses. But now that you're here, I can let you with that pretty long hair and that beautiful dress." Carla looked at the dress again. "Isn't there anyone at school who likes you? Or do you have a secret boyfriend that I don't know about?

"No mom, no one likes me and I don't have a secret boyfriend," Skylar replied bored out of his mind.

"But how could my beautiful daughter not have a boyfriend? Or don't you fall on guys?"

"MOM!" Skylar exclaimed. "I don't have a boyfriend. And I'm a boy."

Carla tensed up. "What do you mean? You're a girl, not a boy. Stop making stupid jokes like that Skylar."

"I'm a boy."

"What do you mean that you're a boy? You're not a boy. YOU'RE A GIRL!" She yelled as she raised her hand. "A GIRL!" She slapped him across his face. Skylar didn't even flinch and looked her dead in the eye.

"That didn't hurt at all," he thought. "I don't want to be near her, but I have to accept it before things break."

Carla grabbed a vase and aimed it at Skylar. Skylar raised his hands. "I'm sorry mom. I'm a girl. Not a boy, a girl."

"A girl my ass."

Carla calmed down and put the vase back. She smiled. "Can you put the black stockings and pumps that I bought you on?"

Skylar sighed. "Okay, mom."

10 minutes later

"I'm so grateful for my dad. If he wasn't here, I had to go to school like this again," he muttered. He went downstairs and Carla watched him happily walking on the heels. The only reason he could walk on them is that Carla said that, as he quotes, 'a girl has to know how to walk on heels.' He thinks that it's bullshit.

"You look stunning," she smiled. She grabbed her phone and opened the camera. "Pose so I can take some pictures." She took the pictures until the doorbell rang.

"Go get it," Carla said, looking at the pictures she took. He sighed and opened the door. On the other side stood one of his dad's assassin friends, Joey.

"Hey Skylar, Carla." They both greeted him back. "Your dad wanted me to pick you up."

"Is it an assassination?"

"Mom, can I go?" Skylar asked Carla. She sighed and nodded. "Thanks." He wanted to go upstairs to change his clothes, but Carla grabbed his hand.

"You can go, but you have to wear the dress that you're wearing right now."

"Why?" He moaned.

"Because I said so. And you look cute." He grabbed his jacket and left the house with Joey. They got inside the car and Joey drove off.

"Is it an assassination?" Skylar asked.

"Yes. Your dad will give you the details. But he said that you had to come in a dress and heels."

"So I have to be a girl again?"

"Yeah." Skylar rolled his eyes. Joey flicked his forehead.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"You know what they say. A hitman that could pull off both-," Joey started.

"-genders in the field has a great advantage," Skylar finished. "Yeah, yeah. You've told me that for a few years already."

Joey ruffled his hair as they drove in comfortable silence to meet up with his dad.